How realistic is it to expect to get ...

[peterljohnson55]

... twenty years of life out of a 2001 AU2 (excluding prangs).

In my case, based on current usage, it will have 220K on the clock, by then.

Things on my mind include...

How many Kms could be reasonably expected given engine service every 8000kms?

What part-failure would cause the car to be most likely not worth repairing due to cost?

What things do you recommend I do to keep it alive for the next 8 years?

Is 25 years, even 30 years, beyond reasonable expectation?

[Rodge]

Well....I just helped my daughter buy a 1991 EA2 Fairmont in absolutly original condition, immaculate inside and out always garaged and one owner from new done only 160,000 km's. We looked at all kinds of Japaneese piles of crap, her budget was under $5,000 and we couldn't find a half way reasonable japaneese car for that. Bought the Falcon for only $1,000 Drives like a dream, auto is as smooth as silk, what a find !!!

These engines will last well beyond 400,000 km's if you look after them.
Look after your gearbox, that's the thing most likely to sabotage the economic viability of your car. Service the gearbox every 3 years or 50,000 km's whichever comes first.

As long as you're prepared to put in the hard yards on regular maintenance there's no reason these cars can't last almost indefinitly.

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by peterljohnson55

... twenty years of life out of a 2001 AU2 (excluding prangs).

In my case, based on current usage, it will have 220K on the clock, by then.

Things on my mind include...

AUs have proven to be the most reliable modern falcon so far, so its a good start. The following info is based on the assumption you have an I6 automatic with live axle rear suspension;

How many Kms could be reasonably expected given engine service every 8000kms?

It is an AU, so at least 600,000kms can be expected. Assuming its an I6.

What part-failure would cause the car to be most likely not worth repairing due to cost?

None. Most expensive part to replace would be the transmission, which isnt much compared to other vehicles.

What things do you recommend I do to keep it alive for the next 8 years?

General maitenence. Change fluids at recommended intervals.

Is 25 years, even 30 years, beyond reasonable expectation?

Given the AU isnt even close to that age yet, its hard to say. But given how indestructible they have been so far, Id say its possible.

[Evgeni]

Mine is almost on 250,000km, no major issues. Going to pick up some springs today as one side of my rear springs has decided to sag, but that is about it.
We are upgrading our other car to a Territory or a Kluger soon, so I'll keep it till it either dies, or I can't get parts for it any longer.

[MNM96]

PJ

My AUIII was purchased new by me in 2001. It now has over 200k on the clock, yet to me, I consider it is still like a new car. I have no fear of driving it for another 10 years. I am fastidious about servicing, use full synthetic oil, and only change it at the mandated 15k interval.

Tranny failure would be a hard one to swallow for your wallet.

I had an XC GXL Fairy with 170k, was only the 2nd owner, and it was ratshit!

[big_landau]

as said service the gearbox (and the rest of the car of course).no reason wny you wont get that long out of it,happy motoring

[gtfpv]

having owned falcons all my life its very realistic you'll get 20 years out of an au . i have seen an au with 1200 000kms on the clock , ( 3rd engine) 2nd diff and 2nd gearbox , and the car looked good .
the things that kill these cars are interior wear n tear . dashboard failures , roof lining , aircon , demisters etc .

[302 XC]

My AU ute has over 350K on it
Its had the head done,gearbox needs a service, doesnt grab a gear sometimes first thing in the morning,yep service time
The engine still smooth as when new,and still goes like a scalt cat,returns pritty good economy
Parts are cheap, can get either another AU for parts for a few hundred or a complete running guaranteed engine for a few hundred,and keep motoring
The AU surely has to be one of the cheapest overall 2nd hand cars out there

[FGII-XR6]

A taxi I used to drive now has over 900 000 Ks on it, original engine never had the head off. it is now retired as a taxi but is on the road as a daily driver and never misses a beat . these things are almost indestructible if you maintain them

[2011G6E]

Everything about life of a car depends probably 30% how the factory built it, and 70% how well the owner (or owners) look after it from then on. Kilometers only matter when it comes to things needing replacing.

