" The inferior cars our auto industry can’t a-Ford" >

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by cortinagt

I wonder why the same troll journalist wasn't as condemning of poor workmanship in this article

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226338308277

Who makes the pump?

[Dave R]

I'd love to know what this journalist drives, probably a Mazda 3 with a wing that he considers sporty, probably matches his skinny jeans. Today's man is more concerned with fuel economy and heated cup holders than driving a real car, bit of a shame really.

[falconnut]

Originally Posted by flappist

A journalist is a just forum member who gets paid.

Some are trolls. The best way to combat a troll is to ignore them. If no one reacts to what the troll writes his employment is endangered and he will change his position accordingly.

So many times this.

The less attention we give them the more everyone will avoid them.

[ebzery]

my mate had to go from a ford to a import due to growing family.
a much worse car in many ways - design is very poor to the ford but!
build seems far better.
fords and wheel alignment front suspention has it got better?
love my current ford xr8 tickford and all my old ones fairlane,xb wagon,xw, 1964 corsair

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by ebzery

build seems far better.

Ah there's the rub!

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by mik

i`d say this statement
" replacing the fuel guzzling, sluggish, six-cylinder engine the Falcon used for nearly 20 years"
he has`nt been in a six cylinder falcon for some years.
another "journalist" trying to make a name for himself.

Yep...as I've said here before, if we go on a trip somewhere, and don't have to buy anything large or carry a lot of luggage, we used to choose our old 1982 2ltr five speed Celica to save some fuel...however, now we choose the G6E to save fuel, as it uses way less fuel than the Celica on the highway...we usually get about 10ltr to the 100 out of the Celica (normal for a four cylinder of it's time), but the G6E gets down around 7.5 to 8.5 normally...

That said, there are a few "lazy" design points inside the Falcon that could be done way better with a little extra thought...better quality plastics (or maybe a bit thicker), soft close passenger roof grab handles and center console lid, auto up and down on all electric windows, little stuff like that, nothing major, but things that give a car a real and tangible "quality feel".

[PlukaDuck]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

It's the Punch... a favourite of inner-city trendies who have no idea about what the real world is like. I see them all the time on the streets of Carlton, reading The Punch on their iPad. Don't take them seriously.

Not having a shot at the poster here.
That is the real world and the trendies are part of it.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Journalists are like real estate agents - no education required to do these jobs.

"Mitchell lives in Manly, on Sydney’s glorious northern beaches - the real ‘god’s country’ despite what The Shire may think – and now works as a journalist for The Australian newspaper after an unexpected career change from architecture two years ago."

http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/mitchell-nadin/

That really says it all. Used to draw for a living, then started to write articles about Australia's car industry. Next you'll see Kindergartners moving onto Cadetships with The Australian?

Have a look at the about us page: http://www.thepunch.com.au/about-us/

Anyone, and I mean anyone... can write drivel for this site and print it up there. What has the world come to?

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by pmacc

Just some North Shore kid who got spoilt by mummy and daddy while he was growing up. He probably doesnt understand bang for yout buck, let alone anything about the excellent driving dynamics of Australian cars. Let him drive around Manly his Audi A3 and ignore his biased opinion

edit here is an informed opinion
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/546...d-should-it-be

Ahh good. Someone did post this link. Finally the forum search tool works for me.

This is a great article, and will light the fire of any Falcon enthusiast. Great article right there. If you haven't read it. READ IT!!!

[Franco Cozzo]

Isn't our Mazda 3 sourced from Thailand?

[Bossxr8]

Japan isn't it?

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Japan isn't it?

If they haven't swapped it and not told us.. then yes.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Japan isn't it?

Oh ok I was thinking about Honda and their Thailand bastardry.

[2011G6E]

Mechanically and dynamically as a car our G6E is amazing. It's comfortable and a real mile eater.

However, you can't ignore the little detail niggles...things that other makers just do as an "of course" part of building a car, which Ford don't bother with, even on a supposedly prestige car like the G6E...no auto up and down windows all around, flimsy plastics, no soft close on overhead grab handles or center console lids, thin paint on the bodywork, unpainted bare iron on engines and other parts under the car...it's sad really.

As a drivers car, for the price, it's pretty good...but it is just so close to being a great car...and motoring journalists who are used to those little details being included on even some of the cheapest of foreign cars are well within their rights to ask Ford Australia what the hell they are thinking...

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by TMC

I bet he drives a Kluger.

I reckon he's a loud mouthed moron who hasn't a clue of what he's talking about that couldn't tell a spark plug from an adjustable spanner. Probably has to call the RAC to change a flat tyre. Idiot.

