Just traded my 2006 XR8 on a 2012 G6E Turbo. I purchased a Demo from Q Ford at Springwood. I walked in at around 10:00 am to pick up a second hand 09 G6E T. I had been in 3 or 4 times throughout the week and had told them I wanted it ready Saturday morning to drive back home. I intended to pay cash for it and I don’t know if because I turned up in shorts and thongs or if the used car guys just didn’t give a sh*t but it was not ready. So I walked off in a huff, on the way out I spotted a new one. It had all the whistles and bells so at around 11:30 we come up with a price and I sign the bottom line. I couldn’t pay cash so I had to put it on finance. This is on a Saturday morning mind you, so we get that sorted and by 13:00 I am on my way home. The new car sales people could not do enough for me. The salesman, Adrian knew I was pissed with the used car guys so he just let me sell the vehicle to myself. Smart move on his part. So some general Observations. After about 2000km now I have come up with a few things. The seats are not as comfortable and don’t hold you as well as the XR8. I could spend 6 hours in the XR8 without a stop. I found myself pulling over every couple of hours in the G6E for a bit of a stretch. Handling, it will run rings around the XR8. No rear bump steer, just point it where you want to go and it is only too willing to oblige. Tyres, the 2012 model has 19inch wheels, the pressures were around 32psi when I picked it up, I increased it to 40psi, instant success, the car turned better and felt as if it rolled better as well. They look to be fairly soft so I am not expecting very good ware out of them. Michelins are on their way (from USA) Power; what can I say, you’re driving an old 4ltr six until you push the throttle another 10mm and it then all happens. I am not sure if the driving characteristic of the turbo is better than the V8 though. The power with the 8 in standard tune was smooth whereas the turbo it is a little on, off. Ride; 100% better, Road Noise, 200% better, Auto, still getting used to it as XR was manual. Whistles and bells, love the USB thingy, don’t have to cart the CD’s around with you. Just as well as the 2012 only comes with a single disc CD player, Sat Nav, rear vision mirror self-dimming, phone Bluetooth through the radio, reversing camera, and reversing alarm, seat memory, all great. The Speedo, not happy with the fact that I passed a few cars and went a bit more than a couple of numbers past 140 mark. When I got home I realised the speedo goes up in 30kmh increments after 140. I will let you do the maths, let’s just say it was rock solid at go to gaol speeds. In fact, at first I didn’t believe it and as I hadn’t worked out the GPS at the time, I hooked up my Tom Tom to check it. It was correct. Still can’t believe how stable it was. Spare Tyre, what a joke. Come on Ford, cars like the G6E T should come with a full size spare. At $250 on the top of the price of car? come on Ford get it right. It has now cost me a small fortune to get it right. $750 for a wheel and tyre and something stupid like $330 for the boot carpet? Fuel consumption, how is 9.8lts for 100km sound, that's without trying. You just have to keep your foot off the peddle. Am I happy with the car? You bet, bit sad about selling the XR though.
