AU - best car I have owned

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Was the closest I could get to XR8UTE without paying the extortionate fees NSW RTA charges for personalised plates. Kind of says "XR eight" in a way if you say it really fast/look at it sideways/drunk etc. :

Friggin blind Drunk ! : Seeing 2 8's I suppose instead of 1 :Reverend:

[GlennBA]

AU's are sweet..
All the E series guys bag them so bad usually.. but they look mint when you do them up.
The best thing about au's being "ugly" in stock form, is that theres so much available to make them look ***** hot!

I know you're sick of seeing pics of my old AU.. but i'm not so bare with it :

[The Monty]

You changed your username!!! Bout time. Yes the AU is sexy as, even with little or no bodykit.

[walker]

Originally Posted by BA GT-HO

I have to be honest and say ever since the AU came out in 1998 I have been a vocal critic of the styling and the interior of these cars. I have owned an EF, EL, BA XR6T and now a AU XR8 Rebel, and honestly the AU is the best car I have owned. The interior grows on you and I have lost track of how many people have said "For a Ford this is a good looking car".

So to all the knockers of the AU out there (me being one of them for many years) give them a chance, because once you see past the looks of the things, they are really a cracker of a car to own and enjoy!

Cheers! :hihi:

Couldn't agree with you more there.......and the XR8 REBEL is nothing shy of an awsome car. you got any pics

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by b2tf

yep, you are right too. sorry, didnt see your post!

And "TE" at the end could be "Tickford Enhanced as well.
Just popped into my head then

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by GlennBA

AU's are sweet..
All the E series guys bag them so bad usually.. but they look mint when you do them up.

That's because boxcar owners are jealous and wish they owned AUs.
py:

[blacklabel]

Originally Posted by AUXR8220

i didnt like the looks of the au's, and i was a little unsure when buying mine. brought it mainly because it went well, and for a stock car sounded great. plus the leather and premium sound. then i gradually got use to the looks of the car. now though i think that they are an awesome looking car and where just a couple of years ahead of there time.

Absolutely! If you cast your mind back to '97/98 the bulk of established body shape was still pretty square and angular- even the euros.So to see softly curved wedge shapes was definetly ahead of it's time,and I think that was the main shocker for people.Even the "saggy,sad" rear end of the AU can look pretty damn good even in stock form-once you manage to reduce that huge gap between tyre and arch!

[markxr6t]

I downshifted from a BA XR6 Turbo to an AU2 XR8 220 as an "interim car" whilst I look for a BF XR6T.

I love the AU far more than I thought I would. Whilst I've always liked the hand built Tickford 220kw engines and the little signature placards I had no idea what a cohesive package an XR AU with IRS really is. Whilst performance of an XR6T is in a different league my AU XR8 is just as satisying to own and drive. I'll still get the BF XR6T (with edit for instant 12 second quarters), but I may well hang onto the AU too.

And I reckon the AUs unfortunate and undeserved reputation makes a series 3 AU Forte for around $8k one of the best value cars on the planet!

[The Monty]

Definatley!!! Cheap, fast, and sexy!

[efI_Fairmont]

I really like the AU2/3 Fairmonts they look really nice IMO. Not that keen on the AU XR's but all of them drive better then their E-Series contemporaries. I'd love an AU Fairmont Ghia, be nice to have one. And for all the baggings the interiors of the AU's cop, I think they are quite nice, they've dated well and are very roomy too.

[onfire]

I said Id never own an AU series 1.. since pretty much the day it came out. Funny how things work out.

I actully like my AU1 fortes front end, believe it or not, I reckon it looks pretty mean. And its big, its dark, its low.. whats not to like?

[347 mont]

I'm guilt of being a former knocker of the AU's but am the proud owner of a SII Fairmont Ghia,Barossa Red and I reckon they're tops, styling and handling (mine with lsd irs) are mint but should of been standard with a 220 kw motor and up from there for the sports range I just think they're a little under powered compared to the competitors. My Ghia came with Tickford wheels and body kit. I still reckon the series 1 need to a little work to make em them easier on the eye, simple mod like lowering and new grill and you've got a nice car i reckon.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by 347 mont

I'm guilt of being a former knocker of the AU's but am the proud owner of a SII Fairmont Ghia,Barossa Red and I reckon they're tops, styling and handling (mine with lsd irs) are mint but should of been standard with a 220 kw motor and up from there for the sports range I just think they're a little under powered compared to the competitors. My Ghia came with Tickford wheels and body kit. I still reckon the series 1 need to a little work to make em them easier on the eye, simple mod like lowering and new grill and you've got a nice car i reckon.

assuming your username is referring to your car thats one hell of a nice ride. im a sucker for the Fairmonts with the factory bodykit.

