What year did you get into AU's?

[TK-421]

I think the AU made one of the best ever looking aussie race cars! as for road cars i didnt really like the headlights on the standard base model on release, with high suspension,dress rims and in certain colors. however like most Falcons a few alterations to change its stance, lowered and nice set of rims and voila.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by EF4.0

I think the AU made one of the best ever looking aussie race cars! as for road cars i didnt really like the headlights on the standard base model on release, with high suspension,dress rims and in certain colors. however like most Falcons a few alterations to change its stance, lowered and nice set of rims and voila.

You're not wrong on the best looking race cars, I can remember when I was about 12 we went to the Qland 500 in 2000, the CAT sponsored AUs sounded the best out of the whole field too.

[RspecAU]

2003
Thats when i bought the XR 8. I never liked the AU a lot untill I seen the series 2 XR so I bought one in red

[HLC]

i clicked 2001 because that was the year that my old man purchased a SII Sportsman Fairlane.

but it was more 1998/9 when my dad brought home a host of them as "evaluation" vehicles from a Ford dealership in Sydney.

the first i remember was a Black Fairmont Ghia, fully optioned, body kit, wheels etc and the V8! i was sold.

then there was a Blue T1 and a Black T2, and a few others, and yeah. loved em ever since.

[DW260]

I originally got an AUII XR8 ute in 2003, then sold it for a BA XR8 and then a BF XR8. The whole time I missed the AU, so got another one in 2008. The only thing I miss about the other two is the power...

[Mr Hardware]

This poll is quite interesting i'm finding
and has so far confirmed my suspicions of the 'old crowd' vs the 'new crowd'.
It'd be interesting if we had run this poll in say, 2005 or 2006 and seen what the results were there, cos i'm sure there's a heck of a lot of people who've moved on from the AU, for better or for worse.

[samftr]

I think the au was the last ford built with the robust reliability the falcon is acclaimed for to be honest. the bean counters have penny pinched on too many things as the cars get newer they just decrease in their sturdiness.

[james22]

Bought an AUII S-Pac in 2002-03. Manual, Winter White everything I wanted. Wasn't even interested in trading it.

Then I test drove a XR6T and XR8 220 back to back. Bought the V8 the next week, AND sold my car to the Mrs, so now I can drive both. Happy times :-)

[LeadFoot81]

I loved the AU1 XRs when they came out in 98 (black with the bi-plane spoiler) and swore Id get one one day (and it *had* to have the bi-plane)

Then in 2000 the series 2 XR was released and totally blew me away, loved the nose cone and the 'rear diffuser' and then Herrod Motorsport released a S2 Bi-Plane spoiler and I was well and truly in love.

After a brief flirtation with the fairly bland BA shape I took a friends AU2 Forte for a drive and was really impressed with its road manners. I started looking at S2 XR6s and while they drove nicely, I thought 'stuff it, I want IRS and the V8' for the same price as an XR6 at a dealership I got the XR8 in a private sale.

7 years after I first laid eyes on one, I finally got my dream car. There are better Falcons out now, but to me they just don't compare to my Silver AU2 XR8.

Love it to death!

[Beer Baron]

2009 I got my 1st AU. 2001 AUII SR Sedan in Liquid silver.

I love the torque and how cruisey it is.

[sd1800]

I bought one last year. I always really liked S2/S3 models compared to the B Series(too bland) however I always wrote off S1 (until I realised it was only the Forte/Futura & Base model interior I didn't like in S1).

Was initially looking for a S2 5 Speed Xr8 (S3 are like 15k+) but most were still around $13,000, and even then they weren't mint.

Then I came across the S1 V8 Ghia in better condition, less k's(99,000), more luxuries and half the price. Sold! Purchased from a Forum Member actually.

Sure it has S1 brakes, 25 less kw, and is Auto but I can live with that for half the price and double the luxury.

[blueoval]

I didnt get into AU's till I personally bought one back in 2008. Other than that I thought they were average. Im still not really into AU's, I just am because I own one now. If I went F-series Ford, or another brand, I would be hanging out there.

[HLC]

i forgot to mention, the favourite AU we ever brought home was a Pursuit 250 which we had for about a week.

it had massive engine work done to it. one of the quickest cars ive ever been in i reckon, the cam was MASSIVE. it would just lope over on idle and the car would be bouncing and rocking about. insane. possibly one of my favourite ever cars!

