what sends the efs els and aus to wreckers when they look like theyre too good to go there

[car10002]

Hi

everytime you go in to upullit (sa) or pick apart (vic or nsw) why there's a few efs els and aus there when they don't look like they got a lot wrong with them and body's aren't damaged starting to see a few ba and bf models too, what would send them (more so efs els and aus) there when they don't look like there's much wrong with them

[cs123]

Economics sends them there. They have little value for sale and might need repairs that cost far too much to justify.

Most of these cars would not have been owned by DIY people, so for example if a head gasket goes on a EL and the mechanic is going to charge you $1000 to fix it then you tow it away an buy another cheap car.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by cs123

Economics sends them there. They have little value for sale and might need repairs that cost far too much to justify.

Most of these cars would not have been owned by DIY people, so for example if a head gasket goes on a EL and the mechanic is going to charge you $1000 to fix it then you tow it away an buy another cheap car.

This.

It is a sad fact of life that the western world has become a throwaway society. Engineered obsolescence has put paid to the idea of repairing almost anything after a certain point. Seeing EF's, EL's and AU's stacked ten high at wreckers is testament to it.

Something else would be stacked ten high at said wreckers if they didn't have two useful features

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Loud_Noises

This.

It is a sad fact of life that the western world has become a throwaway society. Engineered obsolescence has put paid to the idea of repairing almost anything after a certain point. Seeing EF's, EL's and AU's stacked ten high at wreckers is testament to it.

Something else would be stacked ten high at said wreckers if they didn't have two useful features

I would like to add that insurance companies are also contributors to this, cost of repairs compared to low value of car sends them to scrap heaps.

[car10002]

Why do some people upgrade cars as soon as they have to spend big money while a lot just keep paying to get them fixed

Also there was a eb with a rebuilt engine and gearbox and it still ended up at upullit and there was a nc fairlane at upullit with a rebuilt engine what would've sent those there maybe people couldn't sell them or didn't want to wait for sales

[malazn mafia]

Pity we can't export them to somewhere like Africa or South America and where emissions and keeping up with the Jones doeant matter . There's this show called Cuban Chrome where everyone repairs their old cars out of the 50s and 60s indefinitely due to high cost of cars and the poverty levels. Seems they appreciate what they have over there.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by car10002

Why do some people upgrade cars as soon as they have to spend big money while a lot just keep paying to get them fixed

Also there was a eb with a rebuilt engine and gearbox and it still ended up at upullit and there was a nc fairlane at upullit with a rebuilt engine what would've sent those there maybe people couldn't sell them or didn't want to wait for sales

Its a risk to spend 2.5k on a new trans in a 1k car when next week it can be the engine or ac or umpteen other things that need more money spent. People just cut their losses.

[NX74205]

Took me about five goes at reading the OP before I understood it.

Originally Posted by trublu

I would like to add that insurance companies are also contributors to this, cost of repairs compared to low value of car sends them to scrap heaps.

Yeah. My BF would've been written off if I had let my insurance company have it their way. I was in an accident not long ago - my fault - right rear end got hit when I failed to give way at a roundabout. Insurance assessor quoted $15K to repair, including replacing the entire right rear end with a new one.

Thankfully, my repairer suggested taking the car to a suspension specialist to see if the right rear can be realigned instead of replaced, which they did, and the repair bill came to under the insured value. I would've gladly paid the $15K (and more, if necessary) in any event.

[car10002]

Why would some get rid of a car when big money needs to be spent and others might be happy to spend a grand every year o keep their old one going

Some of the e series look like they're too good to go there or don't look like they got a lot wrong with them

[Falcman0o7]

Love this lol

Something else would be stacked ten high at said wreckers if they didn't have two useful features [/QUOTE]

[CyberWasp]

Post your sad photos.

[mcflux]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Post your sad photos.

Rule 34?

[lownloud]

Auto trans was on the way out was the reason we ditched our EL Fairmont. Car was real nice but cost quoted to repair or replace auto was $2600 which was what the car was worth. That was 5 years ago and I still see it running around town sometimes. A friends ex missus bought it off us and I hear she has had a trouble free run out of it.... go figure.

I see EF/ELs regularly for sale for a few hundred dollars. I often see nice ones pop up and I want to save them from the crushers but I do kinda like being married!

