Very few AU's on the road in 3 years?

**GasoLane** · 27-10-2013, 10:52 PM

This is from a thread in the Pub, and I wondered how many AU owners would agree with it.

Quote:

The spares required wil not be as much or as comprehensive as some think, by 2016 there will hardly be any AUs left on the road

Dezza · 27-10-2013, 11:33 PM

I doubt it. It might get harder to get bits from Ford, but there will still be heaps of aftermarkets parts out there. I still have very little trouble getting spares for my EA, despite there not being many on the road anymore, and being that it's nearly 24 years old.

nstg8a · 28-10-2013, 12:03 AM

There's 11ty million au's piled up in wreckers yards too....

Spares will not be an issue.

TheZHLANE · 28-10-2013, 12:55 AM

Still see about the same as I did 3 years ago.

FGII-XR6 · 28-10-2013, 01:05 AM

still plenty on the road and you can't kill them. they are without doubt the best and most reliable falcon made and plenty of them on the road with over 500K and still going strong

OffRoadFalcon · 28-10-2013, 02:00 AM

There will be less of course, but I don't think it'll be a dramatic change at all.
Most of the taxi's in Busso are still AUs, because they just keep going!

I certainly know I'm not getting rid of mine.

mif73 · 28-10-2013, 08:14 AM

I think i see at least the same or more of those unfairly called "lemon" au's on the road compared to vt's etc.
Sure the bodies might be banged up a bit by now but they still power on.

Maka · 28-10-2013, 09:33 AM

He might be right about the parts situation from Ford, but to say there will be hardly any AU's on the road imo is a bit ott. Most Au owners are canny enough to already know where to source appropriately priced parts from lol!

Sox · 28-10-2013, 09:56 AM

I think there will be a steady decline, and beyond a certain point it will be fast.
Happens with all models at a certain age/mileage.

The mindset is the vehicle is beyond repair and worth nothing. And it's true to a point, at that particular time.
As time goes on, they naturally become more valuable again as they enter the classic phase.

Something I noticed on my recent trip around country NSW (as far as Broken Hill), was the enormous amount of AU's.
I'm guessing they're at a point where they're dirt cheap, still reliable, solid as a rock for country use, and easy to come by.

These things are still more common than Landcruisers and the like out there.

CFOUR · 28-10-2013, 10:00 AM

i think we will see a 25% decline every 5 years.

ten[A]cio[U]s · 28-10-2013, 11:13 AM

To be honest they only things I have brought for my AU from Ford are B Series bits. If I upgrade something or if anything goes wrong it is replaced with an after market alternative.

I think there will be less on the road because people will be wrecking/upgrading, but I wouldn't say there will be less on the road because there isn't enough spares?

FPV-HSV · 28-10-2013, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Grinzy

There will be less of course, but I don't think it'll be a dramatic change at all.
Most of the taxi's in Busso are still AUs, because they just keep going!

I certainly know I'm not getting rid of mine.

Are they still using AU's as cabs ? Damn they would have some ks on them by now any pics of one grinz ? Cheers.

peterljohnson55 · 28-10-2013, 11:30 AM

If I can keep my old lady, AU2 Fairmont Ghia, until she is 20 y.o., or even 25, I will be very happy. She has all we need for a suburban-inter city car, and then some.

peterljohnson55 · 28-10-2013, 11:32 AM

BTW, I plan on picking up a discarded AU as my parts supply.

XW-BAXR6T · 28-10-2013, 11:34 AM

No dont think so as people hold onto them for as long as they can & judging from what im reading on this forum, the au's are popular & will be very expensive in a few years me thinks. Cars that will be in demand with classic car enthusiasts...

robbyj · 28-10-2013, 08:53 PM

AU's are dirt cheap, so much bang for your buck. Parts are abundant, i don't see a drastic decline. I reckon in 3 years the BA will be the same price as an AU.

Davehoos · 28-10-2013, 09:40 PM

the flogged out rusty AU will disappear quickly. Allowing the price of good rust free units to rise.these are simple to service and good value until it has that one big failure.I have 4 because its cheeper to buy another than fix an AU.

the BA locally the prices have dived as the maintenance cost rise. these are dead dogs on a one way trip when the tow truck arrives with people looking for engine and trim conversions.

plenty of old folk that have chose EF/EL as they are much better built and easier to drive.I see loads of scrap metal guys now loaded with up market EL.most only missing axles and seats.

I just done a south island new Zealand trip.
AU-FG falcon XR6 are common every day car/utes.----for the first 2 weeks I saw 2 EA and a few XF--only 3 of 4 cyl VC-VK,one road going 2.0 VL wagon.and 2 sierra wagon.
the first day of school holidays these old new zealand fleet must have hit the roads and I counted dozens.

OffRoadFalcon · 29-10-2013, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV-HSV

Are they still using AU's as cabs ? Damn they would have some ks on them by now any pics of one grinz ? Cheers.

Absolutely! The newest thing I've seen was a Prius, but that's disappeared again.
They certainly would have some kays on them, not sure on any details, I don't use taxis.
If you really wanted I could get pics of all of them! Never hard to find 'em.

flooded one · 29-10-2013, 01:39 AM

I think we will still see heaps of AUs on the road in 3 years. there were 235000 odd made, i'd be banking around 2021 you wont see as many. thou I reckon BAs will disappear before AUs. as will the BF

ILLaViTaR · 29-10-2013, 08:13 AM

2018-2022 give or take a couple of years.

