NL Fairlane's Are they ok ?

[CAMS290]

Due to a little one on the way, i am having to look at getting my GF a decent car to replace her knackered XF, i dont want my GF and child driving around in a POS.

I have always liked the NF/NL Fairlanes, and i am quite keen on getting a low kilometre NL, preferrably in dark blue or burgundy, either a 6 or V8 and preferrably on LPG.

I want to put a set of EL GT wheels on it, lower it and tint the windows and thats about it.

Has anyone owned one ? and what kind of problems (if any) have you had ?

[347Stroker]

Mate, I have a Navy blue NL Fairlane By Tickford, and although its only covered just over 40000k, I think its the best car I have ever owned, and would not hesitate to recommend them.

[AdzT3-146]

my mum drives one, Heritage Green 6cyl NL Fairlane Ghia. done about 170,000 od k's. never had an issue. i love driving it.

[GlennBA]

dad used to have a Bordeaux DF LTD 5.0L V8, that thing went like a dream. Beautiful car it was.. used to purr.. very very classy. Didn't have many probs with it at all, once it broke down but that was only a battery.

[One Drone]

I love mine. V8, white, ELGTs, tint and lowered. Pure class mate.

[geckoGT]

My parents had one,NL ghia with 5L motor and the only problem they had was with the height adjusting rear shocks, replaced them with decent shocks and no problems after that. Beutiful car and had close to 200,000km when they sold it (own a farm so lots of gravel road driving). They sold it to get their new car, a low km BMW 540 (sweet). Sure they would recomend one again.

[Full Noise]

G’day Cam,
I had an NF II, for nearly four years and other than a blendor motor for the climate control and a rear door actuator, I had no real problems in 86,000 very enjoyable kilometres. I nearly cried the day I sold it. :

Cheers, Danny

[csv8]

I had an NL Fairlane in Oxford green. Traded it in on a Fairmont V8 Wagon. If I didn't need a wagon, would still have it. Brilliant car, smooth, reliable and missing IT !! No issues in 130,000kms, over 3 years.

[philstoj]

Originally Posted by CAMS290

Due to a little one on the way, i am having to look at getting my GF a decent car to replace her knackered XF, i dont want my GF and child driving around in a POS.

Congrats cameron on the arrival of the little one!!

regards, phil and laurel.

[jeffb]

My parents had an DF LTD, it was a good car but it had its moments, they had it from 88k to 210k and in that time it had 3 alternators, removed the self levaling shocks, the sensor on the drivers door for the LCD had to be replaced, Harmonic Balancer, Radiator, at 200k we had to change the bottom ball joints and front struts, other than that there were no real issues, it was a V8

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

G’day Cam,
I had an NF II, for nearly four years and other than a blendor motor for the climate control and a rear door actuator, I had no real problems in 86,000 very enjoyable kilometres. I nearly cried the day I sold it. :

Cheers, Danny

Hey Danny,

do you remember who you sold it to? Cos there is one exactly like that up here and when it first came to town it had Vic plates. It sounds (and goes) fanastic.

[Full Noise]

Firstly, Cameron, congratulations on the little one. This is what happens when you’re on AFF when you get home and you’re so tired that you miss the bleeding obvious. There are some great names out there….. :hihi: :hihi: For a boy.. Danny, Danno, Daniel, Dan….
For a girl.. Danielle, Danella, Danni…

Like I said, plenty of great names.

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Hey Danny,

do you remember who you sold it to? Cos there is one exactly like that up here and when it first came to town it had Vic plates. It sounds (and goes) fanastic.

Gday back2thefutura,
I sold it to an old bloke who lived in Frankston (Vic) and he planned a trip to Queensland in it. He lived just up from the BP service station on the corner of Golf links road, which was one of my old deliveries, when I was driving local tankers. I’d always have a lookout for it but I’ve never seen it.
The old plates started with OCN ***.

Cheers, Danny

[Kapn_Kiwi]

Originally Posted by philstoj

Congrats cameron on the arrival of the little one!!

regards, phil and laurel.

Fairlanes are big, the falcons are the little ones :hihi:

[Psycho Chicken]

Folks used to have an NL Ghia (before I attacked a sign post in it). It was a great car, come to think of it we never really had anything go wrong with it. Not bad for a streched taxi.

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by jeffb

My parents had an DF LTD, it was a good car but it had its moments, they had it from 88k to 210k and in that time it had 3 alternators, removed the self levaling shocks, the sensor on the drivers door for the LCD had to be replaced, Harmonic Balancer, Radiator, at 200k we had to change the bottom ball joints and front struts, other than that there were no real issues, it was a V8

every "issue" you've mentioned are associated with wear and tear.
do you ecpect a car to be like brand new at 200,000kms?

