Looking at buying an AU 2moro

[Julie]

Hey guys,

I need a bit of help (and not smartarse anti ford comments!)

We need to buy another runabout and have found a decent looking and very well priced AU Falcon. I just wanna know if anyone here knows of anything in particular we should be on the look out for, like any common problems etc in these models.

Julie

[younggun]

Yeh mate watch out for the hole car

Nah sorry mate couldnt resist

Good luck with getting it aye

[hakhawk]

consider getting a cheap ba or a ef/l, seems to be lots of problems with the au, apart from looking ugly, im not sure what, but just what ive heard here and there. no proof or examples though.

but then again, they seem to be popular taxis on gas.

[JBDrifter]

Yeah I've also heard that they can be a problem car. Not entirely sure what exactly you'd need to look out for, but I have heard that you're better off going for an EF or EL, or a BA. Personally I'd get a BA if I could find one for the right price, they just look heaps better.

[Tasmaniak]

Julie, I can't offer any pearls of wisdom to you but simply a small piece of advice.

The AU was the first of a new generation of Falcons. When this happens in any model line-up there is typically issues. So check to see if it is an AUII or perhaps even an AUIII. I found them to be a little bit of a turd but then I guess that can be from not liking any Aussie built car.

[wrx884]

is it true the AUs had the biggest drop in value on ne ford made so far? ive seen them go 4 around $3500 can ne1 explain that 1? or is it fulla ****

my old boss and a bloke next door had 2 AU utes through out the time they had both cars 4 2 years they were back n forth from the mechanics alot i think the fuel pump was the main 1 from memory?

[hakhawk]

being a pretty dodge car, ppl wont pay much for them, when the ef/l is just as good, and the ba is getting mega cheaper now from fleet sales n stuff.

you can pick up a ba for a little bit over a au, so why not, its a better car.

[maginoodle]

my mates had an au for 3 years now. The only prob hes had is the sensor in the coolant header tank keeps showing that theres no coolant when there is coolant. The steering rack also sh#t itself and had to be replaced(just remembered replacing it as i was typing). Other than those two hes had no trouble. I havent known anyone else whose had one.

[minux]

The AU is one of fords better releases, although ugly they are very reliable. Julie, there isn't a whole lot to look out for, i guess just the standard things wheny ou buy any car.

[AttaBoy]

One problem you might find that it is ugly. But being ugly doesn't mean its a bad car. Personally I'd go for a series 2 as they may have ironed out most of the little problems. I see heaps of AU taxis around cracking up past 500,000 k's. Why they chose AU or fords as taxi?? - because they are generally reliables cars.
But its all depends on how well the car is maintained by the previous owner.

[Julie]

Thanks guys, those of u that had useful advice anyway lol we're going to go look at it this arvo, looks aren't a major factor, like I said its just a runabout I'd love to step up to a ba but just not right now when I get a ba its going to be a nice xr8 and that just not what I need this car for at the moment. I need something I can go out shopping in and not be worried about trolley dings and something I am not worried about running the k's up in. I don't think they are all that ugly well they aint pretty, but far from the ugliest car on the road lol this one has an xr8 kit so I think it doesn't look half bad.

I have just read a few reviews of the au and the general consensus is that they are ugly, but reliable mechanically and some suggested they had a better transmission than the equivilent commodore.

Anyway I will let you all know how I go2nite, hope we don't buy a lemon lol, I'd hate to have to spend more time at ford forums than here lol!

[minux]

Julie, Ford in general seem to be more reliable anyway, so chances of a lemon a re a bit less.

As for runabout, thats all i use my XR8 for, hasnt even been washed in about 8 weeks

[Troy711]

dads AU had repeated problems with the gearbox and brake shudder

[V-ahhh]

a mate of mines had one for about a year, the only thing that has needed replacing was the trans coz it blew but apart from that nothing eles has gone wrong.

[EXCESSV]

the AU was known to be very strong and reliable engine, transmission and drivetrain.
they were and are a good car...just there looks let them down

[calais_304]

trans will be a problem with those, just like the ef-el and the ea-ed, i have had a few fords and it was always the same trans problem..trans would slip almost constantly, it's also the reason i ended up getting the auto ripped out and replaced with a man box.
not to sure about AU's but if there like their predecessors they'll go through head gaskets.

other then that i've heard there bloody good in regards to reliability

[pandaman]

the AU was known to be very strong and reliable engine, transmission and drivetrain.
they were and are a good car...just there looks let them down

I find it hilarious that people keep going on and on about the looks of the AU's being terrible. The BA is basically the same shell with a revised front and backend! From memory the main problem people had with the AU1 was the grill bars were vertical instead of horizontal? I mean dang how picky do ya wanna be?