[nstg8a]

Car yards send them to scrap too, if a decent yard trades I. An old bomb it generally gets sent to a prearranged wholesale yard, there's a few around Brisbane where 80% of Ye cars in here deserve to be at the wreckers... But anyway, if the wholesalers can't sell them after a period of time they just send them to scrap.

[Road Games]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Car yards send them to scrap too, if a decent yard trades I. An old bomb it generally gets sent to a prearranged wholesale yard, there's a few around Brisbane where 80% of Ye cars in here deserve to be at the wreckers... But anyway, if the wholesalers can't sell them after a period of time they just send them to the loan sharks for interest free loans with $700 upfront and 30% interest $4000 for 36 months no credit checks on a $200 investment (c)

What i have noticed around the Gold Coast anyway mate.

[tapeworm]

It's still much cheaper to put a low km engine or trans or whatever in your older car than to buy a brand new one. It's really just an excuse to get a new car for many I'd reckon

[car10002]

And what mileage do big things start to need doing

[FairmontGS]

Not a Ford story but a mate bought a new Mazda 3. He has a 15 YO Suzuki Baleno that was immaculate. Couldn't give it away, ended up getting collected by a part wrecker for $200. Ridiculous..

[car10002]

What mileage do people have to do things as have a ef fairmont with nearly 300000kms and goes well bit got to do suspension work and a few bits and know of a hyundai Santa Fe with not even half mileage with starting and power problems

[dcstraight]

As it has been said, depreciation teamed with insurance and high km worn out parts make everyday dime-a-dozen 15 y/o falcons somewhat worthless and undesirable. A sad reality, but a reality nonetheless.

I remember paying $21,500 for my Sparkling Burgundy EL Fairmont Ghia in April 2004. It came with EB GT wheels (as new spare in the boot too) all with new rubber (New Oak Ford had to for the RWC), EL XR bodykit (and therefore suspension - both were a package deal when optioned from the factory IIRC). Standard cappucino interior with all the standard ghia mod-cons - everything I had wanted (bar sunroof).

I've still got it today and love the look of the EF/EL shape. I did have a sunroof installed ~12 months afterwards.

Must admit, lots of new tech in newer cars does tempt me to something 'updated'...but I am still humbled (smitten?) by the 'old' EL Ghia. Currently on the road still under my ownership and enjoy driving it with no plans to sell it as I'd get peanuts for it anyway!

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by dcstraight

As it has been said, depreciation teamed with insurance and high km worn out parts make everyday dime-a-dozen 15 y/o falcons somewhat worthless and undesirable. A sad reality, but a reality nonetheless.

I remember paying $21,500 for my Sparkling Burgundy EL Fairmont Ghia in April 2004. It came with EB GT wheels (as new spare in the boot too) all with new rubber (New Oak Ford had to for the RWC), EL XR bodykit (and therefore suspension - both were a package deal when optioned from the factory IIRC). Standard cappucino interior with all the standard ghia mod-cons - everything I had wanted (bar sunroof).

I've still got it today and love the look of the EF/EL shape. I did have a sunroof installed ~12 months afterwards.

Must admit, lots of new tech in newer cars does tempt me to something 'updated'...but I am still humbled (smitten?) by the 'old' EL Ghia. Currently on the road still under my ownership and enjoy driving it with no plans to sell it as I'd get peanuts for it anyway!

I haven't driven an EL , how do they handle - many years ago when i had an R31 Skyline during spirited drive one EL swapped ends on a bumpy road and kept spinning away to end up perfectly parked in someones driveway. I Put it down to lots of low down torque and live rear axle.

[mik]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I haven't driven an EL , how do they handle - many years ago when i had an R31 Skyline during spirited drive one EL swapped ends on a bumpy road and kept spinning away to end up perfectly parked in someones driveway. I Put it down to lots of low down torque and live rear axle.

every car is different , but i have driven my old mates up market el wagon 6 cyl , and it was a bloody pearler , drove bloody fantastic, no racecar , but it went ok , and it rode beautifully and steered very nice, and it was dead quiet in the cab.

[dcstraight]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I haven't driven an EL , how do they handle - many years ago when i had an R31 Skyline during spirited drive one EL swapped ends on a bumpy road and kept spinning away to end up perfectly parked in someones driveway. I Put it down to lots of low down torque and live rear axle.

