Advice on buying a Magna please.

[deepblonde]

Originally Posted by spen23

I have a 2002 tj I'm only getting 400ks a tank no matter what fuel I use and surgestions for the problems

If you've got the V6 and you're getting 400km a tank, that's terrific ,
my bros old Magna V6 never used less than 15 L/100km in the city,
in fact my old LS1 Monaro used less fuel- (13 L/100km).

[Binny]

My KF Verada barely got over 400k even when it only had 50,000 on the clock. It also stunk of rotten egg gas whenever you parked it.
I took it to the Mitsu dealer a number of times to be told that its fuel consumption and smell were "normal". See its not just Ford dealers that do that lol.
I got rid of it with 80k on it. Worst car I've ever had.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by Binny

My KF Verada barely got over 400k even when it only had 50,000 on the clock. It also stunk of rotten egg gas whenever you parked it.
I took it to the Mitsu dealer a number of times to be told that its fuel consumption and smell were "normal". See its not just Ford dealers that do that lol.
I got rid of it with 80k on it. Worst car I've ever had.

Sounds like the oxygen sensor was toast.

[Binny]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Sounds like the oxygen sensor was toast.

Yeah in hindsight thats a possible cause. Over 10 years ago though all I knew was it had a problem (well other problems too) and the dealer was not interested in sorting them at all.
It goes well with the other conversations talking about Ford wanting to improve the customer experience. A dealer that is unwilling to fix issues can put someone off a brand for life, as it did for me.

[BENT_8]

Water in the foot well is usually one of 3 things, the seals at the bottom of the windscreen have perished, the grommet as mentioned earlier or the heater core seals.

It is common for the windscreen seals to leak and allow water into the foot well.
This would be my bet, get new seals from Mitsubishi.

The grommet has been described in a previous post

Do you run coolant in it, if so check the coolant level, is it disappearing?
Is there a smell of coolant inside the car.
Magna's have tendency to leak coolant at the seals between the heater core and the inlet/outlet elbows which allows coolant to run down into the passenger foot well.
Its a ***** of a job to do as the whole dash must come out.

As for fuel economy, depends how you drive it.
My TJ VRX 5sp manual returns 9.2l per 100k's around suburbia when I respect it, if I up stretch each gear it quickly jumps to 11 plus as expected.
Still not bad for a big 6.

I've had VT's, AU's and TJ's and I can say in all honesty the Magna is by far the best of the lot if you can look past the FWD aspect.
And that's saying a lot because I believe the AU is the best Falcon ever built.

[Tommie]

I have had a 96 TE for over ten years now. It's a 3ltr auto. Can honestly say it has been a trouble free everyday driving hack. Still goes great, currently on 255,000km. All I have repaired over the years is a new starter motor, radiator and brakes. Just service it every 10k and all is good.

[AndyXR6T]

I had a TL VRX for about 5 years. Rarely gave me any dramas, but when it did a quick fix to the local scrap yard to find parts was very easy as there was always so many. It wasn't the best on fuel around town but on the highway was good. Had plenty of go and was nice to drive

[zilo]

You can get a decent specc'ed 380 for around the same price now.

[John G]

Hi , I own a 98 TH(?) Magna and have been operating it as a Driving School car. It's a 3 liter running on LPG and I have done about 100K in the last 10 years. Overall it's been a fantastic car. It's never been flogged and is always serviced properly when due. I have had the heater leak into the LHS floor well as other posts reported but I just disconnected the heater as I don't really need them here in Adelaide. A great car, my advise is to seek out a low mileage one that still has lots of life left in it still and you wont go wrong.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by John G

Hi , I own a 98 TH(?) Magna and have been operating it as a Driving School car. It's a 3 liter running on LPG and I have done about 100K in the last 10 years. Overall it's been a fantastic car. It's never been flogged and is always serviced properly when due. I have had the heater leak into the LHS floor well as other posts reported but I just disconnected the heater as I don't really need them here in Adelaide. A great car, my advise is to seek out a low mileage one that still has lots of life left in it still and you wont go wrong.

