I would of needed a chair for all the problems with my old Honda. It was a 95 civic that I got in 2012. From the day I got it, until late 2016, it was great, no problems at all. Then everything started to fail on it. Every 3 or 4 weeks I was replacing some major part. I got fed up with it and sold it to a guy for next to nothing. A month after he bought it, the crankshaft snapped.
@@ob1knb3 yep you're pretty much on the money there. I'm onto my second 20yo Alfa 156 (2.5L V6) sedan. Paid $3500 for it 3.5 years ago, and I've spent probably +$4k on general maintenance since then. But I still reckon that's good value, given it still looks and drives like a new car (it would have cost +$60k back in '99), has way more style than pretty much anything current, and a red leather interior that'd be at home in a Milanese bordello! And the sound of that Busso V6 ... But I still like the old AU - I'd happily have another one in Fairmont spec.Especially if I needed something for regular long distance runs.
not sure why people object to the design as I think it holds up really well for it's age. I see a couple arounfd Sydney near where I live and the design is pretty well up there with modern cars.
As an American, I've always had the impression that aussie fords were tougher than American fords. Maybe aussies just do crazier things with their Falcons than we do with our Taurus. I've seen pics of such common looking Falcons towing like a truck and chucking skids that I'd never do in a US ford sedan.
mate when I was doing my apprenticeship we got a au falcon with fairly minor damage on drivers door and front guard then a vn Commodore with the front written off the vn hit the au falcon the falcon are pretty stout
@@MotoringBoxTV I feel like we did miss out, but it was our own fault. GM tried to bring aussie cars here like the G8 and the Chevy SS. We didnt get it. Too used to the flash of mustangs and Camaros. The falcon boss 335 and 315 could have made it here, but ford never tried.
Basically the roads in Australia necessitated tougher falcons. You tube search 'Ford Falcon 70,000 mile durability run' posted by Olbucko, its in 2 parts.
The Ford falcons were the perfect family car back in the day and even now they are still good. The engines will do a million kms before needing a rebuild. They don't build cars like this anymore.
Once you dig deep into the AU's back story you realise how close the AU was to not existing and just remaining as an on paper concept Originally ford wanted to replace it with the FWD Taurus range (they even released to Taurus) but ultimately decided we still needed capable RWD cars and on top of that the BA and the Barra range+ was actually designed before the AU even begun production and the only reason the au still got made was because an American ford higher up said the BA didn't look like a Ford in the late 90s (he was also the same bloke that convinced ford aus to replace the falcon with a Taurus and they watched the Taurus flop
Good video and review. My 2000 series 2 , straight 6 cylinder forte sedan, I've had for about 8 years. I've had replaced, coil packs, intake manifold gasket, power steering switch, twice, air conditioning compressor, radiator, water pump, bottom balancer pulley. In that time also the paint on the roof and bonnet has faded . It's now got 330,000km on it, still runs very well and tows the boat regular. Any car needs repairing and replacing of parts. Most people finance a new car, then wait till it starts having problems then they quickly trade or sell and re-finance another car.
My son just brought a mighty AU Fairmont Ghia. Your clips are excellent. His too comes with stuck windows and traditional sagging roof line. It got washed and polished today.
I have a 96 holden vs acclaim II, just got the AC compressor done, replaced windscreen, replaced water pump, power steering pump, radiator, transmission hoses and the same exhaust issue happened as yours. It also has a saggy roof but im never gonna fix that, i like the tent atmosphere! Also got all 4 tyres done and spark plugs and leads, phew!! List was big for 2019!!
I had a series 2 AU XR8 and a series 1 Forte and they were the most reliable cars I ever owned. The XR8 got totalled in 2010. I would probably still own it now if it didn’t cop a massive hit in the rear. Loved that car.
the ford AU has earnt my respect , I had a 2000 series 2 Fairmont ... it had only 80.000kms on it when I bought it off an old couple .... November 2018 i hit a tree at 110kph with cruise control on on my way home from nightshift , apart from a broken back and hand I'm still here .... its a great car if properly looked after
Not gonna lie, a broken back and hand isn't too bad for a 110kph crash into a tree. What was left of the car? How did it crush? I own a '08 BF and always wonder how it will cope in a head on crash.
car was totaled , steering column was in the back seat , chassis was touching the ground in the middle like a banana , engine separated from the gearbox , the car flipped end over end, I woke up upside down about an hour after the initial hit .....the tree left an imprint in roof on the drivers side soon hard its touching the drivers head rest .....
@@emily91c52 Holy crap glad you're still with us after that. Unfortunately cars just aren't designed to survive crashes beyond 60-70kph, particularly with trees which concentrate the force of the crash on one spot instead of spreading it over a wide area of the car... Either way, hope your recovery has/is going well. :)
Au’s are notorious for rusting in the boot lid just under number plate keep and eye on that, and I think it’s either power steering or coolant can sometimes leak on the alternator causing damage,
@@Stevei-075 might do that myself. You also have fun replacing alternators as there are three different connectors that are used. I now have all three connectors on fly leads so I can buy any of the alternators.
I have an AU2 2000 Fairmont and can definitely relate everything you mentioned... and then some. I've fixed most problems myself, but thanks for the tip on how to fix the LCD screen on the MDC.
Perhaps weirdly, perhaps not, but I've never needed the code for the head unit in my Calais. I believe this is because it authenticates with the BCM and shares the immobilizer key, or has some other way of authenticating to it. The exhaust on my car looks a tad rusty after 300,000km but it still looks fine. Probably all of the driving on farms I've done. I believe the VY was also among the first cars to use LEDs for everything, so have never had a bulb issue. There isn't even a standard rheostat for brightness, it's all electronic, all the modules get sent commands over the ALDL bus. Fantastic stuff, because it means less to go wrong. I've done sway bar links though. Get some polyurethane units, instead of rubber it's like a very soft plastic. It may stiffen things up a bit, but I haven't noticed it over the already stiffer (but very nice) FE2 suspension. These don't wear out anywhere near as often. Make sure you loctite the nuts while you're in there. I neglected this and they came loose again. Nothing a quick nip-up couldn't fix though. You need both sway bar links, because as with almost all suspension components, they wear in pairs.
There great . Got one 2 months ago as an in between cars car , well im now keeping it as I've now fixed everything i needed to and it drives great . I do 200 km a day to work on country roads and its been hassel free so far . And its quiet comfortable and good on fuel.
@@MotoringBoxTV They're great old cars,ive had 2 an my current one has similar issues to yours - they are big, smooth,fairly powerful n comfortable - good cheap cars👌👍
I had a 1999 Falcon XR8 (a photo of which graced the Wikipedia entry for some years) which was eventually written off after being rear-ended. I loved that car and have never quite gotten over losing it. I maintain that cars of that era were at the "good enough" stage in technological development. They had enough electronics to be useful, but not so much to be a pain in the arse. And yes; all the window switches had been removed and the contacts cleaned. The other small problem is the door lock motors. The plastic worm gears break. One major problem I fixed was the firewall cracking where the clutch cable sheath attaches. This was a dash-out weld and reinforce job. The steering column mount spotwelds were also drilled and plug-welded while I was there, which permanently fixed the water leak (which was temporarily fixed with vinyl tape). These latter problems were exclusive to the manual transmission equipped cars.
on my BA Falcon, I fix the headliner by removing the door frame gasket, not the one on the door from the top stretched the roof headliner then hold the liner with one hand & with the other pus the rubbers frame gasket back in place over the headliner as well. I only needed to do this to the right-hand side front & back.. I also found the door gasket kept coming of it was in good nick so I super glued it in place now no worries
ive got a 99 classic i bought off an old guy at work. mine has done multiple trips from brisbane to melbourne. Currently has 412km on the clock, exhaust has rusted on the back of the muffler, ive got the same knock in the front, few paint and bodykit cracks, but other then that, its been worth the $500 dollars i paid for it. not the best or funniest falcon in the range to have, but they are almost bulletproof and cheap and easy to work on.
