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The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk |
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23-01-2017, 03:12 PM | #1 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
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In a situation where might have to be driving over 1000klm per week most of it freeway with up to 4 hour sints behind the wheel largely Hume and pacific highway
instead of killing any of my current cars contemplating buying something sub $20k that will be comfortable, safe and reliable but cheapest overall running cost. Thinking an FG XR6 or commodore v6 would have to be up there ? might be slighty more on fuel but less on servicing and parts. I have a terriotry turbo that has 180,000klms on the clock i was going to use but started to look closely at what is or will needing to be done maint wise due to age (no major defects owned since new and well maintained). so contenplating off loading it and getting something cheaper to run |
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23-01-2017, 03:17 PM | #2 | ||
Where to next??
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 8,893
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Fiesta Econetic?
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23-01-2017, 03:28 PM | #3 | ||
Sprinting Everywhere!
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 709
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Falcon/commodore would be a good choice, always get awesome economy from them on freeways (thats where they shine) but doing those kinda kays every week as much as I'm not a fan of diesels in passenger cars, diesel might be the most economical..... ecoboost g6e even???
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23-01-2017, 03:29 PM | #4 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 601
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EcoLPi - comfortable large size car with cheap fill-ups...pretty hard pressed to find similar sized car with lower running costs IMHO.
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23-01-2017, 03:32 PM | #5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,984
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Mondeo TDCI
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23-01-2017, 03:36 PM | #6 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: by the beach
Posts: 1,982
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Duel fuel xr6 with injected lpg . My ba gets around 460 klm for $38 of gas
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clevo mafia (sadly sold) 351c xe manual (now with short shifting 5sp goodness) xc gs coupe project...hmm more clevo for me new daily 2005 ba sr |
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23-01-2017, 03:59 PM | #7 | ||
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23-01-2017, 04:06 PM | #8 | ||
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23-01-2017, 04:27 PM | #10 | ||
Kicking back
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Western sydney
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Monster highway kays, I'd be swayed more towards a 4l. I have both an ecoboost g6 and a 4l fairmont ghia. Having the addition of a turbo on the ecoboost it adds an extra thing that can go wrong. Day to day driving and the odd long trip the ecoboost is great. Goes equally as well as the 6. It does horrible things to the oil in it when serviced at the same interval as the 6. I think it's all due to the added heat of the turbo oil feed, so on that basis, I'd be swayed towards a 4L 6.
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23-01-2017, 04:32 PM | #11 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,591
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LPG supply an issue these days doing rural work? The LPI seemed to have some head gasket issues aswell?
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23-01-2017, 04:38 PM | #12 | ||
Kicking back
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Location: Western sydney
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I forgot to add. We got the 2012 ecoboost g6 in 2014 with 23 thousand on the clock for 20k. A deal like that may sway your choice if it comes up.
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23-01-2017, 04:45 PM | #13 | ||
Donating Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,940
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Add another 3 or 4k to your budget and buy a 2015 FGX XR6 with 10,000 - 20,000km on it. Trouble free motoring.
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My Resume: Current: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio in Vulcano Black MY18 Black WRX STi Spec-R Previous: '16 White FGX XR8 '09 Black FG FPV GT 5th Anniversary '04 Blueprint BA XR8 '97 Mocha Foam EL Fairmont |
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23-01-2017, 04:51 PM | #14 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 924
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My G6E was pretty comfy when I did about 2,400km in a weekend. I was shifting a bit in my seat by the end, I have to admit.
If you're looking for comfortable size and reasonable power (makes sense. My gfs hatch uses less fuel on the highway, but it also revs a lot higher, while the barra just cruises along quietly), other options may be a euro sedan. Might have a bit more of that nice stuff in the cabin to make it even more comfortable. I hired a Mercedes to drive about 400km each way in the states, and it was super quiet, super comfortable, and was a pleasure to drive. |
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23-01-2017, 05:10 PM | #15 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 208
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When you can get oil filters ect for under $10 for a falcon or commodore ,it's hard to go past them for high klm work.
Also as mentioned, highway klms is the bread and butter for Falcons and Commodores IMO. LPi falcon would be my pick. |
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23-01-2017, 05:45 PM | #16 | |||
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Quote:
Unless you are going out bush bashing I don't get the whole 'small cars ain't good out of town' mentality to be honest? 3.2l per 100 in the freeway and most for sale are under $10k.
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23-01-2017, 06:08 PM | #17 | ||
HUGH JARSE
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Yap-Hoon
Posts: 22,031
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Don't rule out the mighty AU Fairmont or Fairlane.
Four hours a day in comfort, who really cares if it costs $6 more every refill? |
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23-01-2017, 06:24 PM | #18 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Perth WA
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Quote:
I just can't think of anything that would be cheaper motoring for this. |
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23-01-2017, 07:02 PM | #19 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,125
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Cheapest overall running cost?
