How long does it take for a hated car to become desirable?

[2011G6E]

OK, this is something that's been nagging at me for literally decades...

When I started driving in 1982, people laughed at P76 Leylands...I remember seeing a V8 one for sale (a manual yet!) in Bundaberg at the time, in pretty nice condition, for $300 and no one wanted it. It ended up going to the wholesalers in Brisbane.
Now I'd give my eye teeth for a nice one. Plenty of people would.

Move forward to the AU Falcon...I hated them when they came out...most people did. Even died in the wool Ford people at the time cringed and said "What the hell were they thinking?".

On the weekend in Rocky while we stayed down there for a couple of days, I saw an AU Fairmont in the Stocklands shopping center parking lot...dark green, lowered, simply fitted with those steel "pursuit" rims with the row of holes around the edge (about 16" wheels), and dark tint with a largish exhaust. It looked factory fresh and very clean and tidy.

...and I loved it. The first thing that popped into my mind was "Wow...that's a damn nice car, and AU's are dirt cheap...hmmm...".


Anyone else got stories of cars that they once laughed at but which they would buy in a heartbeat if a cheap one turned up now, or which they now admire?

[jpd80]

Acid test....would you buy a 1996 Taurus?

[Benjamin Smith]

Taurus Give it a century or 2 and then maybe, but the AU I would consider it a very nice car, but I never use to like it

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Smith

Taurus Give it a century or 2 and then maybe, but the AU I would consider it a very nice car, but I never use to like it

AU 3 changed my mind, before that I wasn't sold on AU with waterfall or egg crate grilles...
AU3 Ghia with 5.0 and leather trim would be a lovely car to own...

[Jim Goose]

I dunno if its "desirability" or the fact that an ugly or a car with a bad rep is cheap suddenly turns things around.

The AUI was considered ugly, yet now its probably more available simply because its cheap transport.

The EA... a car with a "bland" rep can still be seen all over the place simply because its cheaper? They honestly weren that bad other then the CFI model which had no power.

The other thing is how rare is it??

People (smart people lol) work out.. hey this car was a lemon 20yrs ago, but its ubber rare.... Ill buy it because its different.

[xisled]

The only problem with cars that are ugly and become rare is that there is a select market for these cars. Some of these people pay big prices for a car.

If most people thought a car was ugly 10 years ago. not much would have changed 10 years later.

[DJM83]

Knew it wouldnt take long for the AU to come into the convo...

Granted i never liked it when it was released, but i was young and naive. But after a cpl years i fell in love. And to this day i still love them.

[Bearman]

I'd buy an AU ute but not a sedan.

And I'd NEVER buy a Taurus!!!! Wouldn't be seen dead in one. The ugliest thing to ever wear a Ford badge!!

[Falcon SXR8]

Is the taurus as hated in america as it is in australia??? Beacuse there seems to be heaps of them over there.

[MrEL]

Originally Posted by jpd80

AU3 Ghia with 5.0 and leather trim would be a lovely car to own...

Yes they are. I love my missus's one more and more each time I drive it.

[cedric]

xa-xb coupes. some like me owned and loved them, but the vast majorty,even ford fans, hated the fat bummed, rust buckets. they were cheap as chips, a couple of hundred bucks bought you a good runner with a bit of rust. another was the vl walkie, not liked by many at all

[SSD-85]

I never hated the AU, so the thought of it never entered my mind...

Although Ive said it before; if it wasnt for the V8-lacking, FWD layout of the Taurus, Id own a '96-ish model in a heartbeat.
In completely stock looking form, in the right colour is a very attractive Ford to me.

[noosacuda]

Actually a Series III AU Fairmont, XR6/8 has it's appeal to me as well now, cheap and only really ugly from the outside. At least not FWD rubbish!

[Auslandau]

Funny thing is, as soon as I read the title I thought of the P76. A car I would own but hard to find and have a following now so prices go up and quantity goes down.

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

I dunno if its "desirability" or the fact that an ugly or a car with a bad rep is cheap suddenly turns things around.

The AUI was considered ugly, yet now its probably more available simply because its cheap transport.

The EA... a car with a "bland" rep can still be seen all over the place simply because its cheaper? They honestly weren that bad other then the CFI model which had no power.

The other thing is how rare is it??

People (smart people lol) work out.. hey this car was a lemon 20yrs ago, but its ubber rare.... Ill buy it because its different.

I think its more that certain 'different' designs were a little before their time (except the Tauras) and have proved themselves reliable over time and suddenly become back into favour. Good value for money certainly helps BUT Series 3 AU XR8 is asking similar money to BA XR8's .... and in many cases, more!

