AU 2 Falcon in UK

[latviajoe]

Hi ... I am the proud owner of a Ford Falcon AU II ute here in UK it is one of only a dozen over here so ,naturally no bugger knows anything about em.My problem is the keyless entry ,both fobs fell apart and although i put one back together so the red light flashes when you press a button , the bugger still will not work the locks.Ihave followed handbook and tried to reset keyfobs by setting ignition in aux position and pressing rear demister 3 times in 5 seconds but nothing happens.I suspect reciever is knackered but i cant find the little bugger and if i did i wouldnt know what to do with it,can anybody help? Chris

[MAFIA]

Originally Posted by glenneaux

Removed!

Now you better get your story right. I was only uglt on the series 1 with the waterfall grill, But series 2 and 3 was vast improved.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by glenneaux

Removed!

What was the point of your post pal? You just like to rain on somones parade. He asked a question and gets a whole lot of negative crap from you. WTF. :

[alecrain]

We all complain on the AU's looks but nobody has helped latviajoe yet!

[DoreSlamR]

Don't pay attention the the Anti-AU clowns, seems they have nothing better to do...

On topic! You might need a new key fob, they pop up on ebay every now and then.

You might get a few more constructive posts in the AU section too.

good luck with it!

[Dave R]

Latviajoe, you'll probably have more luck posting in the AU section (or having this thread moved there). If you can't find a receiver, I'd suggest possibly asking site sponsor FTG if they have any lying around. If you do find one, the AU guys should be able to help you out on the technical side of things.

[UKXR8]

Hi Latviajoe, you are not the only AU2 owner in the UK, I've got an AU2 XR8 sedan. It does sound like you need a new key fob, I had one go although the light still came on nothing else happened. Like the guys have said, Ebay is good for parts, just check that they are willing to ship to the UK first as some people can be a bit funny about shipping stuff over here.
I have found FTG parts to be pretty good as well. Also for new parts Bayford parts are pretty good as well.
Keep the faith, contrary to what some less learned people say, AU's rock!

[Darkr]

Wow! You drive an xr8 in the UK! That deserves an applause.

People over here complain about fuel prices...

[chevypower]

I actually liked the look of the AU series 2 and 3... I said on here when the BA was unveiled, that it was a step backwards in design, and took the Toyota's "safe" approach and looked a little bland - though the BA was a better car mechanically. The BA looks grew on me later.

[SSVPom]

New key fobs are around $80 from Ford dealers (which equates to approx. 35 quid) plus postage etc.

I'm English and drive an AU2 in Australia - there's another spin on the situation !

[DJM83]

If you cant get shipping to the UK pm me and we can organise something.
glennaux you've got your warning try it again and goodbye

[ltd]

Wow, AU's in the UK is brilliant, and the XR8 there is awesome too. Well done guys. As for the key fob, the advice of all the constructive posters (ie not rubbishing anyone) is right.

[BAxtER]

thats awesome to have a AU ute up there! Although i cant help you with your problem, can i ask. How many people have come up to you and ask you questions about it?

[UKXR8]

Good responses guys, the AU does get a few strange questions over here. Had a nice moment yesterday, met a guy who is banging around in a Australian 70's straight 6 Charger, very cool.
Petrol prices are hurting over here, its up to £1.15 ($2.37) a litre over here, what's the damage down your way?

[StealthAu]

it's only around $1.60 a litre here, but that seems to be more then enough to cause everyone to complain

[GK]

Originally Posted by StealthAu

it's only around $1.60 a litre here, but that seems to be more then enough to cause everyone to complain

And rightly so I reckon. LOL!

Both my AUs are on LPG, but I feel for those who are only on petrol.

As for the keyless remote, I was quoted AUS$77 for one. If you don't get things sorted with 51RTE, I could possibly help you. I do think that ebay would be the best bet though. They usually fetch AUS$50-55 each although second hand.

All the best with it.

GK

[fordAU]

Originally Posted by UKXR8

Hi Latviajoe, you are not the only AU2 owner in the UK, I've got an AU2 XR8 sedan.

Ever taken the XR8 over to France and the rest of the continent ?