[T3man]

Well I'm probably one of the handful of people outside the Ford Design team and the Styling Clinic (a group of ordinary people pulled off the street to do appraisals of a design before it is signed-of by Ford) who actually liked the AU from Day #1. I never saw anything wrong with the "droopy @rse" look - maybe 'cos I've always loved Jag's styling. As for the base model grille - all you had to do was paint it body colour and they looked great. At the time this was obvious to me just by seeing a silver Forte for the first time.

The only small issue I have with the styling is the bubble roof - I know it was done to achieve a fantastic cD but, flattened just a tad (like the BA) would have been perfect.

The XRs are definitely the best looking of all esp with the Rebel body kit. That might sound funny coming from a T3 owner but the way I see it the XR is an openly sporty family sedan without looking hoonish or "in ya face". The T3 is just BOLD and makes the statement it needed to at the time ... " here is a Tickford that will take it to HSV and then some!"

[GK]

Originally Posted by 347 mont

I'm guilt of being a former knocker of the AU's but am the proud owner of a SII Fairmont Ghia,Barossa Red and I reckon they're tops, styling and handling (mine with lsd irs) are mint but should of been standard with a 220 kw motor and up from there for the sports range I just think they're a little under powered compared to the competitors. My Ghia came with Tickford wheels and body kit. I still reckon the series 1 need to a little work to make em them easier on the eye, simple mod like lowering and new grill and you've got a nice car i reckon.

Very nice ride there 347!

GK

[Walkinshaw]

Originally Posted by BA GT-HO

I have to be honest and say ever since the AU came out in 1998 I have been a vocal critic of the styling and the interior of these cars. I have owned an EF, EL, BA XR6T and now a AU XR8 Rebel, and honestly the AU is the best car I have owned. The interior grows on you and I have lost track of how many people have said "For a Ford this is a good looking car".

So to all the knockers of the AU out there (me being one of them for many years) give them a chance, because once you see past the looks of the things, they are really a cracker of a car to own and enjoy!

Cheers! :hihi:

You are joking ? ;) Hoon Spec rocks.

[Kenaz]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

That's because boxcar owners are jealous and wish they owned AUs.
py:

Umm... ooookay! :

[Casper]

lets not all turn this into an "us and them" thread please. They are all Fords and all have merit.

Lets face it, how many of you would choose a VN over an EA?? Not too many I'm guessing. The eseries cars have some good features. So do AU's, so do B series.

[Falcon SXR8]

Its funny when I was in high school I used to bag my mate beacuse his dad had an EB XR8 and all I wanted was a 351 xc or somthing like that then I went for a drive with my cousin in his eb xr8 and man that was a turning point in my life the way it handled and everything so I ended up with one as my first car, my mate at school still gives me a hard time about that. Then my other mates brother buys this series 1 au xr8 when they were new and I thought what a hunk of junk i hated the au but once again I went for a rap in it lets just say a few years down the track I have picked up a 220kw xr8 and its just awsome and I had the choice of a ba xr8 to but after going in both the sound and low down grunt of the au xr8 won out not to mention I realy like the looks. All my mates have said that they hated the au fords but after seing mine in the flesh and going for a rap in it they all admit its an awsome car.

[GK]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

Its funny when I was in high school I used to bag my mate beacuse his dad had an EB XR8 and all I wanted was a 351 xc or somthing like that then I went for a drive with my cousin in his eb xr8 and man that was a turning point in my life the way it handled and everything so I ended up with one as my first car, my mate at school still gives me a hard time about that. Then my other mates brother buys this series 1 au xr8 when they were new and I thought what a hunk of junk i hated the au but once again I went for a rap in it lets just say a few years down the track I have picked up a 220kw xr8 and its just awsome and I had the choice of a ba xr8 to but after going in both the sound and low down grunt of the au xr8 won out not to mention I realy like the looks. All my mates have said that they hated the au fords but after seing mine in the flesh and going for a rap in it they all admit its an awsome car.

That's indeed a consistent theme around here. People bag out the AU until they've had a ride in one and then they get one, or covet one! LOL!

