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in Vehicles


CAN A MODERN 4×4 LAST A MILLION KAYS? 

by Dan Everett 19/04/2023, 6:00 am



Whether you crave the latest and greatest, or long for a simpler time, we’ve all
got those romantic ideals of a 4×4 that’s part of the family. Something you put
your blood sweat and tears into. Fond memories of taking it all across the
country with friends, and later with family. Maybe you’ll drive it every day, or
maybe it’ll get handed down to your kids. But in the current age, is that even
reasonable? Can you still get big kays out of a modern 4×4, or are they all up
for replacement 10minutes after the warranty runs out? Today we’re having a look
at what you can do to make your 4×4 last forever, and work out once and for all
if they still make ‘em like they used to. 

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DO THEY ALL NEED TO BE CAMRY’S? 

Ask for advice on any semi-car-enthusiast forum about what reliable car you
should buy and the answer is almost always a 1990’s Camry or Corolla, the beige
jumper of the car world. It’s not hard to see why, just over the pond Graeme
Hebley rose to internet stardom for his 2,000,000km ’93 Corolla. A local
newspaper delivery man, Hebley does a casual 5000km a week on his route between
Wellington and New Plymouth. People often claim those 90’s ‘yotas are almost
magical in their ability to pound out kays reliably, but it just doesn’t seem to
hold up water over any other brands. Sure, it’s right up there, but the list of
most kays ever on a vehicle also includes a stunning 1960s Porsche, an ‘80s
Saab, even a complicated 70s diesel Merc ex-taxi with 4,586,000km on the clock.
Not a single brand that’s ever been accused of reliability, yet their owners are
still racking up kays. So what’s the secret?

Ford’s Superduty range are routinely punching out over 1 million miles in less
than 10 years


BUY BIGGER THAN YOU NEED 

This should come as no surprise, but the more you ring somethings neck, the
shorter lifespan it’ll have. If you’re limiter bashing your 4×4 to get it up
hill climbs or along the beach it’s never going to see big numbers on the
odometer. It’s this reason we’re such a big fan of the new Ranger, it’s bigger
3.0 V6 engine and large wheelbase lend themselves perfectly to reliability. It’s
also why the big yank-tanks always pop up on lists of big kays too. Sure,
they’re more complicated than they used to be, but we’ll touch on that later.
Recently, a handful of modern F350s have been tipping over the million-mile mark
despite being less than 10 years old. Check out this walk around of a 2.1
million kay F350 over on the PowerStroke channel below. 

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DID THEY USED TO BUILD THEM BETTER? 

Let’s get this out of the way real quick. Absolutely not, and it’s a bloody good
thing. Old cars and 4x4s COULD last long, but there’s nothing about them that
means they WILL last long. The junkyards are full of old rigs with low kays.
Rusted out. Major mechanical failures. Mothballed because you just couldn’t get
parts for them anymore. The added complexity of modern 4x4s does make them seem
scary, but it’s far outweighed by just how much better engineered they are than
ever before. Even the EGR and DPF systems, something most people claim make 4x4s
unreliable have proven they can go the distance. Over on the PowerStroke channel
there’s another recent vide of a 2011 F350 dually getting a new DPF fitted, the
original one having lasted a casual 1,600,000km of hard hauling. 

Old vehicles were simple so you could fix them yourself. Modern vehicles may
require an expert to work on them, but they simply last longer.  


SO WHAT’S THE SECRET? 

The late Irv Gordon laid claim to possibly the most amount of kays ever, on
unarguably one of the most beautiful vehicles ever made. A 1966 Volvo P1800.
Bought brand new in ’66, Irv put an astonishing 3 million miles on the old
Volvo, that’s nearly 5 million kilometres from an obscure sportscar. The car was
shipped all around the world (even Sydney) and had many mechanics run their eyes
over the sleek coupe. But what made it last so long? The answer is simple.
Servicing. From the big kay F-trucks working hard, to the concourse clean
exotics the only constant is regular servicing and maintenance.

