New Gen Ranger. First impressions

[Kiwi Pete]

What an informative thread, thank you.

Shame about the dick heads

I'm still sitting on the fence, so to speak, as to whether I replace our PK Ranger with a newer one.

I was pretty unwilling to go for the 3.2 until what was discoverable had been discovered, at this stage cheap cars and older ute do admirably

 

[mobileweld]

I run at the moment a 16 reg navara. Np300. Been a great truck but I really wish I had waxoiled it when I got it. I’m too scared now to lift it up and wash it I know what it will look like. And will be fairly pointless by now.
Rangers are a good truck, know plenty of people with them. A fiend is currently waiting on their new one to turn up and will have a good look round that one. Be interesting to see how it performs over 5 years or so.
I will probably replace the Nissan with the newest and cleanest navara I can find at the time, but that’s because I have a gullwing canopy and a set of drawers that are unique to the Nissans bed.

 

[Magnus Oyke]

Greetings pickup fans. A couple of Monday's ago I went out in the evening like normal and saw a Nissan Navara Roid Rage parked outside the jetski dealer in town and I'm not even joking...

There's plenty of these, Barry'd up Hawke pickups around here https://www.smcautomotive.co.uk/smc-ranger you see me, I love a fake, plastic bonnet scoop on a 2 litre diesel...

Then there's these https://www.derangedvehicles.com/ bloody things are everywhere, usually black and driven in a manner you'd expect them to be.

Neither of the above see much work, they've all got the comedy, low profile knobbly tyres on, usually have an unused tow hitch and a full load of f**k all in the bed.

There's a couple of the new Rangers around here now, in full Wide Boy spec, natch. But I have seen a very rare, previous gen range, single cab with a dropside bed that looked like it had done more work than all of the Wife Beater spec pickups combined.

 

[toquark]

Greetings pickup fans. A couple of Monday's ago I went out in the evening like normal and saw a Nissan Navara Roid Rage parked outside the jetski dealer in town and I'm not even joking...

There's plenty of these, Barry'd up Hawke pickups around here https://www.smcautomotive.co.uk/smc-ranger you see me, I love a fake, plastic bonnet scoop on a 2 litre diesel...

Then there's these https://www.derangedvehicles.com/ bloody things are everywhere, usually black and driven in a manner you'd expect them to be.

Neither of the above see much work, they've all got the comedy, low profile knobbly tyres on, usually have an unused tow hitch and a full load of f**k all in the bed.

There's a couple of the new Rangers around here now, in full Wide Boy spec, natch. But I have seen a very rare, previous gen range, single cab with a dropside bed that looked like it had done more work than all of the Wife Beater spec pickups combined.

Did your wife leave you for someone who drives a pick up?

 

[Drillman]

Did your wife leave you for someone who drives a pick up?

Yes I reckon his (ex) wife preferred riding in a nice top spec 4 door pickup rather than an auld single cab beruit bus with no wireless to drown the whining noise out

 

[mobileweld]

Greetings pickup fans. A couple of Monday's ago I went out in the evening like normal and saw a Nissan Navara Roid Rage parked outside the jetski dealer in town and I'm not even joking...

There's plenty of these, Barry'd up Hawke pickups around here https://www.smcautomotive.co.uk/smc-ranger you see me, I love a fake, plastic bonnet scoop on a 2 litre diesel...

Then there's these https://www.derangedvehicles.com/ bloody things are everywhere, usually black and driven in a manner you'd expect them to be.

Neither of the above see much work, they've all got the comedy, low profile knobbly tyres on, usually have an unused tow hitch and a full load of f**k all in the bed.

There's a couple of the new Rangers around here now, in full Wide Boy spec, natch. But I have seen a very rare, previous gen range, single cab with a dropside bed that looked like it had done more work than all of the Wife Beater spec pickups combined.

Here’s my Nissan roid rage doing sod all usefull as usual wide boy tyres let her rip

 

[Cowabunga]

Did a bit of light towing today and put the Tow/Haul mode to the test. Basically it is very like a Sports mode if used without a trailer fitted, and with a trailer it works perfectly. I have deduced that there’s no point letting the gearbox change up further than 7th ratio on local roads when towing and it does 50mph at 2000erpm in that ratio. It is a very simple matter to set tow/haul mode and to set an upper gear ratio limit.

The drawbar unit is a rather rattly thing and there’s zero wear on it yet, so it is only going to get worse. However, the vehicle tows like a dream otherwise. In Tow/Haul mode the 4wd mode changes to full time 4wd automatically, which is great.

 

[Drillman]

@Cowabunga I assume the chassis mounting points for the tow hitch are different and the girder style tow hitch as fitted to your 2014 model ranger won’t fit?

 

[Cowabunga]

@Cowabunga I assume the chassis mounting points for the tow hitch are different and the girder style tow hitch as fitted to your 2014 model ranger won’t fit?

I would think not because the chassis is a totally new design as is the body. There are aftermarket hitches already available for these models but I really doubt that most are as strong as the factory fit hitch.

