"Decontenting"

[CAMS290]

Decontenting in the automotive industry seems common practice my experience was when they took the handy sun glass holder that was in my AU2 XR8 and deleted it from the BA series.

I believe the Territory had some standard features quietly removed like the adjustable pedals and Holden has taken things like centre console bin lights out of the latest VE Calais that was in the 2006 cars.

It doesn't do much for the local large car market by taking items off the standard feature lists, especially those that are thinking of updating with the same car a few years down the track, only to find the same car has been cheapened.
Any others that you know of ?

[RG]

The footrest gone in the BA comes to mind.

[kenz]

Everything half decent from the xr/fpv sedans has the pov pack treatment in the ute varients :

[Raptor]

According to this old thread the Territory has lost since being introduced the following;

• Adjustable pedals
• Seats have shrunk.
• Mid row seat belt height adjustment gone.
• Third row "flap" to cover gap when seats folded flat gone.
• Mid row bin liner gone.
• Rear cargo hammock gone.
• Rear cargo cover gone.
• "premium" sound system now far less premium.
• Terri water bottles gone.
• Ford tissues gone
• Less sound deadening.
• Lids on third row bins gone.
• Auto dimming mirror gone late 06?? then came back Sep 07?
• Memory Seats gone late 06?? then came back Sep 07?
• 3 year roadside assist became only 1 year.
• Roof mounted clock has gone.
• Road biased (Integrity) tires now standard on AWD's. If you want the SUV biased (Fortera) tread you need to specify when ordering. Maybe to mask the reduction in sound deadening?

Note that some of these items were later re-instated in a extra cost 'safety pack' or somesuch or retained only in the top of range Ghia models where they were once fitted across the whole range.

Nice one Ford :

Reading that makes me glad I have an old one, if it wasn't for the ball joint issue :

[flappist]

Originally Posted by CAMS290

Decontenting in the automotive industry seems common practice my experience was when they took the handy sun glass holder that was in my AU2 XR8 and deleted it from the BA series.

I believe the Territory had some standard features quietly removed like the adjustable pedals and Holden has taken things like centre console bin lights out of the latest VE Calais that was in the 2006 cars.

It doesn't do much for the local large car market by taking items off the standard feature lists, especially those that are thinking of updating with the same car a few years down the track, only to find the same car has been cheapened.
Any others that you know of ?

I had a sunglass holder in my BA1 and both BA2s.

[buggo]

Originally Posted by flappist

I had a sunglass holder in my BA1 and both BA2s.

I think the sunglass holder, on the roof just above the rear view IIRC, is only on ghia's and maybe fairmonts. I dont think they came staandard on falcons, xr's. I could be wrong however.

[CAMS290]

Originally Posted by flappist

I had a sunglass holder in my BA1 and both BA2s.

My BA1 Pursuit didn't have one.

[auxr]

Originally Posted by flappist

I had a sunglass holder in my BA1 and both BA2s.

Every model I have had, has always come optioned with a sun glass holder - the wife.

[CAMS290]

Originally Posted by Raptor

According to this old thread the Territory has lost since being introduced the following;

• Adjustable pedals
• Seats have shrunk.
• Mid row seat belt height adjustment gone.
• Third row "flap" to cover gap when seats folded flat gone.
• Mid row bin liner gone.
• Rear cargo hammock gone.
• Rear cargo cover gone.
• "premium" sound system now far less premium.
• Terri water bottles gone.
• Ford tissues gone
• Less sound deadening.
• Lids on third row bins gone.
• Auto dimming mirror gone late 06?? then came back Sep 07?
• Memory Seats gone late 06?? then came back Sep 07?
• 3 year roadside assist became only 1 year.
• Roof mounted clock has gone.
• Road biased (Integrity) tires now standard on AWD's. If you want the SUV biased (Fortera) tread you need to specify when ordering. Maybe to mask the reduction in sound deadening?

Note that some of these items were later re-instated in a extra cost 'safety pack' or somesuch or retained only in the top of range Ghia models where they were once fitted across the whole range.

Nice one Ford :

Reading that makes me glad I have an old one, if it wasn't for the ball joint issue :

And Ford may wonder why there isn't many returning clientele, the cars are being stripped and the after sales service is shocking.

[Airmon]

Yeah the Sunglass holder in the B Series was in Fairmonts and up I think.

It does seem that way, what happened to all the extra gauges you would get on a higher model? Volts might not have been hugely useful, but added to the feeling that you were driving something a bit more special then the base model.
The B Series were probably the worst offenders, with so many parts being carried over between series, where the next model up had a small chrome strip and rear power windows.

Its worse when you look at what base models from other manufacturers have, especially when a Japanese car from 10 year earlier has more features then a new Falcon.
Although, we finally have 16" alloy standard.

