Expat advised

I’m an expat living in Cape Town. I’m thinking about buying a Ford Ranger 3-litre TDCI manual but have concerns about the Turbo and Dual Mass Flywheel. The vehicle would be a 2008/09, would you know if there are problems with these motors? I would use it for business, and I do about 20,000 km per year. Would the 4-litre petrol be a better bet? I’ve looked at the Hilux, Navara and Triton. Would one of these be the way to go? Any feedback would be most welcome.

Asked on 26 December 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

The Ranger is built in the same modern factory in Thailand as the Mazda BT50. Engine is belt cam. Toyota builds some HiLuxes in South Africa, but all engines are still belt cam. The most reliable pick-up in Thailand (where most pick ups are built) is the Isuzu D-Max (sometimes called Rodeo) with its chain cam 2.5 and 3.0 I-TEQ engines. The best handling is the Mitsubishi L200 Triton. The most popular in the UK is the Navara, because it's one of the biggest. You can avoid dual mass flywheel problems by opting for an automatic transmission, though with these they are a bit sluggish. All feedback I get on all pick-ups in car-by-car breakdown at www.honestjohn.co.uk

Tags: dual mass flywheel technical issues owning turbo engines

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