I drive a Ford Ranger 150 Truck 4 cy., with automatic transmission, purchased new in 2001, for $14,652.67, with a service contract for $1190.00. It was my first new vehicle and I bought a Ford because we are a Ford family; my ex-husband ran a Ford dealership for years and there was no competition in my mind. I bought a white model and continue to like the color; it's a small truck and, while it's not embellished, it looks neat and useful. The only features I added were a trailer hitch and automatic door locks. The door locks failed in 2008. The trailer hitch has been used once. The design fits my life-style and because the seat is higher than a sedan, it's much easier for me, as an older person, to enter and exit the vehicle. I like the fact that because the cab is small, it takes very little time for it to heat and cool. The vehicle has started every day until recently this year. The same battery has been in the vehicle since purchased. I just replaced it. One evening, I was going home in rush-hour traffic , in a downpour, when I hit a low spot, spun across two lanes of traffic, and rolled backwards down a 15-foot embankment, then stopped by a barbed wire fence. The motor was still running and I was pulled out of the marshy area by a helpful motorist with a truck and very large, nubbed tires. I drove home with no problem. A month later, I noticed a squeak, and took it to a technician, who replaced the C.V. joints, no doubt because of the accident. I've had no problems since then. It has been a perfect vehicle for me and I treat it well. With less than 50,000 miles on the odometer, I expect it to last another 9 or 10 years. The only problem was the doors, and I should have known better than to add a non-factory-installed electric function. I highly recommend this model, as a similar model is still being offered today for around $17,000.