Ford Falcon Problems

We have asked Ford for an outlook on the availability of your diff, but so far haven't had a reply. If the diff is being done under warranty then wait it out, but if it's not and you're going to be charged for the diff I would take the car to a diff specialist and have them fix it.

I suggest you telephone some wrecking yards — which are called car dismantlers these days — to see what's around. If any CarsGuide readers can help I will put them in touch. The code for the unit is 3R23-12A650-HH ABU-214.

Ford Australia customer service chief Stephen Kruk replies: "It is an industry known and understood phenomenon if the fuel provider does not have the right pumping equipment for a below-ground or above-ground tank. The basic principle behind being able to refuel LPG vehicles is that the pressure of the LPG at the refuelling station must be higher than the pressure of the LPG in the vehicle tank. We are happy to inspect the customer's vehicle to confirm it is working correctly."

Great to have a real-world explanation from an LPG veteran.

It’s not a myth, it’s the law. It’s also why Ford is stamping a 10-year supply of Falcon and Territory body panels this month in Geelong before closing down that part of its local production operation.

With your budget you're looking at the FG Falcon of around 2009, which is what I would recommend. An FG G6E, the equivalent of the Fairmont in the FG would be slightly above your budget range, but it would be the best choice. To find a Fairmont that fits within your budget constraints you would need to go back to the BFII.

There’s good reason why you should buy the original fitment tyres, after all they were developed by Ford’s engineers to deliver the best compromise of ride and handling for the FG. Against that, some would say that Ford used the cheapest tyre they could find that gave them the ride and handling they wanted. But you know what the original fitment tyres were like; if you buy other tyres you don’t know what you’re going to get.

There are some limited-edition cars in the pipeline and I'd go for one of those with the special equipment. But keep in touch with a friendly dealer and don't delay, as they are likely to sell out and — as we've seen with the rundown of Falcon production — the factory numbers have to be set early.

Most of the issues were problems with the BA-BF Falcon, but there were few specific problems relating to the F6 Typhoon. Perhaps the main one is a problem with the auto trans cooler, which can fail and allow transmission oil to mix with coolant and damage the transmission. Other than that look for signs of the car being thrashed, go for one that has been looked after.