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20-02-2010, 03:38 PM | #1 | ||
PX3 WildTrak & RTV
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Central Coast Sydney
Posts: 1,931
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The V8s are boring so thought id pen the below.
Spent last week in FNQ and had the opportunity to hire 3 hire cars. Our company has a great deal with Hertz which provided me with cars in Mackay and Townsville. In Cairns, Hertz were fully booked so I opted for Europcar. Each time I requested a full size car Hertz offer Aurion on the website and Europcar the Falcon. The result was three different cars FG XR6 in Mackay with 9,800km VE Omega in Townsville with 48,000km VM Jetta Diesel in Cairns with 21,000km Distance Travelled In Mackay in clocked up 190km over two days in a mix of highway and stop start driving ( I was undertaking some testing for work). In townsville, I clocked up the same 190km in a similar mix of driving as I had done in Mackay. In Cairns, I clocked over 360km which included a 170km return pure highway trip to Innisfail. Balance of Km were stop start in urban stuff in Cairns. Air Conditioning I love the hot weather and rarely use the air con in my utes. Air Con was used sparingly in the XR6 and the Omega only time it was used was when I was on the phone and driving to remove wind noise. I couldn't use the air con in the Jetta because of the foul foot odour smell it emitted as I was on the phone for 90% of the day, meant I lost a few kilos sweating! Outside XR6 I love the look of the XR6 the front is very 'fat' in all the right places, and the look form the back is on the hon in my book always happy following an FG sedan! It was finished in a graphite colour and paint finish was excellent. All plastic panels sharing same paint finish. Would have preferred the lok from the side if it had the 18, but even the standard wheels suffice. The poor old Omega it is dating in a big way. It was silver, the front and rear bumpers noticeably different shades of silver im yet to see a Commodore have panels and plastic sharing same shade of colour. Even the HSVs show up different. The guards are so big it looks plain silly on base models and the stubby nose not to my liking. The Blue Jetta looks dated from the front I think there are newer looking VW out there. Not a fan of the circular lights at the rear. I really didn't do much for me from any angle. Inside I obviously have a preference for the Interior on the FG as Ive spent 50,000km driving one. The seats are great, the driving positin is nice and the switch gear is logical. Ive never opened the owners manual. Whilst I like the blue instrument cluster, I am not however a fan of the blue on the ICC at night or morning, I find it harder to pick up the buttons. I much prefer the green/white of my BA RTV. The interior of the Dunnydore is, like the outside, so dated. It looks cheap and not all that different from the previous model which stood out as dated against the BA. Im not a fan of the window switches being in the centre console which is basically 'flat'. The handbrake is a joke enough said. The gear lever was not aligned with the shift position but it is a hire car! The green back dash and centre trip computer area was very easy to read at night. The Cruise switchgear is hidden behind the steering wheel. The seats were not at all comfortable. I know this is the base model so rather than compare to the FG, I will compare to my BA RTV which shared seats with an XT. Having travelled 223,000km in my RTV, I know which I prefer! The Jetta where to start. The seats were the most uncomfortable things I have ever sat in I could not find a comfy position or lumbar position. The radio required a bit of thought and I gave up working out the fader etc no way I was getting the manual out. It did have auto up and down windows for all 4 was a lifesaver given I had no air con! The switchgear was appalling. Cruise control was on the indicator stalk (on left hand side) and, like