Were Australian Fords Rubbish?

[blackf6]

No. Aussie muscle= Falcon. Limp wristed try hard= HSV

[snowcone]

I'd had Falcons most of my early life - XW, XY, XA, XB, XF and THEN ..... EA
Well that was the last one for me and there hasn't been another one since.
There's not enough room on this post for me to outlay the faults that piece of horsehockey had.

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by snowcone

I'd had Falcons most of my early life - XW, XY, XA, XB, XF and THEN ..... EA
Well that was the last one for me and there hasn't been another one since.
There's not enough room on this post for me to outlay the faults that piece of horsehockey had.

I got told a story from a work mate who's father bought a brand new EA way back in 1998......The car had steering problems.....Turns out the l/h front wheel was 5mm off centre compared to the r/h front wheel.

Apparently this new car buyer/father took it back to Ford and said 'I dont want it anymore" and got his money back lol!

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by teak81

No. Aussie muscle= Falcon. Limp wristed try hard= HSV

Yeah, its not like the Group A SS, GTS-R, GTO/GTS, W427, VF GTS existed right?

[Crazy Dazz]

Over the last decade or so, I have looked at a LOT of 2nd hand cars. Apart from the Missus, my 5th child is now coming up on driving age.
It's amazing just how many CHEAP Europeans there are, including Mercs and BMWs. And not surprising; at 200k they are rooted and facing MASSIVE repair bills.
And if you want to see the definition of rubbish, look at a 10 yr old Korean.

My 2nd eldest recently traded up from an AU to a 2008 Nissan, guess which one had the better interior fit & finish.

And do you know what car now has a CULT following amongst European backpackers? They come out here, buy a Falcon wagon that's already done 300k, take off driving around Australia, then flog it to new arrivals. Trying doing that in your Getz.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Over the last decade or so, I have looked at a LOT of 2nd hand cars. Apart from the Missus, my 5th child is now coming up on driving age.
It's amazing just how many CHEAP Europeans there are, including Mercs and BMWs. And not surprising; at 200k they are rooted and facing MASSIVE repair bills.
And if you want to see the definition of rubbish, look at a 10 yr old Korean.

My 2nd eldest recently traded up from an AU to a 2008 Nissan, guess which one had the better interior fit & finish.

And do you know what car now has a CULT following amongst European backpackers? They come out here, buy a Falcon wagon that's already done 300k, take off driving around Australia, then flog it to new arrivals. Trying doing that in your Getz.

Getz is not a Falcon competitor - Commodore , Magna or Camry wagons are. I see lot of Taragos and Elgrandes used as travelers rentals.

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by zilo

A few taxi drivers have mentioned that the hybrids pay for themselves just with the transmissions not crapping out every 200 thousand kilometres.

and ...lpg aint as cheap as it used to be...

No its the batteries instead....

Ask the taxi operator...he pays the bills, not the driver.
Not crapped a transmission in a Falcon taxi since the first 4speeds back in the 90's.

Want some hybrid horror stories, 6 week wait for window switch, failed transport inspection and off the road because cant open the window.
After the tsunami most priuses here were held together with duct tape as NO spares were available, not so bad now admittedly but cant go to a wrecker and find parts easily.
Have a moderate prang and throw away the car , if you bend the chassis and cant remove the battery its written off.
Batteries last 200000kms
Blow a tail light and car wont start.
Don't drive it in water, counted 3 stuck while I trundled past through a flooded part a few months back.
Any panelbeating type repairs need the electrics disconnected $600
Buying a secondhand hybrid Camry is $10000 more than a secondhand Falcon, there goes first years fuel saving, second year $4000 for a battery, half of second year fuel saving gone already....

Falcons are far from perfect but neither are hybrids or imports, no car is designed to be a taxi except the London cab and the New York Nissan thing, neither of which are really sold here in any number and I am sure they have their problems as well.

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

It's amazing just how many CHEAP Europeans there are, including Mercs and BMWs. And not surprising; at 200k they are rooted and facing MASSIVE repair bills.
And if you want to see the definition of rubbish, look at a 10 yr old Korean.

I know there will always be exceptions to the norm for various reasons, I wouldn't have thought the average punter would be interested in a 200k second hand car of any make and model.

[Kingsley]

Were Australian Fords rubbish??? Far from it!! Even after initial problems with the front suspension on release of the original XK Falcon, Ford still won the Armstrong 500 in 1962 on a rapidly deteriorating Phillip Island circuit, did the deed in the very published endurance test at You Yangs a couple of years later and continued to thrive from there. Embrace the Aussie Fords the same way the ill informed inbred bogans embrace the 'Australian' designed Holden's!!! Bwahahahaha.... Australian designed Holden's........still makes me laugh..

