Mazda BT 50
Submitted: Wednesday, Dec 16, 2009 at 23:33
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Member - Kroozer (WA)
Howdy folks,
well all going
well i am about to convert from being a Toyota man to being a Mazda man. Any thoughts or info on the Bt 50 or ford
Ranger.
Can get a 2009 SDX ex demo model for less then i can get a 2007 Hilux with over 30,000kms. So its an easy decision for which one to go for really. Done a fair bit of research on them and am pretty impressed. Yet to drive one though, i like to sit up straight in a car, like in the Hilux. Is the BT 50 the same as the old Bravos, with rather low seats, which means your legs are straight instead of being bent like sitting in a chair or in a Hilux or Prado etc.
Anybody out there own one of these chariots, or will i be the only one?
Reply By: rocco2010 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 00:30
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 00:30
Gidday
I am a bit of a newbie at utes but I suppose the important thing I can tell you is that I have had a
Ranger extra cab for 11 months and 20,000k and nothing has broken or fallen off. It is used as a daily driver and for carting the weekend
camp gear and does the job
well. It is a ute so ride depends on load (you would know that). The engine seems to have more than enough power for the job and comsumption over all types of use is low to mid 8s/100km. I would buy another one.
Cheers
Rocco
AnswerID:
395367
Follow Up By: Member - Kroozer (WA) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 01:12
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 01:12
Cheers mate, i have heard of issues with the clutch/gearbox but thats ok, it wont be towing anything or getting hammered so im sure it should be fine. If i can get fuel figures of anything under 10L/100km i will be happy.
FollowupID:
663855
Reply By: Geoff M - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 07:51
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 07:51
You will be happy with the Mazda - I have been so far.
I had a Toyota Hilux for 15 years before changing to the Mazda BT50 two years ago. It was a tough decision to move away from the Toyota, but when weighing up all the factors such as drivablility, practicality, suitability, and price the Mazda won hands down and the Toyota wasn't even close.
I have taken the BT50 along the
Canning Stock route,
Kimberley,
Simpson Desert and Victorian High Country over the past few years, and its performed
well. Have the issue of clearance with the IFS, but this is exactly the same as all the other Dual and extra cabs on the market.
Good luck with your purchase - you won't look back believe me!
AnswerID:
395373
Reply By: Wilk0 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 08:08
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 08:08
Hi Kroozoer,
The
Ranger (2ndhand) in the same condition, Km's etc will cost less then the comparable BT50.
So If you buy new the
Ranger will have less resale value.
I had a 2001 Ford courier for work and it had woeful rear springs. I had to get a set of polyair springs to help keep the rear from sagging. I continously had approx 650-750kgs on board.
Cheer Wilko
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Scoot (SA) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 09:51
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 09:51
We have both the BT and the
Ranger at work and so far so good no problems.
Cheaper than the Toyota and the Nissan at the time.We also have a 2005 Rodeo and both the BT and the
Ranger leave it for dead, comfort and power.
BT is 2007 and the
Ranger is 2008.
Scoot. :-)
AnswerID:
395391
Reply By: The other Norm C (WA) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 10:46
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 10:46
G'Day Kroozer
I have a 2008
Ranger,it performs very
well.
I have a canopy on full time had to up grade the rear springs
to stop the sagging.Fuel economy in
mine isn't great but it is
reasonably heavy.I don't think you'll be dissapointed
Norm
AnswerID:
395398
Reply By: Member - Kroozer (WA) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:13
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:13
Cool, just what i wanted to hear. Have to change my username now, probably go with MAZDABATE. Not...
AnswerID:
395402
Follow Up By: Member -Tukka (WA) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:29
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:29
Ha ha i like it. That will go
well on some custom number plates
FollowupID:
663903
Reply By: Member - barry F (NSW) - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:25
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:25
Hi Kroozer, we have an 07 twin cab BT50 manual 4x2 & use it for towing our van. Around town & not towing we typically use 12 Litres / 100 K & on express way 10 Litres/100 K
I zero trip meter at time of fuelling & calculate my consumption by actual litres used against Ks travelled from odometer rather than quote what the manual says it should do.
Clutch was replaced under warranty July 09 with 29500 Ks on clock and AGAIN, also under warranty, in November 09 with 39250 on the clock.
Mazda have been extremely cooperative but it is still a worry for us. We are very happy with the vehicle in every other respect.
If you have a look at the Mazda site you will see that some owners are experiencing them jumping out of fifth. We have not experienced this happening.
Would I buy another one? Yes, but in the Automatic. Cheers
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Timbo - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 14:17
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 14:17
Hi Kroozer, I had a look at the BT50 (yet to make a decision on new vehicle) but had this gut feeling they weren't as rugged as something like a HiLux.
I was also not so keen on Mazda's after my brother's father-in-law 'lost' some of the additional features (that he'd paid extra for) from his Mazda when the battery was replaced - apparently the extra cost options were just programmed in by the dealer and they were stored in "volatlie memory" (ie. the memory was erased once the power was disconnected - C'mon Mazda, even a $10 USB stick retains it's contents with the power disconnected!)
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: rocco2010 - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 15:45
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 15:45
Gidday
"my brother's father-in-law 'lost' some of the additional features (that he'd paid extra for) from his Mazda when the battery was replaced "
can you expand a bit on this pls?
cheers Rocco
FollowupID:
663955
Follow Up By: Member - Timbo - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 16:05
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 16:05
G'day Rocco,
Sorry, don't have much info as it was passed on second hand via brother from his father-in-law (my brother didn't get a lot of info himself - just that this had happened).
It was a Mazda 3 SP3 (I think) and when he purchased it he paid a bit extra for some extra-cost options. After he'd had the car a while he had to change the battery (not uncommon!) but during the time the vehicle had no battery (ie. between disconnecting the old one and connecting the new one), some of these programmed 'features' got erased from the programming. I think he took the car back to Mazda and they reprogrammed the features for him (I don't know what the features were - perhaps trip computer functions or something) but seems a bit silly that they'd be stored in 'volatile memory'. I've heard of a similar problem with the ECU's on some Ford Falcons too (although it affected basc functions rather than optional extras) but I think this was quickly resolved in subsequent models once it became known!
I just thought I'd mention it as I suspect the BT-50 would share a lot of dash components with the other Mazdas in the range.
FollowupID:
663961
Reply By: Karen & Geoff - Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 21:08
Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 at 21:08
Hi Kroozer. A friend of ours who is a mechanic and owns a 4wd
shop has just taken derlivery of his new one. He is really happy with it. Other friends have theirs delivered in Jan. The RFS over here has heaps of them and I drove one of the RFS's, and it was so comfortable and went like a shower of crap..........lol.
Mechanically,
well I am a girl so wouldnt have a clue. But our friend who is a mechanic is really happy with his.
Karen
AnswerID:
395506