GK

[Riksta]

I was never a big fan of the AU, even though I've always loved Falcons.

Then when I was looking around at EL-type models (I liked the looks better than the AU and they were a bit cheaper) I found the car that I ended up buying, fell in love with the way it looked the moment I saw it. Granted, it could sit a little lower on some nicer rims, but that can all come later, I'm EXTREMELY happy with it.

Its also one of the nicest cars I've ever driven, and although I didn't like the "bubbleish" interior to start with, its grown on me, I love it now.

AU's are the car equivalent of the frog that turns into a prince.

[BA GT-HO]

Here is a pic of mine.

It's manual too :

[347 mont]

Originally Posted by b2tf

assuming your username is referring to your car thats one hell of a nice ride. im a sucker for the Fairmonts with the factory bodykit.

Its not quite there yet,slowly accumulating parts so I can live up to my user name he he. One day it be ready, oh lotto bonous draw, might be sooner than I think.
parts so far ported alloy heads with valves only, intake manifold, forged crank and H beams. Try put some pennies away for a after market block next. Heads aren't quite what I'm after, not flowing as good as I want so proberly spend more$$$ on them and then sought out rest of the valve train. A custom cam from Jay Allen would be nice. Should be ready in 2014 lol
Even though mine got the Tickford suspension it still could be a bit closer to the black stuff to give it more of a stornch (spelling?) look.

[toolchick01]

I admit I never really liked the AU's when they came out either. I think I was about 14 when they came out and my friends parents bought a Forte. I thought they were kinda ugly. But when I found my XR6 and drove it I fell in love with it. And for $7000 who could go wrong.

[ClassicAU]

No sure if anyone else has said it, but in my opinion the AU Series 2/3 has the best interior of any Falcon. Even the plain Forte looks good. I'm still not convinced about the BA/BF Falcons, as they are a bit too boxy for me. Also, the Ghia looks fantastic! My fathers car is a fully optioned AUIII Ghia and it is all class i recon. Even my car, being just a Falcon, is a great place to sit! I have always loved the dash, both color and shape.
I also like the look of the car too, very sleek. For the plain Falcon, i think the AU 2/3 is really nice. But I have to admit that with the XR, i am more partial to the BA's. They just look meaner to me. That said, the T3 cars are the horniest things ever!

Evan

[AEF_Silver94]

I'm probably the only one/s/ and or only few who loved the look of the Au's since day one absolutely love these cars i always have a second look when i see them everyday.

[J.C.]

Both the wife and I like the AU2 & 3 styling. Previous to our current car (T3 TS), we had a AU2 75th Futura. Nice car, reliable, comfortable, economical and with 60000kms free servicing, who could go wrong? We traded up after 18months of trouble free motoring to a TS. We did look at the newly released GT, but the wife wasn't really fussed with the interior of the BA, hence the TS. We are happy enough.

P.S. while in Melbourne in 2004, I was in and out of taxis. In talking to the cab drivers, most AU cabs had over 1.2million k's on them (one had over 1.8). All that had been done to them from what I was told was change battery every two years and trans every 200000-300000kms.

So, yeah! They were an alright motor car.

[DTFRMONT]

I upgraded from an EL Fairmont to an 2002 AU3 Fairmont last year, and it's been a fantastic car, even with 220,000 k's up. Ultra reliable too (Much better than the EL) Bought her nice and cheap ($7100!), still stock standard, time to think of tinting the windows & getting a nice set of wheels.

A very underrated car, especially in Series 2/3 trim. (The sunnies holder is a nice touch!)

[redman]

My best car was an AU II XR6 Manual in Venom.
I remember how it would launch at the traffic light derby. It was great on the Cape Paterson / Inverloch road in 2nd or 3rd gear while staying in my lane and on or under the speed limit. The grip and balance was fantastic. It took me and the family from Melb to Perth and back, dragging a '78 Jayco camper trailer at a trip average of 12L/100km. The LSD helped with blasting past 4wd Toyos on the Mt Stirling Rd - up or down.
Current ride is a SX TS RWD Terry. It too is a great car, but gee I miss that 5 speed manual on the AU II XR6.

[RG]

I always bagged out the AU for being ugly, well all of them except the T series. But when I started looking for a car I just couldn't go past the AU, nothing else could give me the same package. The performance from the bent 8 was a bit lacking, but was still bloody good, but that was soon fixed.