Ride · 29-10-2013, 10:05 AM

Without trying to sound like a snob, the XR and T Series parts which are consumable/could be damaged in an accident are going to be harder to find. It's already near on impossible to find front, side and rear skirts for a T3 let alone a T1/T2. Then you have grills/foglights etc and it becomes a revolving cycle of despair.

The non-model specific stuff such as front guards, doors, rubber seals etc there should be a bit around at wreckers etc if need be. In saying that, if you've got the space, start stashing the bits just in-case (provided you want to keep the car for a while).

EATHSV · 29-10-2013, 03:57 PM

People have already started hoarding the T series or rare parts. Money in the bank i the years to come I think.

I also believe that the BA/BF series will thin out well before the AU. The popularity of the barra motor out of these will render most as scrap thanks to retrofits and the turbo guys destroying engines looking for more boost.

Road_Warrior · 29-10-2013, 05:24 PM

I think the long term presence of the AU on the roads has less to do with the AU nuts and more to do with non-car people who just use them for transport and don't really care what it is.

In their eyes, there is nothing special about the AU that will see it cared for or whatever in the eyes of day to day motorists and on the 2nd hand market. The same fate will befall the AU as has every Falcon model before it and every Falcon model after it - once it gets to a certain age it will reach a certain level of worthlessness in the eyes of non-car people and it will become too painful and expensive for people to keep, and they will start ending up in wreckers en masse. It's probably already started going by some comments.

Some of the most desirable Falcons over the years - XY's, XA-XC coupes etc - have ended up at the tip or Simsmetal for the exact same reason. I've witnessed this time and time again over the years with Falcons from the early 80's up until now and I've seen nothing to change my view.

Only the AU nuts will continue to want/care for them and keep them on the road particularly with the performance models and these are the ones you will continue to see in the years to come, or the odd example that has been cared for from new by someone who liked their car and wanted to care for it properly.

leonbray · 29-10-2013, 11:50 PM

AU cylinder heads will cause the death of a few. I couldn't buy a new one last year when I needed on for the XG.

Bill M · 30-10-2013, 01:43 PM

Compared to the VT Commode the AU has aged gracefully and there seems to be no shortage of well kept examples. Three years? Hmmm I think it will be a while before they thin out to nothing but the used car market is subject to a lot of influences and I think fuel usage and newer low km Falcons will decide the survival rates of the AU.
Bill.

robbyj · 30-10-2013, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I think the long term presence of the AU on the roads has less to do with the AU nuts and more to do with non-car people who just use them for transport and don't really care what it is.

In their eyes, there is nothing special about the AU that will see it cared for or whatever in the eyes of day to day motorists and on the 2nd hand market. The same fate will befall the AU as has every Falcon model before it and every Falcon model after it - once it gets to a certain age it will reach a certain level of worthlessness in the eyes of non-car people and it will become too painful and expensive for people to keep, and they will start ending up in wreckers en masse. It's probably already started going by some comments.

Some of the most desirable Falcons over the years - XY's, XA-XC coupes etc - have ended up at the tip or Simsmetal for the exact same reason. I've witnessed this time and time again over the years with Falcons from the early 80's up until now and I've seen nothing to change my view.

Only the AU nuts will continue to want/care for them and keep them on the road particularly with the performance models and these are the ones you will continue to see in the years to come, or the odd example that has been cared for from new by someone who liked their car and wanted to care for it properly.

100% agree, but in 3 years? no.

**Uncle_Ken** · 30-10-2013, 11:15 PM

I think paint will see AUs off the road long before the internals give out. Its not cheap to respray a whole car. If you don't care about paint condition, then AU's will be around for a while yet.

UK

Optional · 31-10-2013, 08:24 AM

Hi, new member here.

I was interested to see a couple of people say the AU would outlast the BA models on the road.

Is this because the Au is a better car or just that more were sold?

I am trying to buy a cheap ute at the moment.

Given the choice between a 2000 model AU with 240,000km and a 2002 model BA with 290,000km in similar condition which would you choose?

robbyj · 31-10-2013, 08:38 AM

Well, our opinions are always going to be a little biased, but some here have owned both.

I would definitely choose the AU. I have 2 friends that own 02 model BA's, one is a ute, and they are both absolute lemons, always having stuff go wrong. That being said you can't judge based on that. But the general consensus is the AU is nicer to drive, inside looks and feels better, cheaper to fix when stuff does break, which is rarely.

I have owned my AU for 100,000 k's now (230,000) and the only thing i have had to replace is a water pump and power steering pump. (excluding general maintenance of course)

Optional · 31-10-2013, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbyj

Well, our opinions are always going to be a little biased, but some here have owned both.

I would definitely choose the AU. I have 2 friends that own 02 model BA's, one is a ute, and they are both absolute lemons, always having stuff go wrong. That being said you can't judge based on that. But the general consensus is the AU is nicer to drive, inside looks and feels better, cheaper to fix when stuff does break, which is rarely.

I have owned my AU for 100,000 k's now (230,000) and the only thing i have had to replace is a water pump and power steering pump. (excluding general maintenance of course)

Thanks Robby, I guess you are right about a silly question in an AU sub forum

Not sure if this is off topic for the area, but whilst I have your attention i might ask some quick advice.

It's a manual gearbox ute. The clutch was changed about 20,000km ago.

Is there anything special I should look for? Rust locations, anything special in the engine bay or under the car, stuff like that?

Also the drivers seat has collapsed, is there a better option than just looking out for a decent one at a wrecker to replace it? And is it an easy job?

Thanks in advance for any help.