Thread: New Ute Dilemma

Personal bias, I like Nissan Navarra and old school.

I drive a 2003 Nissan Navarra 3.0ltr DC manual five speed which I bought at 198,000 and is now approach 240,000 on the original everything. It has absolutely NO bells and whistles, no flashing lights (like in the wing mirror!!!!WTF!!!!), no LCD touch screen or phone Bluetooth, no lane assist, collision warning or even cruise control. And I love it! Being manual I can slip it into neutral and coast the downhill gradients with the engine on idle eg Transmission Gully is 27km long, I can coast 15kms of it at speeds ranging from 130kmh to 70kmh. When I'm on the highway therefore typically not many other vehicles around, so nobody is inconvenienced. I think I'm saving diesel!?

Can you even buy a manual ute these days?

Anyway, back on topic, I agree with @7mm tragic about Rangers giving trouble at 200,000. Reason I say that is when I bought my Nissan I took it to an engine reconditioner to pressure check the turbo operation, it was fine. But his comment was, "The engine I get in most to recondition is the Ford Ranger. It may just be because it is the biggest selling vehicle on the road? But the engines all seem to get to 200,000 then just crap out!"

I know I'm probably going to get knee capped by every Ranger owner whose ute has done 250,000 but that's what the recon mechanic said.

The other thing I don't like about the Ranger, and modern uses general, is they are dimensionally HUGE! To lift something over the wellside you have to be 6ft 8" TALL. There was a sales rep in the City branch who was height challenged. She carried a small wooden box with her so she could climb up into the Ranger!!!

Buy a Nissan!