Thanks for the heads up on Benny's car Ian, just been for a look and that thing is phenomenal, sub 8.5 second runs and it still has more to give, what a car and what an engine.
That's a great car Ian. I approve of the XR6 very much. Always did like a nice '6-pot' motor. That central display unit would have been unusually large back in 2004.
Glad you had a chance to try one of these. The Turbo Barra is on another level. Long lived, yes. I have a 2014 FG Mk2 ute, work vehicle with the factory LPG Barra. 438 000 km now. And a BA XR8, with only 130 000 km: weekender car.
Yep, used to drive BA cabs. A million kms with no engine dramas was pretty usual although a couple of diff changes along the way was normal too. Electrics were always completely reliable.
All throughout NZ, no place you look more at home than good old Upper Hutt!! haha great place, i cut my teeth on that narrow road (old moonshine) at the start of the vid in a 74 1300 gt escort.
Just a bit of trivia, just reading some of the comments from UK some people asking why the Australian falcons were not sold in the UK, actually Australia did export some of our falcons over to you around 1967-68 with the Ford Fairmont XR model (not in as XR performance) l think with the Windsor 289 V8 or 200 ci six or both also we exported our Chrysler Valiant VIP model around the same time with the 273 V8, but they were up against your Jags etc & the cost of them were too expensive to be a viable proposition,
My gripe with the Falcon EF was the brake light switch under the brake pedal would pack up 1 a year. I wrote to Ford Australia, and gripped about it, comparing to my previous Ford Escort 1600 Sport, with 330,000 km with no brake light switch failure. The switch is made by Ford Mexico, they replied. To whom I sent my bilingual complaint, and received No Reply. Spoiling my enjoyment of the Falcon, a great and beautiful car!
Our family actually owns a car like that but it’s light metallic cyan blue in colour and I really enjoy diving it on my L plates with my parents especially on long road trips on rural highways and twisty country roads as it handles extremely well and feels really heavy duty! Also our car was purchased second hand in 2005 when it was a year old and it still has it’s original engine which is still going strong after doing around 220,000KM which is probably also because of us taking good care of it! Also our car has the LCD display instead of the LED display that car has there so I’m guessing the more modern Ford Control centre system was an optional feature that you had to pay extra for or the car was released in 2001 but only models made after 2003 had that option! So it’s not only a good performance car but it also works as a great family car for long haul road trips! :)
Thanks for another interesting test drive Ian. I used to own a 2003 XR6 Turbo which I bought in 2005. I left it stock standard and it still went like a cut snake! It was the one car I owned that I ended getting pinged more than anything by speed cameras and the like as its sheer torque and grunt so easily got away from you while you were riding along in comfort if you weren't careful. It was big brute of a thing and I loved it and never noticed anything in the way or turbo lag. Whether that was because the engine had so much torque anyway or just a well balanced turbo design I don't know but you never noticed anything with power always being on tap instantly when needed. I did have a few issues with it though the main thing was front disc rotors that kept warping and every service I had to get them machined. I was going to replace the whole lot with larger vented discs but ended up selling it before then. Still, it was a lot of fun.
The brake issue is commonly miss diagnosed as the discs being too small for the car. Its actually the master cylinder is setup incorrect, and can be adjusted in about 10mins solving the issue. This car has more power than stock and never warps rotors.
When the barra was first announced a very big local GM dealer made fun of them in his adverts, He would say things like " Fords got a barra now, a Wheel barra..." well the barra is still popular thing and the GM dealer was gone years ago,as has GM anyway.
Hi Ian, awesome review on this car,I saw this and it looked Mondeo as I watched it,nice tidy motor,it has definitely got grunt as you spill the beans on the gas.
I've owned my baby BA MK11 XR6 Turbo since 2013. It has factory sunroof and premium sound system. It only had 54,000kms on it then an now only has 99,966km. It's not my daily. Just a Sunday toy once every few months. They really are a pleasure to drive...
I have been the proud owner of a BA MKll 2004 December build 6 speed manual in lightning strike silver since March 2005. After all the bolt on parts I have to say I'm still very happy with it and with 145000km and being thrashed regularly she hasn't missed a beat. Everything behind the motor needs to be upgraded once you change the valve springs and start feeding the boost. The only other thing is the abs module just died in the arse but that's about it. Body wise they rust out if you live 30 meters from the beach, So a quick hose every other day heaps mitigate that. I use 6 litres of Nulon 10/40w full synthetic and 1 litre of Lucus oil stabilizer every 5000km or 3 months. Rear diff bush got replaced about 3 months after doing said mods and input shaft about a year after that. Anyways thanks for your honest opinion and stay blessed 🤙🏾🤙🏾
Sounds like a proper missile there Hubnut. Sharp steering and sticky in the bends. Like a Fiesta Supetsport, "Shortens straights and straightens bends." Many thanks Ian and owner Gareth. Betty just does one tyre fires, love it.
Hi Ian, When I was in Aus in 2008/9 my aussie mates told me space savers were not authorized in Australia. A full size spare wheel was obligatory. It caused them problems because lots of fleet cars were lpg fitted. So the boot of their Falcon was pretty much completely filled up with the lpg tank and spare wheel!
Actually not the case. Full size alloy is just a Ford thing they have always done. My mate bought a VX2 HSV Clubsport similar time to when I purchased my First new BA F6 Typhoon, I had a full alloy, he had a space saver and most Commodores do.
@@Flying_GC You don't mean... they lied 😳? To me ?😭😭😭😭 Their Ford Falcons were company cars, so maybe their boss lied to them 😁😁. Who cares. I LOVED Australia (well at least the little I saw in my 6 months based in Melbourne ie NSW & Victoria), and the Aussies, and if I ever get the chance to go back I'll be off like a shot!
