Ford Falcon BF (2005-2010)

Great car – 267000 ks. Not a single problem that's not general maintenance. Can't praise the car enough. After having a camry before this one which was problematic. Show details

tail shafts – i have a 2006 ford falcon fairmont lpg and it has a 2 peice tail shaft can a one peice tail shaft fit and what happens if you can use one peice shaft Show details

BF Falcon was supposed to be the model with all the bugs ironed out. IT'S NOT – Drives nicely in a straight line but the comfort of the front seats has dropped considerably from previous models and the rear seating has stayed as awful and uncomfortable. Plenty of power as usual for Ford sedans and when on an easy cruise the fuel economy can be surprising. Very noisy on most of the tar roads. Bought this Ford at… Read more

68,500kmsand at 72,600 the rear suspension bushes had to be replaced - crazy to have multi angle rolling ball bushes on the rear suspension of a large sedan- ( quoted $690 ) and at 58,000kms the starter failed. Only 1 of the plastic gears in the remote door lock assemblies has not failed YET.

Poorly finished bodywork and a severe lack of paint coverage in so many places that start to rust pretty quickly.

Thought we could get around the "pregnant roller skate roof line" with corresponding reduced head clearance when accessing the seats but we were wrong - we're now head bangers without the music.

This is our 1st Ford and will more than likely be our last - not impressed.

Yes we are have had Holden since HT, LH, VB, VS, Rodeo and tried Ford due to price and having to get a sedan to transport a 95yo mother in law - wrong choice.

Probably just spoiled by the overall finish and driveability of other cars.

BF XR6, ZF Trans. Much better than I could have imagined – After owning Subaru's for years I finally got one that everyone warns about, so I replaced it with an XR6 because they are reasonably cheap second hand and I just wanted an appliance to clock up lots of open road KM, My expectations were pretty low, but I can honestly say this is the best car I have owned. Purchased in 2011 with 140,000km on… Read more

the clock, now has 240,000km and still going well.

The ZF transmission makes the car what it is really, very intelligent smooth transmission. The suspension holds the road better than my old 2005 GT legacy.

Get around 8.5-10 km/l open road - although I do have a heavy foot. Around 11km/l around town.

Typically get around 620KM tank.

Maintenance costs are low, service every 15,000KM (versus Turbo Subaru 8000).

Faults:

Rotors needed replacing following a social race day on a race track. No surprise there.

Ball joints, again probably related to treatment.

Wires in headlight switch breaking, easy fix but annoying.

Bushes in rear suspension, Cost around $1200 to fix. Common fault apparently.

Catalytic converter not meeting efficiency, would have cost $2500 new but got one from wreckers for $200

Pros:

Surprising fuel economy for a large car

Great size for a family, get more in the boot than the old station wagon stacked to the roof.

Handling.

Probably the best transmission I have ever used.

Negatives:

Driver seat position too high.

No isofix for the kids seats.

No rear window wiper

No bluetooth and can't easily replace stereo.

Considering the mileage and lack of respect I have given, it has been a very good and reliable car.

Last of the falcon wagons – I was in Darwin during the wet season, 2012. I wanted to drive home... St Leonards in Victoria... I bought a 2009 wagon... Falcon. My current car was a 1996 Falcon wagon... 5 speed manual... I loved it! Well I paid $12000 for my new wagon... 84,000km on the clock... a spring chicken! Perhaps could have paid less. She was not perfect... some… Read more

cosmetic body stuff. I drove all the way home without a glitch... sleeping in the back with my dog. A seamless effort. Now I drive to and from Adelaide in comfort and ease. My partner has a Toyota Rav 4 that uses more petrol! Could do without the rear leaf springs, but driven sensibly fuel economy and pleasure is great. These cars are a bargain... mine has bluetooth etc... all the modcons I need. Towining is a dream.. and overtaking is lovely... room for 2 kids, 2 adults, 2 dogs and heaps of cargo... and not top heavy. From behind especially my car looks very similar to a falcon wagon 10 years older... if you want to look current... forget it! But if you want a good reliable car with so much to give... a bargain!