NF/NL's are awesome cars. just love the look of them
personally i dont like the grille, (they look better with the EF Fairmont grille with some wire mesh in the middle ala Fairlane-by-Tickford) but other than that, they will certainly make a great family chariot

[UNR8D]

mate i have had mine now for just on 80,000k's done 4 trips from brisbane to cairns and one trip to mt isa, i am just replaceing a few niggiling items atm:-

Diff - (due to punishment down the qtr mile and drifting/skids) not really an issue if you treat it like a puppy lol
Power Steer Pump - just getting a bit on the whiney side of things so replace it now rather when it goes bang.
Shocks - just wear and tear need firmer ones to suit superlow springs.
Power Window Switchboard - the only item that has really ****ed me off with this car the drivers side window switch has been replaced twice, this time im buying NEW off ford as used ones are like a time bomb :( $368 freaking dollars though....ouch.

apart from that and regular servicing this car in the 18 months i have owned it has done some k's and had some punishment but its always well cared for and serviced regularly oil change ever 5k if i can, and as said has really given me 80k of faultless and effortless driving.

i have on a few occasions thought of parting with it but i really cant bare to see her go, so ill just continue to mod it more ;)

as for fuel its an I6 with a few mods avg 15.5 around town (i give it ), and 9.5-10.0 open road cruze ctrl set to 110-120kmh. with gas you would expect higher consumption but less to refuel so i guess it evens out.

[Kenaz]

Very nice cars! Part of me wishes I got a NL instead of the EL Ghia. But then I don't really need a LWB I guess.

[jeffb]

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

every "issue" you've mentioned are associated with wear and tear.
do you ecpect a car to be like brand new at 200,000kms?

NF/NL's are awesome cars. just love the look of them
personally i dont like the grille, (they look better with the EF Fairmont grille with some wire mesh in the middle ala Fairlane-by-Tickford) but other than that, they will certainly make a great family chariot

I know that, but I wouldn't expect a car to go through 3 alternators in 110000k either tho. V8 alternators are not cheap

[MrLandau]

Originally Posted by jeffb

I know that, but I wouldn't expect a car to go through 3 alternators in 110000k either tho. V8 alternators are not cheap

My 96 NLGhia V8 has over 550k on it - all long distance driving. Fuel pump failures (due to my g/f driving it right out of petrol and switching it to gas) and the self leveling suspension leaking (thought it was about time for superlows anyway) have been the only problems.
Shane

[richo77]

bloke at my work has a nice deep blue NL ghia 5.0.

Only problems he has had is a crook mass air flow meter causing the engine to struggle under load, power windows and smarlock problems.. all of which could have happened in any model i guess.

[dazza1600]

how much would u guys say a 97 nl fairlane in pretty good nick with 300k on it be worth, car drives well, only a 6cyl.?? i want an honest opinion from a ford enthusiast.
cheers guys

[gozza]

hey mate
ive never driven one but when i was unliscened my friend drove his dads around for a year....and this guy was an absolute nutter in the car...i got fed up with im but the point is he flogged the thing into its still going but its had your normal PROBLEMS..cracked radiator...tranny probs but as i said he flogged it stupid
so me thinks if its gonna be drivin by ya gf then it should last forever

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by gozza

hey mate
ive never driven one but when i was unliscened my friend drove his dads around for a year....and this guy was an absolute nutter in the car...i got fed up with im but the point is he flogged the thing into its still going but its had your normal PROBLEMS..cracked radiator...tranny probs but as i said he flogged it stupid
so me thinks if its gonna be drivin by ya gf then it should last forever

Is it just me or does this post make no sense and have absolutely no bearing on the thread?

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

Is it just me or does this post make no sense and have absolutely no bearing on the thread?

nup, you're not alone mate....... :

[Venomous]

Lol, i think his just saying that, his friend had one and thrashed it, althou he just got the normal problems. his saying that it should be fine for your wife to drive, as it is resonably strong. Well thats what im assuming lol

[Racecraft]

Originally Posted by dazza1600

how much would u guys say a 97 nl fairlane in pretty good nick with 300k on it be worth, car drives well, only a 6cyl.?? i want an honest opinion from a ford enthusiast.
cheers guys

if it is only a Fairlane and not the Ghia,Concorde or Sportsman 6-7k

[347Stroker]

Originally Posted by gozza

hey mate
ive never driven one but when i was unliscened my friend drove his dads around for a year....and this guy was an absolute nutter in the car...i got fed up with im but the point is he flogged the thing into its still going but its had your normal PROBLEMS..cracked radiator...tranny probs but as i said he flogged it stupid
so me thinks if its gonna be drivin by ya gf then it should last forever

Just proves to me you dont need a long neck to be a goose

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by Racecraft

if it is only a Fairlane and not the Ghia,Concorde or Sportsman 6-7k

i dont believe that they made just a Fairlane. they were all Ghias, if not then Concorde or Sportsman.
anyway with 300000km on the clock i would say $7000 tops.

[klawsterfobik]

Congratulations on the new arrival.

ive just bought a v8 DF LTD, and its the most comfortable car ive driven. The previous owners have kept the reciepts from EVERYTHING and all its used are brake pads in 250+km's

Go for it, you wont regret it.

MADNC_8: totally agree about the grille, im trying to source one to take a jigsaw to as we speak.

[dazza1600]

yer man its a nl fairlane ghia....