Another great review. As your now in Aus and the vids are from NZ I am guessing you have now found a nice pace and balance to your output and can enjoy yourself more. End of the day a happy Hubnut is a better Hubnut it shows in content and allows you to continue producing videos
Hi Hubnut, if next time you're in Australia and want to do an Aussie Oddballs review of the 2008 Falcon GT I have one you have borrow for the afternoon. It's a Boss 302 with 6 speed manual version, very quick and very stock apart from mufflers. A mildly modified XR6T could probably outrun it, but it would be interesting to see what you thought of the cars well-heeled middle-aged Australians were buying. There's a certain simplicity to a large displacement naturally aspirated V8, as you found with the XD.
Hope you're enjoying Aus Ian, hope they don't hear you say that Aussie were dictated to by 'Merica, the Falcon became very much an Aussie car and the AU and BA were wholly designed in house by Ford Australia . . . Just as the Commodore became a GM Australia specific design . . . Enjoy Aussie, hope you have a heap more fun rides to share with us !! Cheers
@Stephen Graham it was still VERY similar to the omega though to the point you could look at both and know they come from the same platform. They both had the same horrendous trailing link IRS resulting in major pigeon toe on the rear camber and under hard cornering the wheel base actually changed.. awful
The wheels look like the ones on my 2005 Mazda 6. I know Ford and Mazda had various amalgamations, such as the Fiesta badged as a 121. Would like the engine as well, but I think that may have an impact on my insurance rating!!
The back seat of my BA station wagon DOES have an arm rest in the centre of the seat, that also incorporates a cup/bottle holder when any passengers have drinks(as long as they don't spill any, that is!)
@@Flying_GC My BA station wagon has that feature in the seat and I only found it bt chance. My car doesn't have the leather seats(which suits me fine).
Seems to be leather interior Ba XRT does not have arm rest in the centre of the seat. But Fairmont Ghia BA does. both have different seats I just searched car sales
@@rods6405 My Station Wagon is the BA Falcon Futura, and the seats are velour(front seats covered to disguise the fact that the driver's seat is a replacement from another car. The original seat's plasic had a beige colour, the replacement seat had black plastic(where the adjustment button or handle or whatever was). I've had the car since July, 2016. I discovered the fold-down arm rest with the cup holders by chance. The arm rest between the front seats I used to hold the CDs I kept in the car(all CDs my own make, as I wanted AUTHENTIC versions of my favourite songs, not soundalikes).
Very nice. I have an FG Mk 2 XR6 that I bought off an old fellow a year ago. Only had 40k on the clock, 56k now. Lovely vehicle to drive, and I have yet to deal with electrical gremlins (though I think Ford got most of it's issues handled, finally, right before they closed shop in Oz. Typical). I'm going to drive this thing until either it, or I, fall off the perch.
The Falcon that interests me is the factory LPG only six cylinder one (Barra?). It seems like the post dieselgate have-your-cake-and-eat-it option for cheap motoring than can also do long journeys
@@gepwxaqdfsidsesg1548 LPi was an improvement in the way the gas was delivered, directly injecting into the cylinder in a liquid state vs a gas state which actually meant the Eco LPi made MORE power and torque over the petrol version, where as before in gas form it made a significant amount less power.
Yes but in the sedan you have the the option of a full sized spare tyre that sits in the centre of the boot on top of the floor, a space saver spare tyre, or a filler system that temporarily patches punctures until the driver can make it to a repair centre. With the full sized spare optioned, boot room is essentially inaccessible due to the tyre’s placement. But in a ute the LPG tank + full size spare is under the rear tray
The owner is really outstanding at car maintenance. the car looks brand new. Even the engine. Its really a wonderful model. Beauty and apparently quite powerful and luxuriously Torkey. Well done pro review Ian. Enjoyed it well. RICH&2 carnivorous kitties LA.CALIF USA
oldpilot nz , I was really impressed how clean and tidy the car was , a lot of times that Ian has a car to test the owner can’t be bothered to make it look presentable . This is a very , very nice car .
@@kennethhume8628 thankyou. To be honest I wanted to give it a proper clean first but time wasn't on our side! I'm glad it came across ok. I take a lot of pride in it, I basically rebuilt it myself.
Ford briefly considered importing Falcon variants to the US, but I heard that they were stymied by the engineering costs of turning the vehicle to left-hand drive (it wasn't designed with LHD in mind). We did get the Holden Monaro and Commodore over here (as Pontiacs-the GTO and G8)
A very interesting vehicle! Interior bits look from the US 🇺🇸, but overall, I believe it must be for the down under market, very unique styling. And a straight six is unique since all engines since G-d knows how long have been V6 here in the US. Not surprised of the build quality. Another great find, and video!
The Falcon was very nearly replaced in the mid 90’s by the Ford Taurus, imported straight from USA. Ford Australia introduced the Taurus as a test; the roundy roundy organically shaped one. It was actually the Mercury Sable version, but Oz doesn’t have Mercury so for us it was the Ford Taurus Ghia with all the trimmings. It was universally panned by the punters and the Falcon AU got the nod for development and eventual production in 1998. Ha ha, little did the Taurus haters know!! We got the Duratec V6 in various Mazda models, but it was always cheaper to spend a bit more on Grandpa’s axe, so it stuck around. Ford did spend quite a lot on the engine during the AU-FG-X era, with great results. My 1994 ED Falcon’s redline was only 4500rpm! It’d still go straight up to the 180km/h speed limiter, though...
The squeaky bits in the interior have been taken in and out a few time's which unfortunately has not done them much favors. Overall the car is 18 years old and held up very well.
@@cameronbrown7925 I've driven the 'organic' Ford Taurus here in NZ. Both the sedan and wagon versions. For a mid 90's American car, it actually doesn't handle and drive too badly. The auto gearbox was prone to packing up on them though.
