Which Wagon.. looking to upgrade AU

[Bushbasher]

if you're going to go BF, get the best one you can find. You want an 08 on series 3 with the option pack. Although it's badged an XT, you get all the previous Futura options plus the side curtain air bags and bluetooth connectivity. It's the last iteration and the one I'd be chasing.

[GASWAGON]

Just put deposit on an AU2 'FAIRMONT' (Rare) wagon on LPG with 260,000k's and only 1 dent in r/h side rear door.

Surely got another 250,000k' to go before it dies.............. hopefully???

Went great on test drive too i might add.!!!!!!!!

[XYwagonAU]

BF260-BOSS, motor should be run-in by now

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by BF260-BOSS

Just put deposit on an AU2 'FAIRMONT' (Rare) wagon on LPG with 260,000k's and only 1 dent in r/h side rear door.

Surely got another 250,000k' to go before it dies.............. hopefully???

Went great on test drive too i might add.!!!!!!!!

Yeah, just run in. But didnt the au come in a wags fairmont ghia, leather seats and feux wood trim?

[oldel]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

if you're going to go BF, get the best one you can find. You want an 08 on series 3 with the option pack. Although it's badged an XT, you get all the previous Futura options plus the side curtain air bags and bluetooth connectivity. It's the last iteration and the one I'd be chasing.

Yeah, I went looking for s3 BF wagons in NSW for sale and the only ones I could find had rear hand cranks for the windows, it's slim pickings on carsales and gumtree. OP might have to look on facebook groups. These days and during this crisis where everyone is a shut in it might be worth the sign up if seriously looking for a car?

A mondeo is a solid option, my aunty had a nice one (slushbox auto, MC or MD* petrol titanium wagon I think, but it's been 3-4 years)
I haven't ever ridden in it or driven it, or seen her for years so no idea how it turned out for them.

* Must be a MD because they came out in 2014/15 and they bought it new. E: I'm confused, it was a wagon, it was titanium spec, but I thought it was petrol with a slushbox Shows you how much I know which is why I didn't recommend one in the first place

[XYwagonAU]

i have issue with my side driveway, with heavy trailer i get a bit of soil in tailpipe. Im sure territory would be equal or better clearance to BF wagon, but think holden wagon may have trouble ?

[Chapter Four]

The rear seems to be as good as the Falcon. I've scraped the bottom of the towbar a couple of times, but I've done the same at the same place ( my Inlaws driveway) with the Falcon.
The belly is the one that annoys me, the 2 cars actually have similar wheelbase, 2915mm vs 2921mm for the ford.
The VF appears to have less rear overhang, total length is 4894 for the evoke wagon vs 5053 for the Ford.
Ground clearance is 114mm for the VF Wagon, vs 140mm for the BF Wagon

[Chapter Four]

Just had a look at your pic.
You're not going to get a VF wagon up there. I wouldn't worry about the rear, but i'd guarantee the belly will bottom out and you'd be stuck.
Territory for you.

[XYwagonAU]

I could dig out grassed area a bit more, and i do put blocks in gutter, but camber of street very steep and this is not my official entry to my property. Im sure i have dented and damaged AU exhaust in some of my adventures. AU wagon seems to be better than old XF wagon due to 15 inch vs 14 inch wheel.
better photo - https://drive.google.com/open?id=14z...fpuv9avoKZlGeL

[Swordie]

How about a Holden Adventra V8 (there are V6 ones too)? It has more ground clearance than standard wagon with AWD. You should have plenty of change left out of $15k to cover extra fuel.

If you are looking at standard VZ V6 wagons I'd consider VY they have the Ecotec motor. Ecotec is bulletproof compared to the VZ Alloytech. Apart from the motors there wouldn't be much difference between VY and VZ specs. The Alloytech was mainly used to comply with emissions.

I have a VY 3.8 Ecotec since new. It has been a great car and quite economical on the hwy. It's still a really nice car to drive. Being an old car you need to set aside money for maintenance and repairs. It's a simple car with plenty of parts available. The stereo is also easy to upgrade if you want bluetooth for phone calls.

I have looked at VE/VF wagons. They don't have enough space in the back. If they are big enough for you there are plenty of VF Wagons at the car auctions. Ball park they are around $10-$12K with 100kms. The VEII Calais wagon would be a nice car too.