Au to BF wagon straight LPG, has the larger tank size. Will run forever, cost $5k or less so you don't lose resale value compared with a $20k car which eats into overall running cost. |
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23-01-2017, 07:17 PM | #22 | ||
Over Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ipswich Qld
Posts: 1,351
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just you in the car
if cruz and air con needed camry V6 wagon tough guy a mini moke vw bettle ( can buy a bolt in air cooled engine that runs any % ethanol )
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My car goes Brumm Brumm Last edited by dirty hands; 23-01-2017 at 07:25 PM. |
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23-01-2017, 08:25 PM | #23 | ||
When in doubt, GAS IT!!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Lower Eyre Peninsula, SA
Posts: 3,018
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Go find yourself a dual fuel BF, Fairmont ghia or Fairlane if you can find one, then you'll have the best of both worlds and cheap as chit to maintain. Change the oil every 10k or so and plugs and leads as required and it'll just keep going.
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. HERS- BFIII Wagon Gold, alloys, dual fuel, bullbar, big tow pack, trans cooler, fully rebuilt HD suspension, Clarion, alarmed, full 2 1/2" sports system, mint body MINE- AUII Forte Meteorite, dual fuel but otherwise bog stock. MINE- AUII Fairlane Sportsman Liquid Silver over meteorite,HIDs', Airhog, Eagle Leads, dual fuel, custom rear springs, BA slotted discs + a second one for spares . |
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23-01-2017, 08:45 PM | #24 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2014
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Quote:
How high does the Fiesta rev at 110? I know my gf's hatch has a 7 or 8 speed gearbox and it still revs at over 2k while my Falcon is at 1.5k. One car is designed for long distance cruising, one is designed for zipping around town. Both can do either, one is just far more comfortable to be in while out on the highway. Personally I also find small cars too cramped. |
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23-01-2017, 08:55 PM | #25 | ||
Moderator
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Location: Melbourne
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I think another important criteria if you are mainly doing 1000Kms plus a week and in rural areas is to stick with any of the AU, BA & BF Falcons.
Most older mechanics in these rural towns "cut their teeth" on older Fords and Holdens and will be able to fix them if you break down, plus parts will be easier to source than a Euro. Auto stores are more likely to carry parts and lots of country Ford dealers too. I've heard horror stories from people with BMWs and Audis breaking down in small country towns, and having to get the car towed back to a larger regional or metro city to be fixed. |
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23-01-2017, 09:47 PM | #26 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 133
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If you want cheap and comfy, one of the best cars I ever had was a 1996 AE112 Corolla. It was the 1.8 Conquest so electric everything and a surprising amount of get up and go.
I paid $3300 for it and drove it about 1000km a week for a couple of years. On 98 I got 7l/100 town or highway and an oil and filter change cost $20 every 10,000k's. It uses a little oil, but otherwise nothing ever went wrong. I used to thrash the damn thing too. I gave it to a mate of mine when I got the Falcon ute and his Mrs uses it as her daily. The thing just won't die. EDIT - For those saying that small cars are no good in the country - I grew up in the bush, I live on a mountain now, and most of the corolla's work was country roads into the city and back out again.
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23-01-2017, 10:51 PM | #27 | ||||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Sydney
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Quote:
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However, it all comes down to budget. If you're looking at $3K, then you're best off getting an AU on gas (preferably the factory system). You may get a BA for that money, but it's probably been a cab. If you can stretch to $5K, you'll get a decent BA or maybe even a BF factory gas. Cheapest LPi FG I've seen recently was $11K for an XT ex-fleet. For long distance running, you just can't beat a large car - Falcon/Commodore have loads of comfort. As much as I'm a Holden man, I'm not biased - the AU is a good long distance car (I used to do country runs in the early 2000s in mine) - but the BA seats are a lot better for long drives. I've done many long interstate runs in the FG, and it's been THE most comfortable long-distance car I've ever owned. Even my weekly commute is >660km, and it laps it up. Almost 200,000km on it now. I do like the comment above about the simplicity of the AU - the live axle is certainly more durable & gives a much longer time between repairs than the BA-FG IRS, and the trade-off in comfort isn't that bad. No problems getting gas on any of the main highways and larger country centres either. |
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24-01-2017, 07:11 AM | #28 | |||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 231
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Quote:
Yes comfort is prob the biggest factor but also the longer wider wheelbase means less impact from cross winds or drafts from trucks and also have extra torque in reserve to accelerate promptly when needed, most of the small cars hit a wall for roll on acceleration or you need to get them right up in rev range before you start getting response. So this all adds up to a more safe secure feeling real or perceived |
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24-01-2017, 07:36 AM | #29 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Quote:
You don't need to explain yourself. Just specify in requirements "man sized car is a must" |
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24-01-2017, 07:40 AM | #30 | ||
When in doubt, GAS IT!!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Lower Eyre Peninsula, SA
Posts: 3,018
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A quick look on Carsales will bring up 60-odd low km ecoLPI falcons in your price bracket from XT all the way to G6E and everything in between. It all comes down to how much you want to spend.
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. HERS- BFIII Wagon Gold, alloys, dual fuel, bullbar, big tow pack, trans cooler, fully rebuilt HD suspension, Clarion, alarmed, full 2 1/2" sports system, mint body MINE- AUII Forte Meteorite, dual fuel but otherwise bog stock. MINE- AUII Fairlane Sportsman Liquid Silver over meteorite,HIDs', Airhog, Eagle Leads, dual fuel, custom rear springs, BA slotted discs + a second one for spares . |
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