As a car-enthusiast living Europe, I have never heard about the AU! Growing up watching Mad Max; Australia and their cars has made an impact on me, although I have never been a Ford fan! Sad that GM/Holden stopped production, they were true to V8 rear wheel drive cars all along and, in my opinion, can take the credit for the 2010- Camaro... Keep up the good work!
I had a few falcons,this model i did 300,000klms as a rep with the Cruise set on 178kph (would hit the limiter at 180) most of the time, Never had an issue at all... Bloody great car...
All non-issues really. The AU is cheap and easy to fix. Common problems are well known and simple to solve, but try fixing any number of dozens of sensor issues in European wrecks (especially 1990s-2000s ones) or the other rubbish cars like Craptiva, VZ/VE Commodore, Volkswagens and so on which regularly send owners with $5000 repair bills.
Most things are pretty straight forward but occasionally they can be challenging. My oil pressure gauge kept alarming so I replaced it (that required find9ing a buying a long reach 27mm socket. It still didn't work properly so I disconnected the engine earth and cleaned the block and the terminal and that fixed it.
Approx. 2 years ago I bought an AU Ute. It has been incredibly reliable, drives beautifully. Has 333000kms and people have commented on how good it sounds. I live in the country and do a lot of miles. As a female, a reliable vehicle is very important to me on those long drives. I love my car lol...it suprises me how well it really runs. An oldie but a goodie.
Thanks for the comment - you're right about how important reliability is. They're not perfect, but in my experience if anything does go wrong with them it's rarely a show-stopping event that would leave you stranded somewhere. Which is obviously very important in the country!
It's getting pretty long in the tooth so theirs bound to be some thing's given the vehicle's age but it was generally one of the more reliable vehicle's on the market, I'm always a bit suspicious of cheap car's that are priced well below it's market value.
Nice to hear your list didn't contain anything major, I hope whoever ends up taking the car off your hands continues to show it some love and doesn't just neglect it till it blows up.
I hope so. Its heartbreaking when you see an old car you used to own, and the new owner clearly doesn't look after it. In the end its our fault for selling them, though.
I've owned my 2001 AU forte since January this year an recently my driver side window is having same problem and also my door handle broke so I must put window down to get out then the window gets stuck halfway there minor problems but I can fix them but other then that she is going well fingers crossed she stays good
Here's a list of everything that is broken on my dad's Series II AU Falcon 1. None of the windows go back up once they're put down, much like yours. 2. The remote key does not lock the car anymore, there the car is always unlocked. 3. The fuel gauge does not work, neither does the DTE. Therefore we must use the trip odometer and refuel it every 300km to be safe. 4. The engine randomly stalls and completely shuts the car off whilst driving. 5. The handbrake does not always work, and the car will continue to roll. 6. The automatic transmission will sometimes shift gears at 4,000RPM from 1st, leaving the engine being way too loud, and pissing off all my neighbours. 7. It's an AU Falcon.
@@bennugent4426 sounds like your remote has unpaired from the car. With the doors closed, key on to acc the press the rear demist button 5 times in 3 seconds. The door locks should cycle to indicate it is ready to pair. Press lock on the remote & the door locks should cycle again. Then just turn it off & give it a try to confirm.
Ah....the old saggy headliner! Happens to EVERY AU. I had a nice 2002 AU III Station Wagon with bench seats, column auto. Added a reversing camera and decent head unit and loved it.
BA's too. I have an XR8 sedan. The seating must be a bit higher, as the sagging headlining is touching my head. Probably will take it to a motor trimmers some time.
Thanks for posting this. Out of those problems, mine only has the dash display issue. I'll try the clip method. Oh, my stereo won't play CDs, but I guess it's time for a new belt.
A real "bang for your buck" vehicle. I have an FG mk2 work ute. Transmission recently failed at 410 000km: possibly the "Mechatronic" unit. New ZF's are dear, I've heard. Got a good low mileage one out of a write-off. Running again now as sweet as ever. Motor is still strong.
@@prolosertheatomistic8101 Should be ok. It's an EcoLpi. Ford had learnt their lesson by then and factory fitted a separate transmission oil cooler - at least on the Lpi version. The cooler is mounted in front of, and away from the radiator, and is a completely separate unit.
@@MotoringBoxTV Seems a shame: cannibalising a Falcon for parts. But then , if the donor is a Statutory Write Off, it can never be on the road again anyway.
Hahah, I had all of these issues with my AU, minus the MDC because mine was a Forte. If nothing else, they’re cheap as anything to fix up. I made everything right with mine.
The fords and holdens after about 1995 (VS and EL) were rock solid from a drive train/engine perspective. Especially after holden stopped using that crappy rope rear main seal and ford heads stopped cracking. It's just everything else that breaks, e.g. trim pieces and the general lack of refinement against other contemporary vehicles that give them a bad rap. Bushes should be considered general wear and need checking out after 10 years on any car.
Apart from the odd-rattle I've never had many problems with my cars. But I do love to go through my cars with a screwdriver and re-tighten all the bits which are easy enough to access, so that helps.
The insurance company tells me mine is worth $457.00 when I last renewed. It still does interstate trips in comfort (But! I have owned it for 18 years). So you should be able to find a cheap one.
I had an AU for 360,000km and did nothing other than basic maintenance (plus a fan belt tensioner and harmonic balancer) and it still ran like new until it was kindly written off by someone a few months ago...
Let’s see how the KIA’s Hyundai and Mazda’s and the like are going in 20 years! Because you don’t see the early ones of those now. Keep up the good vids
Beg to differ...see quite a few old getz and the like. Plus back then the fords probably outsold them 10 to 1 so you should see ten times more old fords
Ever since you bought that AU, I've been feeling all nostalgic about my former AU series one wagon and my 89 EA Fairmont... They really were good honest, reliable and comfortable budget transport. It's pretty shit to think that the current obsession with crappy 4-pot FWD SUVs is going to mean future first car buyers and battler families will be denied a similar good value cheap option.
As I get older I think it's important to drive a car that means something to you, as it really does make a difference to your life each day. We're all individuals and if we were all driving the same late model SUVs I think it'd be a bit sad.
I have an AU2 Falcon Ute project car which I've been driving around for more than 10 years, the only issue I had with it was the dreaded BTR93LE 4 speed automatic gearbox. It's been taken off the road as I'm going to do a manual conversion eventually. In the meantime I bought a 2015 FG-X Falcon Ute.
Had time to watch the whole video. Gee the AU shape has aged well. Can’t believe how we all laughed out loud when it was first released, although I suspect it had something to do with the base model plastic waterfall grille as it presents very well in Fairmont trim. Selling it? Name your price.
David T I'm not sure if it's the case tbh, the performance model's are not as bad looking as I thought. But it was mainly because the competition looked so good back then.