@@schlookie Yes, I think some Mazdas had that gearbox, or a version of it, and they are well known for problems. I should have clarified that it was the Taurus' styling that was laughed at, and only a relative few were sold. Then came the AU and Ford laughed, but then they panicked when people called them upside-down boats etc and sales slowed! People are so fickle... I'm a fan of the Taurus, but so few were sold that the cost of ownership is out of my reach (parts etc). I think that it'd be a real shame if they all go for scrap. They won't be saved in USA because they are 4-door sedans and are thus worthless. Oh well!!
V6 are crap most require major service at under 200kms and labour costs are double if you have to do something the both sides. I have seen 1 million kms on a Ford BA gas Taxi in perth russian accented driver said all original engine gear box and diff he said I just get it serviced by the book! Interior was also really clean. Cleanest cab i have ever been in HA Ha
I had a 2003 U.K Mondeo a fair while back and the speedo regularly packed up, there was a little plug behind the dash that if you wiggled it the speedo worked again for a couple of days. 😂
13:00 ish - pause & reset ? My cold Kangoo has had a predilection for limp home mode. On the second occasion of it doing this, I did a reset without a pause once the engine had warmed up. I do have a bit of a fetish driving cars with the power off. You can then really appreciate the brake servo and P.A.S.
I'm thinking that since you've been a 'Ford Bloke' for the NZ chapter of your adventures, it stands to reason that you should be a 'Holden Bloke' for the Aussie chapter. Just a thought. Cool to see you getting the full Barra experience.
These must have the same Vehicle Speed Sensor problems that the UK Focus did. All of mine had that issue where it would cut in and out and when it did the engine power also reduced presumably because the ECU thought the car was standing still!
Yeah, what I meant to say is that while there was Australian input, Ford USA still gave final approval, and would have insisted on the style following global Ford trends, which is why us Europeans can see the same design language as Fords we got.
I used to like picking that car on my computer game and tuning to it to about 600 bhp it was blue with White stripes it looked really nice now I've seen a real one it's even nicer always liked the front of them 👍🙂
The engine sounds fantastic. The intake and exhaust make some lovely noises. I must admit I'm not a fan of the blow off valve either, they're not my cup of tea. But the noise this thing makes when you plant the throttle is very alluring.
@@Teribus13 hehe well 4 cylinders don't sound thaaat great anyway plus diesel, yeah I can see your pain! But, your fuel economy would make me very envious 1😄
Definitely a good looking car. As soon as I saw the black interior, my first thoughts were how hot it must get inside during a hot day. There’s a difference between practical turbo power, and turbo power that’s brutal. It sounds like the car has the more practical turbo power.
You are correct regards practical turbo power. It was deliberately modest on the forced induction so as not to compromise everyday drivability and this is why it's so renowned. Refined cruiser or fierce overtaking device when it's called on.
oldpilot nz I live in Southern California, and my 66 beetle has black seats, and it can get really hot here in California, so I definitely know what it’s like sitting on black seats in the summer.
I think the BA had 3 levels of display ICC a basic black and white one single CD then a colour mid level 6 stacker cd the one in this car then a dual climate 6 cd one
@@rods6405 My Ford BA Falcon Futura wagon had the single CD player and bog-standard LCD display. I had the original CD player "cark it" and had to be replaced(what fun and games that was!). I'm currently waiting for a dealership I know who are chasing a BF wagon as a replacement for my BA.
@@neilforbes416 what ever you do dont turn the ICC upside down, the cd player will cark it I have been told! It must be repairable if you do somehow, i use to repair car cd and home cd player for sony. I had to pull my ICC out to get to the BCM - Body Control Module PCB as it had dry soldier joints in it doors would not lock(unless you had the heater on full stick). he is a video showing how to pull it out ICC ua-cam.com/video/5YcweuRGZ0A/v-deo.html Heaps of BF wagons at dealers on car sales com.
@@rods6405 I have been told this by the fellow I got the replacement stereo from, so I took the precaution of placing it upright on the back seat of my car in order to convey it to my preferred auto electrics workshop. Once installed, I had to take it to a Ford dealership in order to get the "code" sorted out. The original player had stopped working altogether. A replacement, sourced by the auto electrician, had a defect where the laser would stick at points o the disc. a second replacement player had the same fault, so I held off for a while until I could source a player myself from a Ford spare parts dealer. Thus acquired I took this to my auto electrician who fitted it, thence to the Ford dealership to get the code sorted, now she works "sweet as a nut". The lesson I, and the auto electrician learned is, be wary of from whom you source parts. The Auto electrician's work was good, but the players were sourced from a shonky dealer who didn't bench-test them to see if they worked properly or not. The authorised Ford spare parts dealer will do this as a matter of course.
Just watch the coolant milkshake because rebuilding the incredibly complex German ZF automatic is not a viable proposition. Absolutely always use the ZF fluid which costs a bomb compared to your usual ATF. Good thing is it's not required as often as lesser tier automatics. As long as you're vigilant with them, the ZF is a fantastic durable transmission.
I've tried to explain this to someone else here who wasnt interested in the answer. The link posted is one explanation, but Google BA XR6 turbo valve springs and you'll see alot of information. Mighty car mods when building their Barra Cresta, basically the only internal modification they made was to the Valve springs which get soft and prevent the lifter from pumping up, resulting in missfire. Its absolutely nothing to do with RPM.
They're not prone to electrical gremlins. That individual car may have, but overall not. The drivetrains are extremely robust. They were a very popular choice for taxis, and a million kilometres wasn't rare.
Very nice car indeed. Looks like the abs module is knackered with the speedo not working and traction control light on. Mileometer should not work as well. Exactly the same faults as my car that happened with it some time ago and is now fixed.
I need to get me one of those things over here so I can upset all the yota boys.... There's a street stock old school with a barra running 7s on here if you look for it..
