AUIIIXR6VCT

Well after driving the family BA last friday, on a reasonably long trip all I can say is, once these cars start to open up, they absolutly FLY!!!!!!!!!

Id have to say that this car would come close to flogging an AU2 XR8 200 KW. The kickdown power is unbelievable.

Anyways there is this noise in the rear end when you drop it/plant it. Last time it had a service (a week ago) at 10 000 kms the dealer said they tightened up the suspension??????? Anyone else had this problem, because its really annoying.

Otherwise shes pretty good, steering seams to tramline alot(dunno if its shit tyres or what).

Fuel economy is pretty bad at 15.7l/100, but who cares when the company has to pay for it.

Still has the squeaky brakes but now they no longer shutter.

All i can say is this car absolutely flogs my AUIII VCT!!!!!!!!

snavy

what model is the BA?

flagship042

The local ford dealer gave me a brand new BA Xt (39K's on the clock) while they fit a new engine (52000K's and under warranty) to my AuII Fairmont Ghia.
Was suprised at how much harder it went than the Ghia with the VCT engine. Sh!ts all over it.
Have also noticed the tramlining, but only when I've had it wound up.
Impressions after 500K's. Didn't like the gear stick intially,thought it felt cheap and nasty. Miss the footrest. Interior looks nice, but perhaps a little bland in some areas. Like the slush box and using the sports shift, although I'm sure the novelty would wear off in time.
Engine has plenty of go and the car drives and handles smoothly although the steering feels a little heavier than the Au, but no less precise (I prefer the feel of the Au's front end).
Yep, I'd have it parked in my drive, however I think I'd plump for the XR6T. What a blast that'd be!
Just as an aside to the above. I got the BA on the 6th of June and noted it was plated 12/02. Suprised it's been sitting around for 6 months with as, yet no home to go too. The dealer also has two other BA's plated 12/02. I just thought the way the BA has been selling they would have moved them buy now. Maybe after 8 months down the track from it's release a bit of the shine has worn off due to delivery/supply issues and some problems in the quality control area.

AUForte

Oh Dear! May I ask what exactly was wrong with it that required it to be replaced?

__________________
Dual Fuel 10/98 AU1 Forte

AUIIIXR6VCT

its a Futura with factory fitted 17's, sports IRS and side airbags.

flagship042

The dealer told me there was a manufacturing fault with the crankshaft. When the crank journal was drilled for the oil to run through, they evidently started drilling in the wrong place (then correctly finished the job in the right place) and this ripped out the bearing cap. Sounds like a load of sh!t to me as the engine has never been pulled down to physically make an inspection of the crankshaft.
I assume that Ford have issued a service bulletin of some sort to the dealers, to advise that vehicles with such and such a sido number may have a problem with the engine. If this is the case, it should have taken them 5 minutes to compare numbers and not the nearly five working days that it took them, to identify the problem.
The engine makes (or made) a tappity tap noise at about 2500RPM. This tapping sound was at valve speed and not engine speed and sounded exactly like a noisy tappet/lifter. I told the dealer I suspected the problem was in the valve train and was suprised to be informed (intially they said a bearing, then they come up with the faulty crank line) that they suspected the problem was in the bottom end of the motor.
I'm not ungrateful, as afterall, I'm getting a new engine at no cost to me and I've been supplied with a brand new BA until the problem is fixed. It's just that it's taken 3 weeks to get this far (not including 2 previous trips to the dealer to identify the problem - and it wasn't on either occasion) and I feel a bit like a mushroom, shovelled sh!t and kept in the dark. Oh yeh, Ford also sent (allegedly) the lower spec engine, not the VCT engine and this also held procedings up. I'm supposed to get the vehicle back today (tues). Here's hoping.
Some of the people that visit this forum would have an intimate insight into how things are done at the dealers (and Ford itself I suppose) I just wondered if what I've been told, sounds ridgy didge?