NGC. Maverick update

[sidecarnutz]

Have had the new Maverick for a month and a half now. Got a nice break in the weather today and was able to apply the Adam's Graphene ceramic polish I like. You need a warm cloudy day to do it or to do it in a garage in the shade. So I grabbed this weather window while I could. Took me two hours after starting with a perfectly clean and dry car. Not bad for an old beat up guy!

Really enjoying this car/trucklette ;-)
It'll haul stuff home from Lowes or pull a 4k trailer. Great daily driver. Getting 27 mpg in mixed driving and 34 hiway when driving gently. Mine isn't a hybrid , but a 2.0 ecoboost XLT FX4 AWD model with the 4k tow package. Really like the Area 51 blue gray color too. This is my retirement rig and looking forwards to racking up trips in it.

[NWrider]

I understand that Hybrids are near unobtainum.    Ordering is into 2023 now.   It's on my short list to replace a 2004 Ranger.

[sidecarnutz]

I originally had a hybrid on order. But they just weren't getting delivered to anybody except a handful of testers from magazines. So I got my money back and saw that this one was due to arrive at the dealer in a few days. I had to let them keep it over a week to demo it to people. 135 miles they put on it. But I got a fair price on it. (Now a days $750 over MSRP is fair! LOL) Still, very impressed with it. I went 11 months without a car. Just my bike to use. It was time to get a car!
Another local dealer was charging $8k over sticker for any Maverick they got in stock. So I don't feel too badly.

[Clifton]

I like the idea of a small truck like the Maverick. Personally I'd prefer one with a bench seat and w/o rear seating just a 16" floor space for groceries, tools, the dog, etc. and a 1' longer bed. But quad cabs are the rage so I doubt we'll ever see that.

[sidecarnutz]

I like the idea of a small truck like the Maverick. Personally I'd prefer one with a bench seat and w/o rear seating just a 16" floor space for groceries, tools, the dog, etc. and a 1' longer bed. But quad cabs are the rage so I doubt we'll ever see that.

Its primary purpose is to be a 5 passenger daily family driver that can do some occasionally light truck duties. Target audience is folks who never owned a truck before. For what you're asking for, a Ranger may be better.

[Moparnut72]

IMO the Ranger has gotten too big. I had a couple of earlier Rangers as department vehicles. They both had over 200,000 miles on them with minimal problems. They were excellent trucks and this is coming from a die hard Mopar guy. The Rangers were perfect for our light duty use. The new Ranger is about the size of the 80's full size Chevy truck we had. That truck was nothing but trouble.
kk

[sidecarnutz]

I do really like the size of the Maverick. Its about the same as my wife's 2020 Edge which it is partly based on. Comfortable mid size with room for 5 and you can put a lot of stuff in the covered 4.5' long bed. You can carry all your camping gear back there! I even have a new 19" propane griddle stove coming from Dicks sporting goods to do my camp cooking on. I have a huge blackstone 32" 4 burner model I love, but it is too tall to go in the bed. I used to own a cargo van, so it was no big deal to carry it in there. And you could cook breakfast on it for 2 dozen people at rallies! This is a table top model and I could use it on a tailgate too. I have a big 27 gallon plastic bin I put my kitchen in. That fits under the pickup tonneau perfectly with some room to spare height wise. Downsizing in retirement! But still enough I can cook for a few friends.

[Ncdan]

If my lifelong beloved Mopar manufacturer don’t wake and offer something smaller, to complete with the mid size trucks like the Maverick, they will lead themselves right out of business.
Our local ford dealerships lot in our town is bare right now and there’s no firm projections when the new ford products will be available.
Sad state of affairs and it may not get any better anytime soon.

[Moparnut72]

They do make some small trucks but in other markets. They don't meet US standards unfortunately. I agree they are lagging behind. Need to upgrade their game soon. There is some new product coming, can't be too soon.
kk

[Kev m]

If my lifelong beloved Mopar manufacturer don’t wake and offer something smaller, to complete with the mid size trucks like the Maverick, they will lead themselves right out of business.
Our local ford dealerships lot in our town is bare right now and there’s no firm projections when the new ford products will be available.
Sad state of affairs and it may not get any better anytime soon.

Man I almost bought a Gladiator a few weeks back. I probably will in a few more years...

