If I'm not mistaken, the Ranger brand went on hiatus after the 2011 model year. Unsold Rangers lingered on dealer's lots till well into the spring of 2012. You could pick up a very nice one, 4x4, 4.0, well kitted out, brand new for around $14,000.
The old Rangers were a Ford-Mazda collaboration at some level, although I think the ones with the Mazda badge had a Japanese power train. Either way, they were a relatively simple vehicle. They've held their value remarkably well. Had you bought that truck new, kept the mileage to 20k/yr or so, and looked after it, it'll still give you back 50% of your purchase price today, nine years later.
That's astonishing value retention.
Take a gander at the new Ford Ranger.
Admittedly that's a particularly high-end one, but holy shit, we're well into Mercedes or Audi territory here, or if you really have to have a truck, you can find a lot more truck for a lot less money, even at the Ford dealership.
I for one would never take a chance on a 2.3 ecoboost with a ten-speed automatic. Yes, these motors are technological marvels.
No, these power-trains will never in a million years give you the kind of reliability and durability the old Rangers gave you under real world conditions. If you absolutely have to be seen in a pretty high-tech truck, for goodness sakes don't buy it, lease it.
At least your losses will be limited.
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