Ford Falcon Ute

Dissapointing Falcon – I have 2 major issues atm with my 2003 ford falcon ba 1 tonner. The heater blows only cold air and there is a bad misfire in the engine. Car only has 141700 ks on it. Show details

Rugged and Ready RTV – This ute is strong, reliable, easy to service and parts are both cheap and available everywhere. The engine power and torque are more than I have needed so far. Its has a one-tonne payload so I can carry just about anything in it. It handles darn well for a tray ute and the aircon is better than any I have had in other makes. I especially like… Read more

increased ride height of the RTV and its locking differential feature. The petrol consumption is acceptable for my particular needs, although I notice many other owners complain at how thirsty the BA 4.0i are. All up, it has been a really good, low-cost workhorse.

The downsides are mainly just cosmetic and in line with the quality spec of the model. Some of the the hard plastic interior bits and the vinyl steering wheel surface breaks down with age and sun exposure. The seat cushioning, especially on the drivers side understandably collapses as a matter of course over thousands of entries and exits.The cost of retrimming it was a bit irksome. All small complaints in the end really....

Can't really fault it – I have an XR50 which I have modified a fair bit, now running around 275kw at the engine which is alright for a naturally aspirated 6. What impresses me is how well these utes are designed, no other ute apart from the Commodore drives and handles like it. Even though it's only a leaf sprung rear end, the springs are quite long and the gas shock… Read more

absorbers and two stage design means you can hardly tell.

The power the ute makes is amazing, I have done exhaust, headers, intake, reduction pulley and 98 octane tune + gearbox tune. Will do around 5.5 seconds 0-100. The engine is a gem - sounds sweet, has amazing midrange pull, huge torque and will rev out past 6000rpm without complaining. Such a shame we've lost it.

Gearbox is awesome, no problems apart from a replaced pressure plate which was likely botched in the factory because all the bolts were loose. That was 88000ks. Only other issues I have had with the ute is replaced the front suspension arms - only on the recommendation of my tuner because the ball joints were looking worn. Also the age old problem of Ford's shuddering discs - so i swapped the brakes for a set of slotted dba rotors and good quality pads which fixed the issue. Fuel economy? on the highway, sitting on a steady 110km/h it will do 7.5-8.5l/100km. City driving though is not so good, especially if you drive it hard. Expect 12 for normal driving and upwards of 15 if you drive hard.

I love the interior - seats are very comfy and infotainment/trip computer is comprehensive and easy to use. Small things like holding the cruise + or - buttons in raises or lowers cruise speed by 10km increments.

Other good points:

* amazing headlights - far better than current ute's H4 setups

* big tray - 1800mmL

* very comfortable

* pin sharp steering

* Cheap to service - costs me around the $180 mark for a full service

* Cheap to insure

* Parts are cheap and plentiful

* Airconditioner is like opening a door directly to Antarctica

Bad points?

* Seating is quite high compared to the Commodore

* Fuel economy not great in the city

* Front tires wear on the edges

* Fit and finish not quite up to European standards

I love it, I think I will always have a Falcon ute in my garage.

BA Falcon – Personal use only daily driving no more then 200klm I get the ute services every 50,000 KLM there is a steering problem end SBS SBS be SBS SBS bz SBS SBS Show details

F**king ripper – This is hand down one of the best cars ever driven off a factory floor. the inline 6 delviers a smooth and reliable power train that makes it great for towing, highways, mountains or just cruising. these days you get one cheap as chips, make sure the bushes and drive trains not too clapped out and you get a rely deal for only a frew grand. most fun you can have with your pants on. Show details

Great car - what a shame they don't make them any more! – FGX Cab Chassis. EcoLpi. Bought this August 2016 and have done nearly 160,000ks so far. I've had 3 of these - a 2nd hand AU2, 260,000k a new FG 2010 240,000K and this one. The window lift switch on this one failed a little while ago - $60.00 on EBay, and I've added some sound deadening here and there, but other than that, totally reliable.… Read more

Comfortable, handles well, easy on tyres - only on my 2nd set, economical gets about 15k per 100 on average and not much higher when towing around 1000kg on a regular basis. The Sat-Nav is a disaster though and I'd love a much higher driving range than than the 500+k I get. Overall, looking at the dramas others experience with Rangers and the like this car is great.