Keep an eye on the abs unit, the power steering rack, the upper ball joints, the brake booster. As for the windows not going up or down, try a spray of silicon lubricant in the channel guides. Ford door window rubbers are notorious for "squeezing" the glass. They actually become dry which increases the friction. They just need lubricant.
👍. Prior experience. 😂. Thing is, once fixed or replaced, you're good for another 15 years or so. If you have to change out the steering rack, you'll need to drop out the swaybar and exhaust pipe. The series 3 is good but the series 1 and early series 2 AU, you have to be very precise when fitting the new psr. That alignment mounting bolt can be temperamental.
if you blow globes in the cluster and have to remove it I have found the easiest way in a Fairmont is to partially remove the climate control and remove the two screws athe top of the cluster then you can put a hand behind the cluster and push it out. If not in a Fairmont then you pull out the air vent at the right of the dash to get access.
Don't know if you've had this done yet, but originally this car has both the coolant and transmission oil running into the radiator. It's highly recommended to buy an after market kit which essentially moves the transmission oil to it's own small radiator position just behind the normal radiator. Reason being the standard radiator isn't that great at keeping the temperatures of the oil down, and so this kit extends the life of the transmission, which is pretty much rated to 250,000k's. I can confirm a transmission dying at about 300,000k's on my old car a long time back. Anyways, the door thing is simple, if you press the button slightly, you can hear a gap spark, and this spark creates a burn on the contacts, so you do need to clean them, you worked this out easy enough. Very common. The inbuilt stereo is pretty bad, on my car the actual disc stacker died. Unfortunately when this happened and a new stereo went in, the volume buttons became useless. I really hate the way Ford have forced these gigantic pieces of shit on car drivers. I mean, mine literally is required for the operation of the air con, it cannot be removed. It's a real shit show.
Thanks for this video and the earlier one explaining the range. As a Brit I had assumed most of these were V8s and I knew nothing of the history of that straight 6 motor.
My 98 AU is a legend. Mechanically it hasn't missed a beat for 20 years and has taken some pretty rough treatment. Unfortunately, it is starting to rust badly so time for it to go. Best value for money I ever spent on a car.
You should swap the orange side indicators for the clear AU3 ones. It's really cheap and easy, and makes the car look way better. The clear indicators look much more modern. Thanks for the videos. You should cover some more underrated Australian cars like the FG Falcon Ecoboost or the VZ Commodore SV8.
If you want a bit more power, you can add a wide-mouth intake snorkel. It's a factory Ford part and costs about $70. They were used on the EL GT and other models. Beyond that, a BMC panel air filter and exhaust would also do well. I have personally seen an XR6 VCT take a full second off its 0-100 just from fitting some Coby long tube headers that deleted the cat. It really helps wake up the VCT motor. Here is an excellent forum thread on VCT mods: www.fordmods.com/ford-4l-and-6-cylinder-f1/vct-upgrades-t105533.html
Nice video, spent $500 on a 1992 Toyota Camry SV21 model. Haven't done any thing too it for 6 months, 3rd gear shifts a bit slow, radiator has some hairline leaks other then that every think is 100%
There was an issue with the accelerator cable at the throttle body end on the 2000 AU's with the intech engine, the rubber bushe which locates the cable end in the metal bracket would shear and you'd lose accelerator.
next job on mine is replace the steering wheel. I found an near new one on a car at the wreckers as well as a great replacement drivers seat (mine had a huge cigarette burn that my boss put in it when he owned the car and i had seen one good enough at convenient times before.
Coincidentally I just performed the same 'temporary permanent' fix on my drivers' window. It too would go down but not up and I couldn't be bothered spending half a day mucking around with it, so just disconnected the plug.
Definitely worth popping the switches out and cleaning the contacts. It's actually very quick and easy to do - you can lever the switch panel straight out without having to unscrew anything.
Keep making videos mate! It would be awesome to see you get to 100K subs. Some more videos of the Falcon, or videos about fixing the Falcon, or other cars featured would be great to watch 😁 Cheers from another Aussie TH-camr!
Thank you, great Clip. I too have got a AU 1999 which have or had the same troubles. one I have is the rear Passager side window it sticks going down and up ( but once it's get going it run down nice and when it run up great to it get near the top and slows down ) I have try lube .oil, WD40 even the good old vaseline all works for a while but not for long. any hints ?
I still have my au and now with 97000 Kms. The only thing besides general maintenance ( oils and filters, break pads and front rotors ) is the body control module. This caused the starter motor not to start the car, by passing the start relay would turn the motor over. The body control module lives under the factory fitted radio and suffers from broken solder joints to the relays on the board or the relays suffering from burnt contacts. Change over was around $400.00 + fitting, This i had done at the local RACV service center as the new control module also needed re programing for the car ??. Other than that the car runs great and i really injoy driving it
That head liner is easy fix just go to Bunnings and find the color and buy a test pot, then you have to to is paint some thumb tack's and pop em in to hold it up, job done.
I've owned my AU Falcon wagon for 9 years now, I've rebuilt the engine (even though it didn't need it) XR6 spec head and sports exhaust, lowered 2", new roof lining and that's it. Will be giving it a respray this Xmas as its got ant theft paint on it (clear coat peel). I won't be selling it....... ever.
With the dash switches, you can remove the bulb holder using a flat head screw driver - turn it anti clockwise about a quarter of a turn and the holder with the bulb should just fall out.
For me t the time the AU Falcon first came out it was a love/hate car for me. I was never over fused on the more standard models but I always thought that the XR models did look kind of cool with the Toyota Celica styled front ends and the XR's did look cool as race cars. As much as I would like to have an au XR but these times I wouldn't actually mind getting a series 2 Fairmont the same model as yours because they have grown on me over time because of how well they have aged. And secondly I think that the AU would be a fun project car to have even if it is an XR or a series 2 or 3 models with the base model frond end. I have seen some pretty cool mods for them as well. Though it was always the XR that kept me interest in the AU because of them being motorsports and video games from when I was a kid.
The sagging roof liner isn't a $200 fix if you're willing to go through the effort Not sure about AU falcons but a lot of old school roof liners have small plastic button clips in the corners that you can take off. Then peel the roof liner back and get a $20 can of spray adhesive and voila it's stuck back on with no to minimal sag depending on how adept you are at placing it back on.
yeah what you experienced are typical of the beast. The front sway sway bar is an easy fix at low cost (just did this a month ago). The switches are a pain in the arse as the main problem with them is not cleanliness but the actuators for the switch are two soft and wear and if you buy replacement ones off ebay some of them are even worse.
I know they aren’t the coolest Falcon or the prettiest but it’s always nice and comforting and make you happy to get your first car and sit back in it. Sweet embrace and memories of the car is what makes it the best.
Interesting about the head lining. That stuff was sagging in my EB station wagon when I went to register the old bus in QLD after having driven from the NT. The rotten sods in the Motor Vehicles Dept wouldn't register the car until I'd replaced the head lining material! Turned out to be a relatively easy job though - just a damned nuisance.
The central locking drive gears haven’t failed yet? That’s another common problem with that generation right up to the BF2. Even my step-Dad’s EF falcon had that, and he took it to the ford dealer to get some of the central locking motors replaced. Don’t know if it affected the EL series though..
So far so good. The AU has an option where only the driver's door unlocks when you press the unlock button on the key fob. When you press it a second time the other three unlock. Good for safety but also good for less wear and tear on the mechanisms I guess.
