New daily driver.

au350hp · 30-08-2017, 12:12 AM

My last wagon was written off by a person who was so distracted on their phone they forgot they were driving and T boned me. Thankfully my XR8 was home and I need a daily so I can retire the XR8 to the weekly drive she's use to. I need another wagon or ute with enclosed canopy to cart the three dogs around.
AU series 2 or 3 OR BA? I know this is a message that's been asked,and I have read a lot of the posts but like these models I am asking about, they're getting on a bit so I am keen to hear from owners who still use these cars regularly. Pro's & con's please.

Swordie · 13-09-2017, 11:11 PM

If it's for safety try find BA wagon with four airbags. BA ute and AU's have 2 airbags. A well looked after BA will go for years with appropriate maintenance. There will be plenty of parts for BAs at wreckers.

Mercury Bullet · 14-09-2017, 02:17 PM

Brother in law has an AU III wagon that is still going strong after being around a fairly harsh dairy farm environment all it's life.

That car has installed in me a love of AU's I never had. It's an ugly duckling but damn that thing just will not stop. I last drove it when it was about 15 years old and it still felt tight.

That model will go down in the history books as Australia's toughest car one day.

I vote AU.

**Mont5.0** · 14-09-2017, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordie

If it's for safety try find BA wagon with four airbags. BA ute and AU's have 2 airbags. A well looked after BA will go for years with appropriate maintenance. There will be plenty of parts for BAs at wreckers.

Are you sure wagons have side airbags? Being XT/Forte they wouldnt be standard fitment.

Swordie · 14-09-2017, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

Are you sure wagons have side airbags? Being XT/Forte they wouldnt be standard fitment.

Good question. I did a quick check looks BA Series 1 doesn't have airbags. Series II Futura does have side airbags

Another plus for wagon over ute is a/c for pets. I have VY wagon and carried two large dogs around on hot days when a/c was a necessity.

Bushbasher · 14-09-2017, 07:25 PM

Go an AU II or III. If you find a good one that's not been neglected, and look after it , it'll just keep on going.

Bushbasher · 14-09-2017, 07:28 PM

never mind

boss351290 · 15-09-2017, 03:21 PM

You should by a Rolls Royce Phantom as your daily. It's comfortable, very safe, and at 5.8 metres long has lots of room for the dogs as well.

boss351290 · 15-09-2017, 03:24 PM

And if the economy collapses after this housing boom. You might get one cheap as well

Swordie · 16-09-2017, 11:17 AM

Falcon is better than a Rolls Royce.

roddy1960 · 16-09-2017, 08:21 PM

G'day...I have had the pleasure of owning an AU ll Futura for 14 years so far. All the comments about bullet proof , tough as buggery etc are actually pretty true for me. One alternator (2015) , replaced the factory CD player when it was only reading some CD's with a harness and a aftermarket one and at about 120,000 she needed a new intake manifold gasket , everything else is original.
Very slight weeping power steering , occasional squeak from the sway bar rubbers if it's been dry for a while , backlight in the clock doesn't work but the clock is fine. The most amazing things are these . Bloody decent fuel economy in reality because well over 600 kms from a tank is not hard . Second thing is tranny. I took it for a transmission check last year just for peace of mind. The bloke told me that nothing wrong at all. The oil and filters were as clean as for 200,000 kilometres , the magnets likewise and no leaks whatsoever . Third is that it's never needed a wheel alignment . The current Goodyear NCT Eagles have done over 60,000 k's and still wearing even and still legal. The brake rotors are not warping or need replacing either..
A bit of rust in the bonnet ribs near the catch and some bubbling under the number plate at base of bootlid. The clearcoat isn't peeling but is not really shine-able anymore on the bonnet ,roof and boot .
IF , you find a really tidy AU , well looked after and serviced I'd say it'd be a car well worth considering for sure..
Cheers Rod..

roddy1960 · 16-09-2017, 08:51 PM

G'day...Forgot to mention ..A good friend owns a dark red coloured AU ll station wagon with about 480,000 clicks on it last time I asked him. Still drives well , bugger all wrong with it other than a bit of an engine oil leak underneath and a couple of minor interior electrical failures.
I love my FG XR6 with the mighty Barra but I also love my old AU with the SOHC Intech six . Both just so reliable and why spaceship mileages are so common to hear about . Maybe also why there are still so many 4.0 litre SOHC and Barra DOHC powered Falcons on the roads ...Then there's the great V8's of course..
It'll be mighty interesting to see if many imported cars are capable of doing Falcon style huge kays with as little going wrong in regard to engines and drive trains.. Suppose we'll know that over time one way or the other.
Cheers Rod.