the dunnydoor, partially obscured by the wheel. The wiper lever (on the right) had a shocking feel to it when moved (Which was often as I I got used to them being on wrong side of wheel). The trip computer was red it was a real distraction. I associate red lights in a dashboard with an issue. The Drive Most here know how good the FG is to drive. My XR6 was fitted with the 5spd auto which, is up there, but nothing like the ZF 6 Spd. Im a real fan of the mapping of the FG fly by wire throttle. Some find it too sensitive I jump between my BA and FG and have no issue. Its always good to get behind the wheel of a sedan compared to my Ute. The I6 is such a sweet motor and even NA motors are such a joy to drive. Dump the loud pedal and hold on as you are forced into the back of the seat. Im not going to say much only that it was my choice of all three. The Omega wow what a let down. Rubbish traction control, a lifeless engine and shocking auto which never new how to kick down. It was like stepping back in time compared to the FG and I would struggle to live with it if I had one as a work car. The engine needs to rev, but offers little. I just could not find a sweet spot in the thing on highway or around town. If this is Australia's number one car, a lot of fellow country men settle for rubbish a worry! The Jetta was my first experience with a non 4WD diesel. First thing to note was how loud it wa seemed very unrefined compared to newer oil burners. Its 6 spd auto in non 'sports' mode took a bit to get used to. There was MASSIVE turbo lag in non sports mode from rest or say, 40km/h booting it to 60km/h. IN sports mode, it held lower gears and kept revs up much beter car, but the noise was too much for me. Give me a manual may have made it better. ON highway or when over 60km/h, this motor did have some kick and I reckon it would be quicker than the Omega it had some nice pulling power when allowed to rev out. The auto had some good smarts, decelerating down thru gears when slowing for lights etc BUT when not in sports mode, would nto kick down when foot to the floor simply hear the turbo wind up and then sometime later, it gets up a bit not great for trying to get on/through busy roundabouts like there are up at Cairns so used to instant torque of the I6 (in manual or auto form) Fuel Use The Omega and the FG were driven in similar conditions and over similar distance. The Falcon used 12l/100km. The Omega....15l/100km. Thats a significant difference if you ask me. The Jetta used 6.0l/100km which is remarkable. Not sure how much more it may have used if I had Air con available and there was 180km of pure highway. I did however give it the boot heaps I was surprised at the result. My obvious favourite was the XR6 but I am biased. That said, it kicked backside on engine, fuel use, transmission feel you name it, it was all over the Omega. The Jetta is not a true competitor, but Euro cars (smaller sedans) are certainly an option for some 'Coon and Dunnydore drivers. It was not a bad package, but for my mind, needed a manual box to make most our of the clacker under the bonnet. It had a huge boot I might ad. It still staggers me, that those who are not biased to Ford or Holden, would choose the VE over an FG if they drove them back to back.....
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[COLOR=Red]I really am Falcon Crazy[/COLOR NextGen Ranger Wildtrak with loads of goodies Sold PX3 Ranger Wildtrak 2.0Ltr UHF, Long Range Tank, Bullbar, Snorkel - 104,000km BA Falcon RTV - Project Ute 265,000km Sold PXII Ranger XLT Cool White. 105,000 Sold PX Ranger XLT in cool white, 151,700km on clock. Sold FGII XR6T Ute LTD Edition in Kinetic. Sold FG XR6 Ute Sold BA Falcon RTV. 251,300km.Was a great mate for last 7 years Sold AUII XLS Ute Sold '85 XF & Crashed 84 XF |
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27-02-2010, 06:48 PM | #2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 699
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Great comparo there.