Rear leaf springs.... hey ford have always had lazy bums

Comfy Ride! – My partner and take long road trips over 6 hours every couple of months in the XR6 and couldnt fault it, its a very smooth comfy ride and plenty of space to sleep in the back! Hardly had any issues apart for the left side window sticking sometimes and the broke drivers inner door handle. Show details

FORD OFFERS TOP VALUE FOR AN OLDER VEHICLE – The Ford Falcon XR6 2006-2007 model is generally a reliable model, despite its age. Typically, Ford has given it the powerful 6 cylinder motor and, in this case, a six speed sports automatic gearbox which is designed to suit all types of drivers. This car catches the eye of sporty enthusiasts with its sleek, aerodynamic body lines and bold… Read more

paintwork. Even at relatively high kilometres on the clock, the XR6 performs well; great response under the pedal, with its traditional gutsy 'gurgle' as it changes through the gears. Generally good on fuel, 9L/100 highway driving; obviously more in suburbia and/or if driven to its full potential!

Bullit proof – I have had my 07 bf wagon for a few years . Has 190000km now and has had no major repairs . Servicing and wearing parts only . Only down fall is the paint quality . The top has faded pretty disappointing with the crap paint . But overall top and reliable car  Show details

Mk3 bf wagon..still requires aftermarket oil trans cooler for 4 stars – Awesome powerful engine and comfortable wagon. 479000kms old, ran it o 504000 before it died, it still looked above good condition. Rusting in the lower rear door seals..coming out on a 4 year old car is unacceptable. Paint was decent though. Warped rotors still an issue. Just had to replace the gearbox box and drove 30k only to have the oil… Read more

cooler

In the trans break and flood my engine with transmission fluid.

09 falcon you would think they would have fixed it, problem is the cooler is behind the engine bay on top of the trans 4 spd. Beware! Sold it for 600 in the end, and the guy replaced the trans again,

about average – My brother bought one of these ford xr6 after that he leased the same car.and I was usually stuck in the passenger seat and noticed with a smooth transition ride and boy it used to go quick when it was warm even though the motor was noisy and it used to go up bulli pass quite easy / most of the times it's usually better to buy a new car as someone… Read more

can run the motor in to their own preference / the car was struck by a truck and was totalled so basically it was written off by the insurance company after that the have him a new car / as my brother was not hurt I totally recommend the ford falcon cars

piece of crap – My old car was a BF Mk2 and that was an absolute rust bucket,rust in the boot,doors,engine bay,underneath,in the boot lid and leaked water into the boot when driving through rain,the sealant applied from the factory was such a hit and miss it was laughable.I have recently upgraded to the FG MK2 and its a much better car no rust anywhere or water… Read more

leaks and it feels a lot better built as-well doesn't have the rough crappy quality the B series was famous for.The doors on my old BF didnt have any bead of sealant apart from the bottom,the FG mk2 has sealant all along the seam.My BF also had steering pump rattles when hot,rough idle issues,btr 4 speed clunking was just such a piece of junk. The B Series quality was the worst of any falcon!! I can't understand how people can like this crapbox on wheels, is just such a horrible car to own! I wouldn't have one even if someone gave me one, I would sell it straight away!!

Xt lpg only – This car has been a pleasure to drive and extremely good fuel pricing on lpg making it a good around town vehicle power windows built in bluetooth for hands free phone is also a god sent it also has great freeway fuel economy making it just as good for long drives and with the lumbar support your back never gets saw and electric seats make you… Read more

very comfortable as adjustments are easy. I would highly recommend for any company to use as a fleet vehicle.

Love my ford xr6 – I brought my 2008 ford falcon xr6 about 2 months ago second hand and love it handles great lots of guts great family car I upgraded to this from a mazda tribute, still have lots of room for 2 baby seats and 1 child in the 3rd seat. Boot is huge I have enough room for my double pram and left over room for my shopping. It has great functions that… Read more

you can set how you like eg. Lights to be automatic, radio to turn off once your door opens, choice to have your boot locked at all times unless pressed with special key button which isn't car door unlock button. It had been great for me and my family. The bf looks great too!

mk2, hard to corner, but grreat – really good car, low on fuel economy, but big boot, big chasis, big everything, heaps of space, mine did 150k, neevr missed a beat, loved it to bits. such a a beautiful car to look at. regular maintenance is enough, and change nattery every so often. would not regret. this beautifully made car.  Show details