[s1120]

IMO the Ranger has gotten too big. I had a couple of earlier Rangers as department vehicles. They both had over 200,000 miles on them with minimal problems. They were excellent trucks and this is coming from a die hard Mopar guy. The Rangers were perfect for our light duty use. The new Ranger is about the size of the 80's full size Chevy truck we had. That truck was nothing but trouble.
kk

Ya really its crazy how big the "small" trucks have gotten! Hell the new Ranger is about as big as the 74 Powerwagon im rebuilding.

[Ncdan]

Man I almost bought a Gladiator a few weeks back. I probably will in a few more years...

I just looked at them the other day, up close and personal.
It’s still just a jeep, inside and out.
If it was offered with the Hemi or even the Diesel engine, it would capture a little more interest sir me. However just offering it with the V6, which is what my 2015 Wrangler Sport had, no thanks.

[LaMojo]

I just looked at them the other day, up close and personal.
It’s still just a jeep, inside and out.
If it was offered with the Hemi or even the Diesel engine, it would capture a little more interest sir me. However just offering it with the V6, which is what my 2015 Wrangler Sport had, no thanks.

Look again. The Hemi will be discontinued shortly. The gas 3.6L is rated at 305 hp plus a V6 diesel can be had. If you need a bigger engine you’ll need a bigger truck.

[Ncdan]

Look again. The Hemi will be discontinued shortly. The gas 3.6L is rated at 305 hp plus a V6 diesel can be had. If you need a bigger engine you’ll need a bigger truck.

No bigger truck would be need for the Hemi, the gladiator is plenty heavy enough. It would just add a little more fun with the package.
The dealer in my area said good luck getting any other motor than the V6.
However your opinion is duly noted👍

[Kev m]

No bigger truck would be need for the Hemi, the gladiator is plenty heavy enough. It would just add a little more fun with the package.
The dealer in my area said good luck getting any other motor than the V6.
However your opinion is duly noted👍

Well, I'm happy with that "little" almost 300 hp V6 in my 2016 JKU, but mostly because it's about fun not speed or power.

And power is really about gearing.

That said I've driven the 2.0T in the JLUR at altitude and it was shockingly peppy.

I hear good things about the diesel.

But they all may not matter, because I believe FCA has an inline 6 (turbo) in development which I expect to see in the next few years as a Pentastar replacement. But I would be happier with a 3.6L NA Pentastar than a lot of the smaller turbos they're putting in everything from the Ranger, to the Taco, Colorado, and Canyon (all scheduled for next year).

For now at least the Jeep and Nissan are both NA motors.

[Moparnut72]

We have a Pentastar in our new Grand Cherokee. It is no slouch and gets pretty decent fuel mileage. The straight six is said to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show. Should be available fairly soon. If it is anywhere near as good as the Slant Six it will be a winner.
kk

[Ncdan]

Oh I totally agree the fact that little V6 is a beast, especially in that 2015 Wrangler Sport. However that being said, my 2014 grand Cherokee with the Hemi is really fun and to have that motor in the pickup would be a blast👍

[sidecarnutz]

My last vehicle was a 2014 Promaster 1500 hi top van with the Penstar motor and 6 speed auto. That one was 285 HP and no slouch with that low gearing it had. I kept it 6 years and loved it. Great combo of smooth power and efficiency. I wouldn't hesitate to get that drivetrain in a vehicle again.

[dguzzi]

  Not sure why the new Ranger didn't get a 3.7 V6 with no turbo I would buy that. Meanwhile I do like the size of the Maverick.

[Kev m]

  Not sure why the new Ranger didn't get a 3.7 V6 with no turbo I would buy that. Meanwhile I do like the size of the Maverick.

Of course if the Ranger Raptor comes to Merica with that turbo, all that power, and AWD, it might move to the top of my list despite the forced induction.

[sidecarnutz]

Yesterday I had an adventure with the Maverick. Drove my son across VA and back, 400 miles, to pick up his new F350 super bubba duty diesel 4WD Tremor pick up truck. Pic shows our trucks in the dealer lot and my son taking delivery on the Tremor. Had to go THAT far because: a. they are one of the few dealers in the state who are not tacking on huge - bonus paydays for themselves onto the price. And b. they just happened to have the exact truck my son has been waiting on special order for 8 months already. Being a $87k sticker price, a 400 mile round trip wasn't too bad. I was happy I could help him. And he did buy me a tank of gas and lunch. ;-)
The new Mav did great. Very comfortable and pleasant to cruise in. Averaged 34.3 mpg for the whole trip.

