Superoo

Fair enough mate - for what it's worth, I think you are asking the questions at the right time. If you decide to stick to what's legal, you'll have no issues, can drive around without any worries and then you can look at a T once you're off the P's. You may even be able to get into an FG by then!

The laws in Victoria have changed for P platers but the XR6T is not allowable regardless of when you got you P's. It sounds like you already have one - did you check up on this stuff first? Maybe I'm getting old but stuffed if I know how you guys buy these things and then ask questions later. I'd be worried about insurance, rego issues and then the ongoing "dont drive in area's that will bring to much attention to yourself". Where are these by the way? I understand the temptation to get into a T. You need to decide on whether it's worth all the hassles but just remember, sometimes on the road sh*t just happens. I'd be more comfortable knowing I'm not going to have anyone pull my insurance out from under me when I was knowingly doing something wrong. Good luck and keep the car straight!

Correct me if I'm wrong but the FG claims an auto adjusting handbrake if I'm not mistaken. Is the underlying design the same as BA/BF? I don't think I could stand forking out for an FG and hearing the dreaded SHH SHH....

Yeah it was a loud bitch believe me.... If this turns out to be my $%&@# handbrake again, I'm going to remove it and carry a bloody house brick in my boot for steep hills I'm thinking of upgrading to an FG before the V6 happens and I swear I won't buy it until they write into the contract I get free handbrake services for the life of the vehicle for any stupid noises.

Had my brake fluid replaced today and after driving about 5 kays from the dealer, started to get a bad rotational vibration from what felt like the back end. I was sure I had a puncture but tyres were fine. Kept driving and on 2 more occasions before getting home again had this really bad vibration when coasting at 60-80 kays. On getting out of the car I immediately noticed a bad burning type smell and traced it to the right rear wheel arch. Any ideas?? My best guess is that the caliper may be getting jammed and shoving the pad onto the disk due to a dodgy brake line bleed thus causing the vibration. I'm taking it back first thing in the morning but would like some opinions beforehand... Thanks guys.

The handbrake, the handbrake and the handbrake are common issues. Did I mention the handbrake?

Thanks to the careless idiot in the Thomastown Bunnings carpark earlier today, looks like I'll be giving John a call shortly. Almost made it to 5 years without a carpark mishap so I guess it was bound to happen. I was only in there for 10 bloody minutes!

I try and go to the car wash outside peak times and use a bucket and mitt. Only use their water for rinsing. Signs say no bucket washing but I've never had a problem. If they say anything, I'll just go elsewhere before using their rotten broom to wash my cars.

Agree re servicing the tranny. Ford don't have it as part of their servicing schedules as it's not deemed mandatory (and more to the point, fleets don't want to have to pay more). I think every 50K is a good idea. As for limp mode, could be anything. Mine has done it once in 113K (oxygen sensor reported a fault) and never did it again. Wouldn't bother too much about it unless it keeps happening.

Does you SSS mode still work? Get someone to check the wiring loom into the auto. Mine went faulty and the auto was being fed a load of incorrect signals causing it to feel like it was disengaging mid gear and then banging back into gear. It only did it when accelerating and seemed OK just cruising. I was convinced the auto was slipping and was bracing for a rebuild but thankfully not to be. Interesting you say it happened after it was serviced. Mine also started doing as described above after a service. My car is a stock 03 auto with 112K on it. Good Luck.

Another vote for the torque converter. It does feel like a gearchange.

How much approximately are a set of Bilstein shocks fitted?

How come every at fault party in these incidents always seems to have no insurance but know "my cousins' best mates dad" the panelbeater? I prob would have gone insurance but I think you did the right thing not taking her up on her offer of her panelbeater aquaintance.

