Most relaible Oz Ford ever built? - Page 3

Express · 29-10-2013, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF_6

Ye i know of a few that WILL NOT drive newer model cars....... Wether its Holden or Ford I dont think you can beat anything pre 2000....From then on its all over with never ending faults and repairs costing everyone money?

I totally disagree, I wouldn’t trust anything past 1980.

Anything beforehand can be worked on using only a bent screwdriver and a paper clip.

And it doesn’t hurt to have a rubber band in the glove box just in case.

As far as rust goes, it isn’t a mechanical failure, it a failure of the owner to maintain and look after the car. The same goes for why most older cars fail.

Newer cars are built and treated by most owners as a consumable commodity, it’s part of the throwaway society we now live in.

Older cars were built to last.

.

JG34JA · 29-10-2013, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF_6

Gotta luv an ED XR6 but I really love the EF-EL I6 with the serpentine single belt, so easy to change!

Is the AU a modern HQ-HZ Holden.....I really think it is?

I've thought that about the AU as well.

blackf6 · 29-10-2013, 05:57 PM

EF/El. Steering wheel cruise control buttons fall apart. As does the headlight switch. Lets not forget the steering wheel that crumbles in your hand. Ask me in 100 years time. The Ba/BF might just outlast the Au.

SantoAU · 29-10-2013, 07:33 PM

AU > daylight > anything else.

example: drove my late uncles 'lane home the other night after it had been in the shed for 6 months. 290,000km's on the dial, not sure when it had been serviced last, spent most of it's life living on a salt pan or in a paddock...damn thing fired first shot, then drove home without missing a beat.

AJ09 · 29-10-2013, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildrider

AUs hands down. then the XF.

Have to agree on the XF. I had a pre-efi S pack and aside from the space age instrument cluster playing up, no other dramas with it.

1TUFFUTE · 29-10-2013, 07:56 PM

I tend to be very competitive...therefore i always ask when im at an auto shop..what type of cars are seen in for fixes the most(not counting servicing or upgrades)
I have to say i don't remember hearing AU falcons come up hardly ever. Lots of VT-VZ commies tho.

AJ09 · 29-10-2013, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

I tend to be very competitive...therefore i always ask when im at an auto shop..what type of cars are seen in for fixes the most(not counting servicing or upgrades)
I have to say i don't remember hearing AU falcons come up hardly ever. Lots of VT-VZ commies tho.

I have had a VY, VZ and VE2 as company cars. Glad I didn't own them.....
The VZ was the most troublesome and the least was the VY.

I'm not trying to sound like a "Holden Basher" either - For a few years I owned a HX Premier with all the bells & whistles. Great car aside from being full of rust.

GASWAGON · 29-10-2013, 10:25 PM

Well i just broke my radiator tonight by complete accident by pulling on the top hose it broke the plastic fitting literally inside the hose where the hose clamp tightens up.....

I'm so over these new, modern, plastic fantastic cars..... Luckily i found a new rad on Ebay not too far away for $100 new so i will pick that up tmrw...

Really should have spent and extra $50 and bought and all aluminium rad that was also on Ebay?

GTP-RPD · 29-10-2013, 10:35 PM

Model T, nearly 100 years old in Australia and those still around are still going strong.

T-Pak Addict · 29-10-2013, 10:36 PM

AU hands down without question...

Had an AU Xcab 860k on the clock still on original motor.
Wifes AU had for 10 years now and only thing that went on it was the belt tensioner (we still have it as a backup car). Sons 2nd car was an AU Xcab 600k on the clock, cooked it 3 times and it kept on going...

Ugly car but so reliable....

**SSD-85** · 29-10-2013, 10:38 PM

TBH, I don't think I've had any real problems with any Oz Ford I've owned.

But the AU gets my vote. When something actually managed to break on it, it was a breeze to fix.

Noddy · 29-10-2013, 10:49 PM

Have owned three AU's and still own two of them. Built for Aussie conditions and with build quality which is hard to knock. Good quality interior, both my xr8 and ts50 interiors look as good as the day they left the showroom. Only floor is they tend to have a lot of water traps around the body so rust "can" be an issue.
It's something to have a good look at when purchasing. The only problem I've had which is common is split tanks on the radiators.

I did have a brand new EL2 185kw xr8 prior to the AU's and that was an excellent car as well.

GASWAGON · 29-10-2013, 10:51 PM

Well I need a car I can fix most of myself.....Anything BA onwards starts getting difficult , frustrating and expensive to fix....

I just luv the EF-AU for its SOHC, easy to get at spark plugs, easy to fix radiator, easy to fix brakes and suspension, never break differential, etc etc..

I could'nt care less what AU's look like as long as they're dead relaible!

GASWAGON · 29-10-2013, 10:56 PM

Actually i dont think you can beat an AU Fairmont Wagon with some Ford wheels and maybe a gas system and Kings suspension to boot.....The Fairmonts are much better looking than the standard AU coons.

T-Pak Addict · 29-10-2013, 11:01 PM

We have the AU S1 Futura... Grille is a lot better than that ugly grille on the Forte.

GASWAGON · 29-10-2013, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Pak Addict

We have the AU S1 Futura... Grille is a lot better than that ugly grille on the Forte.

