rockafellqeinstien

I have lived on the hawksbury river on and off for the last 7 years and no road access which means boat every day rain hail or shine. The best advise I can giive you is to get a yamaha 4 stroke motor (efi in the range your looking at). Reliability is the best and economy is also the best. If you go to any water access only comunity you will notice that almost every one uses yami's and there is a reason for this (even people on the dole find the $$$ for a yammi). as for a boat, I upgraded about 12 months ago to a 5.4 (I think) twinfisher. best move I ever made. sure they don't look fancy but they are big and stable and strong (I hit a submerged log that would have punched through a glass boat and all I got was a dent). I would also go the bow rider version as it makes the front of the boat alot more usable and enjoyable. I could never go back to a single hull after the twin (I have a 60hp yammi but should have gone 90hp - it only uses 1 motor not 2). The only problem is that is not quite as fast as other boats although it sits at 20mph at 4200 rpm with 4 blokes in it - but its super smooth and relaxing - I know it sounds like an advertisment but it is that good. I think I paid a bit over 30k brand new with 60hp efi and canopy (no trailer) from independant outboards in blacktown who were good (cant say anything about after sales service as it has over 300hrs and no problems). I think they can take you for a ride if you want when they test the boats. anyways - my 2 c (but seriously get the yamaha engine)

I should have taken a video because I am sure you will doubt the authenticity of this but scouts honour its the truth. FG xr6t ute m6 18" wheels. only mod is a hot dog replaced the centre muffler. coffs harbour - newcastle = 7.8L/100 / AVG km/h 87kmh the key to this was staying under 100km/h which wasn’t hard with all the road works. After I got sick of driving so slow I put the foot down from newcastle to sydney (120-130kmh) and the avg lifted to 8.5l/100. pretty happy really - saw the dist to empty say over 900km after I filled up. around town I get 12's with a couple of squirts here and there.

That sounds like fun spooner, The running in period kept me under control to an extent but now with 4k on the clock I am starting to have a bit of fun and I really should get to a track. Always wanted to have a go at motorkahna- might be a good time now. - I did a search and couldn't find mention of it in this site - do you know if the guys have ever run one?

I promised myself I would post as soon as I got my Ute (that was 5 weeks ago) but I have more fun driving it than writing about it and after 5 weeks the feedback should be more meaningful (excuses excuses). White xr6t ute m6 lux pack with wheels downgraded to 18" The good. *Fuel Economy: I can get in the 10L/100 driving mainly Windsor rd to and from work with a bit of city driving IF (a big IF) I can feather that accelerator. but even then I rarely see the avg over 13. *Power: wow!! sure 270kw is good- as it is in the VE SS - but that low down torque is awesome, overtaking in 4th gives a sensation that isn't attainable in the v8's (and I love v8s). Mine also squirms in second if using 98ron (just rolling on it) must be karma repaying all the nice things I do *Interior: Get the luxury pack!!!!!! it is worth it (negotiate and its almost free anyway) Stereo is great even in the ute. The leather seams to stiffen up the seats a bit (compared to cloth). It does feel bigger inside than the ve ss. The dash and cluster is also a big leap forward. *Handling: for a ute it is great - the back does skip a bit over bumps - its not uncomfortable just a bit livly - I like it better than the better planted sedan. it is also more predictable than the sedan and the comment in BFYB this year that said it was understeery , not true, not at anything under 160kmh from what I can tell. Fact is, it is a very playful car which you could spend alot of time looking out the side window if your that way inclined (only on a private rd of course). LSD is a must on these turbo's (poor g6et) * The tray is big step up with the tonneau cover and clips. the bad: *no auto down on windows *cup holders in the way of gear stick *no glove box lock *slight thrust bearing noise (I think) not bad enough to you. *driveline/diff backlash (I think) - not to bad and easy to drive around *Still axel tramps in a straight line in the wet. (no problems sideways ) *front mud spats bottom out alot side notes: *Play with your tyre pressures as they change the car to suit your style. *had a bad washer on the oil pressure sender which was fixed at 3000km (was leaking on the garage floor) *remove centre muffler as it's toooooo quiet. My centre hotdog is still too quiet. *18" are fine for the worst roads in Australia (I live on the worst) 19" not so good for rough stuff. Basically an awesome car that feels much more agile than it should and goes like stink or just cruise in comfort!!! oh yeah, and I can cary gyprock cement timber motorbikes kayaks and sleep in the back. now time to enjoy my 40 minute drive home. BTW: Ford should pay everyone on this forum a commission because it was your posts that pressured me into the “right” decision.

After having the fg xr6t ute for about 5 weeks now I had to do something about the exhaust noise (or lack of). I live on acres in a vally with only 2 other neighbours and I leave very early - so it couldn't be to loud, I opted for 2 hotdogs to replace the centre mufler. Booked into castle hill exhaust (saw them on LS1 forum) and once on the hoist discovered they are now single 3" to the centre muffler and the 2x2.25 out of the mufler for the rest. Anyways I got a 3"hotdog for $200 installed (same as it would have been for the 2x 2.25 hotdogs). that's just cut and welded in (they had to do the 1 into 2 and a few bends). This basically makes it sound like it should of from the factory, a slight note - no drone and a little louder (almost enough to cover up the slight thrust bearing noise from the m6). But basically still very quiet. If it wasn't for the fact I dont want to piss off my neighbours (800metre driveway at a 1/4 grade) at 5am I would recomend the straight pipe as the hotdog is to quiet - unless you are too old . But seriously - save the bucks and get a (now) single 3" straight pipe - although I am yet to hear one in an fg. See pictures (dodgy camera phone) below.