An absolutely fantastic machine! Car manufacturing does wonders for a country’s spirit, there’s probably no equivalent business that can replace it for boosting national pride. But if Australia keeps producing designer’s in the automotive field, then I suppose there’ll be a chance someday for a revival of that industry there? I can only imagine how much of a blow it would be if a company such as, let’s say, Bentley, closed its factory doors permanently in Britain. It doesn’t bare thinking about.
Fit trans cooler like this one has. Never had an issue. Had ED/F AU2x2 BA and BA F6, never one issue. Designed for Aussie heat so usually pretty good hence most covered millions of kms in taxi and police form. Old very thrashed ones can give problems, always cheap easy fix though
I must be a child ..... haha ... yep and aren't we all. BTW later Falcon's had boot release programmed to work by proximity to help with loading the shopping without having to press the key button or open the drivers door. The boot popped as you got within a meter or so of the number plate ... I thought the lock was busted thinking I was always parking it unlocked - always coming back to an open boot - Or maybe I was completely wrong and yep - the lock was actually bust ... They are great cars ...
As a Commodore fan I have to admit the BA XR6 looks way better than the AU XR6. A mate has an FG non turbo and (hopefully he doesn't see this) it's quite impressive performance wise. Too bad about it having an exhaust you can here from miles away.
We didn't even need a final verdict for this one - it was easy to see how much you enjoyed driving her!
Thanks for the heads up on Benny's car Ian, just been for a look and that thing is phenomenal, sub 8.5 second runs and it still has more to give, what a car and what an engine.
That's a great car Ian. I approve of the XR6 very much. Always did like a nice '6-pot' motor. That central display unit would have been unusually large back in 2004.
Glad you had a chance to try one of these. The Turbo Barra is on another level. Long lived, yes. I have a 2014 FG Mk2 ute, work vehicle with the factory LPG Barra. 438 000 km now. And a BA XR8, with only 130 000 km: weekender car.
Yep, used to drive BA cabs. A million kms with no engine dramas was pretty usual although a couple of diff changes along the way was normal too. Electrics were always completely reliable.
All throughout NZ, no place you look more at home than good old Upper Hutt!! haha great place, i cut my teeth on that narrow road (old moonshine) at the start of the vid in a 74 1300 gt escort.
Just a bit of trivia, just reading some of the comments from UK some people asking why the Australian falcons were not sold in the UK, actually Australia did export some of our falcons over to you around 1967-68 with the Ford Fairmont XR model (not in as XR performance) l think with the Windsor 289 V8 or 200 ci six or both also we exported our Chrysler Valiant VIP model around the same time with the 273 V8, but they were up against your Jags etc & the cost of them were too expensive to be a viable proposition,
My gripe with the Falcon EF was the brake light switch under the brake pedal would pack up 1 a year. I wrote to Ford Australia, and gripped about it, comparing to my previous Ford Escort 1600 Sport, with 330,000 km with no brake light switch failure. The switch is made by Ford Mexico, they replied. To whom I sent my bilingual complaint, and received No Reply. Spoiling my enjoyment of the Falcon, a great and beautiful car!
Our family actually owns a car like that but it’s light metallic cyan blue in colour and I really enjoy diving it on my L plates with my parents especially on long road trips on rural highways and twisty country roads as it handles extremely well and feels really heavy duty! Also our car was purchased second hand in 2005 when it was a year old and it still has it’s original engine which is still going strong after doing around 220,000KM which is probably also because of us taking good care of it! Also our car has the LCD display instead of the LED display that car has there so I’m guessing the more modern Ford Control centre system was an optional feature that you had to pay extra for or the car was released in 2001 but only models made after 2003 had that option! So it’s not only a good performance car but it also works as a great family car for long haul road trips! :)
What an amazing car! What a sound! I must also be a child, love a good blow off valve 😅 my Mini needs a louder one 😅 hope your enjoying Australia!
Thanks for another interesting test drive Ian. I used to own a 2003 XR6 Turbo which I bought in 2005. I left it stock standard and it still went like a cut snake! It was the one car I owned that I ended getting pinged more than anything by speed cameras and the like as its sheer torque and grunt so easily got away from you while you were riding along in comfort if you weren't careful. It was big brute of a thing and I loved it and never noticed anything in the way or turbo lag. Whether that was because the engine had so much torque anyway or just a well balanced turbo design I don't know but you never noticed anything with power always being on tap instantly when needed. I did have a few issues with it though the main thing was front disc rotors that kept warping and every service I had to get them machined. I was going to replace the whole lot with larger vented discs but ended up selling it before then. Still, it was a lot of fun.
The brake issue is commonly miss diagnosed as the discs being too small for the car. Its actually the master cylinder is setup incorrect, and can be adjusted in about 10mins solving the issue. This car has more power than stock and never warps rotors.
When the barra was first announced a very big local GM dealer made fun of them in his adverts, He would say things like " Fords got a barra now, a Wheel barra..." well the barra is still popular thing and the GM dealer was gone years ago,as has GM anyway.
@V_ AP that wasn't his point. He was saying Holden tried to mock it, but the package was very successful and actually is gaining in popularity still.
hub nut i seriously my favourite road test channel
Hi Ian, awesome review on this car,I saw this and it looked Mondeo as I watched it,nice tidy motor,it has definitely got grunt as you spill the beans on the gas.
That car brings out the inner child and I really want it and its the only car I've seen Ian drive that does its own Ptchooo!!
GggggrrrrrrRRRRRRRR!!! Ptchooo!
Wow thats a tidy example! Lovely
Hi Ian!
A typical Sunday morning in winter: pouring rain, tea, HubNut video. Good times.
If it makes you feel better, it's pouring down in Sydney too!
Actually I felt quite good, but the thought of rain falling down on Australia makes me even feel better. I hope it will help the bushfires stop.
It's great to see you having fun with the Turbo! I hope you get to drive a Commodore V8 in Australia
Oh I drove a Commodore V8 not long after this. Might even be the next video...
