New car

Willie · Post by **Willie** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 10:18 pm

I was finally able to off load the Mits Galant. Actually, it was a great car really, just getting a little long in the tooth with a bit over 200,000 km under it's wheels. Needed new clutch, heater was bypassed due to leak (you all rekon a heater core in an L series is hard to get to - the Galant requires the whole dash being removed and the air con system dismantled!)

So I traded it in, after getting the dealer to up his original trade-in offer from $1500 to $5000. He must have had a fair bit of mark up on the car I bought!

Sorry, wasn't another Subi.

Ended up getting an AU series 3 XR8. I've always liked these and decided to bite the bullet and get one. We'll see if it was a wise decision over the next few months!

Anyone who has had experience with this model - please feel free to let me now the pitfalls and what I should be looking for. Afterall, it's got 3 months warranty, so I should try and identify any problems before this lapses.

Cheers for now,

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 12:15 am

Well I own a Falcon, but its a six and its DOHC, so a far cry from the old Windsor but hey, I can offer you some tips. I used to sell genuine Ford parts.

Radiator header tank: this is no doubt completely brown at the moment, they are white for the first few weeks then they go brown. Watch like a hawk for coolant leaks from here. Also keep an eye on the coolant level switch if one is fitted (located in the side of the header tank).

Door lock actuators: like the BA and BF models the design of these are completely retarded. Rather than traditional push / pull types, these units are made out of very thin and crappy plastic and operate a lever system that stresses the inner nylon worm drive. Also try not to lock the doors then hit lock again, unlock then unlock is not a good idea either. The little drive motor will eventually kill the already overloaded worm drive mechanism. Trade price on the actuator (comes with the lock as well) is around $160 per side, and you won't be able to lock the door without the actuator.

Apart from those two (trust me I'll think of more later) keep a general eye on things around the engine bay. There are heaps of coolant hoses in a modern Ford (I think your model has 2 bottom hoses!) and a few of these are close to extreme heat and or oil / grease, and as such are prone to premature wear.

Keep it well serviced and it shouldn't let you down. They're great highway cars, and I can assure you if I lived in NT I'd have a Falcon or two, most likely Windsor powered just like yours (simplicity = reliability).

P.S. - keep an eye on your P/S too (power steering :P). If the pump whines or leaks at all get it checked out, they are known to fail too. My BA had done 85,000km's when the previous owner had the rack and pump replaced.

waggaclint · Post by **waggaclint** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:34 pm

youve bought a great car...i worked for ford for 6yrs as a mechanic from when EL falcons were new through to BA....and i reckon the AUIII is the best falcon eva made..things to look for as tim said coolant leaks etc but the v8s are a lot better than the 6 for leaks...doors lock accuators as tim said...the can have diff problems as well (they make a clunking or chader noise there is an additive you can get to help it out)...and make sure you get your trans seviced every year or so (if its an auto) also the brakes can get shuddering but if ya do country miles that probably wont happen mainly only stop start drivn.....your engine is the good one to 220kw the last of the windsor they are hand built those motors they go quite well too....happy drivn anyway...

Suby Wan Kenobi · Post by **Suby Wan Kenobi** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:05 pm

Congrats on the purchase, i have often thought of getting another V8 Falcon but love my RX too much to sell it.

daveosubi · Post by **daveosubi** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:55 am

A friend has a series 1 xr8 he's had troubles with the gearbox twice, so I guess the yearly servicing is a must. When he first bought the car it wouldnt go into reverse all the time, he had this fixed under wararty. Then the 2nd time the box was starving of oil and shat itself, appaently there is a problem with the autos when driven at high speed for long periods, He did drive at around 200 for nearly an hour a couple of weeks before. It was about 1500 I think for a reco, he has a mate who works at ford so he gets good prices and cheap labour.

He does drive the car pretty hard though.

Another problem but it's no biggie is the electric window switches are temperamental, apparently clicking them up and down 30+ times fixes them somehow, I dont get it but it did work on his.

here's a thread on a ford forum of common faults
http://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=646

Willie · Post by **Willie** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:52 pm

waggaclint wrote:youve bought a great car...i worked for ford for 6yrs as a mechanic from when EL falcons were new through to BA....and i reckon the AUIII is the best falcon eva made..things to look for as tim said coolant leaks etc but the v8s are a lot better than the 6 for leaks...doors lock accuators as tim said...the can have diff problems as well (they make a clunking or chader noise there is an additive you can get to help it out)...and make sure you get your trans seviced every year or so (if its an auto) also the brakes can get shuddering but if ya do country miles that probably wont happen mainly only stop start drivn.....your engine is the good one to 220kw the last of the windsor they are hand built those motors they go quite well too....happy drivn anyway...

Thanks for the info...

Mine is the 220kw hand built windsor - as said in a motoring mag at the time "the windsor's finest hour". It got the alloy heads and a few tweaks, then hand asembled, with all getting at least the claimed 220kw's. Mine has an aftermarket exhaust, which they claim will unleash a few extra neddies.

This one's a manual - so no trouble with auto boxes here. However I think the clutch will need replacing soon. (The car's done 74,000km, BTW)

If you know the name of the additive for the diff, I'd appreciate you passing that on.

Cheers,

Willie · Post by **Willie** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:56 pm

daveosubi wrote: Another problem but it's no biggie is the electric window switches are temperamental, apparently clicking them up and down 30+ times fixes them somehow, I dont get it but it did work on his.

here's a thread on a ford forum of common faults
http://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=646

Had this problem already! Apparently (according to info in above link) they get dust and lint etc in them and need a good clean out every now and then. I'll be doing this soon.

Thanks for the info and link.

Cheers,

waggaclint · Post by **waggaclint** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:11 pm

Willie wrote:
If you know the name of the additive for the diff, I'd appreciate you passing that on.

Cheers,

cant remember the name but you buy it from ford they should now if ya ask...you can get it from coventrys as well (not sure if there is one were you live) holden also sell it..the commodore has the same problem (there share the same diff)...

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:20 pm

Sturaco or something isn't it?

Stick shift is the only way to go. Good to hear you got a real Falcon Willie.