I will get around to doing my experiences over the last 12 months, which included an Aurion Prodigy, Aurion Presara, VE Calais, G6E (Great Ocean Road trip - yeah!), and a VE Statesman. Absolute fav was the G6E (and I am not an absolute loyalist, just calling it as it is). THAT gearbox is phenominal. Love a ZF! Rest of the car was just as much a delight, especially round the GOR and the highway. Easy to manouvre in an absolute rotter of a carpark in a Melbourne CBD hotel. Only let down is no electric adjustment on the passenger seat. Steering, ride, handling - all superb (and I don't use the superlative lightly). It is now my default Thrifty Blue Chip car. Next down was the Statesman, excellent cruisy car for a quick, long-distance haul (it was much cheaper than flying at the time). Highlight was everone getting out of it's way (black), lowlights was the 5 speed auto (same as the Omega and Calais I think). New Statesmans and high series Commodores have a 6 speed which I am yet to try so judgement reserved on the absolutle newbies (I think came on from October last year). Seats not as good as G6E (or my old BA XR6 for that matter). Leather a bit vinyl looking. Next were the two Aurions, especially the Presara. A little torque steer, but nothing outrageous. Nice handling and riding with plenty of power. Nice controls, leather and seats. Wouldn't be a permanent car for me due to lack of heavy towing ability but I wouldn't throw a hissy fit at the rental counter if handed the keys to these again (actually would be quite pleased). Then the VE Calais. No real redeeming features. White, it looked very plain and much too Omega like. Maybe a VT-like cursive 'Calais' on the bottom of the rear doors or something??? Anything. There were dual pipes and slightly different rear lights for the trainspotters, but that was it. The 5 speed box was horrible. I almost had time to write Holden a letter of complaint before the box would change down in manual mode. Car only had 9000 Kms on it, which was the newest of all I rented. Ride was too hard for the base 'luxury' Calais, but would probably be ok in something like the more 'sport' oriented Calais V. Handled well though. NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) was the worst of the lot, with the exception of the Sierra! Also rented a Suzuki Sierra Carribean in Thailand. Felt like I was Jason Bourne. It was awesome with big wide chromey's and a polished roll bar (and air con). Took it on the beach too, and it handled the big hills of Phuket pretty well. Happy renting!
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93 NC2 Fairlane Ghia Sportsman. Standard Tickford 162kw engine and touring suspension, factory LTD trim option plus EF Ghia wheels. Other rides: Range Rover Sport, Mini Cooper Chilli Cabrio Last edited by Pinch; 27-02-2010 at 06:57 PM. |
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27-02-2010, 07:11 PM | #3 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 9
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Have had an XR6 hire car several times, not going to comment on the engine, I don't drive 6 cylinders enough to try. The interior was fairly plain for me and found the driving position wasn't great nor were the seats. Are the XR8 seats the same?
I do like over and above Holden offerings the bluetooth and it's operation with the stereo. Threw me a bit to start with when you make a call and the music still plays until such time as it's picked up. Once I got used to it I found it a lot better, less intrusive than the VE which just shuts everything off as soon as the phone is touched. Not to sure on the gearbox, I drive a manual but had heard good things about the Ford box. I can't compare it to much other than Camry's and a Nissan Tiida I drove recently but they aren't really in the same car class. Anyway the auto didn't astound me but it did a reasonable job of selecting gears without weird kickdowns or changing up to soon which is something I hate si I guess you could use the term "intuitive" to describe the auto. Overall a decent car, just missing two cylinders or a turbo it would need to get on my desireable cars list. |
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27-02-2010, 08:20 PM | #4 | ||
Giddy up.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kramerica Industries.
Posts: 15,639
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Nice write up mate, I have had the oppourtunity aswell to test the Aurion/VE SV6 and FG XR6 my chioce by far is the FG, there's no comparison.
The handbrake lever on the VE is like you say a joke and feel's very flimsy and bites you hard when you realise it, I don't know how many times I caught my skin on it, and the cruise on the VE and Aurion is not user friendly like the FG is, Overall the FG is miles ahead of both but the VE comes in last, I would have the Aurion anyday over the VE. I actually have a FG XR6 right now as a hire car. |
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27-02-2010, 09:33 PM | #5 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 9
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Hving owned a VE for 2 years I'm really not sure how you manage to hurt yourself on the handbrake, I just don't kow how you would manage it to be honest.
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27-02-2010, 09:49 PM | #6 | |||
Giddy up.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Kramerica Industries.
Posts: 15,639
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Quote:
When you grab the lever up the end to also release the button your hand is allready posistioned up high and follows the lever down into place grabing the skin in the process. |
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27-02-2010, 10:33 PM | #7 | |||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Bushfield, Vic
Posts: 29
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Quote:
Cheers. |
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27-02-2010, 10:45 PM | #8 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 699
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Havent hurt myself on the VE handbrakes, but I can see how it could happen. The box in the Calais also did not hold the car on hills. It was like I was driving a manual on anything but a flat gradient, had to do hillstarts everywhere! Not a prob in the same box'd Stateso though so might have been a fault with the Calais.