Have always liked the AU .... have had 6 of them since 98 so was one that liked them from the start. The first 2 I had were the Fairmont Ghia and XR as didn't like the Forte series 1, which was the one that destroyed the series from the get go

[last fairlane]

Good thread
Funny the first post to sum me up hit the spot
I had a P76 Executive (Fairmont of the Leyland cars)
and loved it this was back in 1979 and I paid $700 for a 5 year old car
it had the 4.4 V8 T bar auto and Air con my first car with air
we drove from Darwin to Melbourne towing a tandem trailer
and it did 22 MPG all the way
now I have an AU1 on gas and I love it
Ive had it since 2003 going on ten years
ugly or not its the most comfortable car I have ever had
thanks John

[Stefan]

Blue Auto XB GT with sunroof, steer, fast glass, A/C, funny looking black cloth inserts in that hideous white interior....who'd want all that crap in a GT?

I think my brother got $5K for the nugget...

[SumoDog68]

I can understand Ford enthusiasts expressing their admiration for Ford product but in reality AU series Falcon was image and sales disaster and BA was rushed through to try and save the Falcon brand. Ford Australia is still paying the price for that mistake.
I am yet to meet someone who liked or likes AU style and design . That is not taking away its qualities as reliable daily driver.

[Franco Cozzo]

I quite like the AU T series cars and the AU Fairlanes, series II/III Fairmont Ghias.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

AU 3 changed my mind, before that I wasn't sold on AU with waterfall or egg crate grilles...
AU3 Ghia with 5.0 and leather trim would be a lovely car to own...

The AU Fairmont Ghia's look lovely.

AU XR's still look hot.

And the AU Fairlanes still look the sex. I'm still miffed I couldn't find a nice one. As anyone who has a nice one holds onto it.

BA I like, it's kind of like a tribute to the EA-ED series in the front. And I loved them. Now however, I find myself turned off by BA XR's. Not that appealing to me. Though depends what colour.

Originally Posted by Benjamin Smith

Taurus Give it a century or 2 and then maybe, but the AU I would consider it a very nice car, but I never use to like it

That's because the Cockroach is the only thing that would survive a nuclear holocaust?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by last fairlane

Good thread
Funny the first post to sum me up hit the spot
I had a P76 Executive (Fairmont of the Leyland cars)
and loved it this was back in 1979 and I paid $700 for a 5 year old car
it had the 4.4 V8 T bar auto and Air con my first car with air
we drove from Darwin to Melbourne towing a tandem trailer
and it did 22 MPG all the way
now I have an AU1 on gas and I love it
Ive had it since 2003 going on ten years
ugly or not its the most comfortable car I have ever had
thanks John

P76 doesn't fit this question because it was desirable then (it was way ahead of its time for an Australian car and it took Holden and Falcon 20 years to catch up) but I don't think I'd get one now, it's been well bypassed by technological development.

I had one too and it was like a 2000s Falcon or a Euro car to drive, sporty, great steering, good brakes, well balanced (50/50 with the V8) and, like you say, better fuel economy than the Australian sixes (let alone the V8s which were then woeful).

Wouldn't say no to a rare Force 7 though. That was really something and a shame it never hit the streets.

They weren't hated, there was a huge demand for them that Leyland couldn't meet and in trying to do so the assembly quality slipped (and as if Australian build quality wasn't bad enough already in those days!). Disqualified from the thread question I think.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Bearman

The ugliest thing to ever wear a Ford badge!!

that honour goes to the andrew harris bathurst race car from 83

[Nikked]

S3 AU XR8's


I would own one, a nice red one :-)

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I am yet to meet someone who liked or likes AU style and design . That is not taking away its qualities as reliable daily driver.

You've met one now...

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Nikked

You've met one now...

Obviously hasn't met anyone from these Forums.

[Nikked]

I think im starting to prefer the T1/T2 T-Series oover the T3's...might have something to do with the amount of dodgy kitted AU's

[hawkgirl]

I actually liked the AU when it was released.

Ugly car that springs to mind immediately is a Kombi splitty.
Never liked them but now worth $$$$ - i'd consider a beetle but not the kombi.

As for a P76 - I have always wanted one, still want one. Still a source of amusement for family members

[Tickford.]

never like the P76 and never will, so time hasn't changed my mind on that. The AU however is another story. DID NOT like them at all but after the BA came out, the AU had sooo much more appeal and i love the look of them since, and they have more of a rep for reliabilty than BA-BF do apparently. no personal experience on that front so cannot comment.

my all time favourite AU would have to be series 1 TS50. one day soon, i will own one in either black (the one in the pic below is absolutely gorgeous) or silver.

[Buntz]

Hells to the yeah

[ILLaViTaR]

I hated my EB I then unseized the brakes, reattached the tailshaft uni and now it's a pretty desirable rig.

[NX74205]

I also hated the AU when it first came out. I didn't mind the AUII, and when my best mate bought an AUIII I actually started to like them. Would I buy one, though? No, I'm very happy with my BF. I think the BA/BF series are better cars.