Then I spent today doing what I call a break-in maintenance. Oil and filter change and I also changed the gear oil in the PTU that sends power to the rear wheels in the AWD system. It is always in motion and accounts for the 1 mpg decrease you see in my truck compared to the FWD models. I used factory oil filter and synthetic motor and gear oils. Dealing with the steel bash panels under it was new to me. They are quite stout. Just finding the fill plug for the PTU took some time. It is off to one side with little access to it. My extensive tool collection won the day and then I just had to figure out a way to pump a half quart of gear oil uphill into the fill plug hole. Next time around I may just stage a funnel and hose up top and run that down to the fill plug hole. My plan is to change the PTU oil every 20k miles.

It all went perfectly. Just took me a whole afternoon to get it all done well.

After I was done, I tested it again and checked for leaks. Then I washed the previous day's 400 miles of bugs off it. I had ceramic coated it last week, so it washed up very easily. Adam's ceramic graphene polish is amazing stuff IME.

With all the health issues I have and arthritis I am very grateful I can still do this stuff for myself. I know had i gone to a dealer, they'd tell me the PTU is sealed for life! No reason to service it! As an old mechanic, I have a different view of things.

[jrt]

 

[Kev m]

I'll just leave this here, things change....

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2000-03-12-0003120058-story.html


That said, I want to see a photo of the Maverick parked right next to your son's new truck. I think that would really tell us the story of the current market and a "tale of two trucks."

[Canuck750]

I took a new Ranger XLT 4x4 for a test ride today, impressed with the ride and power, a nice potential replacement for my 2009 Ranger extended cab 4x4. The new Ranger is so much more comfortable and quieter than the venerable 2009. Will probably wait for the next generation coming in 2013.

I also took a close look at a Maverick 4x4, what a clever package, I was very impressed with it, just a little bit lighter / smaller for my needs but I think Ford has a great vehicle in the Maverick.

On the other end of the spectrum the same dealer had a pair of Shelby pickups on the floor, 700+ hp and $137K CDN! I can think of a lot of other vehicles I would spend that kind of money on before I ever consider a $137K pickup!

[kingoffleece]

Can't read it, kev.  Site won't let me without disabling my browser ad blocker.  Um, no thanks, Chicago tribune.

Ford Motors?  Drove my bud's brand new Bronco, the larger one, with what I believe was a 2 litre ecoboost? motor.  Really nice.

[Bulldog9]

Yesterday I had an adventure with the Maverick. Drove my son across VA and back, 400 miles, to pick up his new F350 super bubba duty diesel 4WD Tremor pick up truck. Pic shows our trucks in the dealer lot and my son taking delivery on the Tremor. Had to go THAT far because: a. they are one of the few dealers in the state who are not tacking on huge - bonus paydays for themselves onto the price. And b. they just happened to have the exact truck my son has been waiting on special order for 8 months already. Being a $87k sticker price, a 400 mile round trip wasn't too bad. I was happy I could help him. And he did buy me a tank of gas and lunch. ;-)
The new Mav did great. Very comfortable and pleasant to cruise in. Averaged 34.3 mpg for the whole trip.

Then I spent today doing what I call a break-in maintenance. Oil and filter change and I also changed the gear oil in the PTU that sends power to the rear wheels in the AWD system. It is always in motion and accounts for the 1 mpg decrease you see in my truck compared to the FWD models. I used factory oil filter and synthetic motor and gear oils. Dealing with the steel bash panels under it was new to me. They are quite stout. Just finding the fill plug for the PTU took some time. It is off to one side with little access to it. My extensive tool collection won the day and then I just had to figure out a way to pump a half quart of gear oil uphill into the fill plug hole. Next time around I may just stage a funnel and hose up top and run that down to the fill plug hole. My plan is to change the PTU oil every 20k miles.

It all went perfectly. Just took me a whole afternoon to get it all done well.

After I was done, I tested it again and checked for leaks. Then I washed the previous day's 400 miles of bugs off it. I had ceramic coated it last week, so it washed up very easily. Adam's ceramic graphene polish is amazing stuff IME.