Emissions gear, touch screens, multi-geared automatic transmissions, and high
output common-rail diesels have all proven they can punch out big kays as well
as an old carburetted vehicle if they’re looked after. Know what your vehicles
weak points are, address them, follow the manufacturers guidelines, and build a
lifetime of memories with your 4×4. 

Read next: One of Australia’s most famous 4×4’s stolen – learn from my mistakes!
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in Vehicles


THE EVOLUTION OF AUSTRALIA’S BEST-SELLING UTE: THE FORD RANGER

by Josh Leonard 13/04/2023, 4:14 am



The Ford Ranger story

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The other day I was on the phone with another writer for Unsealed 4X4. We were
flapping our gums and having the usual yarn about the things we’ve broken, the
tracks we’ve been driving, and where we’re headed next. Then, the topic changed,
and we began chatting about the high school syllabus and all the things we had
never learned about through formal education. Y’know, like taxes, mental health,
cultivating healthy relationships, and, of course, the history of the Ford
Ranger.

Now, anyone who knows me also knows I’m far from an expert on anything to do
with tax, health, or relationships (especially relationships). However, having
built and owned my very own Rangers, I’m more than qualified to give you the
rundown on the history of the Ford Ranger, Australia’s best-selling ute.


LET’S GO BACK IN TIME

Let’s start in the 1950s. Cast your mind back to when that dapper-looking fella
from the United Kingdom, King George VI, passed away and Queen Elizabeth got her
crown. There was a war going on in Korea and famine in China. Over in Cuba, a
revolution was ending with a polarising and fundamentally flawed dictator rising
to power, and a cold war was brewing.

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It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though! Elvis released his hit song “Heartbreak
Hotel,” and the story of the Ford Ranger began—and not in the way you’d imagine.
Nope, the Ford Ranger story starts with a two-wheel drive convertible with
curves in all the right places and a 5.9L V8 upfront; it was dubbed the Edsel
Ranger, built by the Edsel Division of Ford. Yeah, it turns out the
market-dominating ute has the lineage of a vehicle that couldn’t be more
different.

Image via CarAdvice


THE PX RANGER

V8’s and convertibles aside, it wasn’t until decades later, in 2011, that the
Ford Ranger as we know it today arrived on the scene. Ford built the PX Ranger
to handle anything thrown its way, whether it was for work or play. It was
designed to be a “one-size fits all” ute, capable of being a workhorse during
the week and a warrior on weekends.

The PX Ranger brought a ton of changes compared to its Courier and Ranger
predecessors. It hit the tracks sporting an all-new chassis, suspension, and
engine variants. It also had the latest technology for the time, making it a
more comfortable and capable ute. The design was sleek and modern, with a bold
front grille and muscular lines that gave it a commanding presence on the road,
though it’s worth admitting that I don’t reckon it’s a look that aged too well.

Ford offered a range of engine options for the PX Ranger, including the 2.2L
four-cylinder turbo diesel and the 3.2L five-cylinder turbo diesel. The 2.2L
engine produced 110 kW of power and 375 Nm of torque, which was quickly adopted
by tradies and fleets Australia-wide, while the 3.2L engine offered 147 kW of
power and 470 Nm of torque, more than the V8 turbo-diesel found in the 79 Series
Land Cruiser, making it the logical option for 4X4’ers and caravanners alike.

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In addition to the engine options, Ford also offered a range of factory-fitted
accessories and trim levels. These included the XL, XLS, XLT, and Wildtrak
models. The XL was the base model, with the XLS adding some extra features like
alloy wheels and a larger infotainment system. The XLT I offered even more
features, like leather seats, a premium audio system, and a reversing camera.
Finally, the Wildtrak was the top-of-the-line model, with a unique look and
additional creature comforts.

The technology didn’t stop there, though. Ford had put a concerted effort into
listening to what their future ute owners wanted and fitted off-road aids such
as factory rear-diff locks and hill descent control to most models.

Thanks to its factory offerings, price point, power, and prowess, the PX Ranger
was a hit with buyers in Australia. It was a worthy adversary to some of the
market-dominating utes of the day. It received significant praise from the
industry for its comfort and capability.