I drove from Rome to Paris last year via the Alps, driving through the dolomites was memorable. The hire vehicle was a 6 cylinder Audi which was OK but nothing like that sweet wheezer.

Driving on those roads especially through Italy, Austria and Switzerland in a Windsor would be just magic.

[Captain Kirk]

You could try this one I found on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA:IT&ih=003

[Mechan1k]

There's been a few people with Verte Tempests ask questions on here as well ... essentially an AUII EGAS ute.

The forum sponsers here are helpful and accommodating.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by UKXR8

Hi Latviajoe, you are not the only AU2 owner in the UK, I've got an AU2 XR8 sedan. It does sound like you need a new key fob, I had one go although the light still came on nothing else happened. Like the guys have said, Ebay is good for parts, just check that they are willing to ship to the UK first as some people can be a bit funny about shipping stuff over here.
I have found FTG parts to be pretty good as well. Also for new parts Bayford parts are pretty good as well.
Keep the faith, contrary to what some less learned people say, AU's rock!

How did these cars get there, and how do you go about registering them? Do you need to got thru a lot of red-tape with the relevant authorities like we do for any non-Australian, late model, car being registered here?

[Mechan1k]

The utes were sold by a company called VERTE ... so I presume they did all of the compliancing.

[UKXR8]

My car was shipped over here by Ford as some kind of evaluation vehicle, most other sedans over here have been imported privately. The majority of Falcons over here are utes as it was easier to get them into the country. It is now a lot harder to import RHD cars, the only way which makes any sense is to own one abroad for 6 months then import it, although I have heard rumours that you can import your car into another EU country (Belgium I think) much more easily, get it registered, then bring it into the UK. It avoids having to get type approval apparently.
There is also company called Coleman-Milne which converts Fairmonts into Hearses and funeral cars, you see quite a few of those around.
I have done a few non-Falcon road trips into Europe, took my XKR to Le Mans then down to Italy last year, wanted to take the Falcon but I had a few brake issues going on. I am taking it to France in September though. Also went on some fantastic drives through the far north of Scotland when I was living up there.

[SSVPom]

OK - here's the Verte Tempest review from March 2002 in AutoExpress magazine, for all you people curious about how the vehicles made it over to Blighty :



Verte Tempest
You can have a barbie in the back, carry 30 crates of tinnies and there's even room for yer Sheila up front. The average Aussie wouldn't give a XXXX for anything else.
Auto Express Car ReviewsMarch 2002You can have a barbie in the back, carry 30 crates of tinnies and there's even room for yer Sheila up front. The average Aussie wouldn't give a XXXX for anything else.

As any avid soap watcher will be able to verify, saloon-derived pick-ups are big news Down Under, but since the demise of the Sierra-based Ford P100 they've been virtually extinct here.

Newly founded company Verte, a subsidiary of AC Cars, is hoping to change all that. The Tempest XLS is Australia's best-selling motor, where it's known as the Ford Falcon. However, to pacify the US car giant's European lawyers, Verte has peeled off the blue oval badges and put on its own. It has also converted the car to run solely on LPG - a first in Britain. The company is giving the same treatment to the Falcon XR8 saloon before the end of the year. It'll be powered by a 5.0-litre V8, feeding 268bhp through the rear wheels - which sounds like a real gas.

There's certainly no questioning the benefits of LPG in a vehicle such as the Tempest. We averaged 17mpg, but at 38p a litre that's the equivalent of 31mpg using petrol. Filling up is fiddly, but out on the road the car feels little different, because the newcomer was designed to be able to use gas.

Its 4.0-litre straight-six develops 192bhp and has an impressive torque figure of 369Nm at only 3,000rpm. But that doesn't mean the XLS is a sporting drive. Rear leaf springs and wallowy front suspension make handling ponderous, while overlight steering and a dead brake pedal do little to inspire confidence. The four-speed auto box displays lazy, clunky gearchanges and indecision when cruising. This car is for blasting across the outback with a full load of sheep, not country lanes.

That said, it's reasonably pleasant inside. The cabin is neatly trimmed and well laid-out. Some of the minor controls feel plasticky and the heater takes a while to warm up, but supportive seats, excellent standard equipment and a thumping stereo make up for it.