With all the health issues I have and arthritis I am very grateful I can still do this stuff for myself. I know had i gone to a dealer, they'd tell me the PTU is sealed for life! No reason to service it! As an old mechanic, I have a different view of things.

The Tremor is a nice package and one of the only trucks other than my TRD PRO Tundra I'd consider. I have a buddy who just bought an F350 with the Diesel as his Army retirement gift to himself.... $ticker $hock is crazy though..... I'll keep my paid for Tundra. Did he get a gasser or diesel?

I still think the Maverick is the perfect small daily driver small ute truck. I'm trying to convince Mrs Bulldog to go for one of the Hybrids. Good thing there is a delay in availability I have more time to work on her. lol



 

[Kev m]

Can't read it, kev.  Site won't let me without disabling my browser ad blocker.  Um, no thanks, Chicago tribune.

Ford Motors?  Drove my bud's brand new Bronco, the larger one, with what I believe was a 2 litre ecoboost? motor.  Really nice.

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NEWS
SOMETIMES THERE'S NO FLUID LIKE OLD FLUID
By Bob Weber. Special to the Tribune
Chicago Tribune
•
Mar 12, 2000 at 12:00 am
Q--I haven't changed the transmission fluid in my 1992 Ford Aerostar in more than 100,000 miles. It functions fine in all gears, and the color is normal. A friend of mine told me that if I changed the fluid now, the new fluid would have so much "bite" it would cause all kinds of driveability problems, slippage, etc. Is it wise to change the fluid now? G.D., Chicago

A--This letter is typical. Many others have written asking why their transmissions have failed after having the fluid changed.


Before we answer those questions, it is important to review why transmission fluid must be changed periodically.

Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) must transfer the power (torque) from the engine to the drive line. Under pressure, it controls shifting. It lubricates all the parts in the transmission. It cools the transmission. And it keeps everything inside clean.

Though the original transmission fluid was derived from whale oil, today most ATF is 85 to 90 percent petroleum-based mineral oil with 10 to 15 percent additives. Though there are some synthetic and semi-synthetic ATFs, most factory fills are petroleum based and that is what the carmakers suggest when changing the fluid.

The base stock influences viscosity, oxidation and foaming.

Additives include:

- Pour-point depressants to improve flow at low temperatures

- Viscosity index improvers to keep the fluid from getting too thin at high temperatures.

- Inhibitors to prevent rust and corrosion of brass and copper parts.


- Oxidation inhibitors to control sludge and varnish formation.

- Anti-foaming agents to prevent bubbles.

- Seal conditioners to prevent leaks from swelling or hardening.

- Dispersants to suspend contaminants and help carry debris away from critical parts.

- Friction modifiers for proper shift feel and engagement of the clutches and bands.

- Dye (red) for identification.

Obviously, this is asking a lot from one fluid, and it can be overworked to the breaking point. Heat is ATF enemy No. 1.

ATF is supposed to get no hotter than 175 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, it can last 100,000 miles with no sweat. But, for every 20 or so degrees more heat, the oxidation rate doubles.

Where does heat come from? Spinning your wheels--and shifting back and forth--in snow heats the fluid rapidly. And since the car is not moving, little air is flowing through the radiator, which houses the transmission fluid cooler. Pulling a trailer also stresses the transmission fluid by raising its temperature.

Oxidized fluid has an acrid odor that some say smells like burnt toast. Remove your dipstick and take a whiff. Look for varnish on the stick. Put a drop of the ATF on a white paper towel and, after a minute, see whether the fluid appears tan instead of red.

Sludge, varnish and acids form when the fluid oxidizes. That is why ATF should be checked and changed at least as often as prescribed in your owner's manual.

Returning to the question, we think it would be safe to change the fluid because it has good color, and the transmission is behaving normally. But most car owners request an ATF change only when they feel a problem. Changing the fluid in these cases usually makes matters worse.

Generally, if the transmission fluid has not been changed around 60,000 miles, varnish and sludge from oxidized fluid combine with particles from clutch and band wear and create a gummy--almost solid--goo that sticks to transmission parts.

When you change the fluid, the new ATF acts like a solvent to loosen this junk. Like sand, it can wear the friction materials off the bands and clutches causing slippage. Valves--and there are lots of them in the transmission--get stuck open or closed. This causes slow engagement or slippage. Once the buildup is removed, leaks that it prevented begin from seals and gaskets. Any oxidized fluid left behind makes the new fluid more prone to breakdown.


