Preparing to farewell the AUII after 16 years ...

[cm29579]

Looking back today on FF to my first rust post, well it was 2016;https://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11449027

Flash forward 7-8 years, and living even closer to the beach than previous, and here we are, a car with some areas so riddled with rust, its amazing I managed to get through rego. Crafty placement of items in the boot, some white cloth tape and the same mechanic since I bought it certainly bought me some time.

Ironically, its the underbody rust that has been the sticking point the past 3 years in getting it through, each time told it was the last time. With the rego ending in August this year, I know its time to say goodbye.

'Its a car', i'm told. Well, it has been a whole lot more than that to me. A trusty friend, a road trip warrior, my ever constant from age 28 through 44. Has seen off a relationship, job changes, living changes, 5 different suburbs, gone to Qld more times than I care to remember, and Victoria once.

You could look at the photos and say I neglected it, but I didn't, I just was rational in what I was willing to spend on a car that only set me back $9,100 in 2007. As the years rolled on, the washes became a little less, and the amount of times even driven reduced. It was just a week or two back when I had to exchange batteries for the 3rd time in less than a year due to lack of use that I suddenly realised I was in the final throws. The very sad final throws.

102,000km when I bought it, currently at 322,xxx. Still has never had a $500 issue - just your standard Au, hey?

It still drives beautifully, which is the sad thing. I absolutely could have done more research when the boot struts went in 2016 and drilled some holes which probably would have saved the rusty mess I have on the left side - the right is 100% rust free, so its the design issue. The chassis rail could be fixed if that's all there was to it. But the oil leaks are prevalent, have been for many years now. The auto, the rear main, the rocker cover gasket.

I shall seek out some fun and final adventures with this trusty pal in 2024, and prepare for what the heck to do once the rego expires. I suspect I will garage it for a long while before scrapping it for the many parts that are still perfect and desirable. Absolutely will have some trinkets for the living room, perhaps even the whole bloody front bumper assembly!

The exterior photo is from 2023, so it still looks the goods on the outside, despite the ocean hammering it's copped for 15 of the 16 years I have owned it.

[Cav]

Are you insane?

Take a Bex and have a lie down

[undertow]

Wow, she's crunchy for sure, sorry to see

Shame that Ford didn't get the corrosion protection right on these. I have a 20yo beater Subaru that spent most of it's like beachfront and has no real rust. The underbody paint and sealing on my AU is almost non-existent compared to the Subie.

[cm29579]

Originally Posted by undertow

Wow, she's crunchy for sure, sorry to see

Shame that Ford didn't get the corrosion protection right on these. I have a 20yo beater Subaru that spent most of it's like beachfront and has no real rust. The underbody paint and sealing on my AU is almost non-existent compared to the Subie.

The funny thing is mine doesn't have the boot rust next to / under the number plate like 90% have - probably as it was washed and polished so often. The boot used to leak after heavy rain, and that certainly contributed.

When I think of trying to fix it, that rear rust just seems a bridge too far; it goes well in behind the quarter panel. Access would almost require removal of the quarter panel, the LPG tank, the rear window - the cost would be insane.

On a positive note, I see on Gumtree there are a ton of AU XR's and they are back to normal prices. I would be very surprised if I don't grab one and transfer most of the interior across, as mine is mint.

[Uncle_Ken]

Never an easy decision, what will be the replacement?

[cm29579]

Originally Posted by Uncle_Ken

Never an easy decision, what will be the replacement?

I've had a 2012 G6E for 5.5 years, but have never liked it. Use it for work and it does huge km's, already over 400,000. Will continue to use it for work.

The AU has only done 1,600 since rego in August, so it may be until its almost at rego time before I look to actually buy another. If its a Falcon, its got to be an AU for me. Have owned multiple ED's, an EF, three AU XR's, 2 FG Mk II's, and the AU is by a long way the one I enjoy driving the most. Engine / transmission is so smooth, steering nice and light, and you simply cannot beat the charcoal interior.

[PG2]

I've seen XY GTs with worse rust be repaired.

I think that I have seen this car in the flesh parked near the beach a number of times, not recently though. It is such a good looking car, so it is big shame about the rust.

Are you very mechanically minded? Maybe by another XR6 that is not as tidy but rust free and make one good car out of two?

[cm29579]

Originally Posted by PG2

I've seen XY GTs with worse rust be repaired.

I think that I have seen this car in the flesh parked near the beach a number of times, not recently though. It is such a good looking car, so it is big shame about the rust.

Are you very mechanically minded? Maybe by another XR6 that is not as tidy but rust free and make one good car out of two?

If the beach was Shelly Beach (CC), then probably me, only one its ever been parked at the past few years.

I have included a photo album link with more extensive photos of the boot rust, you can see the rear parcel shelf firewall blanket, such is the amount of fresh air there. The right side is fine, very slight start of something at worst. Short of buying another one to weld in the things required, I just can't see how all that can be fixed for any sort of reasonable figure.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aymxd9sTaZrSfYuj7

[PG2]

Originally Posted by cm29579

If the beach was Shelly Beach (CC), then probably me, only one its ever been parked at the past few years.

I have included a photo album link with more extensive photos of the boot rust, you can see the rear parcel shelf firewall blanket, such is the amount of fresh air there. The right side is fine, very slight start of something at worst. Short of buying another one to weld in the things required, I just can't see how all that can be fixed for any sort of reasonable figure.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aymxd9sTaZrSfYuj7

There must be a twin to yours locally to where I live. The few times that I have seen it, it was parked near a beach.

I was thinking, buy another XR6 that is not as tidy as yours but rust free, then swap all of your good stuff off the rusty one onto the non-rusty one.

[Ratmick]

Yeah that may be too far gone for an AU...

My SII XR8 has little to no rust but then she's parked inside my garage about 90km from the nearest salt water.

What I do need are the front bar, preferably in Liquid Silver, and a new egg/HVAC controls as mine look...moth-eaten.

Apart from that drives like a new car...new suspension, engine mount, gearbox mount and assorted rubber bits does that though

...oh and the parts for a manual conversion would be nice

[cm29579]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

Yeah that may be too far gone for an AU...

My SII XR8 has little to no rust but then she's parked inside my garage about 90km from the nearest salt water.

What I do need are the front bar, preferably in Liquid Silver, and a new egg/HVAC controls as mine look...moth-eaten.

Apart from that drives like a new car...new suspension, engine mount, gearbox mount and assorted rubber bits does that though

...oh and the parts for a manual conversion would be nice

Yeah mine used to sound like a rattling mess for the first 10 years, then a simple d-link bush was replaced without me even asking as it was so stuffed, and that fixed all the front end rattles. Diff bushes are still 100% (original), can back off or re-engage harshly and there is no thud.

Originally Posted by PG2

There must be a twin to yours locally to where I live. The few times that I have seen it, it was parked near a beach.

I was thinking, buy another XR6 that is not as tidy as yours but rust free, then swap all of your good stuff off the rusty one onto the non-rusty one.

There's an ST XR6 i'm going to look at in the next week, Blueprint. I had that colour XR8 AUIII for a few years, and whilst I never really loved the way it drove, it looked spectacular.

[Tonz]

Kylie Franks
·
AU XR6 manual Tickford ute, in good condition with only 190,000ks, HP engine & 5 speed, no issues or leaks, tidy inside & out, tinted windows, tarp, presents well for a 23 year old ute, nice venom red colour, black leather trim, tickford wheels near new tyres & fresh rego, located Pt Lincoln $8,500

not mine still havent seen it but can pop pics up if interested