Pretty good score for what you spent on it, basically all just minor issues besides the exhaust and the centre screen being shoddy, Ford are known for their stock exhausts rusting away with age and often a sports exhaust is cheaper than a standard replacement plus less mufflers means less to go wrong, I've heard of a fix for lcds with the ribbon cable causing parts of the screen to not display where you run a soldering iron along the cable and it should make the connections work again maybe that could permanently fix the screen otherwise I'm certain you could get one from a wreckers fairly cheap. Look forward to seeing more of this beast
Until 3 years ago, I owned a AU1 Forte and had to replace the stock exhaust as it rusted out. At the time (6 yrs ish ago now) I had two seperate quotes from the same exhaust shop for a new system. Both quotes for mild steel, with the factory system being $500 dearer than a sports system. A no-brainer to guess which way I went. Cheaper cost with a mild rumble to boot. Loved that car dearly
I worked in automotive for just on 10 years, spares, engine builds, imports, race, rally, drag, standard cars....all cars have issues...no one particular brand survives... , saying that, Im going to get the water pump and power steering switch replaced on my trusty AU on the weekend .
Hah, I had the same exhaust issue with an AU I recently picked up! I went the cheap route though, harvested steel from the rear muffler, patched the pipe and welded on a new bit of tube from the local exhaust shop
For the headliner, either dodgy it by sticking thumbtacks in it to hold it up, or take the headliner panel out, buy some spray adhesive and either re stick the fabric you've got, or go buy a department store bed-sheet and stick it up there. Bonus points for a Ford bed-sheet or other stylistic choices.
From what I've read it's an absolute prick of a job to try and do it yourself, and difficult to get a professional looking result without any bubbles or wrinkles.
My ‘99 Falcon has literally ticked ever one of those boxes except dash lighting issue. 😂 At 340,000kms, only real issue I’ve had is a transmission seal leak. Things an absolute sleeper too 🏎
I just sold my, 01 au Sr. And now brought a 01 au Fairmont and love the au Great cars. Reliable and I think they look good really. Love ya channel mate. Shame u r in qld and not wa. 😂😂
For those cold Aussie mornings when the mercury dips below 20deg :P I'm sure ball joints will soon be on the list lol.. And saggy headliner looks soooo bad regardless if it clears the head or not. Buy the proper material and repair yourself for about $100 (NZD) just don't use spray glue, its hopeless. Redid my BA Turbo DIY and converted all the trim to black, its like a different car.
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Everything that broke on my Ford...
Gets chair...
reeffeeder that’s bloody funny
I would of needed a chair for all the problems with my old Honda. It was a 95 civic that I got in 2012. From the day I got it, until late 2016, it was great, no problems at all. Then everything started to fail on it. Every 3 or 4 weeks I was replacing some major part. I got fed up with it and sold it to a guy for next to nothing. A month after he bought it, the crankshaft snapped.
Didn't watch the video then lol
It's an awesome chair, only cost me $5.
@@MotoringBoxTV and I bet you could fit a shit load of them in the Fairmont's boot.
someone tell tyler hoover to take one of these to america when he can.
Take several while there's plenty.
I'd love to see that!
Yasss
It's like an Australian version of the early 2000s Mercury Sable. The more I look at it, the better it looks.
He can, in 2026.
20 something years old and that was the list of issues, good value.
Definitely!
A 20 year old euro sedan would need its purchase price in price to keep it going ....
@@ob1knb3 yep you're pretty much on the money there. I'm onto my second 20yo Alfa 156 (2.5L V6) sedan. Paid $3500 for it 3.5 years ago, and I've spent probably +$4k on general maintenance since then. But I still reckon that's good value, given it still looks and drives like a new car (it would have cost +$60k back in '99), has way more style than pretty much anything current, and a red leather interior that'd be at home in a Milanese bordello! And the sound of that Busso V6 ...
But I still like the old AU - I'd happily have another one in Fairmont spec.Especially if I needed something for regular long distance runs.
not sure why people object to the design as I think it holds up really well for it's age. I see a couple arounfd Sydney near where I live and the design is pretty well up there with modern cars.
This dude in video is a fool. 20 year old car.. of course it would have issues
As an American, I've always had the impression that aussie fords were tougher than American fords. Maybe aussies just do crazier things with their Falcons than we do with our Taurus. I've seen pics of such common looking Falcons towing like a truck and chucking skids that I'd never do in a US ford sedan.
mate when I was doing my apprenticeship we got a au falcon with fairly minor damage on drivers door and front guard then a vn Commodore with the front written off
the vn hit the au falcon
the falcon are pretty stout
You guys missed out on some great cars!
They pull harder than a train
@@MotoringBoxTV I feel like we did miss out, but it was our own fault. GM tried to bring aussie cars here like the G8 and the Chevy SS. We didnt get it. Too used to the flash of mustangs and Camaros. The falcon boss 335 and 315 could have made it here, but ford never tried.
Basically the roads in Australia necessitated tougher falcons. You tube search 'Ford Falcon 70,000 mile durability run' posted by Olbucko, its in 2 parts.
The Ford falcons were the perfect family car back in the day and even now they are still good. The engines will do a million kms before needing a rebuild. They don't build cars like this anymore.
Yusuf Maltese They don’t build falcons anymore. 😞
As much as everyone hated the AU's design, it did spawn the BA, and with it the XR6 Turbo, one of the greatest value for money cars ever.
Once you dig deep into the AU's back story you realise how close the AU was to not existing and just remaining as an on paper concept
Originally ford wanted to replace it with the FWD Taurus range (they even released to Taurus) but ultimately decided we still needed capable RWD cars and on top of that the BA and the Barra range+ was actually designed before the AU even begun production and the only reason the au still got made was because an American ford higher up said the BA didn't look like a Ford in the late 90s (he was also the same bloke that convinced ford aus to replace the falcon with a Taurus and they watched the Taurus flop
time delayed sports exhaust ... hahaha this is gold
I thought it was pretty awesome - you end up with an exhaust which dumps just after the diff.
@@MotoringBoxTV Same thing happened on my AU. Problem is the hot exhaust melts the crush structure on the backside of the bumper.
Good video and review.
My 2000 series 2 , straight 6 cylinder forte sedan, I've had for about 8 years.
I've had replaced, coil packs, intake manifold gasket, power steering switch, twice, air conditioning compressor, radiator, water pump, bottom balancer pulley. In that time also the paint on the roof and bonnet has faded . It's now got 330,000km on it, still runs very well and tows the boat regular.
Any car needs repairing and replacing of parts. Most people finance a new car, then wait till it starts having problems then they quickly trade or sell and re-finance another car.
Do you think my AU is knee-slappingly good or a little bit shit? Let me know your thoughts below.
Why not both? lol
I really like the AU. Yeah its not the best looking car on the road but they are cheap and will always get you where you're going. Just a good car.
Good reliable cars... that roof lining though
MotoringBox I’ll buy it.
My son just brought a mighty AU Fairmont Ghia. Your clips are excellent. His too comes with stuck windows and traditional sagging roof line. It got washed and polished today.
I have a 96 holden vs acclaim II, just got the AC compressor done, replaced windscreen, replaced water pump, power steering pump, radiator, transmission hoses and the same exhaust issue happened as yours.
