John_

Nice colour the white with the dark rims. The front plate looks banged up have you had the car checked if it's been in major accidents? Ditch the stripes also they make it looks cheapy. I'm always weary of clowns (previous owner or dealer in this case) adding striped to cars. They’re either trying to hide something or have really bad taste. Either way, ditch the stripes, give it a nice polish and the car will look great. A mate bought an 06' BF (leather, premium steering wheel, big brakes, auto, dark argent wheels) with 21,000k 1 owner Bionic in colour from Melbourne for $31,500 about 2 months ago. So you didn't do too badly.

See this is the problem here. Why do most of you all blame the dealers? Did they build the car? These are serious problems. I mean the car needs to be welded for f@#k sake, is that acceptable? Why not get on Ford / FPV's case to improve their build quality instead. How about stop hiring monkeys to build the cars in the first place would be a good start. Australia isn't a third world country; we should be building top quality cars. The Germans can do it; the Japanese can do it, for crying out loud the Koreans are even doing it now. Why the f#$k can't we get our sh*t together and build quality as well. Fixing a car shouldn’t be the norm; it should be the last resort. But as long as Australian built car buyers accept these quality issues as part and parcel of owning a Ford or Expensive Daewoo we will never see improvements. Don't know stupid little puppet jump on here claiming that other manufacturers have the same problems. Bullsh*t! I owned cars from all over the world and with the exception of American built cars nothing comes as close the sh*t build quality of Aussie cars. I can't believe it. Pull the window out to weld parts of the body??? For f@#k something is not right here. Mate I feel for you, if it was me I’d piss the thing off after they fix it. I’ve had a few problems with my FG F6 as well which pisses me off, but if my car needed welding to the body I’d lose it.

Mate you are absolutely spot on. That's what piss me off on most forums you get all these little puppets who wouldn’t know how to change a tyre going on about how their workshop is the best because they have some behemoth drag car that runs bla bla. What they don't realise is these are the workshops that detonate (blow up) most street cars engines and blame it on the fuel and everything else under the sun to get out of fixing what they fu@#ed up in the first place. Ask yourself this when some mug with more dodgy $ than brains goes in there spending a gazillion on a drag car (to race it once, sh*t his pants and then sell it at a bargain price) with shops that constantly take on and love these "waste of money spends", do you think they give a sh*t about a tune or a couple of bolt-on cars or even a regular service? No fu@#$n chance! I've seen it with my own eyes some of the biggest names in the Sydney drag scene treat your average day street cars with contempt, bad installs, bad customer service and just make you wonder how the flying f@#ck they got a good reputation in the first place. I wish I could name names and 100% accurate examples I have seen with my own eyes of so called "top workshops", but I can't for legal reasons. What I will say though is this; in my opinion (and I stress my opinion) any workshops with big fancy drag cars all over the place I'd steer well away from with my street car that's for sure! Unless offcourse you're a bodgey, messy bogan who doesn’t care what condition his ride is in and wouldn’t know the difference between eating a booga or dinning at Tsetuya’s.

As many have said, "functional" BONNET VENTS to help with heat dissipation on the Turbo models. Tested and actually made large enough so that they really do work not just look pretty. Proper boost gauge, oil temp, oil pressure gauges etc incorporated into the console. Make it an option at least on XR models. Better brakes (as standard fit) than whats on the XT models. The XR's should have better brakes! They don't have to be Brembo's (leave them for the FPV's). But they should be much better than your Taxi XT spec cars, this to me is a big joke. Other than that, the cars look fine as they are, ok maybe a delete rear spoiler option with the G6ET lip style rear spoiler. Not a fan of rear wings that do SFA.