Apart from the obvious differences, the sills under the doors protrude, the tub is wider than the cab and the shocks at the back are outside of the chassis rails. I’m very intimate with the sexy underside of this vehicle as I’ve been underneath it today again with a Schutz gun, shooting wax on the more remote panels such as the underside of the tub’s floor and the top of my head. I’ve also made and fitted a load divider today as well as found an old shepherds crook to make reaching stuff in the tub easy. I’ll take a picture just now and attach it below.

I used a G clamp and the Milwaukee Sawzall [or whatever the great little power saw is called]. The G clamp was used on the tailgate to hold the wood, using the pivoting covers specifically designed for the purpose, seen about a third of the way in from the sides at the top edge of the tailgate, as seen above. There is a ruler built into the tailgate top edge but on models with the plastic load liner, such as this one, the trim piece for the liner at the top inside edge of the tailgate hides the ruler.

Shepherd’s crook and yard of truth seen, along with the ball cover. The plank was cut to fit as well as the wood spacers either side which are attached with wood screws from the front. The whole thing easily lifts out in seconds.
Although I haven’t measured precisely, it seems that this is a taller vehicle than the first generation T6 Ranger, with which I can compare. Taller to climb into the cab and impossible to reach the floor of the tub while standing to its side, hence the crook.

I’m thinking of getting a rubber cow cubicle mat for the floor to make it more grippy. A four foot wide one just might fit between the wheel arches with minimal trimming apart from its length.
Spyder moulded ‘rubber’ mats have been fitted in the cab, front and back and they are a superb fit. They cost no more than the Ford supplied items but seem to be a better product. Once I have made some more little home made customisations, the truck will probably then not be further modified for years.

 

[Spudmaster]

I would think not because the chassis is a totally new design as is the body. There are aftermarket hitches already available for these models but I really doubt that most are as strong as the factory fit hitch.

Apart from the obvious differences, the sills under the doors protrude, the tub is wider than the cab and the shocks at the back are outside of the chassis rails. I’m very intimate with the sexy underside of this vehicle as I’ve been underneath it today again with a Schutz gun, shooting wax on the more remote panels such as the underside of the tub’s floor and the top of my head. I’ve also made and fitted a load divider today as well as found an old shepherds crook to make reaching stuff in the tub easy. I’ll take a picture just now and attach it below.


View attachment 1125247View attachment 1125248
I used a G clamp and the Milwaukee Sawzall [or whatever the great little power saw is called]. The G clamp was used on the tailgate to hold the wood, using the pivoting covers specifically designed for the purpose, seen about a third of the way in from the sides at the top edge of the tailgate, as seen above. There is a ruler built into the tailgate top edge but on models with the plastic load liner, such as this one, the trim piece for the liner at the top inside edge of the tailgate hides the ruler.

View attachment 1125249

Shepherd’s crook and yard of truth seen, along with the ball cover. The plank was cut to fit as well as the wood spacers either side which are attached with wood screws from the front. The whole thing easily lifts out in seconds.
Although I haven’t measured precisely, it seems that this is a taller vehicle than the first generation T6 Ranger, with which I can compare. Taller to climb into the cab and impossible to reach the floor of the tub while standing to its side, hence the crook.

I’m thinking of getting a rubber cow cubicle mat for the floor to make it more grippy. A four foot wide one just might fit between the wheel arches with minimal trimming apart from its length.
Spyder moulded ‘rubber’ mats have been fitted in the cab, front and back and they are a superb fit. They cost no more than the Ford supplied items but seem to be a better product. Once I have made some more little home made customisations, the truck will probably then not be further modified for years.

done similar and gone a step further…. It might look pretty crude but at £35 all-in it’s a damned sight cheaper (and more versatile) than Ford’s £500 ’cargo management system’!

 

[Cowabunga]

View attachment 1125291
done similar and gone a step further…. It might look pretty crude but at £35 all-in it’s a damned sight cheaper (and more versatile) than Ford’s £500 ’cargo management system’!

Next job on mine is to find some 4x4" wood to fit exactly where yours fits up front. Hadn’t thought of tubs. Brilliant idea! Where did you get them? The beauty is that it can all be lifted out in a minute when larger loads need to be carried.

As yet my divider has cost nothing, because I’m using some off-cuts from a roofing job done at the turn of the year. Haven’t found any 4x4 yet. Paint the wood black and it will look totally professional.

 

[Spudmaster]

Next job on mine is to find some 4x4" wood to fit exactly where yours fits up front. Hadn’t thought of tubs. Brilliant idea! Where did you get them? The beauty is that it can all be lifted out in a minute when larger loads need to be carried.

As yet my divider has cost nothing, because I’m using some off-cuts from a roofing job done at the turn of the year. Haven’t found any 4x4 yet. Paint the wood black and it will look totally professional.

