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Anonymous
Guest
what do yas reckon?? my mum needs a new car....
EL or AU ..... ????anything major to watch for??
-matt-
EL or AU ..... ????anything major to watch for??
-matt-
Here's something for you all to substantiate!
AU I to II's have severe problems with rust in the front quarter panels and pressings between the spring towers and firewalls. The lower front door hinge area and sills are noted trouble spots. The back floor areas on the utes is suspect also. This has been noted by the New Zealand Automobile Association. If this is subjectively bad compared to the earlier X and E cars is not known. Fact is, they were rusters too. If the AUIII is any better, time will tell.
This came to light in Auckland NZ Taxis getting rejected for rust after just twelve months of service. This was noted in a recent (2002) NZ Autocar magazine.
But there is good news. That means an EL can get a cheep supply of 4.0 and 5.0 cube engines from its saddly maligned brother!
I love the look of EL's myself, but I have been, am, and will always be biased towards earlier Falcons...except when its a BA! I'm very wishy washy too.
AU I to II's have severe problems with rust in the front quarter panels and pressings between the spring towers and firewalls. The lower front door hinge area and sills are noted trouble spots. The back floor areas on the utes is suspect also. This has been noted by the New Zealand Automobile Association. If this is subjectively bad compared to the earlier X and E cars is not known. Fact is, they were rusters too. If the AUIII is any better, time will tell.
This came to light in Auckland NZ Taxis getting rejected for rust after just twelve months of service. This was noted in a recent (2002) NZ Autocar magazine.
But there is good news. That means an EL can get a cheep supply of 4.0 and 5.0 cube engines from its saddly maligned brother!
I love the look of EL's myself, but I have been, am, and will always be biased towards earlier Falcons...except when its a BA! I'm very wishy washy too.
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Anonymous
Guest
yeh i like the old fords too.... and so does my mum hahahah.... but gotta be realistic for her..... were lookin maximum of say $14000 .... which kinda means if its an AU its gonna be a cheap one.... usually sugesting problems.... shes seen a nice silver ef, with bodykit and mags and lowered :checks: that she really wants.... she just has to convince ma dad hahahahaha
-matt-
-matt-
I don't know if this stands for Perf, but it's currently true here. I've seen it proven.
If you sniff around, you can find a "financially embarrassed" person wanting to sell a (usually) European car; they'll settle for much less than market value. Trick is to be able to spot the true deal (as opposed to a cut and shut), and settle that day.
I have seen a '97 BMW worth $27K go for $14K, and a Subaru Liberty go cheap (about 2/3 market price) in the last six weeks.
An AU will depreciate heavily, a Commy slightly less so. Unless you have a business plan to use either of these cars, I wouldn't buy 'em. Of course the Euro options rely on being able to afford the maintenance, and flicking after three years. But consider... Buy a car for 60% market value (your secret!), insure it for full value - do you care if someone writes it off? Heck no!
Just my few cents worth. If she buys a Harley FLH, I'll elope with her.
Adam.
If you sniff around, you can find a "financially embarrassed" person wanting to sell a (usually) European car; they'll settle for much less than market value. Trick is to be able to spot the true deal (as opposed to a cut and shut), and settle that day.
I have seen a '97 BMW worth $27K go for $14K, and a Subaru Liberty go cheap (about 2/3 market price) in the last six weeks.
An AU will depreciate heavily, a Commy slightly less so. Unless you have a business plan to use either of these cars, I wouldn't buy 'em. Of course the Euro options rely on being able to afford the maintenance, and flicking after three years. But consider... Buy a car for 60% market value (your secret!), insure it for full value - do you care if someone writes it off? Heck no!
Just my few cents worth. If she buys a Harley FLH, I'll elope with her.
Adam.
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Anonymous
Guest
For $14000, you would just about get a new AUII falcon if you weren't too fussy on colour, they are still around.
I can't see the point of buying a new car if you aren't going to work it hard. By that, I mean really have call for the warranty period. I was looking at buying a ute, and the warranty was peace of mind (well, as close as possible!) in terms of minimum down time, and repair costs. Other than that, you're paying quite a premium for a new, new car - and one that will devalue from the moment you hand over the bank cheque.
If the car's $14K, how much for comp. insurance? Just another thing to consider.
Adam.
If the car's $14K, how much for comp. insurance? Just another thing to consider.
Adam.
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Anonymous
Guest
For my two cents,
If its only 14Gs then it would have to be an EL. Although I would seriously look at the service history.
Real history not the sellers point of view.
(Yes mate, always serviced on time. Always at the dealers.) Prove it, reciepts my friend!
Those bloody broken head bolts are a pain in the seated area.
The AU rust problem has not appeared the the southern states.