Insane pricing, way way way overpriced. I'll say this again, DO NOT PAY A CENT OVER RRP, actually there is enough margin to pay below RRP. Guys read some of the prices threads. You're getting ripped off badly. Don't beleive the price hike BS it's a con to pull the wool over peoples eyes (Ford and dealer marketing ploy, give less and get customers to pay more). Why has there been a price hike? Inflation is falling, the $AUD is getting stronger, labour costs have not increased in the past 2 years, it's all bulloks. I don't care what options you throw in, DO NOT PAY ANYWHERE NEAR $50k for a brand new FG. High 50's dead 60 is F6 territory. Just a week ago a client of mine put in a order for a brand new FG XR6T Auto, Tech pack, Premium Audio, XR mats, in Winter White for $40K Drive Away (and it needs to be built). I still think he could of done a better deal. I can't believe reading anyone would pay close to $50K for a fully loaded XR6T Ute, that's just insane and rip. Buy interstate if no dealer is willing to come to the party. Sad thing is anyone paying $50K for an FG T will be lucky to get $30K in a year’s time if they go to sell it. Sure if they trade it in they might get $35-40 if lucky but the dealer will just inflate the price of the new car and get the money back in the end probably giving you a real figure of $25-28 for your car. Depreciation on these cars is savage something like 40%. Seriously reduce your hit by buying cheaper when new. Before anyone says cars take the hit because people like me negotiate cheaper deals should blame the manufacturers and dealers because they are the ones who f@#k the market up just before a new model is released, by practically giving brand new cars away for free just to clear out old stock. Better stock control by Ford (meaning reduce production towards the end of the models life cycle) would dramatically improve resale and also not piss off customers. In today’s day and age of superior ERP systems there is no excuse for a giant like Ford to not have a handle on stock control, and if they don’t they can give me a call and I will sort out their ERP problems Or do what I say is the best thing all along, f@#k off dealerships and let the manufacturer sell direct. Audi has begun doing this in Australia with great success. I can see the day when all Audis in Aus are sold by Audi not some middle man. Suttons did sell their Audi dealership back to Audi and now Audi are building the biggest dealership in Australia in Roseberry. Dealers are just middle men who offer bad service and nothing more. We don't need them period.

Everyone I know whos rolled a car was being a fu@#en idiot. How do you roll a car (4 times) on a public road at the speed limit without being an idiot? Either that or you can't drive. Sorry I've got no sympathy for speeding pricks who can't drive. More than happy to tell you to your face also. You sound like a "wanna be hard c@#t" with your pathetic comments about sorting out the tow truck driver balh blah blah, got no sympathy for monkeys like you either. Lucky you survived and didn't take out some other innocent driver or family.

Mate I do understand your thinking, but we aren't talking about a service or repair gone wrong by a dealer. It's parts! What are you going to do? Go out and make your own plastic moulds? It's just not acceptable and the fu@#en sad thing is it happens with HSV as well. In 05' I had my brand new VZ GTO all but 1 week when an asian bird ran up the rear end of the car at a set of traffic lights. Rear bar took 6 MONTHS to get here (from Belgium apparently). It was a bloody joke and not acceptable. People have accidents wether it's your fault or not. Parts should be available and kept in stock (I believe for 10 years). These are expensive purchases not 2 week disposable cheap items. It's easier to get parts for imports rather than our local brands. I guess that's what happens when most of the car parts of our Ford's and Holden’s are made overseas anyway.

Why are we dreaming? None of us on the forum have created this in our head. I’m just sharing what I read in Wheels (July issue). As far as dreaming goes the world would be a very boring and bland place. We would still be living in caves playing with sticks instead of our 6 billion kilowatt CnV tuned XR6 Turbo. I understand what you are saying about the current economic climate, but the economy and businesses just don’t stop. Australia has also recently proven to be resilient in avoiding a recession (so far). Who knows what Ford Australia will produce in the near future? Facts remains, the new engine is here (in 5.0L 302ci) for the 2010 Mustang in that states. Ford Australia need a new V8 to meet new emissions and fuel consumption standards at some stage next year. The new engine is modular in design and can be built up to a size of 351ci (5.8L). This is all fact not pie in the sky stuff. Some people just can’t accept change I guess, that things get improved and become better, and their own rides get older. It’s a fact of life. If nothing changed all we would be talking about on forums is Bob’s BA or BF and how he got his new tune with gazillion “theory dyno” kilowatts. I for one prefer to be a “dreamer” and discuss all things including newer, faster and better performing all round models. Yes this also includes the “dream” of the GT-HO returning. As far as HO being the fastest 4 door in the world. That’s debateable, but even if the HO in 71 really did claim that crown it sure wasn’t because Ford Australia intended it, nor did they build it with that in mind. It was built to win one race, Bathurst! So the new car in no way needs to be the fastest four door in the world to have any cred or be well accepted. The Dreamer

Actually I find Wheels to have been pretty accurate in the past, much more so than any other Australian publication even though a lot of them seem to be owned by the same company. I don’t think they just make up sh*t for the sake of it. They have many sources and are well connected in the motoring industry. Remember the car industry needs these mags as much as the mags need the cars. As for the 285kW XR8 going backwards? I’m not so sure about that. The engine will be at least 100kg lighter if not more than the current BOSS. Also being direct injection should offer a better spread of torque with improved fuel economy. There is also talk of Ford wanting to make the cars lighter. Less power doesn’t always equate to less performance. I think it’s a smart move. The coyote is going to be a true performance V8 engine, not some “bitsa” just slapped together over night from truck parts. Interesting to see what happens next year with the Ford V8 line up.