I reckon the moron would drive a Prius to take Quinton and Titania to day care thence onto his favourite alfresco latte bar for elevensies before going to a tofu bar for lunch actually thinking he is doing the environment a favour .

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

"Mitchell lives in Manly, on Sydney’s glorious northern beaches - the real ‘god’s country’ despite what The Shire may think – and now works as a journalist for The Australian newspaper after an unexpected career change from architecture two years ago."

http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/mitchell-nadin/

That really says it all. Used to draw for a living, then started to write articles about Australia's car industry. Next you'll see Kindergartners moving onto Cadetships with The Australian?

Have a look at the about us page: http://www.thepunch.com.au/about-us/

Anyone, and I mean anyone... can write drivel for this site and print it up there. What has the world come to?

Get a load of the deers eyes in the headlights look on the gormless yupie ******

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by bingoTE50

Well for the sake of the name plate, I would call the next re-incarnation of the Mondeo a Falcon, if the Falcon disappears. . We will know, but a lot of the Joe public wouldn't.
The name plate Mondeo has never really set the world on fire here anyway.
At least it keeps the Falcon plate going.

So the next Mondeo is going to be rear wheel drive?

[|Nate]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Mechanically and dynamically as a car our G6E is amazing. It's comfortable and a real mile eater.

However, you can't ignore the little detail niggles...things that other makers just do as an "of course" part of building a car, which Ford don't bother with, even on a supposedly prestige car like the G6E...no auto up and down windows all around, flimsy plastics, no soft close on overhead grab handles or center console lids, thin paint on the bodywork, unpainted bare iron on engines and other parts under the car...it's sad really.

As a drivers car, for the price, it's pretty good...but it is just so close to being a great car...and motoring journalists who are used to those little details being included on even some of the cheapest of foreign cars are well within their rights to ask Ford Australia what the hell they are thinking...

Definitely agree with you.
IMO, the FG Mk1 and 2 are some of the best cars on the roads in Australia today. Ford have now completely nailed the combination of reliability, power, looks, comfort and fuel economics. Now all they need to work on is the little things which would make owning one that little bit better.

I own a 2006 BMW 130i and it was either going to be that or an FG Falcon. What made me choose the Beemer was mostly the little things, i.e Factory xenons, leather, dual zone climate, auto wipers, sun roof, heated mirrors, 350mm front and 300mm rear brakes, etc etc.
People may reckon I am a yuppy for wanting little creature comforts, but as society becomes more technology/gadget crazed, so should the products we use.

[turbodewd]

auto wipers are silly. what are heated mirrors!?

Can your BMW let u dial in a cruise control speed to the exact km/h? The FG allows for a digital speedo so I can dial in exact speeds. Tiz precision I tells ya!

[|Nate]

Originally Posted by turbodewd

auto wipers are silly. what are heated mirrors!?

Can your BMW let u dial in a cruise control speed to the exact km/h? The FG allows for a digital speedo so I can dial in exact speeds. Tiz precision I tells ya!

Auto wipers are alright, a bit lazy sometimes, but generally work.
Heated mirrors are when the car detects when I demist the front/rear window, it heats the side mirrors to remove any condensation.

Nope, so that's a good feature of the Falcon! If I want that, I'd have to get the ECU coded to display the speed on the cluster screen, which is possible.

[mik]

some other cars may have more emphasis on gadgets, but the qualities i have always enjoyed above all else with the falcon are safe easy quiet mile eating performance, robustness, ease of servicing, great long life engine characteristics, wonderful low down torque,,

having been as my step dad would have described in my youth as a tear *** and power lover, in my mature years , i really have come to love the easy performance of the falcon, while i still have some blood flowing i would still kill for a big boss powered falcon or F6(bit of that young tear *** showing)$$$ don`t allow it,
on car forums people talk about performance and gadgets often, but next time your about to cross that intersection with small traffic gaps, take note of how little throttle it takes to get the big falcon easily and quickly across with a minimum of fuss with any power unit ,

even when your cruising along in the back streets of the 40/50 k an hour area`s these things don`t just eat miles on the highway with amazing ease, i may get laughed off the forums but, but even idling along with 1100 or 1200 hundred revs it`s also a great car to also drive slow, jump out of an over sea`s model go for a drive, come back and drive the falcon, the brake feel and steering in the falcon is second to none, no timing belts to change, the fast change front hub bearings, tiny flaws aside that all cars have and falcon is no different,
there will always be the odd article made by ill informed gits to which i give no credence, i will be buying another falcon.

