Buying a used Ford Ranger (2011-2016)

The PX Series Ford Ranger arrived in 2011, bringing a new look to the model that Ford shared with Mazda, plus a choice of engines that would deliver around-town frugality or grunt for heavy, long-distance towing.

A trawl through the listings provided by our friends at Red Book showed the cheapest PX Ranger to be a 4x2 single cab/chassis with Mazda's 2.5-litre petrol engine and five-speed manual gearbox. At around $20,000, these came with cloth seats and rubber floor matting, but air-conditioning was included. To the basic package your dealer would attach a tray of the owner's choosing.

From there the Ford Ranger ute choice was all diesel, with 2.2 litres and four cylinders or the very popular 3.2-litre five-cylinder.

There was plenty that made the Ranger appealing to commercial owners, however huge numbers also went to private buyers. A lot of those were destined to head to all parts of our Big Brown Land with a caravan in tow.

The version that private buyers were most likely to choose when new – and chase through used car outlets today – is the 3.2-litre dual-cab 4x4 in XLT trim.

In 2011, and with manual transmission, one of those would cost $46,390. Helping sweeten the pudding was adaptive cruise control, sensor headlight activation, climate-control a/c with a cooler box, heated mirrors and a multi-function steering wheel.

The stereo was multi-functional too, with a colour screen to show what was playing and from where. However the manufacturer stumbled badly with the quality and quantity of its speakers (just six to serve the spacious dual-cab interior) and businesses offering to upgrade your Ranger sound system are everywhere.

For the same basic set-up but including a six-speed automatic and range of additional equipment, a 3.2-litre Wildtrak began at $51,390. It was the steroidal glamour puss of the Ranger family; riding high on 18-inch alloys with chunky rubber sitting under massive flared arches.

The paint colours were generally wild as well, and adorned with decals announcing that the occupants had coughed up $52,000 for their ride plus quite likely a lot more for off-road gear and accessories.

The BT-50/Ranger design was renowned for its ability to take punishment and commit to hard work without complaint. But did a Ford badge on the nose make much difference?

Apparently it did, at least to buyers of 4x4 models. During 2011 they bought 11,286 Rangers against just 4523 of the equivalent Mazda BT-50. Demand would diminish as tales of problems surfaced and other brands pitched harder in the popular Ford's market segment. Trade-in values inevitably suffered, however lower prices did make Ranger a good prospect in the used market.

Ford by 2013 was filling yet another niche in the Ranger line-up. The new offering was designated XLS and slotted into a small price gap between the XL and XLT.

More significant however was the XL Plus version that arrived in 2014. This was a no-frills 4WD aimed at industries where toughness was paramount and leases generally came with very low residuals because the vehicles were trashed by trade-in time. In XL Plus form the Ranger came with a 3.2 and auto transmission, steel wheels, a battery isolator and even a set of ugly canvas seat covers to keep the grease off the trim beneath.

Four-door Rangers sold in Australia after October 2011 all qualify for a maximum Five Star ANCAP occupant protection score. Other models are rated at lower levels because they miss out on side-curtain airbags.

Video of crash tests show the cabins maintaining a high degree of integrity, managing a perfect 16/16 in the side-impact test and a very near perfect score for the 64/km/h offset collision.

What you see when lining up to buy a Ranger is pretty much what you get. These are a solid and competent commercial vehicle with plenty of clearance and decent if not exemplary off-road capability. People who bought Rangers, and especially the high-spec versions, often did so with long-distances and heavy towing in mind.

It therefore came as a shock to hear first-hand from owners that this ostensibly rugged vehicle was prone to chucking in the towel and slipping into 80km/h 'limp' mode when the going got a bit tougher than its engineers had contemplated.

Worse still, there is a growing list of reports and incensed on-line rants from owners looking down the barrel of a five-figure bill to replace an engine that has self-destructed, One owner confirmed he had traded a two year-old Ranger on a Landcruiser because he "...just couldn't trust it any more away from populated areas."

Towing capacity was cited by many as the primary reason for choosing a 3.2-litre Ranger over the lower-priced Nissan Navara or even the virtually identical Mazda BT-50. So too was space and comfort.

Shoulder room and the vast list of equipment that came with higher-spec models were among the positive Ranger attributes. The seats are said to be well-shaped and maintain comfort levels even after several hours at the wheel.

There is lumbar support for the driver too.

Visibility to the front and sides is very good and the tall ride height allows drivers to see over other traffic and respond to hazards even before the car in front starts to brake. Rear view is restricted and spending a little extra on a version with the Sensor Pack is worthwhile. So too Active Cruise Control, which alerts the driver when closing on a slower vehicle and reduces speed to maintain a safe separation.

The manual will save some money on fuel, but not as much as might be imagined. An owner who kept detailed fuel use records during a 30,000-kilometre journey suggests that the 3.2-litre auto can be quite a frugal thing.

Towing a three-tonne caravan using rear wheel drive only on sealed and unsealed roads at 75-90 km/h would chew through 17L/100km, rising to 22L/100km on rough tracks in 4WD. Ditching the van and hitting the highway will bring usage back below 10L/100km.

>> Diesel-engined Rangers with 2.2 or 3.2-litre motors can drop into 'limp' mode with no warning. Sometimes the system can be reset by stopping, waiting for the power unit to cool and restarting. However, people who are travelling long distances in hot conditions and especially those towing report multiple instances within a few hundred kms. Fault codes can show a variety of causes; the only remedy seems to be upgrading the engine management program or replacing the Engine Control Module.

>> 3.2 litre engines can suffer catastrophic failures and need to be replaced. Ford admits to replacing a considerable number of five-cylinder diesels under warranty, so make sure the car has a complete service history. Check hose connections for leaks and the engine bay for signs of coolant or oil sprayed around.

>> Underbody damage is always a risk, even in vehicles with the Ranger's outstanding clearance. Look at sills and the underside of the cargo bed, engine guard, suspension arms and rear differential. After-market metal bash plates are worth having if you intend off-roading.

>> Problems were reported with the dual-mass flywheel, which was developed to minimise vibration, and from 2012 Ford returned to using a conventional flywheel. Vibration, shudder and gear selection difficulty are signs of imminent failure of the clutch unit.

Used vehicle grading for Ranger PX Series
Design & Function: 14/20
Safety: 15/20
Practicality: 13/20
Value for Money: 13/20
Wow Factor: 14/20 (Wildtrak)
Score: 69/100

Also consider: Toyota Hilux, Volkswagen Amarok, Mazda BT-50

Related reading: 2015 4x4 Dual-cab Ute Comparison