AU Fairlane VCT and V8

[JG34JA]

Hi there,
As a fan of the LWB AU's, I'd like to ask owners and AFF members how the VCT AU Fairlane Ghia compares to the V8. 172kw/370Nm as to 175kw/395Nm looks pretty similar on paper.
How different do they drive around town/open road? Are their consumption figures similar? Any difference in final drive ratios/gearbox ratios? Different suspension, and if so which is more comfortable? Handling? I would expect the VCT to win on insurance/registration.
While I am at it, most seem to think the AUII is a much better vehicle, is this something to focus on as a buyer?
Any opinions on the matter appreciated,
Cheers

[T3man]

I think the AU V8s had 185kW. Still, not a lot of difference in outright performance or economy for that matter. The V8s are in fact quite frugal, whereas the VCT can be a bit of a guzzler especially if you ask it to do any towing. The V8 is a definite winner in that regard. As far as gearing is concerned I'm pretty sure there was no difference. I think the V8 models would have upgraded front springs but other than that there would be minimal differences. Series II had upgraded brakes, stronger firewall and roof pillars, and some say better build quality but in all honesty even the first AUs were surprisingly well assembled for a first-of-model run.

[JG34JA]

Thanks T3man, I think the first 3 months of AU build had double quality checks, they really wanted to get it right. Interesting about the roof pillars and V8's being frugal - I like them and have had a few Windsors (well, 3!). Any experience of how both felt to drive? The AU XR8 gets a wrap as a very sweet steer, I was wondering if this holds true on the longer wheelbase as well?

[SSD-85]

All non-XR/Tseries AU V8s had 175kw with the sole exception of LTDs, which had the 185kw XR motor.

The V8 walks all over the VCT in every aspect except rego & insurance costs. Given the V8s benefits, its worth it by far. Including in luxo-barge form.

The Series 1 will offer insane bang-for-buck. Awesome build quality at a far less price premium. since fairlanes dont see much track work, single piston front calipers will indeed suffice (which practically is the only real difference, along with orange dash lighting)

[FAT245]

the orange dash lighting is starting to get on my nerves!

and they had a detuned VCT motor, 160kW or something along those lines

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by FAT245

the orange dash lighting is starting to get on my nerves!

and they had a detuned VCT motor, 160kW or something along those lines

It wasnt detuned, the Fairmont/Fairlane simply had a quiet exhaust. Which compared to the XR6, was simply 168kw vs 172kw.

Slap a proper exhaust on any VCT equipped AU and results will be exact across all VCT models.

And the orange lighting is kickass lol

[T3man]

The orange lighting was the best feature of Series I - I like it so much I have used it in my Series III. I have a friend who has a Series I LTD - explains why I thought they all had the 185 motor. It goes OK too don't worry 'bout that! And as has been said the Series I is absolute bargain price transport with all the luxo features - definitely the best value used car on the market - look for an LTD and get something a bit rare and the better motor to boot!

[Day-mow]

i imagine with the VCT it would suck a bit more petrol with the added weight. but my neighbor has a VCT 'Lane, he loves it and says it goes well. he recently put a CAI in and said it made it fair difference.

both have pro's/cons

[KR1STO]

Having driven both, the V8 would be my choice..
The VCT around town, had around the same consumption as the V8, on the highways though, when driven nicely, the V8 was the winner suprisingly.
The VCT is a bit quicker on take off as it has 3.45:1 diff gear ratio as opposed the the V8 3.23:1 ratio.
V8 is the better towing car out if the two.
They both have their goods and bads mate, but the V8 doesn't seem to labour as much when lugging around the big fairlane.
Also, personally, the V8 sounds a lot nicer.
Hope that helps..!

Cheers

[SLO247]

I have a VCT and I agree with the sentiment here. The Windsor does everything better. They also sound brilliant with a nice exhaust. A Windsor powered AU is a lot of car for not much money.

Good luck and be sure to post up pics of your purchase!

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by T3man

The orange lighting was the best feature of Series I - I like it so much I have used it in my Series III.

part of me says 'each to their own', another part of me says 'you crazy, man!'

[SLO247]

I prefer the orange too. BMW even used it extensively in their cars so it cant be too bad.

[KR1STO]

Yep.. I third that..!
I prefer the orange also.
Much warmer feel to the car and works well with the woodgrain..!

[JR.]

I just recently went through the process of buying an Series 1 AU Fairlane VCT and looking at all the different options regarding the VCT/Windsor here are the points that I came down to.

Performance wise, in day to day driving there's not much difference between the VCT and the V8. If you're planning on leaving it relatively stock I don't think it matters that much. If you want to performance mod the V8 is the way to go without a doubt. Much easier to improve performance in the Windsor than the VCT. Also, don't expect that awesome V8 exhaust note without fitting an aftermarket system, as the stock Fairlane V8 exhaust strangles the note.