[Auturbo6]

Having previously owned a GSR Lancer (which met a desasterous end) i was given an Au111 02 Ex Cab by the boss. Not very impressed in any way, i installed a new motor stage 3 cam extractors 2.5 exhaust. BA turbo brakes and master cyl, 3000 dollars adjustable suspension. STILL not impressed....... Then came the TURBO idea, 2 months later, Very impressed. Then manual g'box, even better: Most Jappers are slugs in comparison........ And all at 60 cents a litre.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Having previously owned a GSR Lancer (which met a desasterous end) i was given an Au111 02 Ex Cab by the boss. Not very impressed in any way, i installed a new motor stage 3 cam extractors 2.5 exhaust. BA turbo brakes and master cyl, 3000 dollars adjustable suspension. STILL not impressed....... Then came the TURBO idea, 2 months later, Very impressed. Then manual g'box, even better: Most Jappers are slugs in comparison........ And all at 60 cents a litre.

got more info on the turbo set up? pics, specs etc etc

[Ducati888]

1998 for me. As a rep I had a choice of a VT Commodore or the newly released AU Forte. Everyone else had the Commodore, mostly black ones, but I had to have the Ford, in burgundy, for a couple of reasons - 1. I was a Ford fan at the time, no one else was willing to go the butt ugly Ford, and I wanted to support Ford. 2. I hate to conform, 3. After having spent a lot of time in EB & EF Falcs, and VP Commodores, I knew that the Ford would be a better car.

It was a trouble free car for the two years I had it & 80,000Ks I did in it.

[divine_afg]

Got mine in 2004
2001 AU-II S, Sold 2006 for House Deposit
Miss it very much

[Auturbo6]

Originally Posted by samftr

I think the au was the last ford built with the robust reliability the falcon is acclaimed for to be honest. the bean counters have penny pinched on too many things as the cars get newer they just decrease in their sturdiness.

Ive found the BA-f to be the best, strongest, and most reliable (TAXI) yet. Esspessially the wagon. The last time i worked this job of cab repair, Ef's and El's were cabs. Glad those days are over.. Later...

[frd906]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Ive found the BA-f to be the best, strongest, and most reliable (TAXI) yet. Esspessially the wagon. The last time i worked this job of cab repair, Ef's and El's were cabs. Glad those days are over.. Later...

When i bought my gear box the guy at the wreckers made slip they are selling more ba gear boxes then au boxes,

But it comes down to how they are looked after and treated

[TICK4D-TAS]

I have always liked the T series since they come out, got to see them on the press release on the west coast of tassie way back in 1999. Then i joined the Tickford club in tas and fell in love with a members XR8 rebel. I bought my first AU in 2005 it was the AU2 XR8, with options and then my second Au in 2009 with the T3.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Ive found the BA-f to be the best, strongest, and most reliable (TAXI) yet. Esspessially the wagon. The last time i worked this job of cab repair, Ef's and El's were cabs. Glad those days are over.. Later...

Is that right hey, even better than the AU's?
Yes i started in the game in the EL days and boy i don't miss them either

[Auturbo6]

Originally Posted by frd906

When i bought my gear box the guy at the wreckers made slip they are selling more ba gear boxes then au boxes,

But it comes down to how they are looked after and treated

I can only conclude that the adaptive learning in the Ba ecu is keeping the g-boxes running longer, Other than smaller oil pump in Ba etc the only other difference is the ecu earths out solenoids ruther than supplys power as in the Au, however can't see this making much of a difference. Can only state observation that's that's all.
P.s. Most ba gearboxes would be going to cab companies, as au's are no longer taxis.

[Auturbo6]

Ive only recently, within the last 15mins learnt how to post photo's, so this is a couple of pics of my Ex cab...

[Mechan1k]

I bought mine in 2005 ... from memory ... as a comfortable work ute on LPG. I wasn't a fan of the AU look ... and was after a B-series at the time ... but they were bloody expensive then as they were near new.

And from there i literally enjoyed every minute of ownership of it. Was my introduction to LPG and the AU. Still with LPG ... but moved onto a B-series. But have a soft spot for the AU though.

I first drive one down to the snow with mates (as a mate had an accident and was given an S1 Forte as a loan car) ... I drove pretty much the entire trip down and back ... and it was a brand newy back then as well. I hated the look of it (so did everyone else) ... but by the end of the trip I found i really like the chassis dynamics of it and enjoyed the drive and comfort of the vehicle. Compared to the VT at the time (new) the AU looked like crap ... but hell it drove 100 times better than a VT.

[tick6vct]

upgraded from an ed gli, au is a much more enjoyable drive although im a lot more careful with my au then i ever was with my ed.

really want a t series or au3 220 ute! cant fund it atm though:(

[bo0]

I voted for 2008, as this was the year that I bought my AU2 XR6 HP. ( when the dream came reality, and I still adore to this day. )

My parents had owned AU's since 2001 - AU1 Forte and then an AU2 Fairlane Sportsman in 2005.
Couldn't say I was "into" them before then, It wasn't really till I bought my own AU that I appreciated them for what they really are.

Had always liked the look of the XR's (ever since seeing Glenn Seton's Falcon in '99 and the Craig Lowndes' #00 days) and vowed that one day I would own an XR. and now, yes I do!

[Eleanor]

I'm an AU newbie. Four days ago for me.
Bought as a replacement for our EL Fairmont Ghia (write-off). At this point I still really wish I had the EL but I'm slowly warming to the AU.