It also has a saggy roof but im never gonna fix that, i like the tent atmosphere! Also got all 4 tyres done and spark plugs and leads, phew!! List was big for 2019!!
That's a bit of a list you've got there! But hopefully you've got a solid car on your hands now though that'll power on for many years to come.
I had a series 2 AU XR8 and a series 1 Forte and they were the most reliable cars I ever owned. The XR8 got totalled in 2010. I would probably still own it now if it didn’t cop a massive hit in the rear. Loved that car.
the ford AU has earnt my respect , I had a 2000 series 2 Fairmont ... it had only 80.000kms on it when I bought it off an old couple .... November 2018 i hit a tree at 110kph with cruise control on on my way home from nightshift , apart from a broken back and hand I'm still here .... its a great car if properly looked after
Not gonna lie, a broken back and hand isn't too bad for a 110kph crash into a tree. What was left of the car? How did it crush? I own a '08 BF and always wonder how it will cope in a head on crash.
car was totaled , steering column was in the back seat , chassis was touching the ground in the middle like a banana , engine separated from the gearbox , the car flipped end over end, I woke up upside down about an hour after the initial hit .....the tree left an imprint in roof on the drivers side soon hard its touching the drivers head rest .....
@@emily91c52 Holy crap glad you're still with us after that. Unfortunately cars just aren't designed to survive crashes beyond 60-70kph, particularly with trees which concentrate the force of the crash on one spot instead of spreading it over a wide area of the car...
Either way, hope your recovery has/is going well. :)
Hope you're doing better now, that sounds like a horrendous accident :(
Au’s are notorious for rusting in the boot lid just under number plate keep and eye on that, and I think it’s either power steering or coolant can sometimes leak on the alternator causing damage,
Yeah. Power steering pump leaks on the alternator if you don’t monitor the condition of the thing.
Lulu Adness Only if they had the spoiler. They let water in.
@@johnmoyle4195 i made a shield to cover the alternator
@@Stevei-075 might do that myself. You also have fun replacing alternators as there are three different connectors that are used. I now have all three connectors on fly leads so I can buy any of the alternators.
@@kennyscott1089 bless you Kenny Scott. Now I know why.
I have an AU2 2000 Fairmont and can definitely relate everything you mentioned... and then some. I've fixed most problems myself, but thanks for the tip on how to fix the LCD screen on the MDC.
Perhaps weirdly, perhaps not, but I've never needed the code for the head unit in my Calais. I believe this is because it authenticates with the BCM and shares the immobilizer key, or has some other way of authenticating to it. The exhaust on my car looks a tad rusty after 300,000km but it still looks fine. Probably all of the driving on farms I've done. I believe the VY was also among the first cars to use LEDs for everything, so have never had a bulb issue. There isn't even a standard rheostat for brightness, it's all electronic, all the modules get sent commands over the ALDL bus. Fantastic stuff, because it means less to go wrong. I've done sway bar links though. Get some polyurethane units, instead of rubber it's like a very soft plastic. It may stiffen things up a bit, but I haven't noticed it over the already stiffer (but very nice) FE2 suspension. These don't wear out anywhere near as often. Make sure you loctite the nuts while you're in there. I neglected this and they came loose again. Nothing a quick nip-up couldn't fix though. You need both sway bar links, because as with almost all suspension components, they wear in pairs.
Hey mate, thanks for the comment. I will definitely look into polyurethane replacements!
Just re bought an AU falcon after having a nice euro car for the last 3 years. They’re one of the best cars ever made
There great . Got one 2 months ago as an in between cars car , well im now keeping it as I've now fixed everything i needed to and it drives great . I do 200 km a day to work on country roads and its been hassel free so far . And its quiet comfortable and good on fuel.
I plan on selling this one off when I'm done with it, but it won't be easy. I didn't think I'd get attached to it, but it's growing on me.
@@MotoringBoxTV They're great old cars,ive had 2 an my current one has similar issues to yours - they are big, smooth,fairly powerful n comfortable - good cheap cars👌👍
@@adamotherwisedugdell3798 And the towing capabilities....good Lord they can pull
I had a 1999 Falcon XR8 (a photo of which graced the Wikipedia entry for some years) which was eventually written off after being rear-ended. I loved that car and have never quite gotten over losing it. I maintain that cars of that era were at the "good enough" stage in technological development. They had enough electronics to be useful, but not so much to be a pain in the arse. And yes; all the window switches had been removed and the contacts cleaned. The other small problem is the door lock motors. The plastic worm gears break. One major problem I fixed was the firewall cracking where the clutch cable sheath attaches. This was a dash-out weld and reinforce job. The steering column mount spotwelds were also drilled and plug-welded while I was there, which permanently fixed the water leak (which was temporarily fixed with vinyl tape). These latter problems were exclusive to the manual transmission equipped cars.
I think they're good enough too - everything you'll ever need while still being relatively simple to work on.
on my BA Falcon, I fix the headliner by removing the door frame gasket, not the one on the door from the top stretched the roof headliner then hold the liner with one hand & with the other pus the rubbers frame gasket back in place over the headliner as well. I only needed to do this to the right-hand side front & back.. I also found the door gasket kept coming of it was in good nick so I super glued it in place now no worries
Sounds like an easy fix, well done!
Keep it , keep it , keep it ,, Mechanically the most reliable falcon of the later falcons hands down
Would love to, if space and money permitted.
*laughs in EF*
ive got a 99 classic i bought off an old guy at work. mine has done multiple trips from brisbane to melbourne. Currently has 412km on the clock, exhaust has rusted on the back of the muffler, ive got the same knock in the front, few paint and bodykit cracks, but other then that, its been worth the $500 dollars i paid for it. not the best or funniest falcon in the range to have, but they are almost bulletproof and cheap and easy to work on.
You're class act mate.
Killing it with these uploads!
Thanks mate! Glad you're enjoying them.
As a car-enthusiast living Europe, I have never heard about the AU! Growing up watching Mad Max; Australia and their cars has made an impact on me, although I have never been a Ford fan! Sad that GM/Holden stopped production, they were true to V8 rear wheel drive cars all along and, in my opinion, can take the credit for the 2010- Camaro... Keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching and G'Day from Australia!
CarsCloseUp you managed to misspell AU😂
never forgive the government for not supporting Australian auto manufacturing.BIG mistake.
@@MotoringBoxTV Thanks!
@@megatech1966 My first language is not English, so bear with me....
I had a few falcons,this model i did 300,000klms as a rep with the Cruise set on 178kph (would hit the limiter at 180) most of the time, Never had an issue at all... Bloody great car...
Bought my AUII SR series 3 last year. It’s only done 127kms. Love the car.
All non-issues really. The AU is cheap and easy to fix. Common problems are well known and simple to solve, but try fixing any number of dozens of sensor issues in European wrecks (especially 1990s-2000s ones) or the other rubbish cars like Craptiva, VZ/VE Commodore, Volkswagens and so on which regularly send owners with $5000 repair bills.
Most things are pretty straight forward but occasionally they can be challenging. My oil pressure gauge kept alarming so I replaced it (that required find9ing a buying a long reach 27mm socket. It still didn't work properly so I disconnected the engine earth and cleaned the block and the terminal and that fixed it.
Approx. 2 years ago I bought an AU Ute. It has been incredibly reliable, drives beautifully. Has 333000kms and people have commented on how good it sounds. I live in the country and do a lot of miles. As a female, a reliable vehicle is very important to me on those long drives. I love my car lol...it suprises me how well it really runs. An oldie but a goodie.
