CB radio vs Midland UHF vs cellphone for convoy comms — what works in remote areas?
Running the Ford Ranger Raptor for 7 months now, 83074km on the clock including 8 proper off-road trips. Here is my honest take.
The good: the off-road capability straight from factory surprised me. I have done Sani Pass, Matroosberg and multiple Kruger trips without a single mechanical issue. The 2.8L turbodiesel is 9L/100km on tar if you keep it under 120km/h.
The bad: the dealer experience left something to be desired. Also the dealer here in Bloemfontein could learn something about customer service, but that is a SA-wide problem not specific to this brand.
Mods I have done: ARB Summit bull bar (R12k fitted), Dobinsons shocks (R13k fitted), TRED Pro recovery boards, and a Dometic CFX3 45 fridge. Total spend on mods: around R77k. Worth every cent.
Price paid at my Bloemfontein dealer was R680,000 — they threw in a full tank and floor mats. Finance rate was 11.5% over 72 months which is the reality of SA interest rates in 2025.
Would buy it again. Happy to go into detail on any specific aspect.
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What suspension are you running now? I have the same setup and am looking at Ironman 4x4 lift kit — around R12k fitted at my local workshop. Keen to know if the ride quality improvement on corrugated gravel roads is as significant as people claim.
Good honest review. My experience with the GR Sport has been similar — the factory setup is a solid base to build from. The tyres are always the first thing that needs changing regardless of which bakkie you buy.
Interesting points on the dealer experience. I had the same in Polokwane — 11 week wait for a service part that should have been in stock. This is why I budget for a proper extended warranty and use an independent workshop that specialises in 4x4s rather than the franchise dealer.
The fuel consumption figures you mention match what I see. The V6 Raptor is fine on tar if you stay under 120. The issue for me is long-range touring — I fitted a Brown Davis 91L long-range tank to solve the range anxiety completely.
On the mod budget — R88k sounds like a lot but if you are amortising it over 5 years of serious use, it works out to less than R1,000 per month. And the safety improvement in a real recovery situation is not something you can put a price on.