Bluetooth integration was about 6 of one, half dozen of the other on the Fords and Holdens - although needed the handbook the first time I did a VE. Agree, Ford cruise so much better. Even my 1993 NC has steering wheel buttons! as does Mini, but Forester has stalk control (rhs).
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93 NC2 Fairlane Ghia Sportsman. Standard Tickford 162kw engine and touring suspension, factory LTD trim option plus EF Ghia wheels. Other rides: Range Rover Sport, Mini Cooper Chilli Cabrio |
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27-02-2010, 11:10 PM | #9 | |||
Flairs - Truckers Delight
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane Northside Likes: Opposite Lock
Posts: 5,731
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Quote:
Great writeup Falcon Crazy.
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Current: Silhouette Black 2007 SY Ford Territory TX RWD 7-seater "Black Banger"
2006-2016: Regency Red 2000 AUII Ford Falcon Forte Automatic Sedan Tickford LPG "Millennium Falcon" |
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28-02-2010, 09:22 AM | #10 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 9
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I think cruise is something that you get used to. I hated the fact it was in a different spot on the Ford and really didn't like it, when I got used to it I found it ok but preferred what I was used to. Push button in cruise is on, flick down when at required speed, flick up to resume or accelerate, each flick up or down seems to increase or decrease speed by 1kmh which is nice for fine tuning.
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28-02-2010, 10:55 AM | #11 | ||
Falcon RTV - FG G6ET
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: In Da Bush, QLD
Posts: 31,839
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Good write up there FC, interesting the VE was beaten so easy by the FG, it never turns out that way in the motoring press.
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BAII RTV - with Raptor V S/C. RTV Power FG G6ET 50th Anniversary in Sensation. While the basic Ford Six was code named Barra, the Turbo version clearly deserved its very own moniker again enter Gordon Barfield.
We asked him if the engine had actually been called Seagull and how that came about. Actually it was just call Gull, because I named it that. Because we knew it was going to poo on everything. |
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28-02-2010, 06:56 PM | #12 | ||
The Vengeful One
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tazzy
Posts: 12,765
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Excellent write up there mate, im suprised how much you disliked the Jetta, you would expect it to be alot better since its a European car
Its no suprise the VE was beaten easily by the FG, the FG is a far better car in all areas!
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28-02-2010, 10:59 PM | #13 | |||
IWCMOGTVM Club Supporter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern Suburbs Melbourne
Posts: 17,799
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Quote:
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Daniel |
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01-03-2010, 11:54 AM | #14 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 90
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Have only driven the VE at work a couple of times.
Nothing seems to be quite the right shape or comfortable to use. Really hate the 70's hand brake. The most jarring thing I found was that it feels big and chunky on the inside but the door handles are tiny, really out of place
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'03 BA Futura, 18' -235/40, Kingsprings superlows, Monroe GT Sport, 2.5" Cat and exhaust, K & N, Typhoon CAI, RDA Slotted & Extreme pads. 302 Cleveland being rebuilt, Ebay said 351 liars!!!!! Home found! '01 AU II. Bring on the smoke |
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01-03-2010, 12:03 PM | #15 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 3,246
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Quote:
I noticed myself moving my head about trying to 'look around' the A-pillar. There is quite a dangerous round about at the exit of my workplace and I dreaded driving through it in the VE. It's easy to see why so many VE's have been T-Boned (there is 2 very large smash repairers on the way to work) and they almost always have a VE with side-damage (which doesn't look to be a loss of control). Guess it's a good way to write them off and increase sales!
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BA2 XR8 Rapid M6 Ute - Lid - Tint -18s 226.8rwkW@178kmh/537Nm@140kmh 1/9/2013 14.2@163kmh 23/10/2013 Boss349 built. Not yet run. Waiting on a shell. Retrotech thread http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...1363569&page=6 |
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