@@HubNut Cannot wait!
that turbo bypass pshhhh sound when you let go off the pedal, is always exciting
Hubnut in New Zealand: Power - More is more.
Missed opportunity using the dump valve as your final patchue haha 😂 great video once again Ian. Steve.
I've owned my baby BA MK11 XR6 Turbo since 2013. It has factory sunroof and premium sound system. It only had 54,000kms on it then an now only has 99,966km. It's not my daily. Just a Sunday toy once every few months. They really are a pleasure to drive...
Prior to this XR6T I had a mercury silver FPV Typhoon I purchased brand new. Was a nice car (and had an armrest in back)
@@Flying_GC love the Typhoons. Yeah my BA being a MK11 has the rear centre armrest an cup holders...
I have been the proud owner of a BA MKll 2004 December build 6 speed manual in lightning strike silver since March 2005.
After all the bolt on parts I have to say I'm still very happy with it and with 145000km and being thrashed regularly she hasn't missed a beat.
Everything behind the motor needs to be upgraded once you change the valve springs and start feeding the boost.
The only other thing is the abs module just died in the arse but that's about it.
Body wise they rust out if you live 30 meters from the beach, So a quick hose every other day heaps mitigate that. I use 6 litres of Nulon 10/40w full synthetic and 1 litre of Lucus oil stabilizer every 5000km or 3 months.
Rear diff bush got replaced about 3 months after doing said mods and input shaft about a year after that.
Anyways thanks for your honest opinion and stay blessed 🤙🏾🤙🏾
Sounds like a proper missile there Hubnut. Sharp steering and sticky in the bends. Like a Fiesta Supetsport, "Shortens straights and straightens bends." Many thanks Ian and owner Gareth. Betty just does one tyre fires, love it.
Glad you enjoyed it😃
@@Flying_GC Not half as much as our boy Ian did. Yous have a very beautiful country over there. Matched by your spectacular hospitality. Be proud.
7:40 What was with the OCD push of the air vent after pushing the boot release button?
Quality road test ian.
HubNut in unexpected Bro Off Valve action, excellent.
7:50 yeah my dad's audi coupi had this system of boot opening......or similar.
I agree a PITA.
I ran it for several yeasrs after my dad retired it.
The fg has the release on the boot.Would like to see your thoughts on one of those if you get a chance.
Hi Ian,
When I was in Aus in 2008/9 my aussie mates told me space savers were not authorized in Australia. A full size spare wheel was obligatory. It caused them problems because lots of fleet cars were lpg fitted. So the boot of their Falcon was pretty much completely filled up with the lpg tank and spare wheel!
Actually not the case. Full size alloy is just a Ford thing they have always done. My mate bought a VX2 HSV Clubsport similar time to when I purchased my First new BA F6 Typhoon, I had a full alloy, he had a space saver and most Commodores do.
@@Flying_GC
You don't mean... they lied 😳?
To me ?😭😭😭😭
Their Ford Falcons were company cars, so maybe their boss lied to them 😁😁.
Who cares. I LOVED Australia (well at least the little I saw in my 6 months based in Melbourne ie NSW & Victoria), and the Aussies, and if I ever get the chance to go back I'll be off like a shot!
@@robinforrest7680 try NZ instead, we are much nicer ;)
@@Flying_GC
I won't make a choice between you. I loved Aus and I loved NZ. I'd be happy to settle in either country.
There is also a Ford Zephyr with Ruddspeed engine there down under I believe!
An delightfully peppy tart. Very nice. Very dark. Does register on the Bad Ass Scope. A hearty blip.
Car looks and sounds nice.
Thanks Ian.
Intake manifold for the Turbo Barras has the valving removed, so there is no variable length intake track at all.
Ok. Thank you.
Another great review. As your now in Aus and the vids are from NZ I am guessing you have now found a nice pace and balance to your output and can enjoy yourself more. End of the day a happy Hubnut is a better Hubnut it shows in content and allows you to continue producing videos
YA HUB NUT POWERS ACTVATE NOTHING BUT FUN LOVE HOW YOU HAVE ALL CARS ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING GITS A LOOK AT COOL😉
Hi Hubnut, if next time you're in Australia and want to do an Aussie Oddballs review of the 2008 Falcon GT I have one you have borrow for the afternoon. It's a Boss 302 with 6 speed manual version, very quick and very stock apart from mufflers. A mildly modified XR6T could probably outrun it, but it would be interesting to see what you thought of the cars well-heeled middle-aged Australians were buying. There's a certain simplicity to a large displacement naturally aspirated V8, as you found with the XD.
I miss my XD '84 Falcon that had a manual 3.3 straight six engine.
I had a 5.8 v8 Cleveland 351 shoehorned in...and that was a beast...🚗💨😁
Hope you're enjoying Aus Ian, hope they don't hear you say that Aussie were dictated to by 'Merica, the Falcon became very much an Aussie car and the AU and BA were wholly designed in house by Ford Australia . . . Just as the Commodore became a GM Australia specific design . . . Enjoy Aussie, hope you have a heap more fun rides to share with us !! Cheers
Commodore VY still owed an awful lot to the Opel Omega... The final iterarions may have been independent but I don't believe these ones entirely were.
@Stephen Graham it was still VERY similar to the omega though to the point you could look at both and know they come from the same platform. They both had the same horrendous trailing link IRS resulting in major pigeon toe on the rear camber and under hard cornering the wheel base actually changed.. awful
The wheels look like the ones on my 2005 Mazda 6. I know Ford and Mazda had various amalgamations, such as the Fiesta badged as a 121. Would like the engine as well, but I think that may have an impact on my insurance rating!!
The back seat of my BA station wagon DOES have an arm rest in the centre of the seat, that also incorporates a cup/bottle holder when any passengers have drinks(as long as they don't spill any, that is!)
