Comments on: 2008 Ford Falcon gets five star safety rating

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:28:57 +0000

Realcars,
I know of one joint dealership, what part of the world did you see that?

By: realcars

realcars — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:21:18 +0000

Seen a FG Galcon xt in a lot yesterday next to one of the work sites I visit and the dealer had Honda Euros parked next to it.

The fg had a big window sticker with 36990 on it plus orc.

I couldn’t help but think that potential buyers would overlook the base fg and go straight for the Euro.
The base FG has no bling about it whatsoever.
This is despite the bigger engine,safety,comfort,etc

Prob is with the fg u need to sped at least 10k more than this to get a car that actually looks new.

Ford need to dress the base model up if they are serious.
Looks are everything to most buyers especially buying new.

By: Adam (aka Mada)

Adam (aka Mada) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:21:38 +0000

Richo…

Get your info correct.

The falcon has lost less share than the commodore over the last 5 years.

Holdens marketing is far superior than Fords.

The better vehicle does not always sell better.

take a look at last months sales figures and if you add all of Fords locally build and locally sold products they are only a couple of hundred behind Holden.

The big difference between the two is Holden has a much bigger LHD export markets, besides that Ford actually sells as much as Holden locally.

Also, take a look at Ford and Holdens’ overall market share YTD, Ford is up while Holden is down, Holden is only 14,000 odd units ahead of ford while this time last year the gap was 24,000 units.

You were saying?

By: Richo

Richo — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:10:11 +0000

companies don’t survive on public sentiment, they survive on sales, which is the reason why holden has been (the only) GM outpost for quite a while now that is financially stable, even despite recent losses which where mainly due to development costs and where fully anticipated. This year, with VE’s development out of the way, holden are scheduled to break even, ford aus ofcourse aren’t due to the FG’s development costs. Case of bad timing with the issues BOTH parent companies are facing in the US

By: Richo

Richo — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:06:04 +0000

Andrew you keep saying this “holden builds cars for fans” stuff but what exactly is wrong with that? I would have thought that ALL car companies design cars to appeal specifically to their target market… i mean that just makes sense doesn’t it? I mean do you really think there would be an XR6T if it wasn’t for the “fans” who would buy it? The average family car buyer doesn’t buy a turbo model, the fleet buyer definetly doesn’t! So that leaves on the fans doesn’t it? Hmm…

No one is trying to say that the VE is a better car then the FG, i think everyone accepts the FG is superior, but lets give credit where its due. Like them or not commodore has dominated the large car market for a very long time while falcon has been slipping in comparison to the commodore for a very long time.. now there just HAS to be a reason for that. If thats because holden builds cars for “fans” then shit mate who can argue with their logic given the runs on the board!

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:39:37 +0000

the people that dog the AU obviously dont know what they were talking about.
the AU had better motor and gear box, better handling etc etc etc.
the only thing was that the VT had more conservative styling that struck a better balalce with the public.

the AU11 how ever absolutely creamed over the VT.
the AU11 had slightly better styling when the changed the grill (over the first series), bonnet, boot and rear tail lights to name a few majors.

Richo,
find me a review where it says the VE significantly bettered the BF11…….
the BF still had better motor and gearbox (like the falcon has had for decades)
the VE marginally bettered the FG in the handling stakes. that was the main difference.
the quality of the VE interior is heavily critisised, so i dont see a win to the VE there either.

holden build cars for fans, and engineering comes second

Duck,
and you better watch what you say because ive seen plenty of AU’s with interiors in good nick

By: Bret

Bret — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:02:47 +0000

Duck,
Falcon achillies heel has always been power steering leaks – crap 3rd party product.
Anyway I believe finaly fixed with new system in FG.
(Wish I could put a smily face here)

By: Duck

Duck — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:52:07 +0000

Sorry, did I forget to mention the blokes AU I drove had a Power steering Pump leak, so that may have been why it was not that good sorry. So I take what you said and I do believe the AU had better steering. Sorry, forgive me. But like I’ve said I know alot of good VT’s interior thats pretty good. Even the layout and door handles were better inside.

Though I do know from fact that the AU didn’t have Power Steering Pump leaks so someting might have happed to it obviosoly.

