Ford Problems

SINCE we ran the letter relating to paint problems on the Falcon we have had a lot of responses. I'm asking Ford to confirm or deny a recall to correct paint issues.

KEEP the pressure on your dealer and Ford to fix this before it spreads and, you are right to be concerned about what lies beneath the paint that hasn't yet surfaced. The letter below suggests paint quality is shoddy.

YOU'RE right, the Windsor is a great motor, but the love affair with the Cleveland dates back to the early 1970s and racing success of the Falcon GT HO 2 and 3. The Cleveland was a regular Bathurst winner but, unfortunately, the Windsor only made it on to the podium in 1967 in the XR GT. The Windsor's bottom end is renowned for being bulletproof, but the top end performance of the Cleveland made it a racetrack legend.

YOU'VE done your homework on the problem and come up with the answers, but you would need to be a ``roads scholar'' to keep on top of it. Good info, though.

We've had all sorts of fixes for the dreaded rattle. The goo, as you call it, is a common fix.

THERE should be a recall on the Territory to replace the front balljoints. Such wear at 30,000km is an indictment on Ford's engineering standards, testing regimen and quality control. Also, the inconsistent approach by different dealers is incomprehensible.

WE'VE had questions about rust in the Territory, particularly in the engine bay and around the fuel filler, where there is insufficient paint coverage, but your experience suggests it goes beyond these areas.

YOU are not alone. Many people say the Magna/Verada was a good car, but they had an image of it being boring. If Mitsubishi had somehow been able to race it against the Falcon or Commodore it might well have been able to change its reputation.

IT IS common for mechanics to machine the discs about 50,000km, then replace them at 80,000km or so. There was a time when the drums or discs on a car would last the life of the car, but it seems discs have become consumables like pads. Aftermarket disc rotors may be a way around it. They tend to be of a higher quality, but I have no first-hand knowledge of their service life.