Nice car – The running cost of car is perfect it then reliability of it is flexible. Recently I am troubled with having to start it. It won't start as normal and I have to adjust the gear lever or accelerators pedal to force start it. Please advice me in this issue. Otherwise This car is great!  Show details

cheap family motoring !!! – I two BF falcon sedans, these cars are value for money. Common problem I had is the front control arm bushes fail . So after spending $250 for control arms +$265 new front shocks the car drives like new. I have a young family with two kids and everyone can fit in there without any problems. And if anyone spill anything in the car NO Problem its… Read more

just a falcon. Any one who planning to buy one my advice is to check if the front control arm bushes and rear diff bushes have been done by the previous owner. Fixing those two issues will cost about $1000 on top of the car purchase price. I had a big suv and I downgraded to a falcon, now when I come home I am more relaxed I don’t have the feeling that I have to go and see a chiropractor.

Crusiey class – Purchased a second hand G6 with standard 4.0l six. Great car to drive with instant grunt, enormous torque and does everything well and surprising economy, used 7.4l/100km on 600km round trip to Busselton. Surprisingly potent sound system and sufficiently quiet to enjoy it. Only has the 5 speed auto but this still the best auto i have ever had. Ours is navy blue- very sexy machine.  Show details

love this car – I purchased my new BF Mk 11 eurosport in 2007, it is the best falcon so far, (this is now the 6th falcon , XY,XB,XC,XF,XD,AU), build quality is quite good no squeaks or rattles, only replaced tyres, brakes, and a couple of minor things. Great on fuel averages less than 10 ltrs per hundred ks around town, on a recent rush trip into the wheatbelt… Read more

of WA, she averaged 8.2ltrs per 100ks, sitting on the limit with cruise, and 1200kms straight through, the mighty 4 litre six just loping along happily.

I find the falcon very comfortable, quite and a pleasure to drive, ok sometimes a little big to park, but try it with a landcruiser or similar that people drive, and keeping the fuel companies in business.

It will be a sad day when the last of the falcon's roll off the line

Great Car – Love my falcons I have a Ba gtp a Ba Turbo and have had our Bf XR6 for 8 years. Had 11000 on it when I bought it its now done 225000. Great car only issues starter motor died, alternator died warped rotors and did the pump seal in the tranny. Overall this has been a great car suspension wise she is starting to get a few squeaks but it still drives… Read more

awesome the B series was a beautiful shape just thinking of trading this in for a 50th anniversary FG

Had mecanical work done – After the last review I wrote on the BF XR6 Ford Falcon I took my car to a mechanic to get a few problems sorted. I can now say I will keep the car for another couple of years. It's driving better than before. i had a major wheel shake problem as most owners of these cars would know but after getting the disc machined and new bendex pads the car… Read more

is more stable now than before. the steering shudder is gone and it feels great to be able to put my foot on the brake pedal and get no shuddering. Other work was done as well to the engine and the car runs great.

Like a step back in time – Design disaster. Firstly getting in I hit my head on the A pillar, it's so steep. The 2 cup holders in the centre console are too small, will not even hold a 500ml water bottle. The hand Brake is so far forward you have to bend your wrist forward to release it. The front storage bin in the centre console fills with condensation from the air… Read more

conditioning, enough to soak anything in it.

Steering like it's connected by rubber bands.

Back tyres squeal even at moderate speeds when making junction turns in the dry (I didn't get to drive in the wet so can't comment on this).

No Bluetooth on a 40k car.

Ok, this is a one owner fully serviced car, early 2012, 65,000kms on the clock, and it's not a taxi, it's actually kept in immaculate condition.

Glad I only drove it for a week to help someone out.

The owner said to me 'if it catches fire let it burn, I don't know why I ever purchased it'.

This car is not a lemon or a friday afternoon car, it's just a badly designed car.

On a positive note it holds a lot of junk in its trunk but so does an industrial rubbish bin.

It does cruise nicely.

Unless you hate modern cars and don't like to actually 'drive' a car, avoid at all costs.

