Quote:
Originally Posted by guzzis3
Warning: Rant 
In 2009 I decided my NF fairlane was beyond economical restoration. First car I looked at was the falcons, but they were rubbish. The cars the dealers showed me looked like they had come from a $ shop and the service was appalling.
So I could get a hilux V6 auto xtra cab for 31500 but they only had a single cab workmate to test drive. It was appalling. I later found out the SRs ride a lot better.*&^%...
So I looked at other stuff and eventually settled on a subaru forester manual X. Hated the car soon after buying it. In retrospect one of the worst decisions I've ever made, and it's got solid competition for that.
So a couple of years ago after a particularly painful service bill (1200!) I built a spreadsheet to try and work out how they could possibly justify the $ (hint: they couldn't, I got ripped off). So just for fun (cos I have a weird sense of fun) I added the data for m EL falcon. Incredibly the EL was cheaper to own and run than the subaru, despite $200/yr extra rego ad 20%more fuel. I did not include depreciation or finance.
So 6 months ago the 125k service which includes cambelt is $1800! Then the air con starts playing up. The other day car stops dead no clutch, slave cylinder, $350. Now they want $2100 for a clutch.
Utter garbage. Awful ergonomics, no bottom end, pitches, ordinary seats. Just a horid car. The only area it is superior to the falcon is wet weather adhesion.
130k and it's borderline beyond economical repair. Money pit.
My 2 falcons do break down. About $500/yr for repairs, but the service costs are so cheap that it totally wipes out fuel and reg savings on the forester.
I'll never buy a subaru again, and I'll probably never buy a new car again. I think next time I'll get an XB or something (LTD?) and restore it.
Stick to your falcons. Great cars. |
E-Series was the pinnacle as the boot had a carpet or plastic liner on the inside, which afterward disappeared. Ah, decontenting.
I also remember Hilux workmate of 2009 vintage, used them on mines and remember thinking 'people actually buy this with their own coin?' Always loved it when I got a 105 diesel or 75/79 instead.
Interesting Suby discussion, I've always had a soft spot for them after the mates had them and would rally sections of the dirt roads north of Lancelin looking for surf. My plodding Cruiser was way slower...
Another mate can't stand them, the seat comfort just kills it for him. Driving the GOR with him in Suby in front, the Terri would reel in the supposedly great handling Suby on every corner. An XV I test drove felt quite nose heavy and understeery compared to the Terry. My soft spot for them evaporated when I watched a guy do an engine rebuild on YT of the Suby boxer engine - right down to pulling the block casting in half. It was like automotive yoga.
In comparison, the dumb, simple Aussie I6 will just keep on going. And be pretty cheap to maintain in today's times.
Must admit the BFIII wagons look like a smart buy if you can find a good one - they recontented it a little (black carpet) and a low k petrol would last forever without the Terri's constant suspension work.
If your fantasy is an XB, mine's a 60 series Cruiser. Ah, leaf springs.
Otherwise, Camrys, as stated. I think the RZ model of the last Aussie ones 'brings out the bad in Dad'... Have no idea how cheap long term hybrid ownership would be, but taxis are doing Falcon kms on them.