It's 351ci 5.8L (engine size, not power output). Power output will be dead on 350kW for the HO and 335kW for the GT. Both N/A, no forced induction. The XR8 will use the 302ci 5.0L version producing 285kW. All engines are based on the Coyote design. Wheels article brief on the GT-HO here

Just read the latest issue of Wheels (July 09) with the FG GT-HO on the cover. Interesting read about where Ford might be heading with the new V8. In it the article states following specs: XR8 – 5.0L – 285kW – 515Nm – Redline 6500rpm GT – 5.8L (351ci) – 335kW – 580Nm – Redline 6700rpm GT HO – 5.8L (351ci) – 350kW – 600Nm – Redline 6700rpm The new 351ci Coyote engine will be lighter than the outgoing BOSS engine. Coyote 5.8L (351) 225kg BOSS 5.4L 330kg HSV LS3 6.2L 208kg An interesting figure Wheels derived was the change in power-to-weight ratio for the GT with the Coyote 5.8L 335kW engine. Power-to-weight will improve to 191kW/tonne (that’s up 21kW/tonne on the current GT). Now this is the cool bit. That’s not far off the W427 200kW/tonne and if they can keep the weight down on the HO (350kW) then is should have (in theory) a better power-to-weight ratio than the $160K W427. Awesome if Ford / FPV can achieve this. This would certainly put the HO back on the map. If they can keep the car (HO) under that $100K psychological barrier, I think it will be quite a hit for the type of performance you will get. I for one would love it. Ditch the GT-P (never liked the P bit). Allow people to option a GT to P specs if they want like in the good old days when you could spec out a car the way you wanted and everyone had a slightly different build sheet but the name of the car was the same. GT! I also like the fact that FPV’s will be 351 V8 over the XR8’s 302 V8. Modern tech engines, with a connection to Ford’s V8 heritage from the past. I for one would definitely consider a GT or even a HO if the above comes to fruition. Wheels speculates according to its sources that we will see the new XR8 and GT engines later next year 2010 and expect to see the HO to make its debut May 2011 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the XY GT HO Phase 3. What do you think guys? How does a GT and GT HO with a 351 (5.8L) with the above performance sound to you? Is this the kind of thing Ford fans would want to see? (There is also mention of Ford’s ‘Bobcat’ Twin Turbo 5.0L V8 engine designed for truck applications. Running on a mixture of 85% petrol and 15% ethanol. Making 373kW and 1000Nm. I still prefer the 5.8L 351 N/A engine. There is something sweet about being able to own a new 351 again.)

I'd say 325kw for the GT and GTP and 375kw (S/C) for the GTHO. But I do believe the HO needs to smash the W427. So maybe 400kw+ say around 550hp would be nice. I know it's not all about power, handling, breaking etc are just as important. I just think the target market who would buy this car and also as a marketing exercise the car needs some HP cred. 550hp would give the GTHO that, and would even quieten down the harshest critics. But probably unfortunately for Ford I guess Expensive Daewoo can trump them with an LS9 600hp limited edition special if they wanted too. Sure they wouldn’t sell many but it's there if they need to use it. Expensive Daewoo can thank the Corvette ZR1 program in the Sates for that. If they did release an LS9 Late model camira it would sure piss off and destroy the values of current W427 owners that’s for sure. Maybe 375kw can be enough if they use some lighter materials and actually take some weight out o the car giving it a far superior power to weight to any other 4 door family sedan in the world? Who knows? It's all speculation at the moment. But FPV do need a halo car like the HO.

I do understand the feeling but it's not "instant torque", its instant throttle response you're talking about. The instant throttle response of a naturally aspirated V8 over the rush of the turbo engine (with ever so slight turbo lag) is what you miss. When it comes to torque nothing Expensive Daewoo makes comes close to an instant 533nm from 2000rpm.

