Used Ford Falcon review: 2005-2007

Which is the better car, Falcon or Holden, has long been a point of contention at the pub. It's no different today when brand loyalties remain strong.

One of the main measures of the cars has been their performance, and from a Ford perspective the XR6 is the mainstream performance model. The Falcon GT might be the blue oval's flagbearer, but it's the XR6 that flies the flag for the average man in everyday traffic.

The XR6 has been a winner for Ford almost from the moment it was first introduced in 1992 with the EB Falcon. Today, it's the XR6 that spells Ford performance, as much as any model in its range, it's the affordable performance car for the masses.

The BF XR6 continued the theme when it was introduced in 2005. It was the sporty variant of the Falcon family taxi; the special model dads could aspire to without upsetting the balance at home. Power came from a smooth and refined 4.0-litre double overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder and variable cam timing that punched out 190 kW and 383 Nm. With that sort of output the XR6 had plenty of punch.

The standard transmission option was a four-speed sports-shift auto, but it was the new six-speed auto that was the talking point of the new car. For anyone still wanting to change gears themselves there was an optional six-speed manual gearbox as well. Ford's engineers had done a good job in sorting the chassis, and the XR6 had a nicely balanced feel on the road without adversely affecting the ride.

Inside, the cabin was comfortable and roomy, and well laid-out with all controls sensibly placed for easy use.

In the shop

Build quality was a concern with the BA model that preceded the BF, and while the BF was built to a higher standard than the earlier model quality was still an issue. The BFII, however, was a much better built car and is by far the better used car choice.

The BF had the oil cooler for the automatic transmission in the radiator and it was prone to fracturing, and when that happened coolant would enter the transmission and result in transmission failure. The cooler was moved on the BFII and was no longer in the radiator and the problem was fixed. Both models suffered from failure of the diff mounts, so listen for clunks from the rear end that could indicate the diff mounts need replacing.

The diffs themselves could also be a problem, particularly when cars were driven hard, but diff specialists have developed aftermarket fixes that make the diff a more durable unit. There's not much that goes wrong with the Falcon's big six, but look for oil leaks that might affect roadworthiness. The discs are also known to warp and regularly require replacing. A pulsating brake pedal is usually a reliable sign that the rotors are warped.

Some mechanics will skim rotors to extend their life, but that's only putting off the inevitable for a short time. Expect 50,000-60,000 km from a set of disc rotors. Go over all the systems in the car, the air-conditioning, cruise, sound, power windows etc, to confirm they're working. Check for a service record to make sure your potential purchase has seen the inside of a service workshop as it needs to.

In a crash

The BF and BFII was quite well equipped to handle a crash. It was a bag car to start with, which meant it had mass on its side when it came to a crunch. It also had dual front airbags, ABS brakes and traction control that added to its crash performance.

Under the pump

The BF/BFII Falcon was a big lump of a car and that was shown at the pump. Despite the improvements Ford had made to its engine there's no escaping its size. Ford claimed it would average 10-11 L/100 km on regular unleaded petrol. The actual outcome depends heavily on the pressure applied to the throttle pedal.