Ford Ranger Problems

The Ford Ranger is best in the class and just coming up for a facelift and general update and the Isuzu D-Max, which is not as refined for on-road work, gets big ticks for heavy towing.

You are right that SUVs are more prone to a rollover, but it's not tested under ANCAP and the electronic stability control compulsory in Australia is partly intended to reduce the chance of any vehicle running off the road.

Both are capable vehicles, they’re both comfortable to ride in, and they will both tow your caravan. Either one would be a good choice, so I would suggest you test-drive both and decide which you like the best.

I contacted Stephen Kruk from Ford Australia for the right result: "The vehicle requires a new engine and turbo but, because he is a loyal Ford customer with great service history we and the dealer are going to contribute significantly to the cost of the repair despite it being well outside warranty. We are also going to cover the 90,000km service costs of another of John's Rangers to make sure he knows how much Ford values his loyalty".

The locally developed Ranger gets The Tick and is best in class. Also check pricing on the Mazda BT-50 as it's a clone of the Ford, as well as private pricing for Mitsubishi's Triton.

Jeep is overhauling its customer support systems in Australia and I'm much more confident in recommending the Grand Cherokee. It will also be fine for your towing and any off-road work.

We consulted a couple of paint industry specialists and can report that the accepted range of paint thickness on new cars is between 60 microns and 110 microns. More expensive, prestigious cars, like a Lexus would be expected to have paint thickness at the higher end of the range, more mundane, working class models like the Ranger would be at the lower end. Paint thickness as measured will also vary depending on the location. It will be thicker on upper surfaces, like the roof or bonnet, and thinner on the sides of the car. Our specialist thought the thickness as measured on Ray's car was well within the accepted range.

In that size and price class, I'd go for a Mazda CX-5. It gets The Tick from me, you can get front-wheel drive variants and there are ample choices on equipment.

From your description it does appear to be noisy injectors. Take it back to the dealership and have them assess the noise in your presence so you can make sure they are hearing what you hear. Once you've done that make a warranty claim to have it fixed.

We don't have lemon laws in this country like they do in the USA. If we did your car would most likely have been declared a lemon and you would have your money back or a new car. Unfortunately our consumer protection laws are pathetically weak and appear to favour the manufacturer more than the customer. They satisfy the requirements of the law by attempting to fix it, but they are clearly taking way too long. They could have built a new car for you in the time they have being trying to fix yours. At the very least you should have been given a loan car while they sort yours out. Call Ford's customer assistance people and tell them of your frustration. Alternatively you call Ford Australia President Graeme Whickman and ask him to intervene on your behalf.