The Tempest's biggest bugbear is its impracticality. Two seats and little cabin storage mean it's not ideal as a car, while poor ground clearance, no load bay security and a shallow flatbed limit its commercial use. It's best on a sunny beach with surfboards in the back - a very rare sight in Britain, as we expect the Tempest will be, too.

It's difficult to see the point of the Verte Tempest, although It proves LPG fuel can make gas-guzzlers a practical option. But the car is too big and impractical for the UK, and there are better alternatives for the price. A novel idea, but it's not convincing.

At a glance

*Verte Tempest XLS is on sale now, priced £20,800

*Based on Aussie Ford Falcon

*The 4.0-litre XR6 and 5.0-litre XR8 saloons are to follow

[Mechan1k]

Hee hee ... good to read a journo's opinion ... it's great ... also love the stereotyping as well. Found it quite amusing.

Although I do agree about the ute not being suited to the roads over there (in stock form) though .. some of the back-lanes can be very narrow.

[DJM83]

Wonder what their review of the XR twins were like if they did one.
: @ the thumping stereo

[Mechan1k]

I thought that was a Gold comment.
Should have tested my LPG ute instead ... although this was back in 02 when it was first introduced ... they even mentioned that the seats were supportive ... interesting.

Hmmm ... getting them to test a Pursuit 250 would have been interesting indeed.

[Tech Trainer]

Just wondering, do the door locks cycle when you press the rear demist button three times or does absolutely nothing happen?

If nothing happens, does the interior light work?

Does the central door locking work?

It might not be your key pads it might be another concern.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

.Hmmm ... getting them to test a Pursuit 250 would have been interesting indeed.

Im picturing in the same style as topgear did in the Vauxhaul Monaro or the like in the sand with 150m wide donuts

[latviajoe]

Hi all and thanks to everyone who offered advice on au 2 ute remote entry prob .Finally was advised by mechanic on Ford australia forums to remove BEM unit ,reset it and then retrain keyfobs ,ace advice worked a treat and now all ok.With regards to my ute in UK there is not a day goes by someone comments on it or pulls me over to find out what it is .Also get boy racers try to pip me off the lights ,needless to say most of them fail miserably and pull in behind to pretend they werent really racing.This ute started over here as a Verte Tempest running on LPG i bought old Ford Falcon badge of e bay now looks ace.Had to have auto radiator shipped from oz when transmission cooler blew but apart from that it has run perfect I bought it new off e bay for £8k + dreaded VAT but i love it I have a Chrysler Grand Voyager but still prefer to drive my ute.Anyone know where to get chrome bars for it and is any way to increase BHP safely.Cheers all. off now for a tinny with my Shiela

[Mechan1k]

The sports bars are around the $500-700 mark used on eBay ... getting it shipped due to the size is going to be costly though.

As for performance ... Pacemaker make exrtractors (PH4499) for the LPG variant of this model ... they "just" fit past the LPG converter ... but make a decent difference ... the rest of the system I had to get made on mine ... but any exhaust shop should be able to make up a decent 2.5" exhaust system.

A few things to look out for that will probably need replacing over time are:
* O2 sensors (it's a HEGO unit - Heated Exhaust Gas Oxygen sensor) ... can be purchased on eBay or on these forums ... I think there's a group buy at the moment too.

*Oil pressure switches sometimes eventually leak on these I6 engines (located on passenger side of engine next to engine mount ... it's a pain to get to ... any Ford part place out here can supply it though ... and ship to you.

Also another leak to look for is on the driver's side front corner of the engine ... it may look like it is coming from the front of the engine ... but it is usually from the cam chain tensioner (hidden behind the power-steering reservoir bracket) ... and need a specialised tool to release and re-install the spring loaded tensioner.

I would advise an aftermarket transmission cooler ... but I guess over in the UK it might not be as necessary as over here ... our Summer can be hell and we really need it here ... I guess you need to keep a close eye on coolant leaks ... as the factory radiator is the weakest link and it has transmission fluid running through it as well.

I have an after market camshaft in mine ... my mechanic had his own grind made up for LPG and it has been working quite well.