Pete A

I would have thought that building a car in Europe (to reasonable standards) would be more costly than building them here. They are even more hanstring by conditions of work etc. But Focus and Fiesta are world cars and sold in many countries. Falcon isn't. It's almost boutique from that standpoint. Aut and NZ are the only current markets for it.

GM globally may be coming back into the black but only on the handout of massive US Govt support (and they are broke also) I don't know where you got Billions of $ profits from. Hasn't been like that for years. I actually think the Aus GmH was probably profitable in their own right. Ford rejected funding, hasn't asked for it, and hasn't needed bailout. They have a smart and profitable business and don't need it. With a bailout gomes a big expectation. GM majority shareholder is the US Govt and they will want their pound of flesh. So they will dictate future development not the purist GM people. The issues with viability of homegrown car industry will not go away. Ford is committed to a global platform. I think GM is as well. So irtrespective of the bailouts offered by Governmentsto keep local industry going , I think the local car industry (building that is) is on borrowed time. I hope I'm wrong but don't think I am. I have an FG6T and my daughter and wife have German built Fords. Fiesta Zetech and Focus Titanium. While I love the Falocn and what it stands for, the others are very good and well bulit cars for what they cost. If the next generation "Falcon" (no way they can keep the name if it's not designed and built here) comes from the US, Thailand or wherever, so long as the quality is up to scratch I personally don't mind. I hope the local industry does survive and we see the next "Aussie Falcon" but in the end how much will be Aussie? and the buzzards are circling.

I drive 2009 XR6T Seduce Wife drives new Focus Titanium Candy Red Son drives 2009 G6ET Velvet Daughter drives Fiesta Zetech White Other daughter Polo GTi (which has been a lemon)

New car dealers HATE trade ins. With a passion. I've traded in 2 cars last year at my dealer, they were 10 years + old and selling privately just wsasn't worth the pain. . Had to fight like crap to get a decent trade in price which I was ewventually happy with.. Any GOOD car you should sell privately.

Terri, Thanks and that's great news. I got another fob-off from Frod today. Check it for a few days to make sure it's gone and let me know. I'll then go the next step. Meanwhile, Please confirm the dealer you went to and do you have a name so I can call them? Thanks

Mine does this too for about 5-10 secs and can only hear it with the bonnet up. I think this is normal

Terri, Great, please let us know how you go. If your dealer fixes it, I'm going for FORD's jugular on this! Cheers Pete

Done that. They have seen the problem and know it exists. If Laner's does it on 98. then I guess that's that. I'm keeping up the fight cos it shouldn't happen. I'm not stressed about it. Still the best Fraud I've ever owned.. But it's the principle.

I've been fighting Ford about this for 2 years. It is a common problem with Turbos but not all Turbos. My sons G6ET does not do it. I've even got CRC involved in the last few weeks and they actually confirmed to me that it is a common problem and will not be fixed. I've complained again to the dealer and I've asked the dealer Principle to call me just before Xmas - nothing yet. I have taken this to the highest levels in Ford and they certainly know about it. I would be very interested in what you find out. I am not letting this go as sometimes it is dangerous, and, it never did it when it was new. I've had happening since 15,000 K's and it's now done 45,000 K's so I know the problem well. I'm glad to see I've found someone who has this "common" problem. A couple of things I've found out which may help. 1. It happens more in warmer months. It went away during Winter and I thought it had gone away. As soon as the weather started warming up it came back. 2. I also have a suspicion that it happens more oftenon 95RON fuel, but I'm trying to proove that now. 3. Let it idle in P or N for 10 secs and it's normally fine after that.

4500 sounds a bit high. The ZF has hill descent mode. So if you're going down hill and you hit the brakes it will assume you want to decelerate. It will change down to assist and will only go back to normal when you flatten out or speed gets slow enough (don't know what that is). Way to quickly fix it is go to PERF mode and change manually. Depending on your driving style will determine how hard it worksand if you have to hit the brakes to initiate it. Mine has hit 4K before but not 4500, but I guess that's different circumstances. It's normal.