Ye the Forte is HORRIBLE..... Thers plenty of Fairmonts around with 150-200,000 k's on the clock. really want to buy one before they all dis appear...

I'm even thinking of buying one and then spending money on rebiult 1st oversize motor and new bearings, re biult trans and diff and some suspension bushes when needed instead of upgrading to BA-BF...

Its just really hard to work out which model will last the longest and give the least trouble?

flooded one · 29-10-2013, 11:17 PM

I liked the Egg Crate Grille the utes had. I reckon if you paint the waterfall grille on the Forte black, they looked better but yeah they didn't look all that flash when new, admittedly I didn't like Futura grille at first but after a while it grew on me.

93EB_SXR6 · 29-10-2013, 11:37 PM

My EBII SXR6 was flawlessly reliable, despite getting driven quite hard most of the time.
Actually had a fairly good experience with an 89 EA GL too but that car was treated with a lot more respect.
From what I've experienced though, the AU has to win. A mate owns an AU ute and never services it (I constantly plead with him to change his oil but he refuses), he drives it hard every day and it never lets him down.

Olbucko · 29-10-2013, 11:42 PM

The XP was fairly bulletproof, they were over engineered to fix the falcons reputation in those early days. How many cars today could be driven flat out around a twisty mountain circuit for eight days and 20,000 km non stop without mechanical problems. Some XPs are still being used as daily drivers after 48 years.

http://youtu.be/juTj5gS3xUI

http://youtu.be/BiIVVHv59Xc

Pepscobra · 29-10-2013, 11:59 PM

Not sure about the most reliable Ford ever built, but the most reliable Ford that we've owned isn't actually a Ford at all... 1992 Ford Maverick 4.2L Diesel 4X4 (rebadged Nissan Patrol).
We still own it and up until a few months ago when Dad bought his new Territory, it was a daily driver.
The thing is rock solid, Dad loves it and won't let it go.

Edit: oops, sorry, just realised the OP was only referring to Oz built Fords.

dom_105 · 30-10-2013, 12:09 AM

Chalk up another one for the AU Falcon.

wrongwaynorris · 30-10-2013, 05:39 AM

"EF/El. Steering wheel cruise control buttons fall apart." If your a ham fisted idiot who tries to push them off the heel , mine are still fine after 17 years and 390,000k's.

" As does the headlight switch." That's still in one piece too .

" Lets not forget the steering wheel that crumbles in your hand." Again mines in perfect shape .

Cuyper · 30-10-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG34JA

I've thought that about the AU as well.

Well if there was no such thing as a VN... Most VNs however have gone to the great recycling plant in the sky now though. Our AU was a magnificent car, still is really but the rust is coming, its got a couple weeks left until it drives into the scrap yard too.

max_torq · 30-10-2013, 02:13 PM

What about XA there was nothing on them to go wrong (except points). They didn't warp rotors or have fragile transmissions.

GASWAGON · 30-10-2013, 05:19 PM

Got a new brand radiator for $100 today....Only took .5 hr to fit.......Cant beat that for a simple to work on car these days!

blackf6 · 30-10-2013, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

"EF/El. Steering wheel cruise control buttons fall apart." If your a ham fisted idiot who tries to push them off the heel , mine are still fine after 17 years and 390,000k's.

" As does the headlight switch." That's still in one piece too .

" Lets not forget the steering wheel that crumbles in your hand." Again mines in perfect shape .

Go to any wreckers and try and get a good EF/EL steering wheel, cruise buttons and headlight switch then. I rest my case. The exception is an enthusiasts car that has been looked after.

Itsme · 30-10-2013, 05:57 PM

My old trusty XM ute!!!
kept on going......

pottery beige · 30-10-2013, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teak81

Go to any wreckers and try and get a good EF/EL steering wheel, cruise buttons and headlight switch then. I rest my case. The exception is an enthusiasts car that has been looked after.

Hamfisted shazza n dazzas bashing buttons are in abundance..

GASWAGON · 30-10-2013, 06:18 PM

The more i think about it the more I reckon i'll keep my two EF's........Well at least keep them until they completely die like break a rod or ring or something drastic....

Both engines are still fairly strong i just worry about the BTR trans..... One already has a shiftkit which i think has really helped save the trans and the other car is starting to false neutral when cold....I just throw it back to 1st and it seems to fix it.......I'm fitting a shiftkit to that car asap.

I think its cheaper to spend money on these older cars than it is to upgarde to something newer that is harder to work on, has much more plastic parts, and is designed to only last 200,000k's then throw it away.....I am really over this throw away system the car industry has designed and now prides itself on!

Just imagine if Ford could market an FG that would last 500,000k's.... Surely they would sell???

Kieron · 30-10-2013, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF_6

Just imagine if Ford could market an FG that would last 500,000k's.... Surely they would sell???

Wouldn't make any difference. Buyers of new cars typically don't want them for more than 4-5 years, the bulk of Falcon buyers are fleets who will almost always get rid of them before 100,000k's.

Interesting to see the AU come out on top, would be also interesting to see if the AU voters had experience and/or knowledge of the XF, these are few and far between nowadays but the taxi industry lamented the day the could no longer be used as a cab - had family members in the industry from mid 80's - 2010.