Just XRs for some reason dont. I dunno why. Used to be in the AU if you specced leather you got one. Maybe was a shortage at this time ha
@@Flying_GC My BA station wagon has that feature in the seat and I only found it bt chance. My car doesn't have the leather seats(which suits me fine).
Seems to be leather interior Ba XRT does not have arm rest in the centre of the seat. But Fairmont Ghia BA does. both have different seats I just searched car sales
@@rods6405 My Station Wagon is the BA Falcon Futura, and the seats are velour(front seats covered to disguise the fact that the driver's seat is a replacement from another car. The original seat's plasic had a beige colour, the replacement seat had black plastic(where the adjustment button or handle or whatever was). I've had the car since July, 2016. I discovered the fold-down arm rest with the cup holders by chance. The arm rest between the front seats I used to hold the CDs I kept in the car(all CDs my own make, as I wanted AUTHENTIC versions of my favourite songs, not soundalikes).
Very nice. I have an FG Mk 2 XR6 that I bought off an old fellow a year ago. Only had 40k on the clock, 56k now. Lovely vehicle to drive, and I have yet to deal with electrical gremlins (though I think Ford got most of it's issues handled, finally, right before they closed shop in Oz. Typical). I'm going to drive this thing until either it, or I, fall off the perch.
The Falcon that interests me is the factory LPG only six cylinder one (Barra?). It seems like the post dieselgate have-your-cake-and-eat-it option for cheap motoring than can also do long journeys
They are excellent
@@Flying_GC why are some of them called lpg and others are called lpi?
@@gepwxaqdfsidsesg1548 LPi was an improvement in the way the gas was delivered, directly injecting into the cylinder in a liquid state vs a gas state which actually meant the Eco LPi made MORE power and torque over the petrol version, where as before in gas form it made a significant amount less power.
Yes but in the sedan you have the the option of a full sized spare tyre that sits in the centre of the boot on top of the floor, a space saver spare tyre, or a filler system that temporarily patches punctures until the driver can make it to a repair centre. With the full sized spare optioned, boot room is essentially inaccessible due to the tyre’s placement. But in a ute the LPG tank + full size spare is under the rear tray
Plenty of variety here....including some more modern vehicles. Thanks
Lovely looking car with more than a hint of Peugeot 605 in the flanks. That boost valve would do my head in though.
The owner is really outstanding at car maintenance. the car looks brand new. Even the engine. Its really a wonderful model. Beauty and apparently quite powerful and luxuriously Torkey.
Well done pro review Ian. Enjoyed it well.
RICH&2 carnivorous kitties LA.CALIF USA
Thanks for the kind words. Its a work in progress, I'm annoyed it chose then to have a wheel speed sensor playup though! Gareth.
oldpilot nz , I was really impressed how clean and tidy the car was , a lot of times that Ian has a car to test the owner can’t be bothered to make it look presentable . This is a very , very nice car .
@@kennethhume8628 thankyou. To be honest I wanted to give it a proper clean first but time wasn't on our side! I'm glad it came across ok. I take a lot of pride in it, I basically rebuilt it myself.
That’s a lovely looking car
An All Black car in New Zealand how appropriate. Nice car.
Ford briefly considered importing Falcon variants to the US, but I heard that they were stymied by the engineering costs of turning the vehicle to left-hand drive (it wasn't designed with LHD in mind). We did get the Holden Monaro and Commodore over here (as Pontiacs-the GTO and G8)
Opportunity missed
Blame your unions & your Head office, that’s the real reason!
"it wasn't designed with LHD in mind" bigg mistake the fereal govt should have push that !
lovely car, great video as always ian :-)
A very interesting vehicle! Interior bits look from the US 🇺🇸, but overall, I believe it must be for the down under market, very unique styling. And a straight six is unique since all engines since G-d knows how long have been V6 here in the US. Not surprised of the build quality. Another great find, and video!
The Falcon was very nearly replaced in the mid 90’s by the Ford Taurus, imported straight from USA. Ford Australia introduced the Taurus as a test; the roundy roundy organically shaped one. It was actually the Mercury Sable version, but Oz doesn’t have Mercury so for us it was the Ford Taurus Ghia with all the trimmings. It was universally panned by the punters and the Falcon AU got the nod for development and eventual production in 1998. Ha ha, little did the Taurus haters know!!
We got the Duratec V6 in various Mazda models, but it was always cheaper to spend a bit more on Grandpa’s axe, so it stuck around. Ford did spend quite a lot on the engine during the AU-FG-X era, with great results. My 1994 ED Falcon’s redline was only 4500rpm! It’d still go straight up to the 180km/h speed limiter, though...
The squeaky bits in the interior have been taken in and out a few time's which unfortunately has not done them much favors. Overall the car is 18 years old and held up very well.
@@cameronbrown7925 I've driven the 'organic' Ford Taurus here in NZ. Both the sedan and wagon versions. For a mid 90's American car, it actually doesn't handle and drive too badly. The auto gearbox was prone to packing up on them though.
@@schlookie Yes, I think some Mazdas had that gearbox, or a version of it, and they are well known for problems.
I should have clarified that it was the Taurus' styling that was laughed at, and only a relative few were sold. Then came the AU and Ford laughed, but then they panicked when people called them upside-down boats etc and sales slowed! People are so fickle...
I'm a fan of the Taurus, but so few were sold that the cost of ownership is out of my reach (parts etc). I think that it'd be a real shame if they all go for scrap. They won't be saved in USA because they are 4-door sedans and are thus worthless. Oh well!!
V6 are crap most require major service at under 200kms and labour costs are double if you have to do something the both sides.
I have seen 1 million kms on a Ford BA gas Taxi in perth russian accented driver said all original engine gear box and diff he said I just get it serviced by the book! Interior was also really clean. Cleanest cab i have ever been in HA Ha
9:15 the transmission noise sounds like a lot of taxis I used to catch in Melbourne...