[2011G6E]

One of the best improvements has been the lowering of protectionist tarriffs on cars from overseas. It forced makers here to better the breed to compete with better quality and better equipped (yes they were!) cars coming in from overseas for cheaper prices.

If the government still strongly protected the car industry as they used to in the seventies and eighties, do you honestly think we'd be driving the standard of Australian made car we see with the Falcon and Commodore? Of course not...if the other guy is hamstrung by import tariffs and duties to artificially inflate the price they have to sell for, then why try harder when you're selling to a captive audience here in Oz, forced to take whatever dreck you throw at them?
You can see the change, for example, with our WB ute...I have in my hot little hand an old Wheels magazine from August 1981. Tariffs had been lowered, and people were crying about the "demise of the Australian car industry" even back then. The WB V8 ute sold for a bit over $9800 at the time, but you culd walk down the road and buy a Ford Courier, Datsun ute, Holden Rodeo, or Toyota Hilux ute for down around the $7000 mark. The Jap utes were all far better equipped and more efficient than the old Kingy ute. Until then, people thought they only had one choice...a Falcon or a Kingswood ute...but the opening up of trade (just a little bit) meant people had a wider choice at a farer price, and exposure to better vehicles.

Our industry is seeing the same thing now...choice has never been better for the consumer, and it's truly hard to actually buy a "bad" car now in any price range.
Isn't that better than ignoring what the world has to offer and turning a blind eye to the faults of our dinky di home grown stuff and just accepting it warts and all?

[Smoke Pursuit]

Inferior as in build quality or technology advancements... thats the question.

Id say they are infact inferior as far as build quality goes... I have not had one yet that has not needed something repaired at the first service, and Ive had alot... On the other hand we have Fiestas and a BT-50 of which none of them require any repairs on the first service.

I remember all the people who bought BA Falcons and hated them simply because of minor things like brake shudder and rust.... Do think those people bought Falcons again? Some may have but the majority went elsewhere and are probably on their second car since the BA.

[saber]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

"Mitchell lives in Manly, on Sydney’s glorious northern beaches - the real ‘god’s country’ despite what The Shire may think – and now works as a journalist for The Australian newspaper after an unexpected career change from architecture two years ago."

Explains everything. Seriously, those who work with architects often (and not all arch’s mind you) will understand some of the ridicules comments/suggestions they make.

One such example:

“Why do we need power cables? Isn’t it done by air now?”

WTF???

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by saber

Explains everything. Seriously, those who work with architects often (and not all arch’s mind you) will understand some of the ridicules comments/suggestions they make.

One such example:

“Why do we need power cables? Isn’t it done by air now?”

WTF???

I hear ya , and you can also group most electrical engineers and consultants in with those architects .

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Inferior as in build quality or technology advancements... thats the question.

Id say they are infact inferior as far as build quality goes... I have not had one yet that has not needed something repaired at the first service, and Ive had alot... On the other hand we have Fiestas and a BT-50 of which none of them require any repairs on the first service.

I remember all the people who bought BA Falcons and hated them simply because of minor things like brake shudder and rust.... Do think those people bought Falcons again? Some may have but the majority went elsewhere and are probably on their second car since the BA.

So...just put up with shoddily build cars with "minor things" like brake shudder and rust, and just be mindlessly and unquestioningly happy that you're driving something Australian instead of demanding local makers pick up thier game to match the imports...?

[mik]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

So...just put up with shoddily build cars with "minor things" like brake shudder and rust, and just be mindlessly and unquestioningly happy that you're driving something Australian instead of demanding local makers pick up thier game to match the imports...?

there is a lot of truth in what you say, however, it comes back to that old question the level playing field,
it`s very hard to take a big step forward if one foot is nailed to the ground, holden ran at a loss for 4 years with the VE, there`s no doubt ford oz is running with limited purse strings, even with in the last 10 years of many good accomplishments, the local cars are still struggling, yet the imports are still FLOODING into Australia from all over the globe and with twice as many models here as in the US one has to conclude indeed the playing field is not level.
i hope i`m wrong, but i would have to bet unless something changes in a decade we won`t be manufacturing much in the way of local cars.
you mention brake shudder like falcons are the only cars that have it, my lexus at the moment has brake shudder (soon to be fixed), my cm valiant suffered from it, the old girls blue bird suffered from it, etc,etc, but i get the point.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by saber

Explains everything. Seriously, those who work with architects often (and not all arch’s mind you) will understand some of the ridicules comments/suggestions they make.

One such example:

“Why do we need power cables? Isn’t it done by air now?”

WTF???

This is what the information age has done most of all. Stupidity just spreads stronger and harder than ever before.