xbgs351

I have had my BA utility for 18 months and have done 58,000km. I optioned it with a manual and a LSD.

Upon delivery I drove straight to a tyre shop to get some decent tyres for it. When I tried to leave the tyre shop the car wouldn't start. Great first impression.

Next I noticed that the keys dangled onto my leg. This is very anoying. I also found that when I changed gears, I would often change the climate settings with my knuckles.

Trying to let a passenger in is also a pain. You have to press the door unlock button on the dash twice. Hence I always lean over and open the door manually.

Driving it on country roads I soon found out that it was not designed with high speed handling in mind.

After a while I got used to these anoying features, but then other problems presented themselves.

Brake shudder
Gearshift boot fell to pieces
Cracked console
Passenger door would not stay closed
Power windows buttons sticking
Leaking water pump
Diff noises when hot
Brake shudder return
New gearshift boot fell to pieces
Ford badge fell off
Tonneau lock brock in half
Fuse panel broke when using bonnet release
Spare wheel mechanism jammed with tyre 80% lifted
Unable to lock passenger side door

What really irks me is that a lot of these problems are not covered by warranty. By Ford not replacing these parts (that are often not very expensive), they are losing a repeat customer and gaining bad word of mouth publicity.

I really expect more from a new car. I never had this many problems with my HT Kingswood and I did half a million kilometres in that. Similar story with my XB, although I have done a lot less mileage with her.

beefster1

buy a holden

xbgs351

From what I have heard, they are worse.

beefster1

i think that all new cars today r rubbish plastik looking and put together in a quick fashion we live in a society dominated by the dollar and mass turn out untill this method is stopped in its tracks ,products will get worse remember cars r built these days with profit on the mind first and foremost as rule NO1 soon ford will be made in china too wait and see i am going to find my self a kingswood and look after it like if its new that way it will last to the day i die i am never buying a new car agian unless i am promised 10 years warranty on everything on the vechicle and a courtsey car while they fix any warranty work is carriaed out **** em all motor companys want is our hard earned money and there give us polished plastik in return for it **** that no more

SPALDING GREEN

How many of these things are not covered under warranty?

xbgs351

Breakages are not covered. ie console, badge, lock, fuse panel. When something has broken because it is a poor design, I don't see why I should have to pay for it.

BigAl

I have an 03 Fairmont , brakes have been in 4 times with break shudder discs wont take another skim so new discs when the shudder comes back, traction control comes on when it shouldnt, power steering pump is noisy , cruise control has played up, couple of coolant leakes, airbag light problems, apart from that the car is OK , heavy on fuel around city, drove to QLand and got 720 ks per tank. I had a Lantra with 210,000 ks on it with less problems.

RED_EL_XR8

<--- Get a BRAIN !

Next I noticed that the keys dangled onto my leg. This is very anoying. I also found that when I changed gears, I would often change the climate settings with my knuckles.

Trying to let a passenger in is also a pain. You have to press the door unlock button on the dash twice. Hence I always lean over and open the door manually.

Driving it on country roads I soon found out that it was not designed with high speed handling in mind.

After a while I got used to these anoying features, but then other problems presented themselves.

Brake shudder
Gearshift boot fell to pieces
Cracked console
Passenger door would not stay closed
Power windows buttons sticking
Leaking water pump
Diff noises when hot
Brake shudder return
New gearshift boot fell to pieces
Ford badge fell off
Tonneau lock brock in half
Fuse panel broke when using bonnet release
Spare wheel mechanism jammed with tyre 80% lifted
Unable to lock passenger side door

What really irks me is that a lot of these problems are not covered by warranty. By Ford not replacing these parts (that are often not very expensive), they are losing a repeat customer and gaining bad word of mouth publicity.

I really expect more from a new car. I never had this many problems with my HT Kingswood and I did half a million kilometres in that. Similar story with my XB, although I have done a lot less mileage with her. [/QUOTE]

RED_EL_XR8

what I tried to post above.

<--- Get a BRAIN !

None of the other punters have had too much trouble with the tyres supplied, they aren't my ideal choice but they are far from tragic. This is personal choice.

Lose the rabbits foot, the bottle opener, and lose the keys to the last 4 ex-girlfriends flats. A huge bundle of keys doesn't do any favours to an ignition lock either. I'm seen more than a few wrecked this way, not TIBBE lock though. On the other hand you could just adjust the column position.

Read your manual, you can set the opening of passenger doors by keyfob to YOUR preference, your must have changed it as the default is to open all doors. Personally I was glad to finally see this feature on BA one of the only good things I remember from using a VS povvo

Lots ot owners and a lot of well repected motoring journos would agree to differ with you on this. Maybe that tyre chioce/change you made was the best combo for BA on rough roads.

The brake shudder issue is well documented and has been a Falcon weakness for a long time.
The interior trim issues do turn up in some cases, I replaced the auto surround trim which bubbled for no reason, but as a package the trim isn't bad, and with all the banging knuckles and torn gear boots I have to wonder if the driving style would be more at home in the cabin of a Bedford. MY EL interior was better built but nowhere near as refined as the BA trim.

I dont mean to have a go at you, but trying to bloat a fault post with your niggles of personal preference, and your like dislike of the ergonomics doesn't do your cause any favours.

Many of the trim related comments you made would just as easily be made by early Xseries owners about the XA and XB. I'd love some of that early toughness but I would not give up the many improvements in BA for a tough/primative package.

Your fault list looks far too long and should never happen, you embelishment of it with trivial or no-existant issues takes away its credibility. I do hope you can get these issues resolved and ford improves their quality control.

Blocko

I drive an EL ghia, but my folks have a BA and an EF, and personally i think the interiors of the EF/L are better put together than the BA, and less tacky. That said, the BA is otherwise a great car, and i think Ford really had to cut corners with interior build etc to produce it to a low cost