Ford's Falcon has become a used car bargain that's easy to service & simple to run

[Sorted]

Perhaps the biggest unknown surrounding the launch of the Ford FG Falcon in 2008 was exactly how much of the car was new.

Certainly Ford claimed the FG was an all-new model, but other observers pointed to the similarities between the new car and the BF Falcon it replaced, and begged to differ.

Of course, it doesn't really matter now, because the BF was a solid platform on which to base a new car anyway.

But that also meant that the FG was, in all other respects, more of the same and, therefore, a pretty safe bet for Ford

And so it has turned out to be: despite falling sales of full-sized family cars in favour of (mainly) SUVs, the FG Falcon was (and is) a good thing by just about any measure and deserves to be taken seriously by used-car buyers who, generally speaking, aren't so easily swayed by this month's must-have fashion-accessory car.

Essentially, you're buying a big four-door sedan that was designed here in Australia to cope with local conditions.

The bulk of FGs out there are six-cylinder petrol-powered, but there are also factory LPG cars, some six-cylinder turbocharged models (plenty of them, actually) called XR6 Turbo and even a few 5.4-litre V8 cars dubbed XR8. A turbocharged four-cylinder badged Falcon Ecoboost was launched in 2012.

The turbo-six, Ecoboost and V8 actually merit a study on their own, so let's stick with the more prosaic models which include the normally-aspirated inline six-cylinder engine running on both petrol and LPG.

You had a variety of trim levels to choose from in the FG Falcon, starting with the XT base-model and moving through the G6 (which more or less replaced the old Futura model) and topping out with the G6E model, which was basically a Fairmont replacement.

For something a bit sportier but without the insurance costs of a turbocharged engine, there was the XR6, which used the same driveline as the other petrol models.

New model names notwithstanding, this was all pretty familiar stuff and so was the driving experience.

The four-litre petrol engine gave lots and lots of effortless performance. It could sound a bit strained when revved right out, but it was still a pretty refined, modern feeling engine for the most part.

The version with Ford's factory LPG-injection system was even faster (LPG has a higher octane level than petrol, so the engine can be tuned for more power and torque) and made 198kW versus the petrol's 195kW.

But this is where you need to know precisely what you're buying. When the FG was launched, the factory LPG version used a much simpler fuelling system that was good for just 156kW. This was still enough to propel it quite well, but it wasn't until the Falcon's first upgrade in mid-2011 that the new, more sophisticated LPG-injection system was launched on the FG.

You'll pick the earlier version by its four-speed automatic.

As far as inherent problems go, that evolutionary process that arrived at the FG also ironed out most of the glitches of previous models.

The six-speed automatic eventually became standard fitment on the FG and the German-engineered ZF six-speed unit is used on many high-end cars from other makers around the world.

Early FGs used a five-speed unit with the six-speed optional, but the six-speed became the default fitment in cars built after March 2010.

It certainly works very well, but the one recurring problem seems to be with the transmission cooler, which is mounted remotely from the gearbox in the engine bay.

Apparently the transmission cooler, which uses coolant like the engine's radiator, can fail and allow coolant to leak into the internals of the gearbox.

At this point, two things happen: the transmission fluid becomes contaminated and can't lubricate the gearbox properly, and the coolant wrecks the transmission control module, which is also located inside the transmission. The end result is a ruined gearbox and a big repair bill.

Ford specialists we talked to say that coolant changes as per the service schedule are absolutely critical to avoiding this, but one workshop recommended replacing the transmission cooler every 80,000km to 100,000km.

Cooler at a few hundred dollars is much less stress than a transmission at a few thousand – so goes the logic.

Another common FG Falcon habit is wear in the differential's centre bushing. This manifests as a clunk when taking off or selecting reverse and is a pretty easy fix.

The one thing that wasn't fixed in the transition from BF to FG Falcon was the tendency for front brake rotors to wear and warp.

