BlueOvalPrint

Yeah, easy as. I bought a new G6ET in late June from Melbourne as I could get it at about 20% off list through a special Ford promotion that has now expired. Simply made some phone calls, picked a colour, did all the paperwork via emails (god bless the interweb), flew down from Canberra, picked it up then did some low-level flying back home! The drive was easy but dull, no problems with the car at all. Worst thing was the pouring rain dirtied up my baby! Had a one week VicRoads permit but I rego'd it in Canberra the next day anyhow. Only things to be aware of are 1) your insurer or bank may question the lack of a rego number prior to picking it up, not such a problem if you have personalised plates that you are transferring; and 2) you may have to have a rego inspection done once you get to your home State (yes that happened here in the ACT, even though I had a June 09 build car sold new on 30 June and wanted to register it on 1 July I had to officially prove it was "roadworthy"... truly the home of the public circus. So yeah, go get some quotes interstate (Andrew at Etheridge Ford is HIGHLY recommended), then spend a couple of hundred on a plane ticket and a tank of fuel to save thousands!

06/09 G6ET with 3,500km - 8.9 l/100 trip from Canberra to Syd and return on the weekend, average of 12.9 around town. Better than a rental VE Omega I suffered through a week ago, that POS was doing 13.2 l/100 around town...

Give Andrew Riley at Etheridge Ford Ringwood Melb) a call, if he can't get you the best possible no BS deal, no-one can! I travelled from Canberra to pick up my new G6ET from him at a price no-one else could come near.

No probs with Shell with me, either in my BA T or the G6ET - but I can notice the difference between 95 and 98 in the G6ET.

$44,500 for a brand spanker June 09 G6ET in Velvet with Cashmere interior including mats, weathershields, boot scuff guard and bonnet protector – plus $2,500 in ACT stamp duty and rego. The promo deal I got this through has ended but Andrew from Etheridge Ford in Ringwood Vic will always get you the best possible price without the d!cking around that most dealers love.

Extended warranty pffft, why would you voluntarily commit to take your car back to Ford one day more than you have to? It's just a way to keep you going into them for servicing every 6 months for another 3+ years, and any faults are the standard "they all do that, sir/ not covered by warranty / beyond fair wear and tear". Hint - if you're buying and the dealer tells you they'll throw in 3 years extra warranty, decline it and ask for a discount to the same value instead - then you'll find out how much it's really worth (ie nuthin'!)

Hiya all, about a week ago the serpentine drive belt in my BA1 T tore itself up; basically 3 of the ribs started flailing around, some bits ripped off and got into the crankshaft pulley etc. I replaced the belt easily enough but now I have a substantial leak running back down the sump in line with the crankshaft pulley oil seal. Anyone else had to replace theirs? If so, how much $ am I looking at (normally do servicing myself, but the Haynes BA manual shows the need for a pulley puller which I don't have). Thanks in advance!!!

Not strictly XR related - but as this forum IS the souce of all knowledge and wisdom: any recommendations - or expressions of interest - for someone in Canberra for a spray job on only the front guard of a 95 Laser KJ? The original got crinkled so I managed to pick up a second-hand one, I'm able to fit it myself but I don't have the place/time/talent to paint it (solid red). Any ideas about price? Thanks in advance!

Hi, I've got a question about brake bleeding procedures for my beloved T. I do all work on my car myself and have done brakes on lots of cars before, but I want to clarify the right way to bleed the T - and find out why the Ford manual sets out a different process to most cars. I was taught the following: with 2 people, one pumps the pedal 3-5 times then holds it down while the second person then loosens the bleed valve which pushes the air bubbles/dirty fluid into a tube connected to a waste container. They then do up the valve, then repeat the pump/bleed process about 4 times per wheel. Or with one person and a one-way bleed tube, loosen the valve, pump the pedal about 6 times, then lock off the bleeder and repeat for the other wheels. However, according to Ford's BA Falcon manual (sorry, can't find the link atm but it is on this site), the procedure is connect the tube, loosen the bleeder, push the pedal fully down once then close the bleeder. Wait 5 seconds then repeat as required. So..why the difference? I recall when I had a (blush) '99 Magna, the Haynes manual advised the engine (and therefore the ABS system) had to be running during the process. Does eveyone use the Ford technique or is the "old" style still ok? Cheers, Dean