Sorry, probably should explain the Golf problems. 1. Picked it up brand new.. AC didn't work, Disks were scoured! How I don't know! Took it back next day all was fixed. 2. Couple months later, stereo starts playing up, just doing strange things. Couldn't find the problem, gave it back. 3. Stereo still a problem, they finally put in a new one. All OK. 4. AC stopped working again. Got it fixed. 5. More strange goings on, stalling while driving, Instruments go dead, pwer steering issues, all sorts of problems over a couple of months. Dangerous to drive and advised by VW not to drive it.. Took them ages to find it. Engine to body earthing strap replaced. Seemed to fix it.(that's what they said it was anyway - sounds feasible) 6. Recently, AC has started making loud noises, and the stereo is playing up yet again. Gearbox now becoming hard to change out of 2nd. The cars done 13,000K's Now you tell me about Euro quality. Any car from any manu can be a lemon. My FG 6T has done 44,000K's and it's perfect. I know there are others out there not so lucky .

Wrong! My daugther's ready to drive her Golf GTi off a pier and let is sink. Absolute heap of s__t! My brothers 3 Seies Beamer is just as bad. Don't beleive the Euro pitch mate. It isn't plain sailing there either. My wife was sold on a Golf, has wanted one for years until all the problems with daughters car. She bought a new Focus 3 months ago and it's perfect (touch wood!, funny built in Germany!)

They always had class tapes decks. Amp were OK. When I used them they didn't really promote speakers, but that was a long while ago. You don't see much of them around these days but they were always a hi-qual brand.

Agree! You've a got a good case. I've had problems a few weeks after warranty, and they've always come to the party. Good luck.

Dave Moore at Power Ford Castle Hill has always been good for me. He'll let you drive anything you want so you make your own decision.

I've used Armourall Tyre Shine for years, easily the best. Depends on what you want. If you want a shine that you need sun-glasses for then that's a different product. This give a satin style shine that looks like clean rubber. Easy to put on, drive stright away and doesn't leave that caked on residue crap that the paint on stuff sometimes leaves.

Did anyone see the Letterman show tonight? Ford boss explained how Ford has survived without Govt assistance. This was a real interesting interview. Goes to proove what we've always said. Ford has got it right , and the others haven't. GO THE BLUE OVAL!

That's a pity, cos Power is one of the better ones. That's who I exclusively deal with and although I've had problems, they've always looked after me.

Don't know why People are talking about replacement cars and consumer laws. Bit premature. I've had my battles with Ford over the years, but generally I've ended up on top. Long way from that yet. Take it to the dealer you bought it off assuming it's close to where you live. If the problem is as obvious as you say you should have no problem. Best case it's something simple, worst case a new donk. Forget any suggestion of another car. I've tried it and it didn't work. You are entitled to demand this if they consider you have a lemon, multiple failures, but these are very rare and you are a long way from that yet. I had multiple failures in my BAII XR8 at about 2,000kays, but they fixed them after about a month I suppose. Good luck.

I've found that it runs a bit rough when I use anything but 98RON. On 98 it's great. I use Ultimate.

Could be the sensor switches under the pedals. Happened on my FG. BF maybe the same.I think it's a common fault and a fairly quick fix. . However beware, when the light is on the DSC certainly is disabled. Cheers

1. I think there is a separate sub connector on the back of the power unit in the dash. There was in the earlier Premium systems. I have known these to be left off or drop out. This will cause the problem. 2. Put an ohm meter across the sub terminals and check you can hear a "click" when you touch the probes. This puts 1.5Volts DC across the terminals and prooves that the subbie is not open circuit. You should read low impedance and hear the "click" and the meter should show almost short circuit. Other than that it could be something in the wiring or the power unit is stuffed. Good luck

Cold idle in P = ~750RPM. In D ~650RPM. When warm in P = 500-550RPM. In D ~ the same. Consumption in D when warm and stopped = 1.3 - 1.4 L/H That's it. FG6T Cheers

Essentially correct. The crossover of the lower frequencies in the "other speakers is an important issue. But they are full-range (except the tweeters) The Subbie should not be out of phase with the other full range speakers. The same signal coming from 2 different speakers out of phase will cancel each other or reduce the recoverable bass component. I would not have thought that this is a faulty install by Ford. If you consider your home theatre, it's the same thing. When you add a subbie, the amp changes the low frequency response to the other speakers and the subbie crossover point can be changed to suit the other speakers. Sounds like an interesting thing to try though I must admit! I think the Premium system I had on the BAII was far better than the FG, but one of the reasons was the moving of the speakers from the parcel shelf to the rear doors. That was done so rear seat passengers were not "blasted" when the sound was up a bit high.