Thread: New Ute Dilemma

Originally Posted by Dicko

All the new utes need under body protection and better tyres for more serious off road use. Maybe then a lift then. I kept my old modified 1HD Prado for the bash and scratch jobs. its lifted, hd sprung, 180 l tank, bars and winch...Rides rough unloaded though.

On the new Ford, the ride and handling with light to reasonable loads (like hunting and fishing camps) is good. It maybe different with canopies and heavy tool boxes. But for trade use you buy a poverty pack and turn it into a work truck which then is not ideal for civi use.
The v6 180 KW, 600 NM motor and 10 speed box is smooth and quiet, no diesel rattle like in the toyota. All round disc brakes are great, should be mandatory on all utes now.

They are big. The bonnet is a bit harder to see over. Makes the Prado feel like a jeep. Turning circle is larger but probably similiar to the Lux.However you've got cameras over every wheel and front and back that can help with slow 4wd crawling and a camera showing you where your wheels will track when in 4wd at low speeds. In fact the tech is a bit of a mind mess.

I work in agriculture and you are seeing plenty of them in the bush with growers and rural reps, Wrightson types etc.
Would i buy a new ute and smash it up the Rakia R. etc...probably not but for Thar use, heated seats sneaking home to town late are pretty nice..

You've just nailed the main problem with the new ranger. The V6 option only comes in at the premium end, Ford man reckons he can't get one in the poverty pack. If you are running heavily loaded, or towing and want the V6 you only have one option currently and that is the last remaining Platinum editions if there are any left, otherwise he reckons end of 2025 to start of 2026. Or, you get the 2L two hair drier model which pulls OK once the revs are up but can struggle at low speeds (same as the earlier Amarok with the 10 speed auto and 2L 2hair drier setup). Also, the 2L does not have much in the way of engine braking, and at full load they eat brakes. Best effort I hear of is rotors and pads after 9000K's - this at long runs downhill where you need to middle peddle it to haul the combination up and keep it under the speed limit.

My current problem child is one of the first of the PXII series ranger XLT's, six speed manual 4wd 3.2L. Had to wait for the PXII as they were the first Rangers to carry the 3500Kg tow rating (earlier versions were all 3250Kg). It's on aftermarket 7leaf+overload spring packs with foam cell shocks, and a tweak up front to level the thing back out. It rides fine not a problem on the road provided it doesn't have the ute drawer taken out, and is good all the way up to full load with trailer. It can be done without giving a crap ride, but a lot of the factory aftermarket gear is not built for that purpose it's either play lift, heavy winch bar setups, or full commercial with fully loaded being the norm. You don't often get a truly versatile setup off the shelf, to tweak essentially a factory setup and improve the ride and load carrying.

I'll add to my comment on the V6 option, they tell me it's due to the calculated CO2 emissions of the two motors vs what Ford wants to pay in climate tax. I asked how the hell that works out considering the 2L blows a shiteload of black smoke when towing and I offered to take the dashcam footage in to show them. er, ahh, um, mumble ahh erm yes well hmm no that's OK thanks. The 2L motors are totally reliant on the forced induction, and the slight lag on foot down before the turbo's decide to play means unburnt fuel. The V6 is much better in this regard, producing the goods at lower RPM. No replacement for displacement unfortunately but they tell me the calcs are all done on track testing and at pretty much unloaded...