I had a 2003 U.K Mondeo a fair while back and the speedo regularly packed up, there was a little plug behind the dash that if you wiggled it the speedo worked again for a couple of days. 😂
The speedo issue I think is a faulty speed sensor that the mondeo, and the focus I had, is a common fault.
You are correct it was that👍 just needed a clean
13:00 ish - pause & reset ?
My cold Kangoo has had a predilection for limp home mode. On the second occasion of it doing this, I did a reset without a pause once the engine had warmed up.
I do have a bit of a fetish driving cars with the power off. You can then really appreciate the brake servo and P.A.S.
It has one bad wheel speed sensor that hadn't played up for months.. until Ian drove it lol.
I'm thinking that since you've been a 'Ford Bloke' for the NZ chapter of your adventures, it stands to reason that you should be a 'Holden Bloke' for the Aussie chapter. Just a thought. Cool to see you getting the full Barra experience.
Why? The Barra engine is Aussie made?
@Aussie Pom what is your point? I'm not sure if one of us has read each others comment wrong
@@kewinstewart831 hes saying he should pretend the ford is kiwi and to be more Aussie with the Holden which is unusual since neither are kiwi
The easiest way to spot difference between BA and BF XR Falcon is the front lower grille. BA happy, BF angry.
Fog light cutouts look way better on the BF too, much more agressive look.
@Steven Jones I would suggest how much power its making defines this ;)
@Steven Jones they go plenty good stock mate. Is yours a turbo?
The AU Falcon had an answer model.... it was the "Who, Me?" model!
LOL Neil good one.
@@zugbug1986 Yep! Came up with that line when a friend got an AU station wagon!
These must have the same Vehicle Speed Sensor problems that the UK Focus did. All of mine had that issue where it would cut in and out and when it did the engine power also reduced presumably because the ECU thought the car was standing still!
Just dirty on this sorted now
Bit strange but id have the cloth over the leather look interior. They have some probs, but nice on the road i rekon. Thanx
Minor correction - The Australian Ford Falcon has been Australian designed since 1972.
Yeah, what I meant to say is that while there was Australian input, Ford USA still gave final approval, and would have insisted on the style following global Ford trends, which is why us Europeans can see the same design language as Fords we got.
I used to like picking that car on my computer game and tuning to it to about 600 bhp it was blue with White stripes it looked really nice now I've seen a real one it's even nicer always liked the front of them 👍🙂
The engine sounds fantastic. The intake and exhaust make some lovely noises. I must admit I'm not a fan of the blow off valve either, they're not my cup of tea. But the noise this thing makes when you plant the throttle is very alluring.
How did you end up here?
Bov necessary evil unfortunately.. pretty quiet under normal driving though
@@Flying_GC I just wish my 4-cylinder diesel Volvo sounded that nice 😂😂😂😂
@@Teribus13 hehe well 4 cylinders don't sound thaaat great anyway plus diesel, yeah I can see your pain! But, your fuel economy would make me very envious 1😄
Definitely a good looking car. As soon as I saw the black interior, my first thoughts were how hot it must get inside during a hot day. There’s a difference between practical turbo power, and turbo power that’s brutal. It sounds like the car has the more practical turbo power.
You are correct regards practical turbo power.
It was deliberately modest on the forced induction so as not to compromise everyday drivability and this is why it's so renowned.
Refined cruiser or fierce overtaking device when it's called on.
Can confirm gets hot but more due to exterior being black.
oldpilot nz I live in Southern California, and my 66 beetle has black seats, and it can get really hot here in California, so I definitely know what it’s like sitting on black seats in the summer.
@@redsorgum unpleasant.
Probably should clarify, on higher boost it's in the 'brutal range' I wish could show you a video of the speedo the other night running 10psi..
My name is Gareth and i also own an BA XR6T lol ! And yep you can take mine for a few runs at the drags :)
6:23 Yeah, that's vastly different to the display on my LCD screen!
I think the BA had 3 levels of display ICC a basic black and white one single CD then a colour mid level 6 stacker cd the one in this car then a dual climate 6 cd one
@@rods6405 My Ford BA Falcon Futura wagon had the single CD player and bog-standard LCD display. I had the original CD player "cark it" and had to be replaced(what fun and games that was!). I'm currently waiting for a dealership I know who are chasing a BF wagon as a replacement for my BA.
@@neilforbes416 what ever you do dont turn the ICC upside down, the cd player will cark it I have been told!
It must be repairable if you do somehow, i use to repair car cd and home cd player for sony.
I had to pull my ICC out to get to the BCM - Body Control Module PCB as it had dry soldier joints in it doors would not lock(unless you had the heater on full stick).
he is a video showing how to pull it out ICC
ua-cam.com/video/5YcweuRGZ0A/v-deo.html
Heaps of BF wagons at dealers on car sales com.
@@rods6405 I have been told this by the fellow I got the replacement stereo from, so I took the precaution of placing it upright on the back seat of my car in order to convey it to my preferred auto electrics workshop. Once installed, I had to take it to a Ford dealership in order to get the "code" sorted out. The original player had stopped working altogether. A replacement, sourced by the auto electrician, had a defect where the laser would stick at points o the disc. a second replacement player had the same fault, so I held off for a while until I could source a player myself from a Ford spare parts dealer. Thus acquired I took this to my auto electrician who fitted it, thence to the Ford dealership to get the code sorted, now she works "sweet as a nut". The lesson I, and the auto electrician learned is, be wary of from whom you source parts. The Auto electrician's work was good, but the players were sourced from a shonky dealer who didn't bench-test them to see if they worked properly or not. The authorised Ford spare parts dealer will do this as a matter of course.
It will have a dodgy wheel sensor that is cutting out. The speedo and traction control are dependent on the wheel speed sensors.