Like this thread...so many variables!

An EL Gli Falcon with stock ride height and pizza cutters all round will handle sub par if you're trying to go fast around corners. An XR6 or Fairmont Ghia (that was optioned with suspension / wheels teamed with 3.45 LSD) and a more sure-footed front anti-swaybar etc will stick a bit better through the twisties.

My 2c

[rex351]

I went to Speed Week at Lake Gairdner a few weeks ago. EF/EL and AUs are popular there, slippery body shape makes for a great land speed racer......

[car10002]

Does between 200 to 300000kms sound right for cars to get work put unless you fix them you can't really go by mileage it often depends how it's been treated too

[roddy1960]

G'day all...Great topic by the way...I have a vested interest..I had an EF for 5 years..absolutely trouble free run if you discount a slightly leaking TX valve in the A/C..Just had it topped up a couple of times...Traded it on a 2 year old AUll Futura..What a car...still drives nice , nothing remotely serious wrong..worth not a zack as a trade in so she's mine for ever , no wreckers either..Here's the kicker..In recent times I 've noticed the dear old AU's are kinda/sorta holding their values evidenced by V8 Ghia's still up around 7k..and XR's about the same here and there..The AU was considered a failure by the experts but they still sold 50,000 plus a year for the model run..The EF/EL was about 85-90,000 a year if memory serves but the FG and FGX are several times less but we know are great cars.Last year FGX less than 6000..Crazy..someone make sense of it all..Cheers Rod...

[au2000]

For me it came down to cost for the au, tranny, air on condenser and a few other issues with about 25,000 ksg per year meant a up to 6 grand repair bill became questionable, did not wreck it though, has a new owner where it will be lucky to see 2000 ks in a year

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by au2000

For me it came down to cost for the au, tranny, air on condenser and a few other issues with about 25,000 ksg per year meant a up to 6 grand repair bill became questionable, did not wreck it though, has a new owner where it will be lucky to see 2000 ks in a year

It was a similar situation for me. The AU did a bloody good job for me, but at 300,000kms the steering rack is starting to leak, the climate control blend door motor failed (stuck on full heat), and the body was getting quite a lot of rust. Brakes and tyres aren't far off needing replacing, and I just couldn't justify the expense. It isn't dead yet, as my mate is driving it around for now, but it's not far off it.

[RANGEREST]

I've had quite a few employees over the years, a few have driven high k E series and Vn-s commies and the like.
The most popular reason for being late to work? Car broke down, so I've helped a couple out by financing newer cars for them, and their **** boxes end up at the wreckers.
I guess people like me are part of your problem.
Once the value of repairs surpasses the value of the vehicle, wreckers is the best option imo.

[TheInterceptor]

The wreckers i frequent had an NC in only because it had a small fuel leak. Sad.
A fair few are like this. Others have been in small bingles. At the end of the day, the best parts cars are ones that arent stuffed, otherwise you dont have good parts to reuse on a good roadgoing car.

I have a parts car Subaru ive been trying to part out. Nobody wants to buy anything. Tonnes of enquires but nobody shows up. Eventually ill give up and scrap it, losing tonnes of good parts.

On another note, I might be one of those special (crazy?) people who goes and spends $400 on a 27 year old car (EA Fairmont Ghia wagon) that has a clapped out body and rattly timing chain, a power steering pump with half its seals missing, an alternator with a mind of its own, more holes in the exhaust than titanic and has done 345xxxkms. Bought it maybe a month ago? put 5000 awesome klms on it so far. Well beyond the average persons reasons to scrap or wreck a car. Apparently the previous owner bought a brand new XR6 i think, and this was traded in. Must have seen the car for what it was and that there isnt many at all left? Quite amazed this car has survived for this long.

Body may need $2000ish to fully bring back to spec. Engine (original engine) needs maybe $1500 worth of work. (if all done by pro's)

Worth it to me in the end. Just hope ill have the means to get it done.

Sure beats spending $75k on a new Ford like my parents did. Massive initial outlay, high maintainance costs comparitivley, nowhere near as enjoyable to be in and drive either.

$5k is always nicer to hand over than $75k haha. Will also get another 300,000kms from it after that too...