Business slow? 100k in ten years for a driving school car is virtually nothing lol

[John G]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Business slow? 100k in ten years for a driving school car is virtually nothing lol

Only do it on the week ends. Work as a Trainer for a National Transport company Mon - Fri. Would go crazy if I did it 7 day a week.

[malazn mafia]

Does anyone else find Magnas and Camries of that era very claustrophobic? Only 5'10 but its horribly cramped. Would only suit a person 5'6" or below. The Falcon/commodore of that era is a spaceship in comparison, but Ford made the BA almost as claustrophobic as Magna with BA. Must be the excessive intrusion of the dashpad into the cabin.

[AndyXR6T]

They are smaller inside. One of the biggest reasons I moved to a falcon was the rear seat size. 3 kids seats wouldn't fit in a magna but perfect fit in the falcon

[Jack960]

My gf has a 2004 magna and I hate the damn thing, I spend half my time fixing little things on it. The alternator is dead/dying, the engine weeps oil, auto trans is clunky, engine runs pretty loud and runs a little rough. Only has about 150k km on it, I'm hoping it had a rough life before my gf, would explain the problems. I've only heard good things about them from everyone else though.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Jack960

My gf has a 2004 magna and I hate the damn thing, I spend half my time fixing little things on it. The alternator is dead/dying, the engine weeps oil, auto trans is clunky, engine runs pretty loud and runs a little rough. Only has about 150k km on it, I'm hoping it had a rough life before my gf, would explain the problems. I've only heard good things about them from everyone else though.

My worst experience owning a BA Falcon was the bloody Mitsubishi alternator they are blessed with. What were Ford thinking to install a damned mitsubishi part probably from the Magna in the BA?? Had endless issues with reconditioned units until one day I found a bosch unit and never had another issue.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by tempted

Yes, definitely. The first thing I notice when getting into a Magna is how much closer you are sitting to the dash and doors.
I have always considered Magnas to be medium sized cars in comparison to Falcons and Commodores which are true large cars.

Yes anything AU and older is a true large car. Loved the compact dashpad and simple door trims. BA onwards feel like a medium sized car and 2003+ Camry rivals it for interior space

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

My worst experience owning a BA Falcon was the bloody Mitsubishi alternator they are blessed with. What were Ford thinking to install a damned mitsubishi part probably from the Magna in the BA?? Had endless issues with reconditioned units until one day I found a bosch unit and never had another issue.

Mitsubishi is a big manufacturer of alternators, so its not like they picked something from a Magna and chucked it in.

Even Bosch is having stuff made in China these days, so they're not quite the quality they once used to be.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Does anyone else find Magnas and Camries of that era very claustrophobic? Only 5'10 but its horribly cramped. Would only suit a person 5'6" or below. The Falcon/commodore of that era is a spaceship in comparison, but Ford made the BA almost as claustrophobic as Magna with BA. Must be the excessive intrusion of the dashpad into the cabin.

Im 6'3 and don't have a problem.
Im also fairly broad and don't find it cramped at all.

I borrowed the in laws BF on the weekend and it felt as though I was sitting on the roof.

The Magna is the best of both worlds really. You get the low seating position similar to the Commodore, like being in a go kart, with a refined, efficient V6 up front which was more than capable in VRX or Ralliart form in its day.
I enjoy driving mine even if it is 14 years old.
With 185k's it has held up better than comparable VT's and AU's I've owned.
Throw in the frameless windows and the radical VRX body kit, they made for a sexy sleeper.
They were the quickest sedan built in Australia before the LS1 powered Commodore was released.

People bang on about timing belts etc. but the things that go wrong with Magna's are all things that can be done preventatively with proper servicing.
The belt only needs doing every 4-5 years with average driving, the water pump gets done every second belt so when I did mine at 180k's it cost me $500.
That also see's the cooling system flushed and new coolant replaced, again preventative and inclusive in the belt job.
Engine mounts, its only really the drivers side, the easiest to replace and can be done in 20 minutes at a cost of $150. You might do one every 100k at worst, mine went at 160.
The heater seals are a ***** and a stupid design, but the actual parts are like $2, the cost to fix it is in labour unless you do it yourself like I did. Took a day but gave me an opportunity to detail it like new again with everything stripped out, replaced globes etc.

