Tyre repair on the trail — plug kit vs patches vs run-flat insert
Running the Ford Ranger Wildtrak for 11 months now, 35367km on the clock including 5 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, Swartberg and multiple Kruger trips without a single mechanical issue. The 2.8L turbodiesel is 10L/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 Kimberley could learn something about customer service, but that is a SA-wide problem not specific to this brand.
Mods I have done: Ironman bull bar (R10k fitted), Ironman suspension lift (R10k fitted), TRED Pro recovery boards, and a Engel MR040 fridge. Total spend on mods: around R59k. Worth every cent.
Price paid at my Kimberley 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.
4 Replies
The fuel consumption figures you mention match what I see. The GD6 is thirsty when you push it. The issue for me is long-range touring — I fitted a Brown Davis 100L long-range tank to solve the range anxiety completely.
Interesting points on the dealer experience. I had the same in Cape Town — 12 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.
Have you tried it in high-speed gravel? That is where these bakkies differ most. The Raptor on its Fox shocks is a different vehicle at 100km/h on corrugated gravel compared to the base model.