Only major problem I've heard of coming up a few times with the AU's is brake shudder, not really a huge issue. Only problem we've ever had with dad's AU1 wagon was a microswitch in one of the doors dying so smartlock was convinced that the door was open, wouldn't turn off the interior light and wouldn't lock. Very irritating but a dead easy fix and it's been the ONLY thing that's gone wrong in 100,000km of driving. I hope that the one you get will be as reliable for you Julie, despite the crap people heap on them, they really aren't bad cars.

[vztrt]

The AU is one of fords better releases, although ugly they are very reliable. Julie, there isn't a whole lot to look out for, i guess just the standard things wheny ou buy any car.

Thats right, the BA had more warrenty issues than the AU. Mind you the series 3 is the best but the second headgasket fix came during the AUII. I've seen that many AU taxi's with close to a million clicks it shows how good these motors are. The tranny will be as riliable as how well it's treated. Take it easy on takeoff and you'll get 300,000k out of it.

[adam69]

Get an AU2 or AU3,ive heard of brake shudder,they eat discs,head gaskets probs are not as bad as EF/EL,trans dont have the bad rep as the earlier models.Dont keep the radiator full with just coolant,use a mix of water and coolant because you will stuff the radiator.if its a runaround dont worry too much about looks.
I myself will be buying a AU3 or BA wagon myself soon and find them OK.
Goodluck with it.

[vlv8vic]

Julie, I can't offer any pearls of wisdom to you but simply a small piece of advice.

The AU was the first of a new generation of Falcons. When this happens in any model line-up there is typically issues. So check to see if it is an AUII or perhaps even an AUIII. I found them to be a little bit of a turd but then I guess that can be from not liking any Aussie built car.

...enter the VN commodore.


Julie, i know a few people with AU's and while the styling wasn't taken very well the cars themselves seem pretty reliable. a few rattles here and there but it's a car beginning to age.

[The Dok]

You really can't go too wrong with the AU, dare I suggest you jump on to www.aufalcon.com where you will find all you need to know. The trans is basically the same as EF/L, the engine (6 cyl) is ultra reliable & doesn't have the headgasket problems of its predecessor (interesting no-ones mentioned the overheating cylinder shutdown to avoid engine cooking), realistically they suffer from no more dramas (less actually, especially IRS) than the Commodores of the same era, but as has been mentioned, I've worked on taxis that have clocked more than a million ks, with only 1 headgasket replacement, 1-2 autos but the mechanical package is magnificent. They're not all ugly, mine is series 1 Fairmont, (factory duel fuel) owned it over 3 years & had NO major dramas.

[AttaBoy]

BA's a very nice cars, I wouldn't mind having one, but its just I love my VS commie too much to let it go.
I can't even imagine selling my VS, it would be very emotional time if I do.

[pandaman]

[QUOTE=The Dok;543171](interesting no-ones mentioned the overheating cylinder shutdown to avoid engine cooking),QUOTE]

Mainly because it very rarely comes into play, in fact you have to **** up really badly before it even becomes a possibility. Damned good system though.

[ef_classic]

[QUOTE=pandaman;543219]

(interesting no-ones mentioned the overheating cylinder shutdown to avoid engine cooking),QUOTE]

Mainly because it very rarely comes into play, in fact you have to **** up really badly before it even becomes a possibility. Damned good system though.

Yeah the AU was ok in the headgasket area because they placed a temp sensor at the back of the head. (where is occurs most often)

And if there was no coolant running thru the engine it would shut down cylinders and lock into third gear to help keep it cool.

Its a shame all this fancy tech isnt in my EF!!!!!!

[evil_monkey]

I find it hilarious that people keep going on and on about the looks of the AU's being terrible. The BA is basically the same shell with a revised front and backend! .

that was why they looked terrible the front end and back end were atrocious like a couple of drunks got together and played around in paint for a little while n came up with that, if you squint and from a far distance its not that bad. And the interior didnt do anything for them either all of which was changed in the BA but in all seriousness i guess i cant comment on how reliable any of the models are, as none of my friends or family own fords

as for a runabout that your gona take to the shops have trolleys bang into it and just hammer it i would sure rather drive an AU than the commodore equivalent......... not that i can talk our runabout is an 01 vx acclaim......my bad