No problems since new – We bought our BF II Falcon new in 2007 with the 6 speed auto, it's now done 125,000km's. It's been the most reliable car we have had. Nothing done but but servicing every 15,000km's. It has been a cheap to run and service car. Front pads lasted 95,000km's and are cheap to replace We will buy the new FGX Falcon when it is released. Comfort,… Read more

reliable, good on fuel, Sydney to Queensland on one tank. Great 6 speed auto. Good steering and handling Only thing is it has power windows in the front but wind up in the rear

Reliability? Ehhhhhhhhh – I have a 2006 XT Falcon that's done 40,000km. My Nana bought it brand new and I've now owned it for 7 months. She had the flywheel replaced twice; the first time just after the 3 year new car warranty ran out (Ford replaced it for free as a gesture of goodwill, my Nana had to pay to have it towed from Sydney to Melbourne because it broke down… Read more

while she was on holidays) and the second time in 2011 when the car had done just 30,000km (which she paid for)! Now, after owning it for 7 months with just over 40,000km on the clock it I've had to have the flywheel replaced for the THIRD time on this car! Ford wouldn't comp the bill even though it is an ongoing problem because their last replacement has a 12 month/ 20,000km warranty only and it had been 3 years (mind you, the new flywheel only lasted 10,000km).

It cost $560~ to replace. They said there was nothing they could find easily that would explain the fault and it is not due to being started or driven hard. To fully investigate they would have to remove the engine and check the drive shaft (at my expense, which is not happening).

It's pretty disappointing to say the least. I bought this car because my old car (a 1981 Merc) had the same problem and it got to the point where the repair would cost more than the price of the car (I had the Merc for 7 years as a daily driver with over 250,000km on the engine and it was unbeatably reliable! Perfect transmission until the flywheel went and it became a pain to start). When I bought the Ford I thought I was upgrading.

My mum had a 2008 Falcon (dedicated gas) and offloaded it at 120,000km after spending over $5000 on repairs (backfired when started every time (cold or warm start), no one INCLUDING FORD could diagnose the problem. Sometimes due to this problem it couldn't be started). Had to have it towed from Adelaide to Melbourne after it broke down while on holidays.

I hear the Mondeo is built in Europe... if you love Ford maybe try it for reliability and quality? Sits on the road nicely. Safety. Lots of room. Reliability. Flywheel problem. Ford not willing to pay to fix an ongoing problem for a car that's only done 40,000km.

BF XR6, near perfect car for family and fun – I have owned many Fords over the years, with most having one or two small issues - the BA BF are no different. Sure, they had problems with the ignition coils, brake hoses and diff bushes (in BA), but similar things could be said about Commodores, so it really comes down to personal choice. Having owned BA, BF and FG XR6s, as well as SX and SY… Read more ·  1

Territories, my opinion is they are all great cars, and they improve with each model. FG XR6 are an absolute dream to drive, but a BF fittted with the ZF 6 speed auto is a close second. The diff centre bushes were upgraded in the BF, as were the brake hoses, which leave the ignition coils. For did upgrade them in the BF as well, but I still prefer to change them the aftermarket green-coloured performance coils for peace-of-mind.

Do yourself a favour, drive an XR6 with a 6 speed auto; they are simply a joy. 6 speed ZF transmission are an engineering masterpiece Ignition coils

Excellent Reliable Car – The Ford Falcon is icon for various reason's, more so than the Commodore, mainly for reliability, a comfortable ride and more power, mine was dedicated gas it never missed a beat and I can see why fleet buyer's love this car, good economy long mileage, etc. Sad to sell 4 years ago LPG awesome, Great engine, Reliability Nothing Wrong with it Show details

The Aussie LADA - It is what it is - what you see is what you get – This is my 6th Falcon and I reckon the reason Ford Australia has had to be subsidised and is now departing Australia is simple - they make shoddy cars. Having said that I love the Falcon. I currently have a MK2 LPG Wagon and it is perfect for my family. I do a lot of KM so need a comfortable, reliable & economical touring car and the Falcon fits… Read more ·  2

that bill. I also have a family of 5 - 2 adults, 3 teenagers and a dog so the wagon suits us too. We go to the beach a lot and have a boat so the space of the wagon is ideal and the basic trim suits my stage of life, I don't want or need leather and I don't get up set if sand gets everywhere or stuff gets spilt etc - no worries, it is just the Falcon. We go on holiday in it - 5 of us + dog + boat + 5 bikes + roof box on top and it just purrs along. The LPG not only gives low running cost it is good on the planet - better than a Prius so I can feel good about driving a big car. I have had 2 dedicated LPG Falcons - wouldn't bother with dual fuel. It is a basic utilitarian car - no frills but it does the job for my family.