To be honest, I couldn't care less what you do with your money so you are correct - how people finance their money is their choice. Someone asked for some advice and I gave the best I could based on my own experience. I'm still struggling to see how what I said was stereotypical. That young people generally don't have money? Unfortunately, that's just reality for most. if you are different, then good luck to you but that doesn't change my opinion or make me jealous. In my case, I could have bought the car I really wanted when I was 21 but decided to wait and am happy that my compensation was a roof over my head (and my T purchased years later in the garage). Hopefully you are one of the minority who have all the financial knowledge you'll ever need at a young age. I didn't. Two things I will say though. Firstly, cars are one of the biggest financial pitfalls you will ever become involved in. Ask any accountant/ financial planner - they hate them. You must balance this fact with the emotional factor involved in purchasing a car. If you can justify the cost to satisfy the car you want rather than the one you need - then great. Secondly, when you buy your house, ask yourself how much less you could have borrowed had you bought a more economical car first.

AEC, do you ever want to own a home or are you one of the lucky ones sitting on a goldmine? If cash is not in abundance, buy something reliable, safe and cheap to run for now and enjoy not worrying about the cops pulling you up all the time (not to mention insurance worries etc). Put the cash you saved into a fund and make a call in 3-4 years time. Even if you have the cash, you have to ask yourself if you'd be comfortable taking the risk. I think you have worked out the risk factor yourself anyway. Good luck with the decision.

Care to mention the dealer? Based on your comments, I think you are one of the fortunate ones who have never had any issues with a noisy handbrake, rather than your dealer being a genius. I have had my handbrake adjusted by 2 dealers and a third party and the same stupid rubbing noise persists. Ford even applied a TSB that was released for the exact problem and it still is no good. Happy to try someone else though.....

I've had a couple of instances where the car runs like a dog after starting. The engine light comes on and needs to be switched off. Starting it again clears the issue. I'd check for any codes pointing to incorrect VCT operation.

Ford service - I love it. Got quoted $1300 to change front and rear rotors & pads all round with genuine parts. Paid less to get DBA4000 slotted disks, Bendix Ultimate pads and steel braided lines all fitted. As for handbrake adjustments - I throw out a challenge. I'll happily pay any dealer $250 to adjust my handbrake on the following conditions: 1) The handbrake must actually work. 2) No more stupid SHH SHH noise at low speeds or other strange groaning sounds when reversing for a period of 6 months.

Had the transmission flushed at the last service and the first time I drove the car in SSS manual mode, noticed the 3-4 shift now seems to flare a little under partial throttle. The revs rise around 500-600 rpm after the shift then settle down again. Haven't noticed it under normal shifting. Other shifts seem fine. Any ideas as to possible causes? I've read that incorrect fluid levels may be a possibility....

Sounds like your car went into limp mode. Mine has done this once in in 4 years and as you said, shut it off, turn it back on and all is OK. That was a year ago. Mine was caused by a bad reading from the oxygen sensor. Dealer cleared the fault and that was it. Wouldn't worry unless it keeps happening and probably doesn't mean there is a trans problem.

Is that for genuine Ford BF discs or aftermarket? What does the "kit" include? Thanks.

Anyone have an estimate on what the BA-BF brake upgrade would cost? I don't do track work so maybe the standard slotted would be sufficient. As usual, it all comes down to the dollar.

I am due to change the brakes on my 03 T and am looking at a couple of options. I had the original front rotors changed under warranty at 66K due to consistent shudder (no complaints there) but Ford's new pad that "fix" the shudder have torn through the new rotors and left me with an inch thick worth of brake dust. Aftermarket it is then.. My first option is to replace the standard rotors with the equivalent sized DBA4000 slotted & new pads. Second option is to replace the standard rotors with the BF equivalent sized DBA4000's but I think this will also require a caliper change. Does anyone have any experience comparing the BF and BA brake setup? Is the additional cost of going to the BF setup worth it? I've read a few threads on which is the best all round pad but there seems to be a heap of different opinions. Happy to hear a few more before I end up asking DBA for their opinion. Thanks.

I think the premos are 325 x 32, the BF standard brakes are 322 x 28. Rears are also larger on BF. Standard BA fronts are 298 x 28. I'm about to change my stock BA's so looking at the BF setup in slotted DBA4000's. Hopefully won't be too painful.

Hopefully you'll never need to find out if the insurance rep is full of it...heard of insurance companies not paying out for far less reason than you shouldn't legally be driving the car. Hopefully the insurance companies don't start looking at the T's as the new VL's. As if they need another reason to charge higher premiums.