Good Bad Then Ugly – I bought a BF tradesman ute brand new. At 20k it just shutdown in the middle or the street and died it took Food 1 month to find the problem 1 small wire to the computer after they put a new harness in. Great engine drives like a dream but at 100k it started falling apart around me door handles, wipers, electric windows, hood lining and the list goes. But she looks like sh*t but drives like a dream,  Show details

Good basic workhorse – Easy to drive however the roofline is a bit low when you're getting into the cabin. Build quality leaves a little to be desired but it does what it should for a ute. Easily laid out controls and some features I didn't expect for a ute, like EBS and speed monitor. Lacking service reminder alert which I had in earlier Ford which was a great… Read more

function. Canadian V8 is slightly problematic , whilst performing really well, it's noisy with timing gear noise which has to be addressed, Apparently problem with timing gears in this model.

Vibration – Goes ok but has vibration at 95 kph, ford can't fix so they just call it a characteristic rather than a fault so that they can wipe their hands of the problem. No surprise that they can't sell enough Australian built cars to remain viable, they are useless.  Show details

Ford AU Ute – The AU was not popular in sedan form but the ute version is just great. Has 3 seater option with the column shift auto which is very handy when you have an extra person. Big roomy cabin and tough as nails. Love the styling - actually I love everything about it. Show details

Perfect Ute – Well built, looks awesome, great for work and home, comfortable. Looks great with a set of mags. reliable around town and on ling drives. FG is the best contemporary Falcon made. 2011 MK2 Show details

Sweet Spot – I needed a ute that was comfy on the freeway for long drives 200km at a time but practical enough to carry stuff around the city when required. My FG does both in real comfort. Probably 90% close to a sedan for cruising comfort. The Ecolpi has more than enough power with an average freeway use of about 13lt/100km. A really impressive car that is… Read more

way undervalued compared to a lot of stuff out there and coupled with a sweet Barra motor. Probably the penultimate Aussie car, practical to maintain and run while having all the comfort of overseas cars......Very happy with it.

eco lpi – Swapped my fg petrol to the ecolpi fg mk2 what a difference more power, torque and economy. I was averaging 500klms a tank on petrol at around $100 a tank. Same kilometers and costs me $48 to fill. Only issue i have is some service stations aren’t selling Lpg so it would be a worry if i had to go country. Besides that it’s a falcon. Cheap parts tows great Show details

Simply awesome – As a woolpress mechanic I need a tough reliable workhorse as I'm always traveling oad most of the time on very rough roads and my falcon ute has been awesome always reliable comfortable good to drive and carries all my tool easy. For a ute that is always worked and has 308000km on it and still goes like new I couldn't be happier. Show details

Love it – I love my ute . Ford xr6 LPG ute . Love it . I use my car everyday without fail. The colour is a Mystic Green pearl , tonneau cover but I want a hardlid. LPG E-gas engine one of a kind and is very economical. Filling her up costs $50-$60  Show details

No Falcon Worries – Just very reliable and very comfortable for a ute. I got the new LPG gas version, never a hiccup, and small car running costs. I am do disappointed I won't be able to buy a new one, and I hope the Asian utes will improve their ride quality to be remotely as good as the Falcon.  Show details

Work horse – I have a 2008 fg ute dedicated gas. Workhorse this ute has made me 500k + after five years of owing it and tows like a boss although I've just had to replace a motor a gear box. $4500.00 later... I really can't complain it been great and now its like a new car.  Show details

Excellent vehicle – BA Mark II. Performance is good. Tows caravan effortlessly. Handles surprisingly well. Extremely quiet on Hume Highway, which could have something to do with the new tyres. Very comfortable seats (XR6 fitted standard). Lovely to drive on winding roads. Has not let me down once since buying new. Only changes are a new windscreen and a hard top.… Read more

Have achived 7.3, 7.4 and 7.6 L/100km on Hume highway with Michelin Primacy 3 tyres. Has covered 107,600 km since new in Sept. 2015. Excellent air cond and heating. The only thing missing is a footrest for left foot as it is an automatic. The pseudo manual side of the transmission is great for towing in mountain region. Really can't fault the vehicle.

GREAT TO DRIVE – This car has awesome get up and go on the freeway , comfortable to drive and great fuel economy being a dedicated LPG engine . If your towing needs are modest (1700kg tow capacity) this could be a good all round vehicle as long as you are not planning off road use as this vehicle is not really designed for this (learnt this the hard way with a… Read more

rather expensive strut replacement service) . It is such a pity FORD is not making these anymore with the last one being the 2016 Model . I am looking at a MAZDA BT for my next car only because of this .