My Toyota Celica was made in 1982, and when I bought it just on five years ago, it was a genuine one-owner, owned by a little old lady since new. It had always been carefully garaged and only had 70,000km on the clock when I bought it. I've looked after it too but I've racked up another bunch of highway kilometers so it's now on something like 120,000. I've had to replace the diff bearings and front wheel bearings...but that's it. The car is still like a new one, and has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned even though it's now 31 years old.
Now, I've seen other RA60 Celicas like mine, but they're tired to say the least...rusted out, knocked around, just "tired".

Similarly, we've all heard stories about some immaculate old Falcon that someone has picked up at, for example, an estate auction in pristing low-mile condition, but some young guy has bought it and promptly run it into the ground over the course of a couple of years until it's no better than a wreck.


If you've owned a car since new, you can control the servicing, you control how it's driven to a large extent, and you are responsible for keeping a weather eye out for any little issues and you control how quickly they are fixed...do you let something break first or are you the kind of guy who jumps in and replaces something as soon as it starts to give trouble as a preventative measure?

All that will dictate how long a car will last...to a point where kilometers are just a number on the odometer, and again, I'm sure we've all seen immaculate looking cars and been surprised to find out how big a number of kilometers they actually have on them.

[Road_Warrior]

I'm sure you could get 20 years out of "an" AU, but not mine. So far, it has let us down a few times and has cost a small fortune to replace things such as the fuel pump/sender unit, steering rack, alternator, fix the tailgate that won't shut, amongst other things. But I don't think the previous owner looked after it as well as he said he did. The car's history means A LOT. Doing your "due diligence" with any car you buy obviously comes into the equation...

[Mr Hardware]

Well mine is 13 and it's almost been to the moon and back....

[sico]

I just recently sold my au3 utility with 160,000kms on it.
The fuel pump went twice (60,000 & 100,000kms) which is a big $ job as they can't access it from above like in the sedan. With the second replacement being $1000 as I'd had dual fuel fitted and the tanks impeded access even further.
Brake master cylinder went early on too.

[TheSneakiness]

I had an AUII ute I bought with 68,000km in 2003.

I sold it in 2007 with 138,000km and had replaced the high pressure power steering hose and the power steering rack. It was starting to develop a leak from the thermostat housing even through the housing and thermostat replaced before.

[Ford_The_Win]

I used to have an EL as my daily driver. I was the most gentle owner a car could have but I had lots of electrical issues, issues with the transmission, brakes, fuel system and suspension. Final straw was when the boot strut bracket broke off the body of the car and I needed a piece of wood to hold the boot up. It's a clunky old piece of junk, collects dust in the shed and hasn't been driven in months. It has 140,000 on the clock.

It didn't cost an awful lot to keep on the road, not compared to other cars, but the constant stream of maintenance drove me crazy and really soured the car for me. It was very rare to have a period where everything worked properly. I hope you like fixing cars Peter.

[Mr Hardware]

Ford The Win, when I used to swing spanners of taxis, I used to spend a whole lot more time on the EL's than I did on AUs. Whilst very similar, the AUs were mechanically and electrically superior to the E-series.

[SteveJH]

Just remember that you'll probably have trouble getting parts for some things as they get older.

For example, apparrently you can't get the electric window switches for the AU2 75th Anniversary Model anymore. My sisters partner was looking for them for her car.

[FGII-XR6]

available on ebay new aftermarket

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Just remember that you'll probably have trouble getting parts for some things as they get older.

For example, apparrently you can't get the electric window switches for the AU2 75th Anniversary Model anymore. My sisters partner was looking for them for her car.

[xisled]

It is not the running gear that is a concern in any modern car, It is the electronics. They are not made to last 20 plus years.