Oil leaks are generally hardened rocker cover gaskets, more so the rear one as it is at a greater angle and leaks onto the exhaust manifold.
These are a $15 part and the rear one can be done every 100k with the rear plugs, the front one is easily accessible and can be done with the front plugs every 50k. I took the opportunity to clean the TB and idle control valve when I did mine as it all apart. took a couple of hours with plugs.

The only thing that has surprised me was the price of doing a clutch, the kit alone is upwards of $500 and is a 6 hour job in the dealers service schedule.
Cost me $1k but again you only do it once.

I often wonder how it would have sold if it had been released with a RWD option to go with the FWD and AWD offerings.

[malazn mafia]

If one wanted a RWD magna, wouldnt be hard to rig up one by removing the front driveshafts on an awd magna? Been done one Evo's before.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

If one wanted a RWD magna, wouldnt be hard to rig up one by removing the front driveshafts on an awd magna? Been done one Evo's before.

Errr...no, the front wheels would fall to the ground

All AWD magnas are auto trans, very different to say a Territory.

[Jack960]

I fit in the 2004 magna better then I fit in my BF XR6 and I'm 6'4 so space wise they are prettygood, wouldn't worry about that.

[Franco Cozzo]

I worked on an early 2000s Magna Wagon, 3.5L V6, 426,000km on the clock, it blows a bit of smoke and the only issues it had was when the intake gaskets let go.

Other than that its still going, still starts every morning.

They're going to ditch it at 500,000km.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

They were the quickest sedan built in Australia before the LS1 powered Commodore was released.

LS1 was released before the VRX and Ralliart so I find that hard to believe. The Ralliart especially had a bit of competition in 2002.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

LS1 was released before the VRX and Ralliart so I find that hard to believe. The Ralliart especially had a bit of competition in 2002.

Yes I stand corrected. What I should have said was that at its time of release it was quicker than both of its Aussie built competitors, the XR6 in HP or VCT and the S/C XU6 HSV, and only beaten by the LS1 V8 powered cars.

http://www.autoweb.com.au/A_0660/cms/article.html

Not a bad rep hey.

My car is the same as the one pictured, Sienna Red.

[BadMax]

Yep, wife had a Ralliart for several years with zero running issues. CD player packed up, but it fixed pretty cheap and one engine mount is all I an think of over and above normal servicing.
Used to upset some Falcadore drivers in traffic light dashes. I used to call it the Tupper Car as in Tupperware with all the plastic of the body kit!

[zilo]

AWD Magnas use 20% more fuel than a FWD Magna.

Something to consider.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by zilo

Errr...no, the front wheels would fall to the ground

All AWD magnas are auto trans, very different to say a Territory.

I actually started this project back home, was planning on converting an awd diamanté to rwd, and building a tube frame front holding a ls1. (And this was well before ls1 conversions became the conversion to do lol.

Point is, the rear diff is very very weak, and the whole back end is not suited to putting bulk power through it.
It was always designed as a front driver first and foremost.
My solution was to run a commodore floor pan, with diamanté top hat.
Project kept getting shoved in the too hard and too expensive bin.


And just for old times sake, here's my old diamanté, beside my mates mivec powered one at a car show in chch circa 2003

[HULK_I6T]

Magna is a great car.. But from what I've seen they seem to leak oil an awful lot

Also they seem to puff smoke in used examples moreso than a falcon or commodore.

But those 3.5 Magnas go well, I've seen them walk away from many a e-series Windsor V8

[CQB-241]

Old man purchase a base '98 3.0 with over 200K for $2K 4 years ago....goes well, utterly reliable, auto shifts nicely, aircond cold, manual winder windows with no stupid gadgets to go wrong, frameless windows seal brilliantly provided wound right up and goes reasonably hard. Now over 280K and apart from drooping rear headliner holding together well. While my personal bias is generally to the blue oval, it is unlikely that all of these things would apply to a surviving contemporary EL/AU, Commo or Camry, which likely explains the large numbers left of this era's Magnas. Yet 10y later Mitsu was the 1st of the 4 to go.....