Fuel consumption: I'd give it to the VCT by a hair on the highway (I got 760km out of a tank on the trip back from Brisbane to Sydney when I bought it before I could do any of the needed servicing), but around town don't think you'll be saving ANY money by picking the VCT over the Windsor. The VCT is punchy off the line and a great package in the city, but it is honestly a fuel pig. I get better mileage from our AWD Terry than I do my VCT 'Lane.

Specs wise, the one big drawback of the AUI is of course the underwhelming front brakes (plenty of threads on here about upgrading to S2/BA spec). The other polarising difference between Series 1 and 2 is of course the orange instrument illumination in the S1 compared to more mundane grey in S2. A personal choice I leave to you.

The colour & trim options varied and if you're fussy will do a lot to dictate your choice; obviously white & silver cars are predominant, with the Gold, Burgandy, Green & Blue harder to find (and of course there's the black ones if you want everyone to think you have an ex-funeral car)

The biggest difference you really have to worry about isn't spec or performance, it's price. If the kilometers on the odo are roughly equal, I found that V8's commanded a $1-2K premium over VCT's, and you're looking at about the same again for a Series 2 over a Series 1. So then it's a question of do you think the S2 that much better than S1 to pay the premium. In my opinion not really.

Anything under 180-200K would probably be considered low kilometers now, but cheaper V8's all seem to have 250-275K + on the clock, so I'd probably be looking at the buying the lowest Kilometre car I could find regardless of the build date (that's what I did anyway).

If you DON'T want one on LPG - VCT or V8 - you'll find you're limiting your search (especially in Victoria & NSW) and room to maneuver on price. Fuel costs alone over the past few years have seen swathes of these cars converted, so if you're not a fan of LPG then be prepared to hunt in QLD for a better selection.

Also, if you're buying a stocker and not one previously modified, be prepared to spend extra money on a couple of things apart from a complete service when you buy it. Firstly, if it's got a tow bar (especially a heavy duty one) check the auto tranny. Retiree's love to tow their caravans behind a 'Lane, and if it's slipping or thumping between gears you could be looking at an overhaul of the box. Conversely, if it did tow there's a fair chance the owner took some care with his shock absorbers. Otherwise, I guarantee you that you're gonna want new ones.

Check the steering for play - even reco racks seem pricy if it needs replacing. And regardless of whether it's S1 or S2, investing in some good slotted front rotors and decent pads will go a long way to improving the braking and in may cases remove than slight shudder from the steering (caused by old warped discs).

Check the door lock actuators and power windows on all 4 doors to make sure they work (A newbie AU error I foolishly made). Lock the car and then physically try and open each door. If one's busted, Ford will charge you $300+ per door to replace the actuator, though if you've got time and are handy it's much cheaper to do yourself. If the windows are sticky or intermittent, dirty contacts in the switch seem to be your first port of call, but replacements seem easy to find on eBay or at wreckers if that doesn't work.

Many LWB of this age have the sagging headlining problem (A trimmer will charge $300-$500 to fix this) and the drivers seat backrest bolster closest to the door is likely to be worn and may have one or more small holes in the leather. Again, a trimmer can patch it or you can hunt eBay or wreckers for replacement interior sets.

Another high series dash issue is the fading LCD segments on the climate control screen. I know there's a guy in Melbourne somewhere that fixes them exchange for a few hundred bucks, but even on eBay NOS climate controls go for $600+. If you've got blown globes in the dash display, take the opportunity to upgrade to brighter LED lighting for under $30.

The electric aerial in the passenger rear quarter seems prone to breakage simply from old age. Two problems; as the mast fully extends when you turn it on, over time they can bend and the curvature eventually stops them from fully retracting, or more commonly the white plastic 'rope' that attaches to the motor and pulls it up and down gets brittle and breaks. You can buy a replacement mast & rope on ebay for around $30-$40 including postage, so try that before you spend $100+ on a complete new aerial.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head though I'm sure there's more. Hope it's of some help...

[JG34JA]

Thanks everyone, some truly great replies. I now know what areas are commonly going to need attention, how the VCT compares to the 8, and what I suspected, that the Series 1 is really not such a bad choice after all. If anyone has any other good points about VCT/V8 or S1/2 AU Fairlanes, keep it coming!

Just out of interest, I think the common-garden-variety white with black interior is my favourite, although the red from Series 1 is quite attractive too.

[KR1STO]

I love the white with black, shows all the lines of the car and is a great contrast in colours!
But I am a little biased towards that.. Haha
Good luck with it mate and make sure you update us on what you went for..

Cheers