Tradie Tips Q&A: Mark Purkiss - builder

Mark Purkiss, founder of Purkiss Construction, is a builder with more than 15 years experience. He has built a strong reputation as "a trustworthy, honest and reliable builder" serving the Illawarra region.

Purkiss Construction employs six tradesman and apprentices, several respected sub-contractors and administration staff. 

Mark reckons he's had his 3.2-litre Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 for "about four years".

Crafty: Why did you buy your Ford Ranger?

Mark: I bought it as a vehicle for work but also to tow and to use for camping and caravan trips.

Crafty: Do you use your Ranger outside work?

Mark: Yes. We go to Thredbo a bit – take the van down for snow season on weekends, and for mountain-bike riding in summer. I go away at least once a month for a long weekend.

We use it heaps [outside of work]; we've got a caravan – a Crusader, which we've had for about two years and weighs about three tonne fully loaded – and that's why I bought the Ranger, to tow.

Crafty: Any mods?

Mark: Priority was snorkel and bullbar and two-inch lift – all ARB gear. I also have a Thule roof rack, an ARB Ascent canopy and an Oztent Foxwing awning. That's all for leisure – most of this car is leisure.

The CSA rims came with it.

I've also got Kings LED lights, water tank, fridge slide, kitchen.

I've got a dual-battery set-up in the back.

I've wired up a water pump in there with a shower hose. We camp off power a lot so what it does is it allows me to fill up the caravan out of that [the water pump/tank], fill that up at a tap and drive back to the caravan, so I can stay for longer off-road – otherwise, in three or four days, it runs out.

No real changes in the cabin – I put TV head-rests in there and I've got a Redarc brake controller in there.

Mark has also added Kings LED lights, a water tank, fridge slide, and kitchen.

Crafty: Any problems?

Mark: There's nothing wrong with the Ranger but I just wanted a bit more power to tow; it did the caravan okay but on hills and long trips it lagged a bit so I've just bought a Safari ECU upgrade – just for the power – and the Ranger goes much better with the towing.

Performance and even fuel economy have improved: I'm now getting 10.1L/100km, and that's around town, fully loaded – which is great with all that stuff on it and the extra weight in it.

Crafty: Would you buy another Ranger next time?

Mark:  Yeah, well, I did [laughs] – pointing to the other company Ranger. I wouldn't buy a 2.0-litre [Ranger]. If I didn't have a Ranger, I'd probably go a 200 Series, but just the cost and the outlay for one of those – it's like another mortgage!

And for work, even though it's set up like this [for touring], I can still throw stuff in it for work. I've got a drawer here – with just basic hand tools and things like that.

This Ranger, I've done so much to it I just won't get rid of it.

Call Purkiss Construction on 0433 204 827 or visit the website for more details.