ColinT

I am currently trying the "Dyno-tab" sold at Mobil stations in the wifes Mazda. At $3.50 each tablet, good for 60 litres it would have to be a big saving, but a thought I would give it a go. So far the results are good about 1 litre per 100klm's saving, but that is only the first tank. I still have other tabs to do another 60 lts then I will have a better idea. Repco are selling something called vaporate http://www.vaporate.com/ this is a collar that goes on each injector. It is suppose to create finer droplets of fuel as it enters the combustion chamber. The test results show a considerable reduction in nitric oxides due to improved combustion, and claim 10-20% fuel saving. Its worth a look at the site because 2 of the road test vehicles are XR6 Turbos. Is it true if you use enough of the fuel saving devices your tank will end up overflowing? Ha Ha. Colin

Someone I work with said he called into a Liberty petrol station in Melbourne and filled up with 92 RON. While doing so he looked at the bowser and saw the 98 RON was 6 cents a litre cheaper than the 92 RON. At the time he just thought it to be a mistake or the pump price hadn't been updated. I informed him that I had read about a "farmers fuel" in which they use 10% ethanol from wheat. On telling him this he said he saw the CSR symbol next to the 98 RON price on the sign out front but thought nothing of it. From other threads/ other forums I have read of people having unknowingly using this fuel without any noticable problems. I guess at the price you could be tempted to give it a go. Colin

The Ford fix. After talking to 2 people I work with today who have BA XR's they both said after the second machining Ford replace the pads with a softer compound. Ford claim the warping of the rotors is because the pads are too hard. BUT you should see the mess these pads make of the mag wheel. Totally black after a week. What a mess. And now the pads squeel at low speed. To fix this Ford chamfer the leading edge but that didn't work. I am going to have to look into DBR rotors or the PBR kit definetly. Colin

An absolutley excellent job by Matt on my switches. Arrived with Matt on Friday installed back in the car Monday. They look fantastic, as good as bought ones. Sat in the garage in the dark for 15 mins to check them out. Beware if you get it done the back ones don't illuminate if you have the child lock on. That had me worried for a while.

Does anyone know if Ford have put out a Technicial info document or fix document for the shudder problem? Is it readily available for viewing?

As I mentioned in my post I could hear a rattle from a front disc pad initially. Then the other week I was turning slowly into a parking bay and applied the brakes and you could feel the shudder through the car and hear it also.

Please NOTE I am not selling CD's. I don't have one to copy! Some how my offer of how to get the printing side operating got twisted.

The price sounds good but by the description it says, "7 different colour leds that change at the push of a button." These I guess are the 7 things around the rim of the gauge. This looks a bit tacky I think. I wouldn't want leds which could be quite bright glowing, and it's a gimmick 7 different colours. Sorry to be negative but I think all views are required and that's why we ask in the forum.

This sounds like collusion between you two. NO just joking. Matt has finished my switches and he will post them back to me on Monday. Can't wait to see what they look like in the dark. The wife want's them back too. Pehaps so she doesn't have to open the door to yell at other drivers. HaHa. A great service offered by both of you. Colin

This program unlocks the protection but you need to find a crack, easy. http://www.verypdf.com/pwdremover/

Have a look at ebay. Do a search on BA Manual. There are 4 for sale from $5.50 to $150

I would not buy any car that has been a demo or test driven by others. The day I first went for a drive in a XR6T and then an XR8 the salesman said go ahead push it hard to see what it can do. He couldn't care less he wasn't going to buy it. They both had less than 50klm. So much for thought toward running them in. I think he was a surprised that I said I would drive this car the same way I would be driving it if I purchsed a Ford , and that is not to give it a thrashing. I wanted to feel how it drove how I would be driving it. Not having a go at anyone but I'm not surprised at the post by IH8PORK saying had 200 klm's to start and a new motor at 3000 klms. Colin

I have just sent all my switches to Matt (aumatt) to have them modified. He offers a quick as possible turn around. I was going to do them myself being an electrician by trade, but when I saw how small the componants are NO way was I going to try. Everthing is a tweezer job. So if you want them done and are not an expert at eletronics then I would suggest you contact Matt. Colin

You forgot to mention to look forward to the brake shudder.

The dealer had my car in stock and when I first viewed it and it had 4 klm's on the clock. Then I took the wife for a ride to let her see what I had decided to buy and that put another 30klm on. So when I picked it up it actually had 35 klm on the clock.

Looked at pricong of 2 options today. Purchase the PBR performance brake system which replaces front and back rotors, disc pads and braided lines. Cost $1950 Purchase DBA 504X rotors for the front. Slotted and cross drilled. Cost $138 each. Now to make the decission. TOO bad Ford don't put decent brakes on the car standard, like Expensive Daewoo have.

Have just heard back from cresteck, they only sell in amounts of 2000. But by buying 2000 you get them at 80 cents each. They suggested trying one of their retailers, Farnell? I will look this up next. Colin

that's a fantastic job you have done Steve. I have seen others use the 3mm leds but your looks realy neat. I have looked as the RS Components site and found the resistors (421-8485) but which surface mount LED's would you recommend? Colin

I have been emailing someone who has the BA manual on CD. It is in pdf format but it is print protected. There was another for sale on ebay last night sold for $138, the night before it sold for $158. Let you know if I find out more.

Well I had unfortunatly voted that I hadn't had any brake shudder at 20K, but as you can guess it's started on the right front at 26k. I have suspected there has been a rattle caused by the brake pad on that side at about 40-50klm per hr. So I guess as the 30k service is comming up I'll have it fixewd then unless it suddenly gets worse. I've heard various fixes from machining the rotors to shimming the pads, which one has the best results?? Colin

As I mentioned I was more concerned that the extra tightening had been done during the service. Not the price for labour you were charged. I have concerns when the local dealers service of my vehicle. Now the same dealer has ownership in all the adjacent towns also. I was quite annoyed finding out after I bought my T that there was this extra cost for every service. This was one thing I specifically asked the salesman, who asked the workshop manager in front of me who said the services are the same as for the standard Falcons. Colin

Great to be kept informed. I have a query with the labour charged. If they did the full service for a Turbo the there should have been 54 minutes of labour to tightnen the inlet and exhaust/turbo manifolds. I thought dealers charge around $65 per hour. According to the BA series service guide, the 30k service should be a charge for 48 min labour for an A class service (page 49) and 54 min labour for the extra that MUST be performed every service according to the book for the Turbo (page 43) . Some of the totals for individual parts of the service are excessive ie. $58.93 for the brake fluid when Ford allow 24 minutes for this to be done. I think by the total of your labour charged the extra turbo work may have been done but fudged into other areas for labour. So have a look at you invoice that should mention that additional work for a Turbo vehicle performed. Not all dealers I have spoken to know there is a difference. The reason I mention this about the additional tightening is that there are threads on a few forums with people saying there manifolds and other connection around the turbo have come loose. Wait to hear from you, Colin P.S. My 30k service is due soon that's also why I'm interested.

Did anyone else catch A Current Affair the other night. It's nice to see the XR6T made the top 5. Sorry, he he there were no Holdens. But I have have it on good authority by a mate with a SS ute that the SS is in the top 10. Atleast he hopes. Best/worst car resale values 17 August 2005 Five best cars in resale value Mercedes Benz CLK 500 Mazda MX5 two-door hardtop Subaru Forrester Wagon Ford Falcon XR6T four-door sedan Subaru WRX 4WD four-door sedan Five worst cars in resale value Proton Waja four-door sedan Mitsubishi Magna ES four-door sedan Kia Optima four-door sedan Toyota Avalon Gxi four-door sedan Nissan Maxima