This will be felt as a pulsing through the brake pedal (and perhaps the whole car if it's bad enough). Sometimes the rotors can be machined back to straight, but most times it's easier to replace them and fit new brake pads at the same time.

This has been a long-term Falcon gripe and the only real way to fix it permanently is to fit the larger rotors and calipers that Ford offered as optional packages with its high-performance versions of the car.

Aftermarket brake components would be another option and this is one area of the Falcon we don't mind seeing modified intelligently.

The other big thing to watch out for is an ex-rental car or an example that's been flogged along its whole life as a fleet car for a government body or big corporation.

Rental companies loved the Falcon for its size and running costs and plenty of fleets felt much the same way.

Red FG's are likely to be ex-fire-brigade cars, and beware of any example with shadows on the paint where corporate decals once resided.

Holes drilled in the dashboard or centre console are another giveaway that despatchers or two-way radios were once fitted to a particular vehicle.

A couple of recalls affect these cars, the first for a check on the brake booster of LPG-powered cars. The booster could develop a leak and reduce its assistance to the brake pedal. The brakes would still work, but would need a harder application.

The second recall was for a batch of cars on which the incorrect tyres were fitted. This seems like an almighty error, but it's also true to say that the Falcon's original, Chinese-made Dunlops were pretty ordinary even when sized correctly. An FG on its second set of tyres might just grip and brake a whole lot better if decent replacement rubber has been fitted.

On the safety front, the FG Falcon is a solid five-star performer, although our old complaint about the base-model Falcon remains: no side-curtain air-bags as standard.

Nuts and bolts

Engine/s: 4.0 6-cyl petrol/LPG

Transmissions: 5-auto/6-auto

Fuel economy (combined): 9.9 litres per 100km (XT petrol)/14.9 litres (XT LPG)

Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): 5 stars

Our rating: 3.5 stars

Likes:
• Great long-distance car with seats for five.

• LPG versions offer reduced running costs. Later LPI system the pick.

• Depreciation makes them great value now.

• Easy to service and simple to run.

Dislikes:
• Station-wagon dropped for this model.

• LPG range-anxiety for some owners.

• A few quality niggles – information screen can blank out on hot days.

• No standard side-curtain air-bags on base-model.

Competitors:

Holden Commodore – The Falcon's arch-rival for more than 30 years, the Commodore embodies similar packaging and strong points. Popular with fleets also and beware of pre-hooned examples. 3.5 stars

Toyota Aurion – Solid and dependable with V6 power in what is essentially a Camry bodyshell. Won't scare the horses and needs no introduction at the local club. 3.5 stars

Chrysler 300C – A bold looking alternative with the choice of petrol V8, V6 and even a turbo-diesel option. The latter makes good sense, actually, and only poor interior plastics really let it down. 3 stars

What to pay (courtesy of Glass's Guide):

Model Year New Now

XT 2008 $38,290 $9600

XT 2009 $41,290 $11,200

XT 2010 $40,290 $14,100

XT 2011 $40,290 $16,300

XT 2012 $37,235 $19,400

XT 2013 $37,235 $24,100

XR6 2008 $41,490 $13,400

XR6 2009 $44,490 $15,100

XR6 2010 $43,990 $16,800

XR6 2011 $43,990 $19,400

XR6 2012 $40,990 $26,700

XR6 2013 $40,990 $31,200

G6 2008 $39,990 $11,500

G6 2009 $42,490 $12,900

G6 2010 $43,490 $18,100

G6 2011 $43,490 $21,200

G6 2012 $40,835 $28,400

G6 2013 $40,835 $32,500

G6E 2008 $46,990 $16,800

G6E 2009 $49,490 $18,400

G6E 2010 $50,390 $21,500

G6E 2011 $50,390 $25,200

G6E 2012 $46,735 $32,800

G6E 2013 $46,735 $37,600

source:- http://news.drive.com.au/drive/used-...605-2npkh.html