[jpblue1000]

Define 'last'!
My Mk1 escort is 42 years old, probably gone around the world many time before it was transformed into the race car. Its still going stronger than ever but every part bar the rear windscreen and roof has been modified or replaced with better now toting 450HP compared to the original 52 and its probably worth about 12 times its original purchase price so has 'Lasted' very well??!.
My Au1 ute has done 285,000km's and has the odd ding, and scrape, the interior has seen better days but bar the rough idle its engine and gearbox (manual) is still going strong. Id expect another 10 years out of mine or Id be dissapointed (hopefully I don't need it for 10 years but you never know)

[mik]

with proper maintence and regular inspections to fix small issues rather than letting become big ones, it should`nt be a problem i think.

[brenx]

as above if anything only the exhaust and auto trans will give any real issue. We recently sold my mrs series 1 au due to the auto trans showing signs of failure. I started to not go into reverse. The car had 170, 000 on it. I used to own an el which has the same trans and that lasted 240,000 and started to show signs of slipping clutches. The el trans was serviced twice. At 84k and 200k. I generally sell my cars if they hit the 240k mark. Cant advise on higher k's.

[brenx]

should add el had a tow pack = trans cooler. The au had no trans cooler.

[Mechan1k]

If looked after ... the vehicle will last a long time.

I'll use my Territory as an example .... have had it since new ... nearing 200,000km ... is just about to turn 9 years old ... and still drives like new .... just general maintenance ... and a couple of little things needing replacing over time (cat converter, some bushes)

As for servicing .... MAKE SURE THE AUTO IS SERVICED RELIGIOUSLY ... and you will be fine.

I have adjusted my oil and filter changes from 15,000km down to 10,000km .... as it is easiler to remember anyway.

I reckon 2001G6E is on the ball .... 30% goes on the build ... the rest on the maintenance. I make sure I service i properly ... but I think my Territory was "well built" from factory .... others I have heard have been shockers.

[JG34JA]

Agree with Mechan1k, our Terry is now 170+K, drives like new so must have been one of the 'good' ones. Ordered new & up-specced by us from factory. I'm proactive on maintenance, if something doesn't feel/sound right I investigate. What has been done apart from regular servicing: Ford recall to install SY2 balljoints, 5c of rust in tailgate saw respray under warranty, leak from ZF saw fluid replacement. Each set of tyres gets 70,000 on average so on 3rd now. On 2nd battery.

I would believe it is easy to expect the AU to last that long with thoughtful maintenance. It's great value for money over this time, as well.

[XD 351 Ute]

I think the biggest threat apart from electronics, is the big C.
Maintenance is the key to looking after our cars.

Ed

[blackf6]

Rust is an issue. The plenum area and behind the front guards, isn't painted very well.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

I used to have an EL as my daily driver. I was the most gentle owner a car could have but I had lots of electrical issues, issues with the transmission, brakes, fuel system and suspension. Final straw was when the boot strut bracket broke off the body of the car and I needed a piece of wood to hold the boot up. It's a clunky old piece of junk, collects dust in the shed and hasn't been driven in months. It has 140,000 on the clock.

It didn't cost an awful lot to keep on the road, not compared to other cars, but the constant stream of maintenance drove me crazy and really soured the car for me. It was very rare to have a period where everything worked properly. I hope you like fixing cars Peter.

I'm getting mine registered tomorrow, its been roadworthied earlier this week.

I replaced the alternator a few months back, it has about 30km on the new alternator and just before I noticed it was only sitting on around 12V at idle, the dash lights were getting brighter with revs....

I replaced the power steering line so it isn't leaking into it destroying the alternator already.

[Itsme]

Can see any car lasting 20 years or more if maintained & serviced correctly, up to you how well you look after it.

[Bucknaked]

My Au2 Ute is going great. Serviced the trans, fitted a cooler, service the engine and coolng system flush. Still going strong at 44,700k's At this rate, I'll hit 60,000 by the time it turns 20