Thoughts on Ford utes, year 2000+

mad_signtist, Jan 17, 1:02am
A falcon ute under 8k for a good one is hard to find but are out there. I found my brother an xr8 AU2 for 7k only 125km on the clock. Utes hold there value very well

tigertim20, Jan 17, 2:07am
yeah they certainly seem to - which is why Im open to holden, or other brands.

I like the sporty-ish stying on stuff like the BA - not everyones cup of tea I realise.

jason18, Jan 17, 3:20am
Holdens seem to hold even better price. Definitely good utes out there if you have the patience :)

tigertim20, Jan 17, 3:40am
definitely not in a big rush - and 8k would be the most I want to go to. I could go a bit higher, but Id be over extending a tad, so Im not in a great rush by any means.

I really more interested in common problems these models suffer, and whether or not the tend to deteriorate at a certain age or milage.

jason18, Jan 17, 10:05am
They suffer from rust like all falcons. If it has a tuff deck look under it as they sweat . Look for typical things Like diff clunks and whines. Always found the drivers side seats wears really quickly. Have a look in the search bar for a thread a few days old about falcon problems. That lists a whole bunch of stuff that's common across the range

tigertim20, Jan 17, 8:51pm
what are the engines good for km wise? - I realise its a hard question to answer - just looking for ballpark figures. theres a few out there around the 200k mark, and a few at 300-350 or so.

Stay away from the 300+? or are these fairly reliable up to the 400k+?

franc123, Jan 17, 9:04pm
That depends on how they have been treated, they are fairly tolerant of neglect to a point. If the cooling system servicing has been skipped too often you will probably be up for a new radiator, thermostat, water pump and down the track probably frost plugs too. Head gaskets on AU's tend to last longer than they used to due to different materials used BUT if corrosions been occurring it could still cause problems. A gunged up header tank isn't a good sign when looking at pictures of the engine bay. The state of the trans and diff oils are also good indicators of how its been treated. Expect to have to do, balljoints, some of the suspension bushes and wheel bearings on highish km examples too.

tigertim20, Jan 17, 9:56pm
so what would you call high kms for these?

tigertim20, Jan 17, 9:57pm
should clarify - I narrowing down my preferences. Probably looing at BA - 2003 ish

franc123, Jan 17, 10:17pm
You can get dogs that have done 250k or very good ones that could have done 350-400. Its foolish to look at just kms alone. The BA by the way is a more complicated vehicle which can be more expensive to fix, the engine and dashboard/heating/audio systems were upgraded significantly, and not necessarily in a more robust way.

jason18, Jan 17, 10:53pm
Bloody heater fan units can be an expensive beast. My bf just sold it. Was a wagon. 302km on clock

tigertim20, Jan 17, 11:23pm
Im by no means the type to discount a vehicle based on one factor - but I DO ask questions based on the available examples, and whether its a cause for concern. I can think of quite a few models that tend to self destruct at a certain point in their lifespan / age / kms travelled, regardless of how well maintained they are.

Yes I know ANY vehicle, even a well looked after, low km example can turn to custard - Im asking specifically about COMMON occurences - NOT 'anything can happen' type answers.

hope that helps?

tigertim20, Aug 5, 5:59pm
Im getting close to needing / wanting an upgrade vehicle wise. current one is a runabout I bought for $800.

Ones I have been considering - but not necessarily limited to are:
BF XR6
AU2 XR6
BA
XLS.

I do like fords - but would consider Holden as well, or other alternatives.
needs are mostly travel to work and back (short trip) and fairly light use with the tray - taking the bike to a trackday or a load to the dump from time to time.

Just after something reliable, not excessively thirsty, looks good.

Im finally in a spot where I can treat myself to a 'want' vehicle, but does need to be reliable enough to be y daily vehicle.

Prefer to stay under probably 8k.

any thoughts fro people with experience of these or similar vehicles that can give the full story of benefits / downsides would be appreciated!

come at me!