Wikipedia 4wd info..gave me a gut laugh
 

just browsing on Ford Rangers, mentions some models are re-badged Mazda BT50, followed the Wiki link

clearly someone has had a very unhappy experience, was pissing myself laughing

wonder how long it will stay unmodified

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_BT-50

Yes, I had a ford ranger user give me some stick the other day, I was changing radiator and fuel punp in daughters xj (205000 klm).He told me how good the ranger was and how unreliable and expensive a jeep was....not long into the conversation he started to talk about the sensor and gearbox problems of his ranger (40000 klm) that cost $3000 to fix...I wonder if the ford ranger will make 200000 plus klms, any way he had at least $14000 worth of ARB kit on his car so it must be good. :)

The Mazda BT-50 (model code J97M) is a compact/mid-sized pickup truck produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 2006. It is a larger version of the predecessor B-Series pickup. Until 2011, Ford had also sold a version of the first-generation BT-50 as the Ford Ranger and as the SUV Ford Everest. From 2011 the second-generation Ranger has been designed by Ford Australia, with a Mazda derivative sold as the BT-50. It was withdrawn from sale in the Japanese and North American markets after safety and reliability issues with melting parts resulted in the unfortunate monicker “Thermo”.

The BT50 continues to be sold to unsuspecting buyers in . Serious and terminal reliability issues continue to develop in the transmission, diesel engine, brakes, cooling system, fuel injection, emission control, electronic engine control, steering, seatbelts, towing system, dashboard instrumentation, windscreen washers and headlights. At its nadir in 2017, no BT50 could drive more than 100 metres without at least one door falling off. The sight of a hapless driver clinging desperately to the steering wheel of a (barely) moving vehicle with one hand while trying to reattach the driver’s door with the other, while passengers run behind picking up ejected engine parts, has become common.

In October 2017, Mazda made the strategic decision to wash its hands of the model. While still continuing to sell new vehicles, all pretense of customer service and repair responsibility was discarded. Dealers were directed to treat victims (previously known as customers) with scorn and derision, milking them for as much cash as possible while pretending to make repairs using rusty old parts scrounged from lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners and abandoned farm equipment. This required no change for the dealers, who had been using these techniques since mid 2009.

ha..good idea to put the text up for posterity,,, we should send it to Jeep Oz...make them feel better after the dude who scrapped his Jeep in protest of allegedly similar issues.

btw the major reason I was checking Ford Rangers is I have 16" Explorer rims & tyres, and Rangers have become very common with many tyre sizes for my soon-to-be fully Pimped Jeep.

I think (some) Ranger rims would fit XJ also?

haha that's brilliant.
My brother just sold his 2010 JKU and bought a BT50.
Felt it was my duty to show him the link - needless to say he found it 'hilarious' **)

I must admit the new ford ranger raptors look pretty nice
_____ooooo
/__l_l_,\____\,___
l_---l_l__l---[ ]llllll[ ]
_.(o)_)__(o)_)--o-)_)

I wouldn’t buy a new ford anymore than I would buy a new Jeep or Holden. All 3 have been fined by the accc for shit customer service, all sell cars that perform poorly on complaints and reliablity.
Why would you pay money for cars that are demonstrably of bad quality to a bunch of dealers that fucked customers around so badly for so long they were taken to court by the accc, lost and had to pay fines.

Check out autoexpert tv on you tube.