[mechanic]

Lots of Eurotrash mentioned so far and I'll have a $1 bet that the proponents of the Mercs, Audis, BMW's, Jags and the others all live within a fairly short radius of big cities or major regional towns. As for NZ, you're never going to be far from any garage no matter where you go.
Australia though, doesn't stop 10 klms outside the town boundaries and this is where Ford, Holden, Nissan and Toyota got their act together and set up service networks. Chrysler didn't and they were the first of the big 3 to go.
Before the Europhiles start on about how their vehicles are much better and don't need the same level of service, wouldn't that make them even more popular in regional areas? Didn't happen.
Surely the coppers and taxi companies can't have been wrong for the past 50 years.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by mechanic

Lots of Eurotrash mentioned so far and I'll have a $1 bet that the proponents of the Mercs, Audis, BMW's, Jags and the others all live within a fairly short radius of big cities or major regional towns. As for NZ, you're never going to be far from any garage no matter where you go.
Australia though, doesn't stop 10 klms outside the town boundaries and this is where Ford, Holden, Nissan and Toyota got their act together and set up service networks. Chrysler didn't and they were the first of the big 3 to go.
Before the Europhiles start on about how their vehicles are much better and don't need the same level of service, wouldn't that make them even more popular in regional areas? Didn't happen.
Surely the coppers and taxi companies can't have been wrong for the past 50 years.

What are you on about? Seriously?
What has distance from a major city got to do with a European brand?
How do you define a European car? You realise Focus, Fiesta and Kuga are European right?

Why don't other Euro brands have dealerships and service centres in the middle of butt f--k no where? I think a little common sense prevails with the answer to that, how many sales do you really think a town of 100 are going to contribute to say a Merc? I can see it now, farmer bob struggling with drought and to put food on the plate is going to walk into a local Merc dealership and lay 100 big ones an E-class.
Think about it, it is all about marketing.

Hmmmm you do realise many Taxi companies are moving away from Falcon and Commodores. In Vic they're moving to Hybrid based cars.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Jastel

As a taxi operator of only Falcons for 25 + years I can say that there are many reasons people run Falcons.

Traditional large family car in Aust.
Was affordable to run on LPG
Cheap to purchase ex rental and govt cars.
Plenty of spares at wreckers.
Can get parts from Ford within a week usually. Not 3 months like imported.
Easy and uncomplicated to fix

Many of these reasons have changed in the last 10 years or so with the price increases of petrol/LPG, better reliability of "small imported" cars, the advent of Hybrid systems and of course finally the worldwide death of large family sedan cars.

While the quality doesn't match current imported cars the ease of repair, price and availability of spares still makes them a viable proposition for a few more years yet. Even in non metro areas where LPG is not cheap.

Questions -
So you still use Falcons for your taxi fleet?
What do you mean "Was affordable to run on LPG" Is it no longer affordable?
What will you use after Falcons are no longer available?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

And if you want to see the definition of rubbish, look at a 10 yr old Korean.

Sorry, disagree.

My 99 Festiva was put down by another driver in 2010. Over 10 years old, had over 200,000km on it and presented / drove like new.

I have no doubt in saying that had it been with us now it would have 300+k km and would have still presented the same.

Thinking back... lets see. Original rotors, original hoses, original water pump, original starter, alternator done at 190k, was on its second battery, air-con gassed once, factory radiator changed to an aftermarket one due to minot front end bingle, original clutch, had 1 alignment at 100k...

Lived outside most of its life, only change from factory was tints and paint job. Oil change every 10k km, brake / tranny / coolant fluids and timing belt as per schedule.

You want any car to last? Buy it new and look after it. Simple. The problem is we now have cars that are trying to out-do each other with gadgets and technology that isn't tried and tested. New cars are becoming so overly complicated and costly to fix they are allowed to let go by the owners who fear that a clutch job or a new tranny will cost about the same as the car... so why bother?

Any new car I have bought has served me flawlessly. Any used car has a big ? with it and you really have NO IDEA how it has been treated.

We have become a disposable society.. we want to newest model / latest gadget / want to be seen as keeping up to date with fashion and trends. Why look after something if you know in a few years it will be offloaded for a new model?

During my time, I have lost count of the 2nd hand cars I have looked at, both for myself and others. What soon becomes obvious is servicing is done 'when I can get around to it' not when needed. Other things get fixed or looked at when they start to show signs of wear and tear from ill treatment.

I wonder.. is there a market for down specced models? Cars that are sold to owners who are more interested in holding on to their cars long term and are not interested in electric everything and all those great gadgets that we all seemed to get by with only a hand full of years ago...