RTV 2008 model – Can anyone tell me if the woop woop noise I get while driving is anything to worry about. I have had the diff oil changes and a hose replaced and the ford dealer said nothing about any metal in the oil once it was dropped out. Its a bit hard being a woman owning one of these vehicles and u don't know if you are getting factual information so would appreciate some feed back please. Bought the ute for the dog- I know sad story isn't it-not  Show details

Great workhorse Ute fairly cheap motoring – The FG falcon ute is a great workhorse which I have enjoyed for the last 6 years. After the first test drive I fell in love with the silky smooth power from that straight six, effortless acceleration, higher ground clearance then the xr6 and cheaper 16 inch tyres and massive tray. This was perhaps one of the best falcons as it had the 4 pinion… Read more

m86 diff(without Lsd though) and the tremac 6 speed TR 6060 manual which was also used in the dodge viper and Austin Martin vanquish. Overall the Utes been reliable though and I've maintained it myself for the last few years. Several weak points in the design are the plastic pulleys in the engine bay, I had the water pump pulley let go, luckily spare parts are cheap and installed a Gates branded pump just to get me by for $60. The Ford branded pumps are much better quality though and by all accounts good for 200000km so Ill repair the old pump as a spare. The front upper control arm bushes are another weak point and if you get any front inner tyre wear these are probably to blame at around 60000km. These bushes cause all kind of issues besides the front the wear included vague steering and uneven disk wear causing a pulsating brake pedal. Ford control arms are ridiculously expensive nearly $350 each and are of average quality so I sourced some superpro control arms with newly designed bushes for $350 and seems to have sorted the front end issues for now although the lower control arm and castor arm are on their way out. These both have ball joints which are not replaceable so the whole arm is replaced. The ball joints were fairly worn at around 130000km and I might try to source some from eBay or the wreckers. The factory shock absorber were showing their age at 120000 so I changed them for a fresh pair of Oem Sachs units which were around $550. These seem to be of excellent quality and a parts dealer who sells Sachs and Monroe claimed he never had a warranty return on a Sachs shock absorber vs 1 in 10 Monroes failing. The koni shock absorbers seem like a great but expensive option and I decided against them . The rear wheel bearings were on their way out at 120000km also, the taxis always change the original Korean bearings to Japanese Timkin parts which seem to last longer. Some people have complained of front bearing failures also but I seem to have been lucky. The rear bush in the gearbox will also wear out eventually around 100000km and the slip yoke seal will fail causing oil to spray underneath the car. I believe this can be changed in situe for a tougher bronze bush from the V8 models and a fresh seal. The rear propshaft transmission coupling or rubber donut cracks and fails every few years and needs to be replaced or it can cause vibrations and wear other parts out faster. Gearbox oil needs to be changed around 50000 km as my oil was very black and overdue. Similar situation with the rear diff, when I changed the fluid it was definitely past its use by date. Ford fluids in general seem to be average at best and it's seems better to change the factory fill items early in the vehicles life to better quality items to save on maintenance later in the vehicles life. I use Nulon fluids after the warranty ran out and I believe there cheaper and much better then genuine. Spark plugs should be changed sooner then the 160000 in the manual states at around 100000 as the ignition coils seem to last much longer according to the taxi mechanics. Later FG Utes and the xr6 models gained traction control and 4 channel electronic brake distribution although the base model missed out on traction control and only had 3 channel ebd. Build quality is average but acceptable, the chassis is poorly painted and there is some rust starting in some panels behind the cab and sections of the chassis which were painted after treatment. Exhaust rusts family quickly as the coating isn't great. Interior is pleasant but the vinyl trim on the shifter and handbrake wears out quickly and flackes off. Roofling sags eventually also but many shops repair these cheaply. Overall a great Ute that has a few minor inherent issues.

Car has been great with the occasional trouble – Cars driving is exceptional with handling, braking and cruising along with very satisfactory fuel economy but to ruin all the good about my brand new at the time 2013 xr6 ford ute fg mk2 is the amount of times I have to visit the mechanics due to either power steering, alternator, bushes, battery and check engine warnings over three years.  Show details

Great Example Of Aussie Ute – I bought my ex gold coast council, ute via a dealer. I fitted tickford alloys which are load rated, a chrome sports bar and an fpv tonneau cover. Just love it. Power everything, steering, mirrors, windows, drivers seat. Steering wheel controls for cruise are easy, radio volume too. So much room, I can run the seat too far back, even with the… Read more

up/down, in/out adjustable steering. (I'm 188cm).

Sports auto, (which I never use, standard settings work fine), a word of warning, these auto's are famous for needing rebuild around 100000kms. Some bright spark at ford made them a "Sealed unit" so they never get serviced. Mine was rebuilt by the dealer, no issues in 30000km.

The suspensions a bit firm by car standards, (crashes a bit on carpark speedbumps), but great on highway and with loads in the back.

The bed liner is a good touch and the moveable load hooks are a brilliant touch, just twist and release then move them where you need them.