Image via CarsGuide


THE PX2 RANGER

In 2015, having seen the Ranger’s success, Ford opted to make some extensive
updates to the Ranger, including a new look for the front end, revised
suspension tuning, and some new safety features like lane departure warning and
adaptive cruise control. Dubbing the latest iteration, the PX2 Ford Ranger.

As well as listening to its consumers, Ford wanted to make sure it impressed
them for years to come, thus starting an epic (and bloody rigorous) testing
program. All over Australia, Ford Rangers were pushed to their limits in every
terrain and weather condition imaginable, racking up over a million kilometres
in the process.

Image via CarsGuide


THE PX3 RANGER

In 2018, Ford unveiled yet another updated Ranger, featuring a bold new look and
some significant changes under the skin. The updated Ranger boasted a new front
grille, new headlights, and a redesigned tailgate. It also featured a new
10-speed automatic transmission, which improved fuel economy and performance.
This was coined, yep, you guessed it, the PX3 Ford Ranger.

Under the bonnet, the updated Ranger featured the choice of two diesel engines:
a 2.0L four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel and a 3.2L five-cylinder turbo diesel.
The 2.0L engine produced 157 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque, while the 3.2L
engine offered the same 147 kW of power and 470 Nm of torque it always had.

Around this time, Ford rocked the performance off-road categories with the
introduction of their Ranger Raptor, a high-performance off-road, Baja-inspired
iteration of the Ranger. The Ranger Raptor was powered by the 2.0L twin-turbo
diesel engine previously mentioned. With standard delivery including FOX Racing
Shocks and a bunch of off-road aimed modifications, which made it incredibly
capable both on and off the road.

Image via CarsSales


THE NEXT-GEN FORD RANGER

In 2022, Ford decided it was time for another change and announced the arrival
of the next-generation Ranger, promising even more capability, technology,
style, and the biggest motor ever fitted to the range.

The Next-Gen Ranger is essentially a ground-up rebuild. That means it’s sporting
an entirely new exterior, interior, powertrain, and engine.

In terms of design, the Next-Gen Ranger is more rugged and muscular than its
predecessors, with a bold, aggressive front end and flared wheel arches. It’s
clear to see that Ford drew a lot of their design inspiration from the full-size
Ford F-150. When you get inside, you’ll find a comfortable, modern, and
tech-filled cockpit with features like a digital instrument cluster and a large
vertical touchscreen infotainment system.

Ford’s newest Ranger arrives from the factory with two engine options on offer:
a 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine capable of generating up to 157 kW of power and
500 Nm of torque, or a V6 Twin Turbo Diesel powerhouse that produces 184 kW and
600 Nm of torque. Additionally, the Next-Gen Ranger features an advanced
10-speed automatic transmission system designed to provide smooth and responsive
gear shifts.

Aside from the introduction of the PX2 models, this iteration is certainly the
most extensive and exciting redesign. During production, Ford teamed up with
ARB, which took the lead in designing and manufacturing a range of aftermarket
accessories that were given the final tick of approval by Ford. The beauty of
the partnership is that any ARB accessories fitted won’t void Ford’s factory
warranty and will meet or exceed their rigorous testing standards.

Image via CarsSales

And there you have it: the history of the Ford Ranger, from its humble
beginnings as a two-wheel-drive convertible with a V8 to the best-selling ute in
Australia today. It’s been quite a journey, but one thing is clear: The Ford
Ranger is here to stay. With each new iteration, it gets better and better,
offering more power, more features, and more capability.

From its early days as a simple workhorse (you know, when it wasn’t a
convertible) to the modern-day adventure vehicle, the Ford Ranger has earned a
special place in the hearts of Aussie wheelers. Whether you’re looking for a
reliable work ute, a rugged off-roader, or a comfortable family car, Ford has
worked hard to ensure they have something on offer for everything in their
Ranger offerings.

So, if you’re in the market for a new ute, don’t overlook the Ford Ranger. With
its rich history, impressive performance, and endless customisation options,
it’s no wonder why the Ford Ranger remains the top choice for Aussies. And who
knows, maybe one day its history will be taught in schools alongside taxes,
mental health, and relationships.

Read next: Ram’s new electric concept vehicle is out of this world
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