By: Duck

Duck — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:42:02 +0000

^mmmmmmmmmmm. You have to be carefull what you say because I know a lot of people with their VT interior in good shape, perfect. Though the only problem I have heard is the fabric on the seats sorta have ripples in it, if you know what I mean. Though that hasn’t happened to my VT.

By: Bret

Bret — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:40:48 +0000

Duck,
AU grill was never changed. Different levels had different grills.
Only changes were AU to AUII.

And to your other points, the key areas that the AU was better than the VT were INTERIOR & HANDLING. Thanks for proving you have no real world experience or idea on the subject.

By: The Axe

The Axe — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:37:52 +0000

All those who claim say that Aurion/Commodore wheren’t tested for the side impact test, all that it would have gotten them is 2 points. Falcon scored 4.6points more than Aurion and 7.1 more than Commodore. Bit more humble pie for ya…

Crash Mode FG Falcon VE Commodore Toyota Aurion
Offset frontal 14.6 11.5 13.6
Side impact 16.0 15.0 15.4
Bonus points 2.0 1.0 1.0
Pole test 2.0 Not eligible Not tested
Combined 34.6 27.5 30.0
Star rating 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars
Source: ANCAP, August 2008

By: Bret

Bret — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:36:54 +0000

Richo,
I had the reverse. VT company car – what a dissapointment compared to an AUII.

And styling, you have got to be kidding, the VT was dated when launched and went backward very quickly.

Remember the basic AU shape lasted all the way to BF.

And the trouble with your comparison is that you will struggle very hard to find a VT in “good nick” today, whereas the AU’s have aged extremely well – better quality build you see!

By: Duck

Duck — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:34:53 +0000

Agreed Richo. The VT was better than the AU and Brett even non-blue V red people can say that. It was a fact and still is. It was not just a better looking car, but the interior, handling etc. were better. And back to the styling how many times did ford change the look on the AU’s grill? Heaps and it made it still made it ugly or uglier. And how about the ugly looking headlights on the XR6’s and XR8’s? YUK! And Holden Brang the VX (just to refreshen the VT) out in 2000 and made it better than the outgoing VT, which means it was better again over the AU.

Hey I can say the BA was easily better over the VY and you can say the same that the VT/VX was/is better than the AU. Hey the AU nearly killed the falcon.

By: realcars

realcars — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:56:10 +0000

Au2 looks good with nice wheels and spoiler to lift the rear up a bit.Forte was a good call as they do look very strong.

Don’t like the xr6/xr8 fronts though.

By: realcars

realcars — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:51:35 +0000

Imagine an injected dedicated egas opt for Territory!!!

Would make Klugger look like a joke.LOL.

By: realcars

realcars — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:50:21 +0000

If ford had a injected egas option I believe they wouldn’t be able to make enough of them especially if they got the message out. How hard can it be as after market already do this.i6 is virtually indestructible anyway and combine with six speed auto would be cheaper to run than a Prius and would get Toyota on the hop as they don’t have LPG compatible engines at present.

By: Richo

Richo — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:48:46 +0000

Brett mate i think its your passion for blue which is clouding your judgement. Had an AU as a company car mate and i hated every last second of the experience. Sorry, but your just wrong. Ford was behind untill the BA came along, and then it was significantly ahead of the VY and VZ of the time. Then the VE came along and significantly bettered the BF, then the FG came along and in turn bettered the VE. Then the VF came along and….? We’ll see

My judgement isn’t coulded buddy, sorry this is just the way it was. And the AU’s overly contemporary styling? Come on mate it was a horrible design, and for such a contemporary design it dated within minutes of its launch. Right now in 2008, sit an AU falcon in good nick next to a VT commodore in good nick and today, just as it was back in 1998, there is no contest. The VT as a design has aged very well, the AU has aged even worse then it looked

By: realcars

realcars — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:46:14 +0000

Had another look at the fg range today.

Ford need to add some bling to the base car IMO.

This is where it will loose sales to the large four cylinder cars at similar price point.

By: realcars

realcars — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:43:13 +0000

All Holden need to do with the VE is make the 5 speed and high output engine stock and they are back in the game.

I am bias towards Falcon but the VE is a great looking car and design.

By: Bret

Bret — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:39:09 +0000

Duck,
Have you lived with both? Have you even driven either?

Reality is AU (particularly series II & III) is a better car than VT.
AU confronted people with is’s overly contempory styling, so sales suffered, but it was a better car overall.