a bit stuck on a new car

[lyonsy]

hi
i am a bit stuck on what to do with getting a new car, I've had my bf xr8 Ute 6-7 years and been trouble free mostly but thinking of having kids etc and a Ute isn't really the best to haul the minister the dog and kid around in.
so I've basically come down to 3 options all of which id prefer to get a manual
i would also rather not get a gt as id like to be able to drive it around and not have to panic about it being stolen etc
most driving will be highway as i live in the middle of bum **** nowhere with 5 min drives to work

option 1 is a gs 315 sedan - however i took an auto one for a drive and while it goes hard it just did not feel right i do not know if it was cause the leather seats felt more flogged out on it then my old bf but other then the engine it just did not feel special, I am going to take a manual one for a drive hopefully that will be a better experience.
option 2 is a fg xr8 sedan - haven't had a chance to take one for a spin yet so cant really comment on them but my worry here is it wont feel fast enough and with only a slight increase in power over my old xr8 will feel like a let down
option 3 is a bf xr8 sedan - its a known quantity been there done that got the scars etc if i went this way id be getting a stealth supercharger fitted so that way it would have some balls as i find my current xr8 slow

so yeah 3 options all have there good and bad points but just cant make my mind up and just after some oppions

[fordomatic]

Bf gt

[blackf6]

Option 1 in manual.

[Blue Dog]

Option #4
Keep the ute & buy the better half an XR6 Turbo sedan.

[CheftonUTD]

If a decent upgrade in power is important to you, I'd say you'll be disappointed with option 2 & 3 unless you add the S/C like you said.

It also depends on if the age of the car affects your decision too, which you like the look of the most, if you're happy with the BF features or want the newer ICC's and other gadgets of a FG, etc. The cars age and 'prestige' will also affect insurance and such.

I was in a similar situation about 6 weeks ago, looking to upgrade from my BF XT, ended up choosing between a BF XR8 ute, a 2013 FG XR6 turbo sedan, or a 2006 BF GT. I ended up with the GT, go see one in person then test-drive it, it might make your short-list yet .

[Mercury Bullet]

Take the GS for another spin and turn the traction control off. Then you'll know how hard they can go.

[lyonsy]

xr6t for misses is no go she has only just got her p plates,

the age of the car does mostly due to finance as newer cars get the lower % so don't want to be dropping the same coin as the fg xr8/gs as on a earlier gt
as said other reason for no gt is i just don't want to have the worries of it being stolen etc as when i go to the outlaws for the night etc with it parked out on the street.
as for keeping the Ute if i did id be de registering it as i don't want 3 full Rego's

the gs was not an issue of how hard it goes it just did'nt feel special apart from the engine, iam hoping it was just that one which supposedly had coil overs ad big brakes fitted but guy removed them when he traded it.

[jumpintriples]

I had an FG GT and loved it...all except for the constant changing of diff cradle bushes. Big fan of the FG's...I also had a ex-hwy BF Xr8 and the FG killed it in every way...don't go back that far is my advice.

[bangm001]

Look for a XR50t they look the goods.

[duaned]

VF SSV Redline.

[PHATAL]

BF F6 - probably screwed due to p plate laws though. Much better than the BF GT.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by PHATAL

BF F6 - probably screwed due to p plate laws though. Much better than the BF GT.

Depends who you talk to. Nothing better than swapping cogs in a special V8. For some it's not about speed.

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by lyonsy

i would also rather not get a gt as id like to be able to drive it around and not have to panic about it being stolen etcs

Do modern GTs get stolen much?

[PHATAL]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Depends who you talk to. Nothing better than swapping cogs in a special V8. For some it's not about speed.

The BF F6 is the faster car. But you are right it isnt all about speed. The F6 is just a much nicer car to live with overall day to day. In saying that it will never be a GT.

Source - I owned the BF F6 Rspec and my dad who I was sharing a house with at that stage had the BF 302 GT. Both from brand new. Both at the same time.

The F6 is just nicer. Off topic though sorry OP.

[CheftonUTD]

Originally Posted by PHATAL

The F6 is just a much nicer car to live with overall day to day. In saying that it will never be a GT.

Yep, I think you summed that up perfectly. I almost slightly regret getting a GT instead of finding an F6, but on the other hand I'm glad I have a GT instead of an F6, if that makes any sense .

Also sorry to get off topic lyonsy, are you any closer to finding what you're after? I think the GS would be the pick of the bunch if you're still choosing from those three.

[Rusty62]

its pretty obvious you want a ford V8, so the GS would have to be the best option I reckon. a few dollars with minor mods will have it up to GT levels anyway(except for brakes though, but still far less than a supercharger on something else)
test drive at least a few more before deciding, but from the choices you've listed, I think this is your best bet by far.
Good Luck

[lyonsy]

Don't worry about hijacking
i have nothing against the f6 or xr6t but i don't like the way they sound and not concerned that what i get is the fastest thing but as i said i also find a bf xr8 slow so if i went that way id be fitting a blower.
i have thought about ve/vf ssv but again same boat as the xr8's dont think ill be happy with them with out at least camming it or a blower

iam still leaning gs manual but since i live in the middle of bum **** nowhere havent had a chance to drive anther one,
Did take a fg2 xt for a drive for the misses (fg off her list due to the steering wheel being very uncomfortable on her hands) and thought it was descent but again the seats feel very soft and spongy, if it ends up being the case and thats all i dont like ill prob look at fitting bf leather seats to a gs.