It's a crying shame the Falcon can't live on as a factory spec Taxi that can be punted globally as a low maintenance / easy to reapir vehicle that can be easily adapted to most markets....

[zilo]

We bought a brand new Volvo 940 wagon in 1992, it now has over 600,000 k's on it.

Cost $39k drive away including the 7 seat option and side impact protection, SRS airbag etc.

23 years later?

No rust, no rattles,
no oil consumption between services,
original motor, no head work,
no electrical issues.
Transmission never touched.
No steering fluid ever added.
Original water pump, radiator and hoses.

First car in Australia to have a 5 star NCAP rating... under $45k
The local cars in 1992 were absolute death traps at the time...

Fuel consumption a steady 10L/100km

[Falcman0o7]

I've had falcons since i got my licence in 97, Falcons are pretty much all i've had and i've NEVER been to a mechanic to fix something i coulnd't.
Great reliable cars. I swear by them! If you're a dumbarse then buy new hyundai, kia ect and let them fix it.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by zilo

We bought a brand new Volvo 940 wagon in 1992, it now has over 600,000 k's on it.

Cost $39k drive away including the 7 seat option and side impact protection, SRS airbag etc.

23 years later?

No rust, no rattles,
no oil consumption between services,
original motor, no head work,
no electrical issues.
Transmission never touched.
No steering fluid ever added.
Original water pump, radiator and hoses.

First car in Australia to have a 5 star NCAP rating... under $45k
The local cars in 1992 were absolute death traps at the time...

Fuel consumption a steady 10L/100km

NCAP ratings didnt exist until 1997, so 940 wasnt NCAP rated.
Crash safety of the EB Falcon was as good as anything of the era, apart from maybe Mercedes and Volvo. Death traps were Jap cars at the time which didnt come with side impact protection in the doors.

How safe do you think that 940 is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY

[Crazy Dazz]

yes, yes, yes, and your grandmother smoked 20 packs a day and lived to be 200 we all know the stories.

Besides which, saying "I bought a car that was universally acclaimed as a decomposing **** on 4 wheels, but it was a great car because I say so" is hardly a great anecdote.

[Davehoos]

when you live in the bush or in the middle of butt f--k no where?
you will quickly learn that that the bush is full of euro crap, Volvo, Pug VW merc cars and modern landrovers. bucket loads of Porsche and other obscure cars can be found parked next to the tax dodge 1 ton crew cab 4X4. build quality of some of these are dreadfull.

Tilt tray companies make good money transporting these around the state to be repaired or serviced by specialty workshops. long after the warranty has run out.

I drive a falcon and do my own repairs.

My neighbour today asked me to look at a BMW that was garaged a few years ago to replace a tired hyundia.

[shyun]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

NCAP ratings didnt exist until 1997, so 940 wasnt NCAP rated.
Crash safety of the EB Falcon was as good as anything of the era, apart from maybe Mercedes and Volvo. Death traps were Jap cars at the time which didnt come with side impact protection in the doors.

How safe do you think that 940 is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY

Yeah that's pretty bad...I think I'd rather be in an EB

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by zilo

We bought a brand new Volvo 940 wagon in 1992, it now has over 600,000 k's on it.

Cost $39k drive away including the 7 seat option and side impact protection, SRS airbag etc.

23 years later?

No rust, no rattles,
no oil consumption between services,
original motor, no head work,
no electrical issues.
Transmission never touched.
No steering fluid ever added.
Original water pump, radiator and hoses.

First car in Australia to have a 5 star NCAP rating... under $45k
The local cars in 1992 were absolute death traps at the time...

Fuel consumption a steady 10L/100km

nice ovlov

i look cool in my 30yo Falcon

[Syndrome]

The XD-XE-XF - were the low point for the Falcon name.

[BIONIC MAN]

Im not sure my f250 crew cab even has a crash rating... but I know which car I would rather be in if I had to be in a crash with another car... anything like that poor little modus in that video better be driven by a very short person or they are going to get a headache from my sump...

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by teak81

No. Aussie muscle= Falcon. Limp wristed try hard= HSV

Not so. Spot the enemy for who they really are: Imperial Japan's soulless, heartless soldiers and machinery might have lost WW2, but they finally got their revenge on the world through their soulless, boredom-inducing, mass produced 'vehicles'.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Wretched

I think a generalised "rubbish" comment is going a little extreme.
The Falcon and Territory are good cars, not great but not bad. They're built to a budget and do show it.

This.

No, Aussie Fords are not rubbish. But they're not the best thing since sliced bread either.

