Galah Sessions

[motorsportnerd]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

He's not the only one



MSN

That was one hell of a read.. You had me up and down all the way through it.. He's getting a small car no no yes no yes... XR6.. You will be more happy in something you not only find good looking but enjoy driving.. Now all you need is 20min with my brother and you wont buy the BA.. Go for the BF and i hope the have fixed some earlier glitches.. My brother is right now in the why did i ****en buy this car Stage.. He will charm down soon i hope, But i believe i actually like his car more then him. To be hoest he has had some things go wrong of late with it, And since he has been here for over a month i have seen and herd them all, The engine was a little loud so he was thinking of getting some better oil, He was told at a ford dealers to use Penrite forgot the numbers but it made the engine tick when cold like my car, And there we also found out that genuine ford oil is big secret mobil oil.
What colour are you after or will you just settle for what they give you???.

I have a vague memory that your brother's BA is an ex-police car? Is that correct? If so, would explain some of the issues its had.
What problems has it had anyway? Minor issues or problems that have rendered the car unfaithful?
Anyway - I'm aware that BAs (and even BFs) are of variable quality. Some reports from owners are glowing, other reports are very negative.
Thus, I'll be getting an NRMA inspection on whatever car I chose. And if I buy from a dealer - I'll pay for a 3-year warranty as well.
As for colour - I'd prefer not to get a white car (though I won't turn a white XR6 down if it matches the mileage, price and condition criteria well) and also anything with those optional stripes (though I'm sure the stripes could be removed). Otherwise, I'm keeping an open mind on colour.

[motorsportnerd]

Originally Posted by nota

Stripy go-faster rental lol

Times sure have changed at Avis! Very interesting to hear those opinions & experiences, also your 1st-hand example of Toyota fiscal strength. You sound battle-hardened and I'm sure you already know more about Ford pricing than you ever wanted to. However merely for broad interest are these price-examples in the gentle environs of the ACT, from bargain basement BAs to allsorts (including XR6T & 5.4 Fairmont Ghia) and sunroof XR6. Also quite a few candidates at pickles.com.au in Sydney (eg 17 XR6s, 6cyl & V8 Fairmonts, G220s). If opting for a used Ford, I wouldn't dismiss the temptation to luxo-up with an upspec model, for a relatively minimal price-premium over the more basic models

Thanks for that Nota. The main problem with the carfair cars is that they are in Canberra and I'm in Sydney. There's so many XR6s for sale that its not necessary to go to Canberra to buy a car. There was one privately owned XR6 there that looked real good though.
I'll consider Pickles if I don't find something ideal at a dealer. I suspect most of the XR6s currently listed at Pickles are ex-rentals. Also, their fix-price cars aren't much cheaper than a dealer and lack warranties (unless there's any new car warranty left). Also, noticed most of the currently listed cars are unreg - so that could be an extra cost. I may have to attend an auction to see how cheap they are through auction.

As for a Fairmont - its a possibility, if I don't find a XR6 that I like. Certainly, it will be easier to find a privately owned Fairmont. A Fairmont V8 might be tempting. I remember seeing one at a nearby dealer earlier in the year with 25,000km and less than $20K on the window. Its gone unfortunately.
I'll also consider a low km XR6 Turbo - however, most within my budget are high km. Also, I'd be worried about how standard an XR6 Turbo is. I'm not buying a modified or chipped car.
However, I don't think there will be any problem finding a nice XR6 that suits my budget and tastes.

[SlickHolden]

Ex Dee's Car not the patrol car.. So getting it with less then 50,000km on the dash he was very happy. Now with 82,000km he's not so happy.. I'll give you a small list from his words and my eyes and ears.

It's killed the rotors twice been back to Ford and they have replaced them under warrenty, Pads scream and sounds like it's about to bust something.. It lets go a shudder through the steering when braking. Ford bled the brakes and power steering was all good..
Then when on half lock the steering would shudder hard and send a massive vibration through the steering and the car. Ford was at a lose with this as no matter how many times they tried to find this problem they couldn't, It's been a month since it last done it.
Then the pulleys scream for 10min he was told to ad something to lube them up to stop them screaming, But after some times the nose just wouldn't go away he needs to replace it or pull hair out.
He has to send the car back to ford because the airbag warning light stayed on, That was in for 2 days getting fixed, Now if he moves the seat with the car running the light comes on and wont go until it's stopped, So if i drive it i have to move the seat before i start the car.
About 6 months ago he had the car lowered with kings springs at a suspension shop, Now the car sqeeks and bumps over every part of the road you cant miss this sound and they can't explain it?, To me it sounds like something loose in the boot, He's just going to raise it up he's had it, He loves the better handling but hates the sound it makes, So he will right it off as a lose, I'm trying to get him to look into a XR set-up.
And the latest one is the tranny it bangs into drive or reverse and sometimes takes 3-4 seconds, He just had it servesed and was a little happier with it, But still tells me it holds gears far to long when slowing down, So he showed me and it did seem like it held 3rd dropping to 20kp/h at a corner, And it's running shocking on fuel at the moment 18-21l/100km.. You say something good about the car and he goes off, I should have bought the ****en territory!..
I like he's BA it's great to drive and looks great it does seem to carry problems but i still don't mind it at all, And to try and except it more he got some cornering lamps for it, And because it took 1 hour to get them in he went off even more.. When he bought it it still had plenty of warrenty, It only ran out this year, It's been back and fixed up so many times.
He's old EF was one great car, He knew this car inside out, And i believe it's going to be hard for any car to ever match that in his heart.