The lpg system is the cheapest ford could get away with, there is very little adjustment.

Occasionally backfires on startup. Ford know about the issue, their answer? They've fitted springs to the airbox bolts so the plastic airbox doesn't split.

Running on lpg is the bomb. $45 for 400+km of mostly suburban use.

A true Aussie ute – I bought this ute new in 2009 on a novated lease and paid it off three years later. I optioned it with all the goodies such as climate control, communications package, etc. and fitted it with a tipper tray (twin hydraulic ram & alloy tray) and a towbar. I have only used it privately (I'm not a tradie) and it now has 120,000km. It has never missed… Read more

a beat, carried a number of loads of garden soil, rubbish to the tip, etc. and been a comfortable highway cruiser. There are times when I would have liked to have had 4WD but otherwise this Falcon ute has been terrific and extremely cheap to run. It is a great vehicle; a real ute not just a two door pretend sports car.

Solid Ute - work horse – Have had this ute for a long time now and it has never let me down, never. My mechanic also agreed saying he doesn't see these in here much. Just getting serviced that's it and he does heaps. I'm a ford man and this is a reason why! The next Ute i will get will be the same. Ford till i die!  Show details

FG MkII XR6 EcoLPI Auto – Purchased this car with 20,000km's and have now clocked up just over 100,000km's and overall this car has been fantastic. Thus far I have had nothing on the vehicle fail, the only issues I have had are some noise in the diff which only appears once in a blue moon when turning from a complete stop and 2 or 3 times it has come up with a "COMMS… Read more ·  1

SYSTEM FAULT" on the dash, which disappeared within a few minutes of driving.

Performance is great, especially in comparison to traditional gas vehicles, the gearbox is amazing, noise inside the cabin is a little louder than I'd like, handling is good, visibility can sometimes be tricky with the size of the A pillars and I would suggest having a reverse camera installed due to this thing being pretty damn big. Economy is dependent on the sort of trips you do, using the freeway and even in stop start traffic, mine sits on about 13.2L/100km but it can sit on 15.7L/100km if I'm doing a lot of driving in built up areas. If you tow regularly, then don't choose the EcoLPI if you want good economy, with a lightly loaded trailer on a freeway it'll do 17-18L/100km.

Reliability has been flawless, which for me is paramount along with safety features which this ute also has covered. Service costs are a little higher than the petrol versions because of the LPG system, however getting 550km's out of a tank for less than $40 more than offsets this cost.

Seats are comfortable, dash screen is easy to use, bluetooth syncs easily, ipod connectivity is great, all in all I'm extremely happy with this car, be warned though, the front bar sits quite low for a factory car and scrapes on a lot of car park curbs.

kloster ford service – For four years I had a vibration in the rear of my ute. Kloster ford finally replaced the drive shaft, the vibration is reduced but still there. I wish this problem was addressed immediately. I think the damage has already been done after four years. Has anyone had vibration issues in the rear of there ute so I can submit my concerns to Kloster ford.  Show details

XR6 Turbo FG MKII - – 2012 Model - So far it has done 83k kms and I have been pretty happy with it. It has had a new diff put in it by Ford which has now fixed the issue for now. Original Diff went at 60k kms, i have heard these are an issue with all the ford utes. Other than the diff i have had no other major issues. Positives: Looks great, comfy ride, lots of… Read more

power, auto is great very smooth and fun to drive.

Std equipment is pretty good although a reverse camera would be great!

Negatives:

Wind noise, this is a problem ford have said it is the wing mirrors that cause it and no fix.

Seating position too high

Plastics look and feel cheap and build quality is fairly average inside the cabin.

For what it is, it is a good all round ute with lots of power and a good drive train.

Sad to see them finish in 2016.

xl bf ute review – Its an ok ute, the auto gear ratios are terrible, very sluggish, chassis under the well body tray is fairly soft metal and easily compressed, a trayback is the better option, the tray back has a better rear chassis, from now on i will buy only real commercial vehicles that are built tough , through and through. The bf is not built for SERIOUS… Read more

long term work, like true commercial vehicles with very strong chassis etc etc, the ford is a good family ute thats for sure.

Ford RTV BF2 - Dec. 06 build – Recently purchased one in light blue metalic and loving it. A very good compromise vehicle, 6 cyl. 4 litre,1 tonner, Auto sport shift. Cruise control, ABS, Diff lock, lockable bin lid and bin liner. All I need for camping, fishing, moving stuff about and a general to work / fun hack. It's not a 4X4 mountain goat, but goes nearly anywhere I want… Read more

and with 80 litres (unleaded) gives a good range and surprisingly good economy (as long as I don't push it too hard) good ground clearance (sitting a little higher gives good visibility) and some underbody protection. Still does have some little niggling ford problems but are easily fixed and I can live with them. My XR6 - (July 05 build) sits under wraps in my driveway during the working week because my RTV is so versatile I drive it most of the time now.

