Ford BF Fairmont Ghia or FG G6/XT? (and Some General Buying Questions)

sarmen2 on 03/10/2018 - 14:09

Hey guys, so I'm looking to buy a car and I'm really keen on a Falcon. The question is how does the BF and FG compare to each other generally? I'm coming from an old Mazda 6 but my benchmark is set at the AU Falcon, which I actually really liked. I've heard the FG is quite a bit better but is it better to the point where I would be better off with an FG XT rather than a BF Fairmont Ghia? And how much extra is the FG worth exactly? Because I've seen plenty of Fairmont Ghias for under 5k (and even Fairlanes) while the cheapest G6s sit at 7.5k (however I did see a G6E for $5,600 so I'm keeping my eyes open for anything cheap).

For the more general questions, I was considering getting a Falcon from auction but since you can't test drive them is there any other way to check the rear bushes? Also how are auctions? As when I looked around for opinions on them it seems like they've gone downhill in the last few years.

And how much would you expect to knock off the price of a car on gumtree without lowballing (since I assume everyone props up the prices because of lowballers)? I figured a G6 for 8k could be knocked down to 7.2k since my Mazda 6 was negotiated down to 6.2k from 7k at a dealership. Is about 10% a fair amount to assume in negotiation?

Automotive Car Ford

Comments

  • enzioFirenze on 03/10/2018 - 17:19
    +1

    don't know about falcons so can't comment but about the last part, it depends on many things, the market value of the car vs what it's listed, the demand for the car, how long has the ad been up for? how desperate is the seller to push it out, are you going to get a loan or do a cash deal, whether it's located in the city or not etc. If the stars align, you can shed around 2-3k on a 10k car by respectfully negotiating :)

  • yoonibear on 03/10/2018 - 17:39
    +1

    Try here - https://fordforums.com.au/forumdisplay.php?f=2

    Older crowd but they're pretty knowledgeable about falcons.

    • sarmen2 on 03/10/2018 - 20:02

      Mostly just the same as whirlpool, just talking about how much more refined the FG feels. I'm going to try to test drive both on the weekend.

  • Findo on 03/10/2018 - 22:29
    +1

    FG MK2 XR6 turbo. Can’t go past that for $/kW ratio

    • sarmen2 on 04/10/2018 - 14:18

      I wish but it's way out of my budget

  • brendanm on 04/10/2018 - 12:12
    +1

    Fg is much better, get the turbo if you can. Any old falcon is going to need work generally, they wear suspension bushes a lot, as well as diff bushes, tailshafts bearing rubbers, trans oil cooler can be problematic etc.

    • sarmen2 on 04/10/2018 - 14:19

      My budget dropped now to where I'm stuck to an XT FG or a Fairmont Ghia BF. Would you say the FG is worth it over the extra equipment?

      • brendanm on 04/10/2018 - 15:56

        Is there any particular reason you want a falcon? A mazda 6 is much nicer than an au falcon. Do you need a large car? The fg will need less immediate repairs being newer in general. Actual condition of the vehicles is very important, you could still have a terrible fg and a good bf.

        • sarmen2 on 04/10/2018 - 22:58

          I want a nice effortless 6 cylinder. I did consider the Aurion and Accord but Aurion sounds not very fun to drive and the Accord is out of my price range.

          • brendanm on 05/10/2018 - 08:48

            @sarmen2: Aurion is a much better car all round. Make sure it has been serviced and you will have far less issues than with a bf falcon, and it's a nicer drive. They also get very good fuel economy.

            • sarmen2 on 05/10/2018 - 10:25

              @brendanm: I would have to drive one first to see if it shakes off the whitegoods on wheels label.

              • brendanm on 05/10/2018 - 10:52
                +1

                @sarmen2: I'm a mechanic, I've driven a lot of cars, and have owned an zr6 (?) Aurion for a short time. Aurion shits all over a falcon, better fuel economy, and you'll be able to get a sportivo model for what you'd spend on a falcon probably. Only thing with them really is people not servicing, and the dash melting, which Toyota was fixing.

  • Euphemistic on 05/10/2018 - 06:48
    +1

    Do you want the extra bells and whistles? The fg should have enough features to be perfectly safe and comfortable. Depends which style you prefer. I’d probably get the newer model.

    • sarmen2 on 05/10/2018 - 10:26

      That's where I'm at pretty much, bells and whistles or newer model.

      • Euphemistic on 05/10/2018 - 14:18
        +1

        For my mind bells and whistles are just something wxtra to go wrong. Climate control AC is a pain in the bum as it typically won’t do what I like and I end up overriding it. Parking sensors are probably worth it, as is reverse camera, but other than that what else is better? Maybe leather seats if you have kids.

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