I like this thread. I’ve got a small collection of cars (currently looking for a low k Aus delivered R32 GT-R for the right price too add). Some of the more recent cars I’ve owned and sold in the last few years are 05’ STi, 06’ STi, 944 Turbo (7 years ago), 04’ Monaro, 05’ HSV GTO, Supra TT, Golf GTI. Unlike most on the forum, I test drove many new XR6T’s and F6’s pre FG and was unimpressed with the performance. I was disappointed and couldn’t understand all the hype. I honestly believed the HSV’s at the time (VZ) were faster and felt faster. Maybe I test drove duds, I don’t know. The FG F6 changed my mind completely though. Back on topic. It comes down to how you will be using the car. Speaking from experience if it’s going to be a daily driver I would stay away from things like STi’s, EVO’s, GT-R’s and anything really that will attract stupid attention. I guess this comes down to an age thing as well. Personally the car I drive every day I want it to be fast and smooth, comfortable on short and long trips and not draw too much attention from 18 year olds wanting to race you at every set of traffic lights. Sports cars are great, on a track, on b grade roads for short stints, and well to pose. But in every day traffic not such a good decision. I was a 944 Turbo owner for years, great car, but parts are expensive and they do break. They're just too old now for every day use. GT-R’s are about the same. Anyone clamming an R34 is supple enough for daily use is kidding themselves and hasn’t driven one. I met a guy a week ago who just took delivery of his Aus R35 GT-R and told me it’s definitely NOT a daily driver (and this is the brand new R35). He’s already tracked it a few times and this is why he purchased the car. He drives 3 series every day and leaves the R35 for track and hill climb duties when he wants his motorsport fix. My advice, if you need a four door and need to carry larger adults go the XR6T. If you want better fuel economy and can make do with a smaller size car go the Mazda 3 MPS, Golf GTI or Renault Megane RS. If you prefer something even smaller but loads of fun with amazing fuel economy go Clio RS (wait for the udated 200HP version) or Peugeot GTI. Now these are pretty much all under $45K, new, will provide more than enough thrills, and you could live with on a day to day basis. A Clio is also an awesome track car, fairly light by today’s standards, lighter car means less wear and tear on consumables. Yeh sure it won't set the fastest lap times but will provide just as much fun (if not more) as more over powering cars on the track. Also the thrill (and I've seen this many times) if you are good driver setting faster lap times than an average poser in a 911 or EVO. I always enjoy seeing guys who buy the latest and greatest cars that win events yet can't drive and think why can't I get the same times out of my car. The unfortunate truth is most drivers abilities aren't good enough to push an XR4 to it's limits let alone an EVO. That's why you see so many 911 and EVO owners do 1 track day never to be seen again from embarrassment I guess. Most of the time when I’m back in the office I see this EVO 7 parked nearly always in the same spot. It’s fully alarmed with flashing blue lights on the dash, steering lock and a dirty big yellow wheel clamp. I can only imagine the owners concern every time he leaves his car, this is extreme. But it totally reminded me of how I felt when I was an STI owner and driving it daily. Constant fear of being followed (and it happened many times), being car jacked, every little sperm on the road wanting to race you, so much unwanted attention and the bad image these cars just generally have. They go well, handle like they are on rails but also have the ride compliance on our poor rods that will have you at the chiropractor every second week. Nup been there done that. One day I would like to add a 22B to my garage, but not as a daily driver that’s for sure. Only time you enjoy cars like that are on a track, the rest of 99% of the time you just wish you were driving something else. I love many of the performance cars mentioned and will always be a collector. But I appreciate that not all cars were designed or meant to be driven every day on our roads.

$38K Drive Away, FG XR6 Turbo (6spd Auto) with technology pack, slim weather shields and XR mats. Brand new 09' build plate (4 delivery k's on it). Did this deal about a month ago for my brother in-law. He's loving the car. (No I'm not a dealer or affliated with any. I'm in I.T Consulting and Sales though and have negotiated many larger deals during my career. Car sales are all about one thing, the commercials.) Truth is never buy a new car if your not financial secure enough to keep it, otherwise you will take a massive hit. In my opinion most people should buy 2 to 3 years old to get a good balance between affordable value and fairly new low car ownership. And for those that look at redbook and think wow why are they so low yet on say carsales for eg prices are much higher. Do you honestly believe people sell the cars for what they advertise for? Please, you low ball half of the people on carsales and they will sell quick smart. The ones that don't accept are advertise on cars sales for ages. I’ve seen cars on there for over 12 months (not talking just Ford here) and they will be on there for another 12 months if they don’t accept market reality. IT's just the way it is unfortunately for some. My neighbour has just advertised her 2007 (hot hatch) on carsales with the lowest k's and lowest price by a few thousand over the others on there (same model and make) for the past month and yesterday she told she has only had 1 enquiry over that period and it was from some dodgy dealer. That and seeing the same cars advertised in other makes I’ve being looking at (performance oriented) tells me the 2nd hand market for performance vehicles is fu#$ed at the moment. People are probably not getting enquiries on their cars let alone selling them for the price they want. A work colleague of mine sold his HSV Coupe 4 for peanuts after advertising it for 14 months. In the end he just had to let it go. People need to understand cars are a depreciating asset pure and simple. That's why if your planning to buy new get the best deal possible not what the first or second dealer tells they are selling them for. And never ever buy over RRP no matter what stupid piddley option are thrown in. I am still amused when I hear some dealers laugh in conversation with me telling me about the guy who rocks up no haggling nothing and pays full top dollar price for a new car. With all the knowledge we have today on dealers and they antics it still amuses me people do this. I guess some people have more money to burn than others. I still value my $ though, but like everyone I've burnt a bit of coin here and there too on wrong purchases.