The downside is the quality, I've had Euro cars and they are in a different league to the Falcon. Unfortunately Ford have used lazy Australian suppliers who have replicated the same mistakes model after model. For example - the power windows, I had problems in the EL, the AU, the BA and the BF. Same with the door locks and in later models the brakes. A Euro manufacturer would go 'ok there is a weakness in the power windows, lets fix that for the next update' - Ford go, 'no worries mate, just keep giving us the same [censored word removed] units you've been providing for the last 6 years'. This isn't about the Aussie dollar it is about poor suppliers. Holden Australia is the same. It wouldn't take much for Australian manufacturing to get competitive - just keep improving the quality. Too late now of course.

Having said that, with my last Falcon I did 100 000 km without a day off the road (apart from scheduled servicing) and I have friends with a brand new Captiva, Camry, and CX9 - all have been off the road for 3+ days within the first 6 months of purchase and Volkswagons well . . . . So despite my complaints about quality, the space, comfort, reliability and economy of the Falcon Wagon keep me coming back as the daily family driver. I'll miss the Falcon. Reliable. Cheap to run (parts servicing). Dedicated LPG is not good for the plane it is very economical. The wagon space is unmatched. Magnificent 6 cylinder engine - smooth as. Never really get attached to the car - it is a functional tool rather than my baby, so when the kids mess it up etc it doesn't bother me - this is good for family relationships. Cheap plastic interior. Basic radio and can't really upgrade. Manual rear windows. Lacks a few air bags. Traditional Falcon issues eg brakes, but when you know these you know you can just replace the rotors every few years for $100 so you work around them.

Impressed customer – 2006 BF XT Factory LPG. Bought it at 130,000. Now nearly 250,000. Apart from oil and filters haven't had to touch it. Car has been faultless. Driven on dirt roads twice a day and goes into town once a week. Perfect full size, easy to drive, safe car for the wife and kids, and on LPG is cheap to run. Only wishing we'd bought a wagon for a bit more… Read more

room. LPG tank means the boot floor is higher so less space plus the spare wheel takes up room. (threw the space saver in the bin what a joke how can a car even be roadworthy with a different size tyre on one wheel) Been worried we'd had to buy a 4WD to cope with the dirt roads but car takes it all in it's stride Good buying price for some reason they don't hold value (probably cos of all the holden lemmings). Car has never let me down. Cheap to run, full size family car. Can't put better (bigger) tyres on it as interferes with front suspension. Interior has always looked a bit cheap and plasticy but holds up ok. Suffers from acoustic booming if driven with rear windows only open. Needs to warm up before you put in drive/reverse otherwise goes in with a bang. Occasionally backfires when starting but air box can handle it.

Ford Falcon....means reliability and comfort – This is a great reliable car. Even in the snow and the heat of Australian conditions,it just starts first time all the time. It just doesn't miss a beat. I am also extremely happy with the installation of LPG as it makes my car cheap to run as well. I always hated hitting my head on the roof of small cars. I carry canoes on the roof and it pulls a… Read more

trailer easily. Because there are heaps of these cars around, I have not a problem with spares.

All the snobs in the world can have their fancy, overly expensive cramped Sports Cars while i can have the benefits of a cheaper, bigger, stronger and smoother ride that just feels right to me. Plenty of room, smooth and powerful response with a decent engine. I love the LPG that works really well with the direct injection of gas. The only small things i don't like is the fact that the rubber seals on the back door sills kept coming loose. I have glued it with silicon. I had to fix the door lock because Ford put a cheap plastic screw for the central locking mechanism that just broke. Common fault i heard. Other than that, the best deal I have ever made when buying it.

Problem after problem – Owned a 2006 BF Futura dual fuel and recently sold to buy a Camry. Drove good, fuel consumption was pretty average (gas or petrol). All fine for the first maybe 6, 7 months and then came the problems. -Transmission slips and needs reconditioning -Passenger door actuator went so the car won't lock properly -Rear demister wouldn't work after… Read more

getting fixed. (later to find out the car had had a bad rear accident and a dodgy repair

-Car MUST warm up for a minute otherwise it'll make this terrible bubbling sound and will just roll and can't accelerate, then sometimes proceeds to stalling.