Awesome vehicle – I've had my 2005 BA 'SE' XL Ford ute now for just over two years and it hasn't missed a beat. Purchased with 155k on the clock, and now has 185k. The performance and reliability is simply perfect. The handling and speed off the mark is incredible, and although its a long vehicle (5.07m long) parking in tight spots or spaces isn't as worrying as… Read more

first thought. The internal cabin comfort and features is the same as a sedan vehicle.

Verdict - 4.5 stars out of 5.

Pro's - everything.......Con's - possibly better seats could be added

Great cars, forget about the image problem – AU1 XR8 falcon ute. Bought at 120,000km for $11k and just clocked up 400,000, 8 yrs later. The engine is insanely solid - American v8s, <3. Transmission just dropped its guts. Google 'falcon milkshake'. Common thing that WILL happen. Not a bad run though. If you have a falcon, get an external transmission cooler fixed and youll avoid this… Read more

nasty incident. Do IT!!

Considering whether to buy a new car or replace transmission for $2500 max for good as new. Looking around at other utes, well, what else is out there? The dual cab pick up fashion sure, but my goodness they are expensive. Mitsubishi Triton is reasonable price but they get some shocking reviews (and some good ones). And all of them no where near the comfort of my darling xr8 which is seriously comfortable and easy on your back with great lumber support seats, still even after 400K!! I have a bad back, i value that. Can get a v6 hilux second hand but they chew more juice than the v8 au! Faaaarrrk!!

Anyway, for a falcon, i know them well by this time, - and Im no tech rev head, just an average bloke - maintenance involves: replacing brake rotors - Costs nothing; constant wheel alignments; water pipe leaks all the time; water seal in top end went once, not an expensive fix; change the leads twice in that time, leads are expensive thing, but use the generic brands, just as good, and they're fine. ford leads very very expensive.

The oil light / gauge started playing up, dropping to 0 and beeping, at about 280,000 or so, and scared the bloody out of me. 3 years later and the engine still normal, must be the sensor somewhere. My mechanic doesnt know what it is, just drive it and see how it goes. Looked on ford forums and its a common thing. It must be a faulty sensor, the engine couldnt still be going all these years later with oil pressure constantly dropping to 0.

Thats about it. Then getting around 360,000, new alternator. Expensive for the v8. About $900 with new quality battery. Then needed a major service, new leads, and an air petrol sensor, all set me back about $1700. That was the most major thing. Then the transmission milkshake famous bang.

Now when you have a look around at other cars problems and maintenance costs, this car is insanely reliable and easy to maintain. Most services are just cheap $200 - $350 max for the big ones. That's incredible. I cant believe how reliable it is. I keep it serviced all the time mind you, every 10,000kms, sometimes 15,000 if time goes quick but generally not.

Rust? Yep, a bit appearing in around the bottom of the windscreen. That's where they go. These cars should be garaged.

The cabin electrics are crap. The door locks rattles and clunk, the electric windows stop working, new switch, big deal, aerial only goes up when it wants to.

And thats it folks. You cant ask for a more reliable car. I read heaps of terrible reviews about au falcons before i bought it and thought, oh well, ill take a punt. Basically people are full of it. That engine is a stonking beast. No annoying timing belt that needs changing.

The au is extremely comfortable, and Id happily drive it over any modern car ive been in. The stock sound system is the best ive ever heard bar none. It purrs along, quietly and smooth, and put your foot down if you must and baaaaam! After 400,000kms that thing pulls like a 14 yr old boy (as I read the other day). My wife is a total non rev head hippy and even she loves going for a big drive in it.

So what am I going to do, fork out big time for a new car or renew the transmission and cut some rust out soon and see how we go? Reaplce what, diff, exhaust, engine might need a top end rebuid some day. Still all cheaper than a new equivalent at $45k. Hmmm.

But if you can find a falcon v8 with low kms and wonder if you should buy it? yes is the answer. Yes they chew juice. About 12 -13 l/100km. 650 kms out of an 80 litre tank, or more on along trip. Actually quite good on a hwy journey, terrible in the city, about town. But so are the big heavy 4WD dual cabs, apparently. No car drops value second hand like a falcon = great deal. Great cars. So sad to see them go.

Bonnet – Will BA FALCON UTE BONNET FIT BF UTE Thanks for any help Show details