Dad's BA, which was supposedly not one of the more "reliable" Falcons, only ever needed a power steering pump replaced in 11.5 years and 231,000kms of service (aside from the usual wear and tear items). My BF has needed a bit more work than that, unfortunately. Both cars have some surface rust (therein lies the "built to a budget" evidence).

They do go on and on and on if they're looked after properly. But they aren't the first word in refinement or build quality. Those silver door trims in my BF feels cheap, work themselves loose and rattles around in the cabin which annoys the crap out of me, as does the diff bush "clunk" whenever I try to accelerate with more than moderate throttle input.

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

S116 and S126 were the most reliable Mercs ever made.

I dare anyone to own an S140 and not go insane however.
Dont mind the biodegradable plastic insulation on the wiring...

You mean the W116 and W126 Yeah, they were some of the best cars of the time. I'd definitely consider getting them as a project car some time in the future.

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Not so. Spot the enemy for who they really are: Imperial Japan's soulless, heartless soldiers and machinery might have lost WW2, but they finally got their revenge on the world through their soulless, boredom-inducing, mass produced 'vehicles'.

In case you haven't noticed, the war's over. Has been over for almost 70 years. The Japanese are not our enemy. They have invested into the Australian motoring industry for a number of years - Mitsubishi used to build cars here, and Toyota still do. "Soulless"? Oh yeah, the Camry and Aurion are pretty soulless ...

[UberKnee]

They're cheap, basic, generally reliable. Nothing amazing, on the global stage nothing worth getting excited about but they weren't bad cars.

[UberKnee]

Originally Posted by mechanic

Lots of Eurotrash mentioned so far and I'll have a $1 bet that the proponents of the Mercs, Audis, BMW's, Jags and the others all live within a fairly short radius of big cities or major regional towns. As for NZ, you're never going to be far from any garage no matter where you go.
Australia though, doesn't stop 10 klms outside the town boundaries and this is where Ford, Holden, Nissan and Toyota got their act together and set up service networks. Chrysler didn't and they were the first of the big 3 to go.
Before the Europhiles start on about how their vehicles are much better and don't need the same level of service, wouldn't that make them even more popular in regional areas? Didn't happen.
Surely the coppers and taxi companies can't have been wrong for the past 50 years.

Never heard so much drivel disguised as fact. Ever looked at the price of most Euros in this country? Poor old bill up in grasspatch wont have the 100k required to buy into most Euros, so why the hell would Merc put a dealer out in the middle of nowhere? As someone who has actually driven Euros quite frequently at times (something I doubt many of the Euros are unreliable brigade have ever done) they're just as reliable as the cheap and cheerful cars you're praising. Hell despite the fear mongering they can be serviced for similar prices to Aussie cars which are just as prone to needing huge amounts of money spent on them for repairs. Get a Falcodore up around 150k and it starts leaking oil out of everywhere it can, every pit of plastic/rubber craps out.

[4.0i_SiX]

No they weren't rubbish, I think they're amazing cars considering the shoe-string budget Ford Australia had to play with. Not to mention "hand me down" parts & designs from Ford US.

Imagine what they could have been if they had the budget of Mercedes or alike...

Every car has issues, some more than others...for example I have owned 2 EA Falcons. The first was an absolute pile of crap ( but never broke down ) as it was mistreated by the previous owner. The second I owned for 3 years and only ever had to replace the battery. I sold it to my brother with 480,000k's on it, he drove it for another 6 months before it was totalled in an accident

[Dash_XR]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Not so. Spot the enemy for who they really are: Imperial Japan's soulless, heartless soldiers and machinery might have lost WW2, but they finally got their revenge on the world through their soulless, boredom-inducing, mass produced 'vehicles'.

Like the R35, with it's hand built engine etc.. Definitly a boring car with no soul at all.

The enemy is the parent company that wanted to sell their cars in our country instead.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

NCAP ratings didnt exist until 1997, so 940 wasnt NCAP rated.
Crash safety of the EB Falcon was as good as anything of the era, apart from maybe Mercedes and Volvo. Death traps were Jap cars at the time which didnt come with side impact protection in the doors.

How safe do you think that 940 is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY

Oops :eek I think I'll take my chances in my old EBII Fairmont thanks. The ED was better again for crash safety as there were some important structural improvements made to the passenger cell.

Which BTW was one of the most solid nicest cars I have ever owned.

And just to echo what Yellow Fiesta said. How you look after a car will determine its longevity. Even the most renowned car for reliability will become a bit pile of **** if it is abused and not looked after.

[Struggo]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

The XD-XE-XF - were the low point for the Falcon name.

Yet they were the biggest sellers and dominated the market.