Explanation about issue above. Cheers
that turbo sound paired with an automatic transmission feels weird to me--- like a tractor with a dual-clutch transmission and popping noises :)
Grab a manual one then. The 6 speed manual BF turbo is excellent ;)
Just watch the coolant milkshake because rebuilding the incredibly complex German ZF automatic is not a viable proposition. Absolutely always use the ZF fluid which costs a bomb compared to your usual ATF. Good thing is it's not required as often as lesser tier automatics.
As long as you're vigilant with them, the ZF is a fantastic durable transmission.
Owning and working on a few xr6t I can say that turbo is the stock 3582 good for over 450kw with supporting mods
Yes, got a little muddled. It's now kicking out over 400bhp I believe.
Yep I've just rebuilt the core, only thing done. Still 3582r
Lovely Jubbly, not your average Mr HubNut car I must say.
At Summernats , Maria showed a Barra getting 2048hp at the rear axles!
Kw not HP. So much more
@@Flying_GC Quoted as HP on Street Machine and Whichcar. Performance Drive puts it at 1643kW. Still damn impressive for a taxi motor!
Wished we got the Australian Ford falcon
I’m not quite sure why, but I really like that - nice old school Ford feel to it - much like a mk3 Mondeo, a car I still like very much!
Interior very much is mondeo.. thanks for the comment 😃
I don't understand why the valve springs are an issue? Surely if you increased the Redline then you might have an issue?
ua-cam.com/video/8pSnDa4sCRY/v-deo.html
I've tried to explain this to someone else here who wasnt interested in the answer. The link posted is one explanation, but Google BA XR6 turbo valve springs and you'll see alot of information. Mighty car mods when building their Barra Cresta, basically the only internal modification they made was to the Valve springs which get soft and prevent the lifter from pumping up, resulting in missfire. Its absolutely nothing to do with RPM.
2005 Falcon XR6 on about 60K miles for sale in the UK for £8000.
Not quite in HubNut territory yet. 🤔
let Idriveaclassic know ;-)
What fascinates me about these "aussie cruisers" is that they are a mix of America and Europe - and yet quite their own.
Hubnut: "Can I borrow your car for a road test?"
Unsuspecting person: "Sure!"
[Later....]
Hubnut: "I think it's broken....."
This never happens. Ahem...
I think this is exactly how it happened 😅
Hmmm, *cough*Corvair*cough* 😂
They're not prone to electrical gremlins. That individual car may have, but overall not.
The drivetrains are extremely robust. They were a very popular choice for taxis, and a million kilometres wasn't rare.
very nice car, very well done 10.0000 stars
Oh my. It has allergies. It sneezes every time you let off the throttle.
I wish we had those in the UK. It's not fair...
I honestly prefer the styling of the AU over the BA. I *like* the rear end of it - reminds me of a Jag.
Linsey Young You and me also. Drop a Barra in and you got the best for sure.
Very nice car indeed.
Looks like the abs module is knackered with the speedo not working and traction control light on.
Mileometer should not work as well.
Exactly the same faults as my car that happened with it some time ago and is now fixed.
Yeah wheel speed sensor was a bit dirty. All good now.
Oh good usually not as simple as that.
@@1066gaz car sat for 7 years which they dont like, one of the gremlins
Ok thanks for that oldpilot nz.
Love it! I want one. :)
I need to get me one of those things over here so I can upset all the yota boys....
There's a street stock old school with a barra running 7s on here if you look for it..
Nice car. What was that yellow sign all about "No Entry, multiple hazards exist" at the start.
Pretty standard at farm entrances.
I'd love one of these... I wonder what the cost of importing one to the UK would be?
I reckon total costs would be around £2000-2500 plus the cost of the car. You'd want to find one in Aus really, as it'd probably be cheaper than NZ.
An absolutely fantastic machine! Car manufacturing does wonders for a country’s spirit, there’s probably no equivalent business that can replace it for boosting national pride. But if Australia keeps producing designer’s in the automotive field, then I suppose there’ll be a chance someday for a revival of that industry there? I can only imagine how much of a blow it would be if a company such as, let’s say, Bentley, closed its factory doors permanently in Britain. It doesn’t bare thinking about.
Beautiful car I'm the number one falcon guy always love Falcons
This was and still is a very handsome car on the road especially compared to it's competitor in the Holden Commodore 2005
tha dash smacks of later mondeo? is that wot its based on?
No, but it does follow Ford's global design language.
I've had 4 Falcons from an EF to a BA and all of them had bad transmission and cooling issues.
Fit trans cooler like this one has. Never had an issue. Had ED/F AU2x2 BA and BA F6, never one issue. Designed for Aussie heat so usually pretty good hence most covered millions of kms in taxi and police form. Old very thrashed ones can give problems, always cheap easy fix though
says its of but name says 04??
Such a sick car
I lived in Australia and never knew it was pretty much same car!
They did change the rear suspension a fair bit with the BA, but it's very much the same structure.
@@HubNut I like this channel for that same reason... I get lots of hidden facts about a subject I really like! :)
I love the whoosh sound
Is this 2003 or 2004?
I must be a child ..... haha ... yep and aren't we all.
BTW later Falcon's had boot release programmed to work by proximity to help with loading the shopping without having to press the key button or open the drivers door. The boot popped as you got within a meter or so of the number plate ... I thought the lock was busted thinking I was always parking it unlocked - always coming back to an open boot - Or maybe I was completely wrong and yep - the lock was actually bust ...
They are great cars ...
Barra power! Is there a chance you can meet Benny in Australia?
Sadly not. I've been pretty busy.
As a Commodore fan I have to admit the BA XR6 looks way better than the AU XR6. A mate has an FG non turbo and (hopefully he doesn't see this) it's quite impressive performance wise. Too bad about it having an exhaust you can here from miles away.
ABS Sensor is knackered in that car.