Thanks for the comment - you're right about how important reliability is. They're not perfect, but in my experience if anything does go wrong with them it's rarely a show-stopping event that would leave you stranded somewhere. Which is obviously very important in the country!
It's getting pretty long in the tooth so theirs bound to be some thing's given the vehicle's age but it was generally one of the more reliable vehicle's on the market, I'm always a bit suspicious of cheap car's that are priced well below it's market value.
I think with the AU's there's also a bit of desperation involved. They're at the bottom of the market and nobody wants them (well, not many!).
MotoringBox
Despite that, some of my closest friend's always buy them.
They come around & we have 3 various AU model's all over the front yard😅
Theres a market value for the au ?
asd asd
Are you saying that it doesn't have a market value?
Who gives a fuck did you know what he meant then who cares.@@brantleyfoster021 haha yeah fair call scrap is a value.
Your channel is criminally under-subscribed. Such amazing quality content.
Thanks mate, with time I'll get there hopefully.
Nice to hear your list didn't contain anything major, I hope whoever ends up taking the car off your hands continues to show it some love and doesn't just neglect it till it blows up.
I hope so. Its heartbreaking when you see an old car you used to own, and the new owner clearly doesn't look after it. In the end its our fault for selling them, though.
I've owned my 2001 AU forte since January this year an recently my driver side window is having same problem and also my door handle broke so I must put window down to get out then the window gets stuck halfway there minor problems but I can fix them but other then that she is going well fingers crossed she stays good
Here's a list of everything that is broken on my dad's Series II AU Falcon
1. None of the windows go back up once they're put down, much like yours.
2. The remote key does not lock the car anymore, there the car is always unlocked.
3. The fuel gauge does not work, neither does the DTE. Therefore we must use the trip odometer and refuel it every 300km to be safe.
4. The engine randomly stalls and completely shuts the car off whilst driving.
5. The handbrake does not always work, and the car will continue to roll.
6. The automatic transmission will sometimes shift gears at 4,000RPM from 1st, leaving the engine being way too loud, and pissing off all my neighbours.
7. It's an AU Falcon.
Sounds like a typical Falcon, but has it ever left you stranded somewhere?
MotoringBox well luckily the engine stalled quick enough that I barely made it out of my street
@@bennugent4426 sounds like your remote has unpaired from the car. With the doors closed, key on to acc the press the rear demist button 5 times in 3 seconds. The door locks should cycle to indicate it is ready to pair. Press lock on the remote & the door locks should cycle again. Then just turn it off & give it a try to confirm.
Ben Nugent ...easy solution is to buy a new Japanese car.... what do you expect from a 20 year old Australian built car
Worldwide Fairness all easy.and cheap fixes.
Ah....the old saggy headliner! Happens to EVERY AU. I had a nice 2002 AU III Station Wagon with bench seats, column auto. Added a reversing camera and decent head unit and loved it.
A reversing camera install is something I might do - I have a kit laying around just waiting to be used...
MotoringBox I found a nice kit that replaces one of the licence plates lights with a combo light/camera. Almost looks factory. 👍🏻
BA's too. I have an XR8 sedan. The seating must be a bit higher, as the sagging headlining is touching my head. Probably will take it to a motor trimmers some time.
Thanks for posting this. Out of those problems, mine only has the dash display issue. I'll try the clip method. Oh, my stereo won't play CDs, but I guess it's time for a new belt.
Stereo CD problems are pretty common unfortunately. Good luck with the MDC fix, they're a bit fiddly.
Thanks! Meanwhile I'll stick to radia and compact cassettes.@@MotoringBoxTV
if that is 'everything' that could go wrong, you're doing ok
Absolutely!
i just love how your just listing everyone of the problems ive discovered with my car
Haha yes, they're pretty common but luckily minor problems too.
A real "bang for your buck" vehicle. I have an FG mk2 work ute. Transmission recently failed at 410 000km: possibly the "Mechatronic" unit. New ZF's are dear, I've heard. Got a good low mileage one out of a write-off. Running again now as sweet as ever. Motor is still strong.
Make sure you put an external transmission cooler on it! :)
Gotta love the wreckers, nice work.
@@prolosertheatomistic8101 Should be ok. It's an EcoLpi. Ford had learnt their lesson by then and factory fitted a separate transmission oil cooler - at least on the Lpi version. The cooler is mounted in front of, and away from the radiator, and is a completely separate unit.
@@MotoringBoxTV Seems a shame: cannibalising a Falcon for parts. But then , if the donor is a Statutory Write Off, it can never be on the road again anyway.
@@railtrolley Really? That's good. I always thought the FG's had the same problem. Glad to know Ford finally worked it out...
Love old Falcons! I used to own a 1993 Fairmont! Best car I ever owned! Contemplating getting one of these now 😂
Hahah, I had all of these issues with my AU, minus the MDC because mine was a Forte.
If nothing else, they’re cheap as anything to fix up. I made everything right with mine.
Yup, parts are cheap and easy to find if needed too.
The fords and holdens after about 1995 (VS and EL) were rock solid from a drive train/engine perspective. Especially after holden stopped using that crappy rope rear main seal and ford heads stopped cracking. It's just everything else that breaks, e.g. trim pieces and the general lack of refinement against other contemporary vehicles that give them a bad rap. Bushes should be considered general wear and need checking out after 10 years on any car.
Apart from the odd-rattle I've never had many problems with my cars. But I do love to go through my cars with a screwdriver and re-tighten all the bits which are easy enough to access, so that helps.
I had the same noise in the front end of my AU.
I was told that my sway bar bushes were worn but my front struts actually needed replacing
The struts on mine seem great luckily. Thanks for the comment.
But what about the AU?
Did my neighbours wife up the shitter in an AU
Happy days
#aumemories
LOL Best car story I've heard😂😂👍👌
Classy lady.
@@watsisbuttndo829 A good sport
I always thought poo jockeys drove commodores and belmonts.
Couldn't say why but I've always had a strange fascination with AU Falcons. I'd kill to find a cheap one like this example.
There always seem to be some floating around on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace! Carsales is not worth the effort.
@@MotoringBoxTV Thanks mate!
The insurance company tells me mine is worth $457.00 when I last renewed. It still does interstate trips in comfort (But! I have owned it for 18 years). So you should be able to find a cheap one.
@@bruceparr1678 $457? That's hilarious!
Check out Pickles, mate. And no need to be in a hurry because there'll be another one next week.
You beauty. I'm gonna try that little clip hack on my AU Fairmont Wagon.
Thanks mate, I thought I was in for hundreds to replace the screen.
One of the rare TH-cam channels I watch with a genuine smile
Thanks for your support!
A friend used thumb tacks for their roof liner in their falcon! Studded
She’s a beautiful looking car...
I just got mine a few months and got her back to a good condition.
I had an AU for 360,000km and did nothing other than basic maintenance (plus a fan belt tensioner and harmonic balancer) and it still ran like new until it was kindly written off by someone a few months ago...
Cheap motoring! Sorry to hear about how it ended though...
Had one of these in monsoon blue full tickford optioned loved it especially that momo steering wheel a 1K option back then
Let’s see how the KIA’s Hyundai and Mazda’s and the like are going in 20 years! Because you don’t see the early ones of those now. Keep up the good vids
Don't forget modern Ford's too!