But the rust in the sills and boot/rear quarters of EF and ELs is a real problem.
Good looking cars have been crushed coz its too expensive to fix properly.
Friends of mine have traded camps after owning Fords for all their driving life after owning EFs and ELs.
But the 10/15 AU and AU2s that I personally know of are OK at present.
Autos do give trouble. But not being able dip the auto to check fluid condition is a problem that all caravaners know of at the moment.
Noel.
If its only 14Gs then it would have to be an EL. Although I would seriously look at the service history.
Real history not the sellers point of view.
(Yes mate, always serviced on time. Always at the dealers.) Prove it, reciepts my friend!
Those bloody broken head bolts are a pain in the seated area.
The AU rust problem has not appeared the the southern states.
But the rust in the sills and boot/rear quarters of EF and ELs is a real problem.
Good looking cars have been crushed coz its too expensive to fix properly.
Friends of mine have traded camps after owning Fords for all their driving life after owning EFs and ELs.
But the 10/15 AU and AU2s that I personally know of are OK at present.
Autos do give trouble. But not being able dip the auto to check fluid condition is a problem that all caravaners know of at the moment.
Noel.
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Anonymous
Guest
if anyone seen today tonight on channel 7 last night dont buy a ss commodore
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Anonymous
Guest
I'd never buy one..but why is the reason RaTTuS ?
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Anonymous
Guest
if i was to list the reasons i would be here all day
but one reason being the most ovbious is that they dont have blue oval badges on them
but one reason being the most ovbious is that they dont have blue oval badges on them
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Anonymous
Guest
lol. Although I'd say Today Tonight's reporting style leaves LOTS to be desired, I'd have to say they got it mainly right about the SS commodore. Burns oil, piston slap on startup, ancient IRS makes the back end go through tyres quicker than a roll of dunny paper, etc etc. The Canadian LS1 seems to be mostly at fault here, it appears we got Chev's seconds...
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Anonymous
Guest
yeah true i also heard about the oil warning light if it comes on your engines fried before you can stop
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Anonymous
Guest
I knew about the oil burning problems. A holden dealership here in adelaide have two full time mechanics that rebuild / replace gen III's all day under warentty because that have shate themselves. I've even heard of one using 6L of oil ever 4000km
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Anonymous
Guest
I've had my AU for 5 years now and although i do spend megabucks on lubricants and spend a few hours every day keeping her looking good,i have had no trouble with my car since day 1. Under bonnet,boot hinge,strut recess can be rust trouble areas but i keep ontop if it with tectly rust preventative/3M gloss enhancer and i remove all the door seals and completely dry and lubricate them. Every time i rinse the body with water, i make sure the boot,bonnet and doors are dryed properly.
Didn't know about rear quarter panel problems but I do jack the rear up and clean that area on occasions. I ripped off the black wheel arch plastics on the rear so i could get to those area's plus they are not needed anyway.
Spray the chassis once every couple of months with the tectyl.
Didn't know about rear quarter panel problems but I do jack the rear up and clean that area on occasions. I ripped off the black wheel arch plastics on the rear so i could get to those area's plus they are not needed anyway.
Spray the chassis once every couple of months with the tectyl.
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Anonymous
Guest
Firstly i do some of the servicing myself and pedders and a good mechanic do the rest.
Ford use rubbish lubricants and treat your car like crap. Apprentice mechanics work on your car and what ford does in the service, isn't normally needed.
2.
My auto trans has not been touched service wise and i've done 91,000 and use Redline high temp atf synthetic trans fluid which stays in for 50,000 kilometres. Quietens down the trans and gear changes go unnoticed.
At $100 for 4 litres they would want to.
Ford use rubbish lubricants and treat your car like crap. Apprentice mechanics work on your car and what ford does in the service, isn't normally needed.
2.
My auto trans has not been touched service wise and i've done 91,000 and use Redline high temp atf synthetic trans fluid which stays in for 50,000 kilometres. Quietens down the trans and gear changes go unnoticed.
At $100 for 4 litres they would want to.
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Anonymous
Guest
back on topic au are getting that cheap now i,m sure you could pick a good one up for 14k wernt the dealers trying to get rid of them for like 17000 new or somthing
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Anonymous
Guest
thought id let yas know we ended up getting my mum a ser2 AU fairmont 1 owner low kms all the fruit, its pretty sweet.... she loves it, she already had the windows tinted darkest legal, had a new rear wing fitted and she wants tha rest of tha bodykit along with getting it lowered and huge rims..... all this without my persuasion!! hahahaha
cheers for all the info
-matt-
cheers for all the info
-matt-
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Anonymous
Guest
yeh my mum drives a bloody corolla...................