But here is a pic of the BA with Lamps on it looks mean.

[whiteballz]

my dad's BA is really quite decent, your brothers car probably was assembled on a monday morning or a friday arvo!

we havent had a single problem with my dads BA mk2..

[fpv_gtho]

Just dont trust the distance to empty meter

[Blue Supra]

yeh i dont trust mine, it said i had 80 kays to empty, i put 7 litres in ($10) and it said i have 89 kays...

wait... that just the cars economy

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by whiteballz

my dad's BA is really quite decent, your brothers car probably was assembled on a monday morning or a friday arvo!

we havent had a single problem with my dads BA mk2..

Also by MkII Most of the little problems would have been ironed out and into BF would have been fixed.. But his model was a late 03..
I do know of one person that demanded a Tuesday built car .

[Blue Supra]

yeh damn straight. i dont get through near as much on a monday as i do any other day.

[motorsportnerd]

Originally Posted by SlickHolden

Ex Dee's Car not the patrol car..
.

An ex-detective's car? Still an ex-police car then. Probably regularly carried four heavy d's, plus their equipment. Possibly still thrashed....
Still, he could have just got unlucky. It doesn't sound like the car has stranded him or anything.

A Ford dealer got back to me this morning with a late '03 BA XR6 (not Mk11). 58,000km on the clock, one private owner, books. Best of all - in shockwave blue, so will be a good colour for future resale. Still, they want just over $22K for it. The ex-rental BF was $23K and had done fewer kms (just 40,000km), sold anyway now so no longer an option.
So leaves the question - if there's another ex-rental BF XR6 for $23K with lowish km is that a better buy than an older privately owned car that's being serviced properly and is in a more popular colour?
In five years time an '03 car will be 9 years old, whereas the ex-rental '05 car would be 7 years old. By then, the history of the ex-rental may be less important than the fact its a younger car. It may be worth more.
I'll be going to look at the Shockwave Blue XR6 on Saturday if it hasn't sold. And if the dealer has any more ex-rental BFs that they need to sell I'll check them as well. I can always get a NRMA check done on two cars.

[SlickHolden]

Do you think a EX rental is treated worse then a cop car.
When the dicks came to my brothers old house to do there investigations they stuck there folders on the roof and boot of his car He would have went nuts!.. But i had to have a little chuckkle because that is what they would normaly do, And the funny thing is we can see little marks on the roof from there folders before then..
He's great with car and looking after them, It's in the blood to treat our cars well and maintain them with great car, To never thrash them when cold to know when to and not to give it some stick, We always warm up before leaving first thing always have the fresh oil plugs serves etc.. It's just this car seems to be going backwards on him and i think he really hates it not just as in a joke ish way i think he means it.. And the clear on the boot is starting to come off..

But on your wheels.. Mercury silver that's a nice colour.. Wish you could make your way down here you would be able to grab a 04 XR6 for $19,950 or a 06 BF XR6 $26,000. Same place my brother got his from i think they deal with ex fleet's cops etc cars, They always have at anytime rows and rows of Fords and Holdens lined up.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I'd go it. personally. while Ex-rentals have always been serviced on time they've also been used by people who don't own them - and that's never a good sign.

This car, provided it's been properly maintained, should give you years of life out of it.

It's also a nice colour sounds pretty good to me.....

[motorsportnerd]

That's what I'm thinking. Shockwave blue is one of the best colours for an XR6. Though I also agree with Slick - Mercury Silver is a good colour too.
Knowing how hard rental cars are treated, 40,000 km is probably more like 120,000km on a car treated with kid gloves.
Looking forward to seeing the Shockwave blue car - providing its not sold. Would've been better if it was an '04 Mk 2, but can't have everything.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

That gives you an extra bargaining tool

Fingers crossed you get this one and FINALLY stop talking about nothing but cars on MSN (joking.....slightly....)

[motorsportnerd]

You mean there's other things to talk about?

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Quite.

so....how bout dem Yankees?