First Impressions

[Guest ByeSS]

Well, I traded in my VX SS Commodore (Hyper Yellow) yesterday, and picked up a new Mercury Silver XR6 Turbo. The mid-life crisis isn't over just yet, and if Ford keep this up, it might not end for a long time...

First impressions:

*Outstanding* smooth power on acceleration

Fit and finish great - a quality feel missing from the SS

Handling - more comfortable ride, without any noticable loss in stability on cornering

A 'different' tone than the V8, more of a turbo whine than a V8 growl, but I'm getting used to it!

Love the blue/purple instrument illumination at night, and the LCD that reverses colour

My wife loves it - she didn't like driving the SS - too harsh for her I think

Seats snug and well designed - good driving position

Heard some strange sounds when my wife was reversing into a parking spot on full lock - a grating sound?

Like the idea of the manual mode shifting, haven't had time to get used to it yet

Miss the left footrest

Like the central locking button and the master light switch (missing from VX)

The speedo/techo are too 'busy' with little marks, but will no doubt get used to it

Overall, I flirted with Expensive Daewoo after having two previous Fords, and if Ford keep doing this I'll stick with Ford from now on. I'm really impressed with what they've done at this price. Went for a two hour drive last night and couldn't wipe the smile off my face for the next two!

Questions:

1. I want to learn more about how this thing works - I guess a service manual would tell me how to take things apart, but where would I go (apart from here!) to read about how the various systems work?

2. Is the 'performance auto' gear stick position equivalent to the SS' 'Power' button?

Thanks for the great forum, I've been lurking here for a couple of weeks but didn't want to post until I had something useful to say.

- Struan

P.S. I don't wear cardigans.

[JB]

Struan In answer to your questions I suggest you get yourself a coffee or 3 put aside a few hours and work your way through the many topics posted on this forum, I am sure they will not only answer your questions, but you will learn many good and bad things about your newly aquired hobby.

By the way I am sure Ken will send you out an personally logoed cardigan, in which every colour you like! :lol:

[Cobra]

perf mode ..... runs gears 1,2 & 3 harder and locks out 4th

enjoy the XRT

[saleen]

:hiwelcome: to the forums.

Enjoy the T like we all do.

Rob

[TURBO4LT]

:hiwelcome: aboard, start reading through the forum Im sure you will enjoy the experience

Frank

[voy74656]

Cardigan is in the mail and the lamingtons are in the oven....DING....all ready...u'll have it all express post by 2morrow :hiwelcome:

[Turbo6man]

:hiwelcome:

The service manual is about $600.

Ford spares will order one for you but it comes straight from the publishing co. not from FoMoCo.

Another HAgg eh, and a convert from an SS to boot! Ken is gonna just love you.

[Mondie]

Good move ByeSS, and welcome to the site.

Pity you cant get the T in Hyper Yellow, how good would that look :hiwelcome:

And as for waiting until you had somethjing useful to say before posting, why bother, nobody else does

[mercturbo]

Pity you cant get the T in Hyper Yellow, how good would that look

:hiwelcome:

[Guest ByeSS]

Thanks JB, TURBO4LT & Turbo6man - it sounds like a better idea to spend time reading the previous forum threads rather than spending $600 on the service manual just to find out how things tick!

BLKXRT thanks for the info re the performance auto mode. It seems to have some smarts in there to help with downshifting, and I'm sure it selected first gear for me - I'll check the manual and search the forum for more.

Mondie re your hyper yellow comment - when I first picked up the SS I then picked up my wife and took her for a drive. She kindly called CityLink from the car to get my eTag changed over from the previous car (Ford) to the SS. I heard her say the phrase 'baby poo' to the CityLink person on the other end of the phone. When she hung up I asked her what that was all about. She said, "Oh, she asked what colour the car was." Enough said.

And voy74656, the cardigan I can maybe live with, if no-one that I know sees me. Lamingtons have always been good to eat. But 'proud wearer of the thong'? Please tell me that they're the kind you wear on your feet.

A quick question - when I picked up the XR the salesman told me I could view photos online of the car being built - that Ford store them online for owners to view/download. There doesn't seem to be an obvious place to do that on www.ford.com.au - can anyone verify this? Not a big deal but might be fun to have a look at.