Beg to differ...see quite a few old getz and the like. Plus back then the fords probably outsold them 10 to 1 so you should see ten times more old fords
They're all on the planned obsolescence bang wagon so these cars of today will be gone I fear..
Thank you mate I've subscribed I just got one on factory gas October 2019 cheers
Be glad you have a working heater. I have a BA Xr6 enough said :)
You legit helped me with my heater display awesome vid can't wait to see more 👌
Glad you got something out of it! Thanks for watching.
Ever since you bought that AU, I've been feeling all nostalgic about my former AU series one wagon and my 89 EA Fairmont... They really were good honest, reliable and comfortable budget transport. It's pretty shit to think that the current obsession with crappy 4-pot FWD SUVs is going to mean future first car buyers and battler families will be denied a similar good value cheap option.
As I get older I think it's important to drive a car that means something to you, as it really does make a difference to your life each day. We're all individuals and if we were all driving the same late model SUVs I think it'd be a bit sad.
I have an AU2 Falcon Ute project car which I've been driving around for more than 10 years, the only issue I had with it was the dreaded BTR93LE 4 speed automatic gearbox. It's been taken off the road as I'm going to do a manual conversion eventually. In the meantime I bought a 2015 FG-X Falcon Ute.
Had time to watch the whole video. Gee the AU shape has aged well. Can’t believe how we all laughed out loud when it was first released, although I suspect it had something to do with the base model plastic waterfall grille as it presents very well in Fairmont trim. Selling it? Name your price.
David T
I'm not sure if it's the case tbh, the performance model's are not as bad looking as I thought.
But it was mainly because the competition looked so good back then.
Keep an eye on the abs unit, the power steering rack, the upper ball joints, the brake booster. As for the windows not going up or down, try a spray of silicon lubricant in the channel guides. Ford door window rubbers are notorious for "squeezing" the glass. They actually become dry which increases the friction. They just need lubricant.
Thanks for the comment - good tips!
👍. Prior experience. 😂. Thing is, once fixed or replaced, you're good for another 15 years or so. If you have to change out the steering rack, you'll need to drop out the swaybar and exhaust pipe. The series 3 is good but the series 1 and early series 2 AU, you have to be very precise when fitting the new psr. That alignment mounting bolt can be temperamental.
if you blow globes in the cluster and have to remove it I have found the easiest way in a Fairmont is to partially remove the climate control and remove the two screws athe top of the cluster then you can put a hand behind the cluster and push it out. If not in a Fairmont then you pull out the air vent at the right of the dash to get access.
You're in Queensland and you were worried about the heater not working? Come down to Tassie mate. Great video by the way :-)
Mine's got the sameslow winter warm-up problem. I'll have to try that solution. Thanks
Worth a shot, thermostats are cheap too.
Only $11 at bursons or repco for a thermostat part # TT1-195 for the tridon brand
Don't know if you've had this done yet, but originally this car has both the coolant and transmission oil running into the radiator. It's highly recommended to buy an after market kit which essentially moves the transmission oil to it's own small radiator position just behind the normal radiator. Reason being the standard radiator isn't that great at keeping the temperatures of the oil down, and so this kit extends the life of the transmission, which is pretty much rated to 250,000k's.
I can confirm a transmission dying at about 300,000k's on my old car a long time back.
Anyways, the door thing is simple, if you press the button slightly, you can hear a gap spark, and this spark creates a burn on the contacts, so you do need to clean them, you worked this out easy enough. Very common. The inbuilt stereo is pretty bad, on my car the actual disc stacker died. Unfortunately when this happened and a new stereo went in, the volume buttons became useless. I really hate the way Ford have forced these gigantic pieces of shit on car drivers. I mean, mine literally is required for the operation of the air con, it cannot be removed. It's a real shit show.
Thanks for this video and the earlier one explaining the range. As a Brit I had assumed most of these were V8s and I knew nothing of the history of that straight 6 motor.
Glad you enjoyed it! I've always thought the 6's were more special.
My 98 AU is a legend. Mechanically it hasn't missed a beat for 20 years and has taken some pretty rough treatment. Unfortunately, it is starting to rust badly so time for it to go. Best value for money I ever spent on a car.
Where's it rusting?
@@MotoringBoxTV Bottom right quarter panel, just in front of the rear wheel. Around the windshield and around the rear tailgate (it's a wagon).
You should swap the orange side indicators for the clear AU3 ones. It's really cheap and easy, and makes the car look way better. The clear indicators look much more modern. Thanks for the videos. You should cover some more underrated Australian cars like the FG Falcon Ecoboost or the VZ Commodore SV8.
This may or may not have already been done :)
If you want a bit more power, you can add a wide-mouth intake snorkel. It's a factory Ford part and costs about $70. They were used on the EL GT and other models. Beyond that, a BMC panel air filter and exhaust would also do well. I have personally seen an XR6 VCT take a full second off its 0-100 just from fitting some Coby long tube headers that deleted the cat. It really helps wake up the VCT motor. Here is an excellent forum thread on VCT mods: www.fordmods.com/ford-4l-and-6-cylinder-f1/vct-upgrades-t105533.html
Great car mate!!
Hope the gearbox keeps going !
I reckon she s great
The gearbox isn't showing any signs of problems, like rough shifts or delays into reverse, so touch wood it stays that way.
Nice video, spent $500 on a 1992 Toyota Camry SV21 model. Haven't done any thing too it for 6 months, 3rd gear shifts a bit slow, radiator has some hairline leaks other then that every think is 100%
There was an issue with the accelerator cable at the throttle body end on the 2000 AU's with the intech engine, the rubber bushe which locates the cable end in the metal bracket would shear and you'd lose accelerator.
next job on mine is replace the steering wheel. I found an near new one on a car at the wreckers as well as a great replacement drivers seat (mine had a huge cigarette burn that my boss put in it when he owned the car and i had seen one good enough at convenient times before.
Coincidentally I just performed the same 'temporary permanent' fix on my drivers' window. It too would go down but not up and I couldn't be bothered spending half a day mucking around with it, so just disconnected the plug.
Definitely worth popping the switches out and cleaning the contacts. It's actually very quick and easy to do - you can lever the switch panel straight out without having to unscrew anything.
I had an eb fairmont. Was like driving a lounge chair. So much space.
Eb...ba? Whatever the 2nd series was.
It has the number 69 in the number plate so you are obligated to keep it no matter what...
Shit....
Please get a Commodore next!!!! Preferably a VT/VX or a VY (I have a 2004 VY II and she’s a beaut)
I've got a few cars on my list :)
VX is a great car I got a ex taxi fg ATM at 700000 km it's a beast of a car
My vote will be for a VT Executive 5.0
Keep making videos mate! It would be awesome to see you get to 100K subs.
Some more videos of the Falcon, or videos about fixing the Falcon, or other cars featured would be great to watch 😁
Cheers from another Aussie TH-camr!
Thanks mate! Will try my best, but my release schedule will be very sporadic early on.