Those presures are reasuring. I have been running 40 front and 38 rear in fg xr6t ute and thought maybe I shouldn't but it feels alot better on the straights and curves, I thought I might have wear problems, but on previous cars those presures were fine. The presures totaly changes the car feel. Meow if feels all nimbly bimby and much more enjoyable (if a tiny bit more bumpy). and it will help save those rims .

On a slightly rtelated topic, I drove a EB II that wasn't speed limited but had the one piece driveshaft and lets just say at a bit over 200kmh certain seals let go and transmision fluid went all over exhaust. result = lots of smoke= bad. This was done in the NT in the good old days. I guess there is a reason for speed limiters

Could also check your wheel nuts - I know of a skyline that made a similar noise (like a rock in tyre clicking) because of incorectly torqued wheel nuts

You know when you are young and you have to push the limits and find out the hardway what is too far? Well I Found out 227kph in a 110 kph zone was too far (Bet you didn't think v6 statesman could go that fast). 12 months and $1000 fine - but would have been longer/expensive if not for the fact they forgot to bring my driving record to the court case (only had 1 point left). Clean for 4 years now - there's a time and place for everything + the money I save in fines helped me buy the xr6t

Regarding the kick down - my understanding (from driving a zf 3v v8) was that you accelerate at wot without depressing the kickdown switch under the accelerator (ie not flat to the floor) but if you need kickdown quickly you push a bit harder and depress the kickdown button - throttle is still 100% either way - . regarding the spin up in 1st or second, I have heard a few people being negative about this - and it bugs me a bit - I would rather have the excess power and have the challenge of controlling it. what are the alternatives: 1)taller first gear (wouldnt help as it does it in second anyway) 2) limit power/boost in first and second = gay 3)fit bigger rear boots - probably the best option but still kills the fun to an extent. I just cant comprehend how to much power can be seen as a negative but that's just me (I personally love spinning second in my new fgt ute (m6) - puts a smile on my dial every time (always on a private road with ambulance on standby etc etc Only three negatives with the new FG - no auto power down on drivers windows - cup holders - and the latch to move the seat forward in the utes - And to quote Cpt Ed Murphy - "I don't give a f%^k" - the car is great

All Very Nice, I picked up mine on Friday and it's awsome. White M6 XR6t Ute with luxury pack (18' wheels) . So glad I got the manual - probably not as fast over 400m but the feel from in gear acceleration doesn't compare with the Auto. The torque is awsome, overtaking in 4th is amazing. I have noticed that sometimes I get more/les power than usual. ie accelerating (roll on the gas in second) on the same bit of road at WOT it might spin (in second remember) and feel faster than other times when it doesn't spin (and feels slightly less fast). This might go some way to explaining the varied performance times. Grip in crap conditions is great below 1400 rpm (like icy driveways and wet fields). Dirt road grip is also fantastic and while corregations may upset the rear, but not any more than other cars. Economy is as I'd hoped for. less than 9l/100 avg from Colo - castle hill which includes fairly steep hills and bends. Currently at 12.5 l/100 and that is giving it stick - alot. If I drove the same way in the 5.4 v8 3v I would be expecting over 20 l/100 interior is vely nice. Premium stereo is awsome to use and sound is good (heard some bad reports but mine is great) 6 mp3 cd's = over 1000 songs. and all the settings you can change is also good. Cabin space is huge and bigger than the SS ute - You can fit a 6'5 130kg bloke behind the seats (just ask how I know). Although the arial is not to every ones liking, it certainly works (I live in a marginal area and some cars can't get reception at all) but it was clear as. The centre dash trip computer is also a big step up - helps to keep inst and avg fuel consumption on as it makes me drive "nicer" Only problems are no auto down on windows and the steering wheel could go higher (I'm 6'4). Ehaust could be louder but at least I dont piss the neighbours off at 5am. basically I am one happy camper. only 1/2 hour until I get to drive home - yay

Those are both good prices, did you negotiate that yourself or was it through fleet of some sort. I paid about the same (little more) and none of the private fleet companies could come close to it. which made me feel good.

As a generalisation, I would be looking for 10% off rrp which is pretty damn good. ie - price up on the ford website and then get 10% off (you still have to pay for onroads). basically you should get drive away with a few options for the ford rrp. helps to have an abn (but business reg costs more)

Congrats on the new car - I am waiting on my my xr6t Ute white M6 LP from castle hill ford also (they have been great to deal with - although it wasn't that hard a sell job) - find out today an updated delivery time. Having driven a Ghia v8 BFII without LSD before the ute - It did start to bug me . without traction control if it kicked back to first it would simply light up the inside wheel even in a straight line and corners could become unpridictable under power. The xr6 T with LSD will just get down an boogy in a straight line (although fun can be had with a flick of the wheel). Personal preference I guess but they should really give the option of an LSD in the GE6t. (hell, it was standard on the EL Ghia with a NA 6).