[nstg8a]

If the gs didn't feel special enough despite the motor then the fg xr8 will just be a slower not special enough car as they're basically the same car bar engine.

Personally I reckon the gs will be a highly sought after car in a few years.

[Mercury Bullet]

I've re-read your opening post where you say the GS felt doughy.

The Miami can be a tricky motor if it's not driven properly.
Next time you drive one you need to do a couple of things.
Firstly find some open road.
Make sure if it's an auto you are in performance mode. A lot of the doughiness is coming from the box itself.
Miamis need to be revved for high performance, under 2000 rpm and they are flat. See what it's like from 4000-6000rpm and I bet you will change your mind.
At 60k's these autos will change into 6th to save fuel, you will never accelerate away from that unless you drop 3-4 gears.

Be wary of hot days, they will detune on a stinking hot day and it's noticeable.

If you did all that and it still felt doughy then the car was a dud.

Disclaimer.
In saying all that I have never driven the 315 version but I imagine there's not much difference to a 335.

[lyonsy]

the gs engine never felt slow or doughy it was the best part about the car and you say they don't really get going to high rpm one of things i was impressed by was its low rpm pull, it would start pulling from 2k where the boss doesn't start till 3500.
the auto was fine in everything it did but maybe since i am use to the 6 speed auto from my xr8 it doesn't feel special anymore to me in what it does i am hoping the manual will add to that special feeling

it was the seats that really let it down, the foam in them was very very soft and spongy this was the same even in the back.
the best way to put it was it felt like the base of the seat had collapsed and lost all its support.
i also was not impressed by the so called leather it felt almost like a vinal and just felt really cheap it had also started failing and being worn out.
basically the seats made the ones in my xr8 with 250'000km on with a fat basterd seating on them all that time feel almost new and with less wear on the leather as well.
the misses also thinks the same about the seats and leather she is like 47kg and found the seat foam extremely soft almost like an old spring car seat but with no spring.
if the cloth seats are the same and i like the manual version i will fit a full set of ba/bf xr leather seats since they bolt in.

i also agree that the fg xr8 will prob be worse then a gs

i also agree that gs will be sought after cars if only for that engine which is awesome

[b0son]

Originally Posted by duaned

VF SSV Redline.

in a wagon!

way more practical if you want to take mrs/kid/dog, as well as all the obligatory kid stuff like stroller, change bag, etc.

[lyonsy]

vf wagon don't have manual :(
going to take a xr6t for test drive tomorrow (one close by) there is a couple of commonwhore's too so maybe take one of them for a drive as well

funny part misses walks past while i had a commonwhore up and she says wrong badge there circling the problem lol

[PHATAL]

I think the turbo will suprise you mate.

[Mr Brooksy]

Retrim the seats? Just a thought.
Fords leather (cough) has been pretty dodgy for a few models, and there are some great guys on the forums who will retrim your interior if its that much of an issue for you. Regarding the comment about the feel of the steering wheel... thought about an upholsterer retrimming and making the steering wheel thicker?

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Mr Brooksy

Retrim the seats? Just a thought.
Fords leather (cough) has been pretty dodgy for a few models

The leather is so thin, they kill the cows with words....

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by b0son

The leather is so thin, they kill the cows with words....

Haha.

It's not real leather though. Can't remember what they call it but it's basically fibres and a lot of glue.

You won't get real leather in a car under $100k I'd reckon.

Smell is a dead giveaway, my S80 smells of cow, my FGX smells like a glue factory.

[lyonsy]

well ive driven a gs a xr6t and a xf fg and fg mk2 and none have felt right so i think i just don't like the way the fg feels and drives and the misses is the same, so its looking like if i want a ford its the bf
basically they all have dynamite engines and gearbox's let down by the body

test drove this http://csndealers.carsalesnetwork.co...C-SELLER-53019 and found unlike all commodore's before ve i actually like the way it drives how the interior is laid out it basically felt like a newer bf xr8 the misses also liked it, but she loved ve2 Calais even better couldent take it for a drive cause they had just sold it.

so it kills me a little but its now between prob a ve2 ssv wagon a bf xr8 sedan
the fg is off the list as it just doesent do it for me best way i can put it.

thanks for all the comments and help it really did

[blackf6]

Odd. The FG has a way better front end/ front suspension/steering rack. You can feel the road a lot better than the B series. Back to being good drivers cars.

[lyonsy]

maybe that's part of the issue for the 99% of driving i do is straight line highway where i want something that is rock solid in the front that doesn't want to move off where i point it like a dart,

[BuckTooth]

I've just changed over to an 05 ba xr8 sedan..... Came from a monster trucked 80 series cruiser. Loved the cruiser, but wasn't practical to me anymore. Definitely a nice feel to drive, iv'e had an xr6t ba ute. Personally I feel the V8 holds the road better.

(I'll swap ya, lol. Ute for a sedan)... nah, in all fairness it sounds like ya on the right track mate. And Donald being bumfarq nowhere.... It ain't so bad, lol, just a slight hike to anywhere. I was born and bred there myself