Once again the Ranger's functionality comes to the rescue of a certified "non-truck" staffer. After purchasing a new TV and having no need (or room) for his old television and entertainment console, our technical editor suddenly found himself in need of a cargo vehicle. As fate would have it, the long-term Ranger was parked at his condo for the week and his brother-in-law was willing to buy said TV/entertainment center. Loading the solid-oak unit wasn't easy, but once on board, the Ranger's bedliner did its job of protecting both the truck's bed and the wood's finish. We've been complaining about this warped aftermarket piece since it was installed last August. But when it's time to carry delicate items, we'll take a twisted plastic liner over bare metal any day.

The Ranger also carted our tech editor's entire family (wife and 10-month-old son) from West L.A. into the San Fernando Valley to pick up their pre-purchased Star Wars' movie tickets. With the baby seat riding shotgun (passenger airbag turned off, of course) and his 5-foot-4-inch wife in a side-facing rear seat, Mr. Brauer could evaluate the Ranger as a family car. His conclusion: "It's much better at hauling furniture than families." Ford gets an "A" for effort in terms of making the Ranger people mover friendly. The rear doors open and shut easily while the rear seats fold out in seconds. But by the time you have a wife, baby and required baby paraphernalia loaded into the cab, nobody is comfortable. Hey, at least the back window slides open to help quell the rear passengers' sense of claustrophobia.

Another admitted car guy, technology guru Bob Weiss, spent some time with the Ranger in May. Having driven only a few trucks, including our recently acquired GMC Sierra, Bob appreciated the Ford's smaller size. "The Ranger is small enough that it feels more like a car than the Sierra, which is a monster." He also couldn't imagine anyone over eight years old sitting in the rear seats and noted the deteriorating aftermarket sidesteps and bedliner. Finally, Bob noted a strange, high-pitched "clink" when slowing down that he could only attribute to the transmission downshifting. Our tech editor also noticed the noise when backing up the slight incline in his condo's parking area. He suspected it might be a transfer-case issue. The noise is somewhat disconcerting, but no other symptoms, such as driveline shudder or shifting problems, are present. Another dealership visit is in the Ranger's future.

A trip to Beverly Hills Ford already happened this month to address the cruise-control cable recall and perform the 10,000-mile service. We also had them check a slow leak in the right-front tire. The cable was replaced free of charge, the engine oil and filter were replaced, the tires rotated, and all fluid levels were checked. Total bill: $43.94.

Unfortunately, they were unable to do anything about the tire leak and, sure enough, our tech editor came out to find a near-flat right-rear tire a few days after receiving the Ranger. By getting close to the tire and listening carefully, he was able to confirm that the leak was due to a bad bead seal between the tire and wheel. Before angrily charging back to the dealership, he carefully drove the truck to his corner gas station (about 200 yards) and pumped the afflicted tire up to 70 psi, at which point the hissing stopped. He then lowered the pressure back to 35 psi, listened again, and heard nothing! Ten days later the tire is still holding steady pressure. Hey, if you want something done right, yadda-yadda-yadda.

Total Odometer Reading: 12,044
Best Fuel Economy: 13.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.5 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $43.94
Problems: Low speed "clink" coming from the transmission/transfer case area.