But fresh fluid will not provide more "bite" and cause accelerated wear. The amount of bite depends on the friction modifiers added to the fluid. ATF without friction modifiers allows less slippage in clutch and band engagement, causing harsh shifts.

Changing the transmission fluid on a high-mileage car is risky. Don't do it unless your transmission is running fine and the fluid is first-rate, because it can make transmission failure imminent.

Some shops will not change the automatic transmission fluid on high-mileage cars due to the risk of problems arising after the service.

Jim D. Stokes, manager of technical services for Pennzoil, a leading supplier of ATF, issued a service bulletin advising shops about the risk. Included with the advisory is this sample waiver:

Waiver and Release Automatic Transmission Service

ADVERTISEMENT
We strongly recommend that automatic transmission service should not be performed on any vehicle that has not had its automatic transmission serviced within the last 60,000 miles. We will perform automatic transmission service on such vehicles at the customer's request only if this waiver and release is signed by the customer:

I acknowledge and fully understand that my motor vehicle's records indicate that its automatic transmission has not been serviced within the last 60,000 miles, that this fact was pointed out to me and that I willingly requested (name of installer) to service the transmission.

Due to the fact that my vehicle's transmission was not serviced within the last 60,000 miles, and understanding that servicing such a transmission may cause damage to my vehicle, I hereby agree that I will not hold (installer) responsible for any damage caused by any transmission service performed on my vehicle. I hereby fully release (installer) from any claims by me or others on my behalf and hereby waive any rights to make any claims against (installer) for any damage to my motor vehicle caused by any transmission services performed on my vehicle.


­

[sidecarnutz]

In an auto transmission you will eventually wear the clutch materials and the detritus will wind up in the filter or suspended in the fluid. Once you have enough clutch material wear they start to slip. Then the gritty material in the fluid is what is helping them still stick enough to work. (For a while) So in an old trans, if you put new fluid in, the old clutches may start slipping and you think its broke. In reality you wore it out long before and it was stumbling along like a zombie using the old gritty fluid to help the clutches stick and it would have dies soon anyways.

 So if you never change the ATF, then just never change it and run it til the thing dies. Then throw it away.
But of you do change the ATF and filter regularly (I prefer 30k changes) you will extend the life of the clutches and bands and you will extend the service life of the trans.

My dad was a don't change the fluid unless it runs out and can't make it up the hill to the house kinda guy. I'd see the damage he did to his cars and it appalled me as a young teenager. He'd run tires until they were throwing ragged steel wires out the sidewalls. This childhood trauma motivated me to learn all I could about machines from an engineering standpoint and take care of them as well as is possible. In the Navy I was a nuc plant operator and mechanic. I trained as a machinist and welder as well. So I spend my life erring on the side of engineering caution and treat my machines as well as possible.

In that pic I posted my Maverick looks pretty big next to the Tremor. That is an optical trick from the wide angle lens the camera in the phone uses. The Mav looks like a toy truck next to the tremor. I kidded my son we should put the Mav in the bed of his truck for the trip home. Then he'd only owe me $25 for gas for the day. Of course that wouldn't work. LOL. The Tremor has a 6' bed. The Mav is a bit bigger than that. I took other pics of them side by side, but they came out blurred. My cell camera isn't that great.
I'll attach a pic of the Tremor I took from beside it. I am not tall enough to see well into the bed! I'm 5 1/2 feet tall. It is a big bubba diesel truck for sure. The inside looks like the lobby of a fancy hotel.


common web fonts

[Bulldog9]

Sidecarnutz, thought you might be interested in this. Looks like there are all kinds of modifications for the Maverick.

https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/2022-ford-maverick-magnaflow-performance-exhaust-system-out-now/

[sidecarnutz]

Sidecarnutz, thought you might be interested in this. Looks like there are all kinds of modifications for the Maverick.

https://fordauthority.com/2022/03/2022-ford-maverick-magnaflow-performance-exhaust-system-out-now/

Thanks for that. I'm not a performance kinda guy. Haven't been for a long time. I prefer to buy something with "enough" performance and then maintain it like crazy to preserve that for as long as possible and enjoy it as it was made to be used.