Tubs came from Go Outdoors and clearance is spot-on if you have the power roll top. The two little ones are perfect size to store the removable tow-hitch… a big oversight on Ford’s part as nowhere to stow it otherwise, apart from rattling around in the tub.

 

[Cowabunga]

Tubs came from Go Outdoors and clearance is spot-on if you have the power roll top. The two little ones are perfect size to store the removable tow-hitch… a big oversight on Ford’s part as nowhere to stow it otherwise, apart from rattling around in the tub.

I missed the two wee ones on first look. Yes they look handy and good place for the removable drawbar. Only thing is, the drawbar is one heavy lump of steel and probably requires climbing into the rear to lift it out of the tray. As yet I’ve just stored the drawbar in my workshop with the tractor drawbars when not in use. I think that is probably the best place for it. I’m certainly not going to leave it on the truck in its frame when not in use because it is prone to theft but mostly makes the already long truck ridiculously long and prone to damage other cars if town parking.

 

[Richard Smyth]

Yes I do realise you have kept all pick up.Ssangyong does look good on paper and in the metal but didn’t feel right and drive when we had ago in one Soft seats and wollowy to drive (soft sprung) .but more interesting Full time four-wheel-drive both have it ?, like a four motion vw car or like a Land Rover type ,is the 10 speed automatic a torque converter type or dual clutch type.our four motion 7 speed dual clutch vw Tiguan is fairly impressive. But Expensive service costs.the Isuzu four wheel drive low box job is crap the same as any other pickup until now maybe .the previous Amarak could‘nt tow 3500 kg, so no contest anyway

The previous gen Amarok has had 3500 kg towing in au for many years. Mine often tows 5 ton plus

 

[warksfarmer]

Drove the vw version last week and was underwhelmed to be honest. I’ve got one of the last v6 amaroks from march 21 and it’s not a patch on that. It’s basically the same as the 70 plate ranger we’ve also got which I find wallowy. I’ll try the v6 version when they get in it next month but I don’t think it’s for me. Had 3 amaroks now and the new one is a ranger copy made by Ford so not for me. Also the price is a bit silly at £47k to get into the same spec with the v6 as my Amarok.

Been and driven a V6 Pan America spec Amarok now and I’m not sure. It no way as quick as my V6 but does have 28bhp less. It was quite noticeable and even the salesman conceded that point.
Basically the new one is a Ford Ranger no matter how VW dress it up and it drives like a ranger. VW no longer have a proper VW pickup sadly and for what it is, it’s massively overpriced. Upside though my V6 is worth what I paid for it even after 32k miles.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

What an informative thread, thank you.

Shame about the dick heads

I'm still sitting on the fence, so to speak, as to whether I replace our PK Ranger with a newer one.

I was pretty unwilling to go for the 3.2 until what was discoverable had been discovered, at this stage cheap cars and older ute do admirably

After driving a range of newer vehicles, then explain why driving the old L200 4WD still brings a smile to my face???

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Been and driven a V6 Pan America spec Amarok now and I’m not sure. It no way as quick as my V6 but does have 20bhp less. It was quite noticeable and even the salesman conceded that point.
Basically the new one is a Ford Ranger no matter how VW dress it up and it drives like a ranger. VW no longer have a proper VW pickup sadly and for what it is, it’s massively overpriced. Upside though my V6 is worth what I paid for it even after 32k miles.

To be fair the old twin turbo VW 2.0 diesel was a pile of sh!t when new, drove a lot better after 10,000km.
When new even my old 82 L200 petrol would beat it off the line.

 

[warksfarmer]

To be fair the old twin turbo VW 2.0 diesel was a pile of sh!t when new, drove a lot better after 10,000km.
When new even my old 82 L200 petrol would beat it off the line.

The new amarok’s have the Ford engine in though which never wakes up!

My first Amarok was the 2.0 bi-turbo at 180bhp which was fine but sluggish. Then swapped to the 224bhp V6 and now the 268bhp V6. All VW engines.

Whilst we’ve had no issues in 42k miles in the 70 plate ranger we’ve got I find it woeful to drive in comparison with my V6. It’s like night and day difference. The VW has far superior ride quality and it’s a lot better on fuel.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

The new amarok’s have the Ford engine in though which never wakes up!

My first Amarok was the 2.0 bi-turbo at 180bhp which was fine but sluggish. Then swapped to the 224bhp V6 and now the 268bhp V6. All VW engines.

Whilst we’ve had no issues in 42k miles in the 70 plate ranger we’ve got I find it woeful to drive in comparison with my V6. It’s like night and day difference. The VW has far superior ride quality and it’s a lot better on fuel.

I've driven the 3.0 V6 Amarok quite often and currently run a 2021 2.4 diesel Mitsubishi Triton that actually goes like a cut cat.
Yes the VW is slightly larger and better finish but it lacks the Mitsubishi's reliability, cost of servicing and outright value for money.

 

[steveR]

After driving a range of newer vehicles, then explain why driving the old L200 4WD still brings a smile to my face???

Cos you you know it is better off road than this.....?