Ranger 3.2L reviews

[SIM79]

Anyone with Ranger 3.2L ?
Can I please get some feedback? Don't care about offroad, this will be hwy car and tow every weekend.
Any negatives?

[GUtripper]

I have a BT 50 3.2 auto GT ( top of the Mazda range, auto headlights/wipers/leather etc)
Mods so far:
Radflo remote res shocks with Eibach springs, about 40mm lift
295/70/17 Nitto Trail Grapplers
DP chip
Replaced muffler and tailpipe section with 2.5" mandrel straight through section
Dual battery isolator
Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller

Apart from being a DD, it also does a lot of heavy towing, ie about a ton and a half of firewood fairly often, and today it's off with our extended tandem horse float.

In a word, it's excellent for towing. Previous tow car was the manual GU4.2 which was a pig by comparison. Slow, drank far more fuel, didn't stop as well, and wallowed around and generally felt a lot less stable.

The BT and I assume the Ford has stability control, trailer yaw control, BIG ( by Nissan standard) front discs with twin piston calipers.

I'd recommend it as a tow car over a GU every time.

My speedo is out by around 6-7% I reckon, and accordingly fuel consumption is also out.... But it shows 11.0l per 100 on average. Given the work it does, that's not bad.

Negatives are really around service issues, and some known faults, I assume they will apply to the Ford as they come off the same production line....
The HVAC actuators over extend, causing a ratcheting like clicking when you change the temp from hot to cold. Fixed by replacing one on the rhs, and a software change on the last service to stop it moving so far.
I have a weeping rear main, which is common enough that a few people have had the same problem on the ranger/BT FB group. Fixed by dealer a few weeks back with no recurrence yet.
Sometimes the radio stays on for up to a few minutes after you turn the car off.
Sometimes the Nav/radio/climate control screen doesn't come on, despite sound coming from the speakers.
Both these are really software bugs.

Otherwise, mechanically and body wise it's been great.

[SIM79]

Thanks for the detailed answer.

This will ute will be used for towing horses also, 3 days a week.

[Ben-e-boy]

We have a 3.2 bt50 dual cab with a pod at work (electicians)
The gearbox failed at 63k, it has 70k on it now. Last week It wouldnt select low range and it took a while for the diff lock (factory) to release.


I like the motor and 6 speed combo though, alot. It makes good power and torque and is quite responsive, gearbox helps you keep it in that necessary torque band when towing or loaded, it's quiet, comfortable, has a lot of goodies,I am just shy of 6 foot 2 and I have enough room in every seat

I agree with GUtripper, I would pefer one to tow over a patrol anyday, work also has a same year triton and hilux , the BT with a 3.2 is my pick any day of the week.

If I was in the market for a new ute I would be looking at them first

Cheers
Benny

[SIM79]

Thanks Benny

[GBC]

My 3.2 auto has just returned from an easter trip towing a 20 ft van around NSW. Fuel consumption 'jumped' from 11 litres per hundred to 14 odd. That's fully loaded, bikes and kayaks on the roof, van full of crap is just shy of 2.8t and full height so a lot of windage. We set the cruise control on 100 kph and head off (3500 kms on this trip). An indicated 100 works out to about 94 odd in the real world. Apart from maybe the 200 series (shorter wheelbase though), I don't think you'll get a better tow vehicle, especially for the $$. My last hundred series cruiser used to get bucked around by the van over the whoops in the blacksoil roads such that it was quite dangerous. The longer lever length of the big ute and a short fulcrum is instantly noticeable and instills a lot of towing confidence. Feedback from the trailer is minimal.