Sounds like Ford may as well sponsor the Greg Murphy/Tasman Commodores 'cos their cars are now largely blue... FFS, how fcuked up is Ford - and V8 Supercars - at the moment? No money for non-blue paint schemes, street race proposals where the average spectator sees a car at ground level for 5 seconds a lap, the cars themselves becoming more like Nascars/sports sedans with drivers hidden in the middle... Greedy V8SCA deserve the fall they're going to get in the next couple of years. Though it'll be at our expense...

Oh yeah, the most important thing with a Victa 2 stroke - DON'T stop the engine by turning off the fuel tap and letting it run til it's dry. As the only oil it gets is mixed in with the petrol, no fuel = no lubrication = early death. Stop your mower using the throttle THEN turn off the fuel tap so it won't flood the carby for the next time you use it.

I muck around with fixing mowers in my spare time - Victa 2 strokes are easy to fix, parts cheap and easy to find. Downside is not so much the motors for pre 2002 models but the steel bodies most have - they either rust out near the handles or the metal around the front axles fatigues. Go for an alloy base model if you have to have one. After 02 more and more parts have been made in China so they may be "assembled" in Australia but certainly not 100% made here . Briggs and Stratton 4 strokes are ok but like lots of US built stuff their basic design has been around since the year dot. Bit rough to run and fiddly to get right. I recently picked up a 15 yo Honda 4 stroke and it has completely converted me. Starts first pull everytime , the smoothest small engine I have ever encountered, alloy base and wheels hardly showing their age, just brilliant. Would never recommend anything but a Honda to friends now. You can also get Honda engines on Masport or Victa bases if you go to mower specialists, the Masports are cheaper and the next best base to Honda's own.

Hi all. Was just wondering what Ford will do now that South Pacific Tyres (who supply Ford with all the tyres for the Falcon and Territory) are closing their Australian plant? Stay Aussie made by transferring to Bridgestone or take supplies from nearby overseas GoodYear/Dunlop factories in China/India etc. ? Of particular interest is that apparently the rubber used on the FG was developed around it - will this have an impact on how the car rides/handles once production stops in December? Cheers

How about attaching some barbed wire (preferably rusty) to the lower back side of the front plate where it hangs about an inch below the bumper? That'd be where the scumsuckers would probably try to pull it off from first...

My first post - after being a member for almost 2 years and getting so much helpful info in that time... big ups to all! Agree that the factory Dunlops are rubbish. My BA1 T is stock under the bonnet and did 51,000 noisy, gripless km on the original SP3000s. Changed over to Firestone Wide Ovals (currently $189 a corner at Bob Jane in 17's) - like chalk and cheese, superb in the wet, very predictable, seemed like half the noise. Made in Japan by Bridgestone with a 320/AA/A rating. Downside was the wear, the shoulders were below legal on the front by 25K even after running consistent 38psi and rotation and alignment every 10,000 km, the centre treads look like they could go another 10-15K. I reckon the tyres would suit a lighter car better, seemed like the weight of the Falc was too much for the edges. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else running these about their experiences... Anyhoo, just picked up a set of the factory 18's and have wrapped them in Maxxis MA-Z1's. Had seen lots of positive comments here, on dark side forums and of course in magazines about the Maxxis Z1s and saw that Bob Jane had MA-V1s (next rung down on the ladder) in 235/40R18s for $189. Rated 280/AA/A. Decided on the V1s as I usually don't drive it like I stole it and the credit card was blistered anyway. When I picked it up yesterday, I was told that the tyres had just been reduced to $179 ea - bonus! Then when I went to drive off, I saw they'd fitted the Z1's instead! Dunno whether it was the fitter's mistake or what, but I didn't have time to go back to the office to find out... You should be able to pick up these in 17's for about $140 ea.