Ford Problems

IT SOUNDS like a wonderful car, one any early Falcon enthusiast would love. From your description, and the fact it was owned by a Ford employee before your father, it could be a special-build car, which makes it hard to put a fair value on it.  An XY Fairmont is worth $25,000-$35,000 depending on the options and condition. A Fairmont GS is highly prized and worth $45,000-$55,000. Yours appears to be an optioned-up Fairmont, and I believe it could be worth $35,000-$45,000. I understand your frustration at being asked if you want to sell it every time you take it out; a have the same feeling every time I drive my XW GT HO.

IT IS great that you are getting a good run and I hope it continues, but other owners have had brake hose failures on Territorys and Falcons. Even the advice that it is not a common problem suggests that whoever gave you the advice knows of the problem.

BEFORE I changed the transmission I'd be carefully checking the whole driveline because it's not only the tailshaft balance that could be the problem. It could be the driveline angles that are out. It could also be the transmission mount -- all manner of things. The problem with our large cars is that the tailshaft is a long, heavy component that's very hard to balance.

THE Jackaroo should be OK, but I'd look at a Pajero, which I think would be a better choice. As for the Falcon, the cars you are looking at have to be seen in isolation because of their age and kilometres. The Falcons are generally tough, but are known to have problems with radiators and head gaskets. At that number of kilometres I'd have the auto transmission carefully checked, particularly if you intend to tow.

THE mileage is low to be having a major engine problem, unless the car hasn't been regularly serviced. I would get a second opinion before replacing the engine -- it probably would be cheaper to replace it than rebuild it, but I would have the diagnosis confirmed first. If I replaced it, I would keep the car.

IT WAS wrong you weren't told the tonneau wasn't covered by the factory warranty if that's the case, though I doubt Ford would sell a product on a new car that wasn't covered. I suggest you follow Ford's suggestion and see the dealer from whom you bought the car and have them both fix it and explain their poor communication.

A little over eight seconds for the 0-100km/h dash and the high-15s for the quarter-mile.

THE Courier is fundamentally sound, so you should concentrate on things such as condition, odometer reading, and signs of bush bashing or having been crashed.

The Mazda dealer is having a lend of you. The differences are mostly cosmetic and the engines are the same. Both come from Thailand, both were designed by Mazda. As for the dealer I would normally say avoid the Ford dealer because Ford's treatment of its customers, at dealer level and at company level, is appalling, but to say that would be unfair to those Ford dealers who do try to look after customers, and there are some out there. Clearly the Ford dealer is a better option for you so I would check with people who have dealt with that dealer and make your decision based on what they tell you.

I HAVE driven several E-Gas Falcons from Ford and have observed the vibration you talk about in at least one of them, a one-tonne cab-chassis. My reading of the vibration was that it was definitely driveline-related and I would have had the tailshaft checked if it was my car. You could have the driveline inspected by an independent mechanic, but that will cost you money, so I would keep up the pressure on Ford.