-Heating stopped working twice, unplugged battery, worked once and then the second time came back by itself later

-Sometimes driving would start clunking and pushing forward slightly (probably trans)

-Sometimes after switching to petrol it would not move at the lights or from a stand still.

-For a few days I would start the car and it would switch off straight away

I looked after the car, gave it petrol every 2 weeks and otherwise ran on gas. The car has never broken down and has been fairly good besides that, but I'd just had enough of spending money on it when something else would go wrong straight away.

My advice if buying, like any car check for accidents, but please check everything works! I wouldn't want someone to go through what I have! get the transmission checked and ANY other mechanical things because it's likely to go wrong and silly me thinking it'll be cheaper because it's Australian. Power, interior command centre, room, good ABS brake system. Transmission slips and needs reconditioning. Passenger door actuator went so the car won't lock properly. Rear demister wouldn't work after getting fixed (later to find out the car had had a bad rear accident and a dodgy repair). Car MUST warm up for a minute otherwise it'll make this terrible bubbling sound and will just roll and can't accelerate, then sometimes proceeds to stalling. Heating stopped working twice, unplugged battery, worked once and then the second time came back by itself later. Sometimes driving would start clunking and pushing forward slightly (probably trans). Sometimes after switching to petrol it would not move at the lights or from a stand still. For a few days I would start the car and it would switch off straight away and the headlights irritating to change, steering rack comes loose, brakes warp easy.

Great ! – 06 BF MK2 XR8... Very nice car to drive... Heavy on the road feels like a tough car. The big bonnet is great to look at in the cabin and outside of the car. Exhaust and cold air induction helped performance heaps tuned produced 314 kw at the fly. With Dunlop sports on the back it was good enough for a 5.4 second 0 to 100 km/h! So much fun... My… Read more

friends have SS Commodores and Skylines but it's the XR8 that gives u the muscle car feel... Great car! Grunt ! bonnet hump ! great interior and seats...the look and sound. You cant look at it when driving it !

Spacious wagon with power – The space in these cars is amazing, so much of it. I like the headlights, very appealing on approach in silver. I remember these cars, the Futura wagon, having much more power than the Commodore wagon. Range computer was faulty though as it would sometimes count up rather than down. An unusually large rear window is good to see out of. I like… Read more ·  2

the center console or in other words, car computer. When the rain falls however on the roof of these cars it makes a hell of a noise as if it is hail. These cars look very attractive not lowered, but with nice aftermarket mag wheels on them... preferably with a spoke look as the design as in a bicycle, wagon or cart. I wanted to start driving my parents Futura and to do this to theirs but they wouldn't let me haha. Performance, car computer, ceiling compartment, headlights, taillights, rear window, spaciousness, road noise... Noise when raining, seat adjusters, door locks...

OK – We bought the Falcon wagon to meet the needs of our growing family, and overall it met those needs quite well. As long as nothing breaks it will serve equally well for a large family or traveling sales man with a boot full of samples. The electrics can be unreliable; examples on our wagon were failed indicator sounds and failed HMI (human… Read more

machine interface) module - which includes the aircon and heater controls.

All in all a solid wagon which unfortunately has no replacement coming. Cavernous boot space - plenty of room for the biggest loads.Leaf spring suspension can cope with the weigh too. Big 4.0 L straight six has plenty of grunt for towing a van or trailer. Cheap to buy. Solid metal. Typically dodgy Ford electrics. Can be expensive to repair depending on the part. Fast becoming obsolete with no suitable replacements in sight. Paint subject to chipping and scratches.

Good – This is my fourth falcon wagon and i still have this and the previous model as they are reliable and hard working. Keep them regularly maintained and services and they will last for many hundreds of thousands of kilometers. I am sad there are no more falcon wagons as i don't go for the territory so much. compared to a holden, they are not as… Read more

comfortable, nor as good road holding, but they do keep on going and are easy to drive and own. reliable, hard working, easy to drive and maintain, does the job not as comfortable, nor as good road holding as a holden,

Excellent – It is one of the best cars I have driven in recent years. It has the sporty look but is very practical for the Australian lifesytle. I would buy this car over the VE commodore any day Comfortable seats, very responsive, good pick up BF Mk II is a little too low, you need to be careful going over speed humps as it is easy to crack the plastic transmission pan cost to replace approx $1200 Show details