Thank you, great Clip. I too have got a AU 1999 which have or had the same troubles. one I have is the rear Passager side window it sticks going down and up ( but once it's get going it run down nice and when it run up great to it get near the top and slows down ) I have try lube .oil, WD40 even the good old vaseline all works for a while but not for long. any hints ?
silicone spray lubricant
I still have my au and now with 97000 Kms. The only thing besides general maintenance ( oils and filters, break pads and front rotors ) is the body control module. This caused the starter motor not to start the car, by passing the start relay would turn the motor over. The body control module lives under the factory fitted radio and suffers from broken solder joints to the relays on the board or the relays suffering from burnt contacts. Change over was around $400.00 + fitting, This i had done at the local RACV service center as the new control module also needed re programing for the car ??.
Other than that the car runs great and i really injoy driving it
A local PCB expert might be able to repair the existing module for you, saving some hassle.
That head liner is easy fix just go to Bunnings and find the color and buy a test pot, then you have to to is paint some thumb tack's and pop em in to hold it up, job done.
The old thumb tacks huh, classy.
Thats all the things that have gone wrong in 20 YEARS!!!
I've owned my AU Falcon wagon for 9 years now, I've rebuilt the engine (even though it didn't need it) XR6 spec head and sports exhaust, lowered 2", new roof lining and that's it. Will be giving it a respray this Xmas as its got ant theft paint on it (clear coat peel). I won't be selling it....... ever.
Sounds like you truly love that car - well done on looking after an underrated Australian classic.
Silly question the dash switch strip bulbs do they pull out of socket holder cos I tried to pull bulb out and broke bulb, need 3 to do
With the dash switches, you can remove the bulb holder using a flat head screw driver - turn it anti clockwise about a quarter of a turn and the holder with the bulb should just fall out.
For me t the time the AU Falcon first came out it was a love/hate car for me. I was never over fused on the more standard models but I always thought that the XR models did look kind of cool with the Toyota Celica styled front ends and the XR's did look cool as race cars. As much as I would like to have an au XR but these times I wouldn't actually mind getting a series 2 Fairmont the same model as yours because they have grown on me over time because of how well they have aged. And secondly I think that the AU would be a fun project car to have even if it is an XR or a series 2 or 3 models with the base model frond end. I have seen some pretty cool mods for them as well. Though it was always the XR that kept me interest in the AU because of them being motorsports and video games from when I was a kid.
The sagging roof liner isn't a $200 fix if you're willing to go through the effort
Not sure about AU falcons but a lot of old school roof liners have small plastic button clips in the corners that you can take off. Then peel the roof liner back and get a $20 can of spray adhesive and voila it's stuck back on with no to minimal sag depending on how adept you are at placing it back on.
Not something I'm looking forward too though.. there's foam underneath the material which disintegrates and causes the sag in the first place.
yeah what you experienced are typical of the beast. The front sway sway bar is an easy fix at low cost (just did this a month ago). The switches are a pain in the arse as the main problem with them is not cleanliness but the actuators for the switch are two soft and wear and if you buy replacement ones off ebay some of them are even worse.
Hmm, I never inspected the actuators. If I ever get trouble from them again I'll take a look. Cheers!
This was my first car that I bought when I was 18, 5 years ago.
I miss it every day
Might be time to slide back into the warm embrace of an old AU.
I know they aren’t the coolest Falcon or the prettiest but it’s always nice and comforting and make you happy to get your first car and sit back in it. Sweet embrace and memories of the car is what makes it the best.
Had a good laugh at that window switch that happened to me too, but if these are all the problems a near 20yo car gives you have no worries.
Yup, pretty small issue and luckily easy to fix. Replacement switches also aren't very expensive.
Interesting about the head lining. That stuff was sagging in my EB station wagon when I went to register the old bus in QLD after having driven from the NT. The rotten sods in the Motor Vehicles Dept wouldn't register the car until I'd replaced the head lining material! Turned out to be a relatively easy job though - just a damned nuisance.
Pretty annoying at first, but now I never notice it.
The headliner dropping is an issue in the B series also.
The central locking drive gears haven’t failed yet? That’s another common problem with that generation right up to the BF2.
Even my step-Dad’s EF falcon had that, and he took it to the ford dealer to get some of the central locking motors replaced. Don’t know if it affected the EL series though..
So far so good. The AU has an option where only the driver's door unlocks when you press the unlock button on the key fob. When you press it a second time the other three unlock. Good for safety but also good for less wear and tear on the mechanisms I guess.
two years later ans still not passed it on. it has grown on you mate
Pretty good score for what you spent on it, basically all just minor issues besides the exhaust and the centre screen being shoddy, Ford are known for their stock exhausts rusting away with age and often a sports exhaust is cheaper than a standard replacement plus less mufflers means less to go wrong, I've heard of a fix for lcds with the ribbon cable causing parts of the screen to not display where you run a soldering iron along the cable and it should make the connections work again maybe that could permanently fix the screen otherwise I'm certain you could get one from a wreckers fairly cheap. Look forward to seeing more of this beast
I've not heard of fixing it that way, might have to give it a go if the problem returns in the future.
Until 3 years ago, I owned a AU1 Forte and had to replace the stock exhaust as it rusted out. At the time (6 yrs ish ago now) I had two seperate quotes from the same exhaust shop for a new system. Both quotes for mild steel, with the factory system being $500 dearer than a sports system. A no-brainer to guess which way I went. Cheaper cost with a mild rumble to boot. Loved that car dearly
I bought a 2001 falcon forte 5 speed manual brand new from hills Ford in hornsby nsw . Best car that I have ever owned
That's awesome, thanks for the comment.
V informative! Looking fwd to the nxt instalment! Bewdy bonza battler..
Thanks mate!
I worked in automotive for just on 10 years, spares, engine builds, imports, race, rally, drag, standard cars....all cars have issues...no one particular brand survives... , saying that, Im going to get the water pump and power steering switch replaced on my trusty AU on the weekend .
Hah, I had the same exhaust issue with an AU I recently picked up! I went the cheap route though, harvested steel from the rear muffler, patched the pipe and welded on a new bit of tube from the local exhaust shop
No arguing with that if it did the job! Well done.
FUCK YES! He's back..... keep the videos coming mate.
Thanks mate!
For the headliner, either dodgy it by sticking thumbtacks in it to hold it up, or take the headliner panel out, buy some spray adhesive and either re stick the fabric you've got, or go buy a department store bed-sheet and stick it up there. Bonus points for a Ford bed-sheet or other stylistic choices.
From what I've read it's an absolute prick of a job to try and do it yourself, and difficult to get a professional looking result without any bubbles or wrinkles.
My ‘99 Falcon has literally ticked ever one of those boxes except dash lighting issue. 😂
At 340,000kms, only real issue I’ve had is a transmission seal leak.
Things an absolute sleeper too 🏎
They go pretty well, mine has surprised a few mighty people.
I just sold my, 01 au Sr. And now brought a 01 au Fairmont and love the au
Great cars.
Reliable and I think they look good really.
Love ya channel mate.
Shame u r in qld and not wa. 😂😂
Nice one mate, even with the BA XR6T I bought recently I still find it nice to jump back into the AU.
@@MotoringBoxTV I know. What you mean. I rather my au. More then my ba really. Lol
For a 20 year old car a few problems is nothing!
Yup, she's been great.
For those cold Aussie mornings when the mercury dips below 20deg :P I'm sure ball joints will soon be on the list lol.. And saggy headliner looks soooo bad regardless if it clears the head or not. Buy the proper material and repair yourself for about $100 (NZD) just don't use spray glue, its hopeless. Redid my BA Turbo DIY and converted all the trim to black, its like a different car.
love your content mate. really good
Thanks mate!