Overview of the Ford Falcon
The Ford Falcon was Australia's longest continuously running nameplate up to the cessation of local production in October 2016 - 56 years after it debuted as a US-based model.
Ford's large car started to become more Australianised from the 1970s and it would eventually compete against the Holden Commodore in a famously fierce local rivalry.
There were luxury models such as the Fairlane and LTD, ute spin-offs, and sportier models such as the XR6 Turbo and V8-powered XR8 of more recent times.
FORD FALCON GENERATIONS (SINCE 2002)
2002-2008
2008-2016
RUNNING COSTS
Fuel Consumption (not including ute models)
EcoBoost turbo 4-cylinder: 8.0-8.7 litres per 100km
LPG 6-cylinder: 11.7-13.5 litres per 100km
6-cylinder: 9.0 litres per 100km
6-cylinder turbo: 9.5-11.1 litres per 100km
V8: 13.6-13.7 litres per 100km
= Highly economical.
= Good economy.
= Average fuel use.
= Heavy consumption.
Servicing
Costs vary depending on engine. Schedule is based around one year or 15,000km, with costs starting from between $290 and $415. Ford Falcon parts and accessories can be found on Gumtree.
SIMILAR MODELS TO FORD FALCON
Holden Commodore
Honda Accord
Nissan Maxima
Toyota Aurion
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR: FORD FALCON (FG, 2008-2016)
Watch out for a used Falcon that has been abused by a previous fleet-operator owner.
Clunks over bumps can mean worn suspension bushes.
A pulsing through the car when you apply the brakes probably means worn and warped front brake rotors. Sometimes these can be repaired, but usually new rotors are the best strategy.
The automatic transmission has an external fluid cooler, but these can fail, allowing coolant into the gearbox where it quickly wrecks both the mechanical and electronic functions of the automatic. Check the transmission fluid for milkiness that suggests the coolant and oil have mixed. If they have mixed, give that car a miss.
Make sure the central locking works perfectly, as this is an early sign of a failing body computer.
Check for low coolant level in the radiator. An O-ring at the back of the water pump is a common cause of coolant loss.