[andrewts]

E-Series lost the digital dash somewhere around EB2, with door open indicator thing... was classy.

[UNR8D]

full velour door linings in Box cars/lanes compared with a chip of **** bit of leather on the NL i had and the BF fairlane ghia I had felt like XT door trims.

no lining in the glove box

premium sound in AU bettering that in the BA onwards. *even FG*

[DazBA]

My Mazda BT-50 has 2 power outlets (cig. lighter sockets). A friend bought the next model and it only has 1 outlet with a blank cap over where the second one should be.

I don't know why they would delete the second one. It is good if you have a phone charger and a GPS. No need to swap plugs all the time.

[Smoke Pursuit]

My BFII super pursuit didnt have one... I think my AUIII XR6 did tho!

[Bossxr8]

BA's had 4 dash cooling vents, BF's have only 2.

[JMO]

Originally Posted by RG

The footrest gone in the BA comes to mind.

I thought that had something to do with safety ratings. Something to do with the angle of the foot iirc?

[csv8]

I have often said my BF Mk 2 Ghia looks povo pack inside. No wood trim,satin and piano black trim, instead. Door skins same as povo pack. No offence to XT etc owners. But when you buy a GHIA it should be different to the other models.

[Auslandau]

Cigi lighters and ashtrays ...... bastards!!!!! Some of my older cars had 4!!!

Originally Posted by csv8

I have often said my BF Mk 2 Ghia looks povo pack inside.

The XF and AU had great ghia interiors ..... down hill since then!



| [/url] |

[BA Baracus]

It's dodgy in my opinion when there are fairly basic trim pieces missing. On a lot of B series things like the plastic boomerang spears that go in the door handles, scuff plates and that sort of thing. It would be fine to not include these things in low spec models but it's sketchy to have obvious indents in the car that say 'there is suppose to be something here'.

[Silver Ghia]

No low coolant reservoir warning in the BA1 Ghia (was in the AU1 Fairy)
No fuel cover open indicator in the BA1 Ghia (was in the AU1 Fairy)
No cigarette lighter and lit ashtray in the BA1 Ghia (was in the AU1 Fairy)
No footrest as RG stated (was in the AU1 Fairy)-safety reason my foot. Thats all been done over in another thread.
No lit up boot release or fuel release buttons in the Ghia. (Thought they were in the AU1 Fairy) But the FG doesnt even have a lockable fuel cover??
Much shorter emergency boot release cable in the Ghia (Very handy long one in the AU1 Fairy) But then there's none in the FG?
The sunglass holders only came in the AU2 onwards, not the AU1, I believe.
Yes the AU interior looked much classier with the more visible and brighter woodgrain than in the BA Ghia.

[b2tf]

Footrest gone in B series is now back in FG complete with 5 star safety rating so I dont know what happened there.

No sunglasses holder in FG utes either.

[Iggypoppin']

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Cigi lighters and ashtrays ...... bastards!!!!! Some of my older cars had 4!!!

The XF and AU had great ghia interiors ..... down hill since then!

yeah!! What happened? So many times I have not had matches or a lighter and wished my BA did..ohwell.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Footrest gone in B series is now back in FG complete with 5 star safety rating so I dont know what happened there.

No sunglasses holder in FG utes either.

Early BA crash tests showed the foot rest could cause lower leg injuries in a crash, so it was deleted. Cost saving would have come into this too.

I was not aware the FG now had a footrest. But if it does its possibly the re design of the crash structure that allows for the footrest to now not be a problem for lower leg injuries?

[Franco Cozzo]

My Fiesta doesn't have a cigarette lighter, only a 12V accessory plug thingo. I don't smoke but comon, it should have one haha.

[SilentDave]

I think the ashtray/lighter have gone due to the anti smoking culture that is around, even thou I don't smoke a lighter doesn't seem to go astray sometimes

[duaned]

Double horn on BFmk1 XR6, single horn on BFmk2 XR6.

[Romulus]

Cigarette lighter and ashtray. I do not need a car manufacturer encouraging me not to smoke. It's a legal product which I shall enjoy whenever I feel like it. Flicking ash and cigarettes out the window is starting to leave smear marks down the C pillar of my car. Gives me the irrits!

[Full Noise]

BA series I and II GT-P had Brembo callipers on the rear. The BF GT-P had PBR callipers on the rear instead.

[data_mine]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

BA's had 4 dash cooling vents, BF's have only 2.

Tell that to my BF (and it's a late MK1 2006 model too)


I think the vents and covered cup holder were upspeced to only Fairmont+ models (inc. FPV)

[data_mine]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

BA series I and II GT-P had Brembo callipers on the rear. The BF GT-P had PBR callipers on the rear instead.

No they don't. They got 4-pot Brembos on the back.

Super Pursuit, never had rear Brembo's.