2012 Ford Ranger XLT auto, test drive.

[Bros]

lift the vehicle to get at least 90 - 100mm travel in the front end.

One of the drawbacks with this modification is wear on the CV boots, unless you can find the freewheeling hubs.

[antg2378]

Saw one the other day a Bryan Byrt Ford Capalaba. Looked really good, only wish I had the coin to upgrade my single cab PJ :-(

[ozscott]

These are not a serious 4wd like Land Rover or Toyota Cruiser etc, but will do very well in most places people want to go with some care. On the beach the 18 inch wheel models with suffer a little with lack of sidewall height.

I think I am wrong assuming these will have the ZF - the auto is likely to be the box from the XC90 Volvo - the one they had a lot of problems with by accounts - see Wiki plus a mate of mine with the same drama. Perhaps go the manual.

They would be a nice ute for mostly onroad and some beach work and lighter of road work. Great for towing if the low tow bar can be improved on?

Cheers

[Lucky_Phill]

I may have had a change of heart or at least put off until the series 2 comes out.

I am heading to Alice Springs next week, so I am having a ARB bar fitted to the Colorado...... for the small roo's.

I am also looking for a fibreglass canopy to fit the alloy tray.

Too many things to think about right now and those little items I mentioned about the Ranger are starting to bug me.


LP

[Lovey80]

I am pretty sure the 4.2L Comes with a choice of the new 6 Speed Auto or 6 Speed Manual.

I didn't notice those quirks phill will have to check it out again.

[Lucky_Phill]

The low tow bar is because of the fitting under the rear step on the XLT. The bar does not have to be that low on the XL, as there is no rear step thingie. Also, if one fits an alloy tray, that too, eleviates the problem.

B/bar goes on Friday.



LP

[theoldlegend]

I may have had a change of heart or at least put off until the series 2 comes out.

I am heading to Alice Springs next week, so I am having a ARB bar fitted to the Colorado...... for the small roo's.

I am also looking for a fibreglass canopy to fit the alloy tray.

Too many things to think about right now and those little items I mentioned about the Ranger are starting to bug me.


LP

Are you going to paint the town red Phill?

Or pink maybe?


TOL

[Lucky_Phill]

You are on fire John.

Well, not the whole town, just certain parts that I cannot disclose due to security protocols. I know you undertsand.

I hope to see pink........ or is that violet, as the wild flowers of central Australia should be in full bloom.

LP.
.
.
.
.
.

[Jabba_]

I may have had a change of heart or at least put off until the series 2 comes out.

I am heading to Alice Springs next week, so I am having a ARB bar fitted to the Colorado...... for the small roo's.

I am also looking for a fibreglass canopy to fit the alloy tray.

Too many things to think about right now and those little items I mentioned about the Ranger are starting to bug me.


LP

Im holding the same opinion, that tow bar bugs me in a major way. And with the reputation Ford has with mark 1 models (speaking with first hand experiance), Im betting there will be a host off little gremlins that may spoil an otherwise great car.. I too will wait for mark 2 Ranger.. Also the price is a turn off when the V6 550 Navara (Has more grunt and is a bigger truck) can be had for same price, once a hard lid is included, compared to the XLT..

[Greg P]

New Mazda BT50 version in dealers from November. Pricing looks better but still working through specs for apples with apples comparison

[GBC]

My uncle bought an XLT friday week ago.It's failed twice so far. Something about it engages 4wd on the highway, then you can't disengage. Pull over, shut down start all over again. Has happened twice in the week.
Took it to the dealer and the mechanics said they haven't even seen one much less driven one yet. It's booked in next week.

[GBC]

Quick update - it was a dodgy module thingamabob possibly caused by an over zealous detailer. Quick changeover and apparently the love affair is back on.

[stinky-stabi]

Just went and had a peek at two.

PX XL and the XLT.

Couple of things that disappointed me.

Tow bar is W A Y T O O low. and, believe it or not, the trailer plug is mounted on the bottom of the tow bar.... the friggin lowest point of the whole car is this plug... ! what were they thinking ??

Next, the travel in the front end is about 50mm, maybe less I reckon. Bumpstops above the wishbone ????

Then we have these funny , low hanging rear shockie mounting brackets, just hanging down waiting to be collected by tree stumps or boulders. Also, the rear shockies at top are mounted on a horizontal spicket off the chassis....... fragile IMO.

I have now been over the specs of a few vehicles.

The RX D40 nissan has 23nm torque more, a wider front and rear wheel track and a wheel base of 20mm less than the Ranger. Nissan also has a bigger fuel tank. Nissan has a 2.5ltr engine and is $5,000 cheaper off the rack.

Colorado has 20nm less torque, 27Kw less, better fuel economy, bigger fuel tank, but overall a smaller vehicle at $3,000 less than a Ranger, off the rack.OH, and no cruise control as standard.

I also looked at the Mazda, D-Max, Amarok and Triton.................. but really, more of the same.

Overall, if you are looking for a work truck, the Ranger is the one you want. Next in line would be the Colorado IMO.

The big pluses for me in the Ranger are :-

Tow.............3.350ton
payload...... 1132kgs
standard cruise control
147kw and 380nm.

Things to change if I buy one:-

upsize the fuel tank
remove tub and install alloy tray
set tow bar high and shift stupid placement of tow wiring / plug.
lift the vehicle to get at least 90 - 100mm travel in the front end.
remove front bumper and install ARB winch compatible bar
tinted windows.


I also need to find out what that dicky little cooler is sitting under the rear wheel arch ????

Having said all that, it is an Aussie desgined vehicle and in these financially delicate times, I am pro-active in attempting to purchase as much Aussie stuff as possible.

OH, my comparisons were done on equal vehicles.

dual cab, diesel, 4 x 4 manuals... base models....................................

OK< choppa.............. now we need to talk turkey.

cheers LP

the new ranger has 470nm not 380nm,,,,,its has 6bhp less than a v8 landcruiser ute but 40nm more than the v8 ,,

[stinky-stabi]

the new ranger has 470nm not 380nm,,,,,its has 6bhp less than a v8 landcruiser ute but 40nm more than the v8 ,,

i bought the new mazda today dual cab auto,,,,,chip n exhaust for christmas i hope

[Jabba_]

Sweet..
let us know what its like after a few months..