[Sprintey]

Territory now 300,000+km, owned from new. You will end up spending quite a bit on the suspension. We've done 3 fluid exchanges in the ZF now, that's helped. But she is getting old. I'd advise the BFIII, as of simplicity in maintenance over the long term. The I6 in the Terry is barely run in, consumes no oil.

On the Holden side, the last one you'd want to own long-term is a VY with ecotec motor. Mum has one, with now 100,000km on it. Beautiful car, very spacious. When new, it handled very nicely, seemed to cruise around town/roundabouts so effortlessly and easily, and was also a decent country distance driver. Parts are cheap, ecotec is solid (rocker cover gaskets will leak, connection to alternator can do with upgrade as it might fall off/short out? Overall, very much a less painful experience than the alloytec/SIDI can be. Check out the sludging videos of the SIDI in youtube.) But VY, VY2 are getting old so you would want to 'overmaintain'.

That leaves BFIII as the winner.

For myself, I'd like to give a VF wagon a go (knowing the VY is in the family and was Dad's pride & joy so that's a keeper) if I can find a nice, low km base model in the right colour - just as a newer car than the Terry, and maybe to run E85 on the MY2014 models. But there are more pressing things at the moment and all the SIDI cautions would remain. Maybe #barraswap the VF???

[arronm]

VF SSVR is my daily. BF wagon is the family Hack.

[Sprintey]

Yeah V8 VF, 6.0 or 6.2 - no probs.

they are pretty economical on the highway as well?

[Swordie]

Best of both worlds - "VF SSVR is my daily. BF wagon is the family Hack".

[Fourgearsticks]

Originally Posted by Swordie

How about a Holden Adventra V8 (there are V6 ones too)? It has more ground clearance than standard wagon with AWD. You should have plenty of change left out of $15k to cover extra fuel.

If you are looking at standard VZ V6 wagons I'd consider VY they have the Ecotec motor. Ecotec is bulletproof compared to the VZ Alloytech. Apart from the motors there wouldn't be much difference between VY and VZ specs. The Alloytech was mainly used to comply with emissions.

I have a VY 3.8 Ecotec since new. It has been a great car and quite economical on the hwy. It's still a really nice car to drive. Being an old car you need to set aside money for maintenance and repairs. It's a simple car with plenty of parts available. The stereo is also easy to upgrade if you want bluetooth for phone calls.

I have looked at VE/VF wagons. They don't have enough space in the back. If they are big enough for you there are plenty of VF Wagons at the car auctions. Ball park they are around $10-$12K with 100kms. The VEII Calais wagon would be a nice car too.

Agree with that choice, surprising where they will go offroad. The 5.7 doesn't use that much fuel (Compared to an XD 351 Cleveland), I've never felt a car accelerate on dirt like an Adventra. BIG luggage with the rear seats down and plenny room in the back seat for longer leg passengers. I have always been a Ford driver (driving 48 years), not particularly biased but used to work in a Ford dealership in the 70's. Any of the later model cars Ford or Holden are good vehicles.

[Swordie]

Attached are pictures from a Holden Adventure test day I went to in 2004. I tested the car at 90km on a dirt road and it handled very well.

I was very surprised how capable this car was.

[Fourgearsticks]

If you look you can find a good Adventra with around 200K for $6000ish now, they are very good value for a very versatile vehicle. Not bad for a car that was 55K+ new 14 years ago.

[XYwagonAU]

I thought i should update this post-
I ended up upgrading 98 au wagon to 08 bfiii wagon (both petrol)

so far it is all good
i paid a fair bit for it , but less than 200km and think its been looked after

anyhow - the biggest difference from AU was the change in steering feel- Au very light and Bf not. I think BF give a lot better road feel, but it was weird for a few weeks swapping between the two.

Another noticeable difference was the AU had a certain throttle response that you get with a cable that i had to get used to on BF

The BF feels a lot more solid -possible 170,000 km vs 460,000 and extra 10 year in age

The BF is a lot more tidy in the rear when i hit a path of gravel, possible EBD kicks in, or suspension better or both

BF transmission does a lot more thinking - changing down going down steep hill and if in cruise control change down if start to exceed speed

The throttle response combined with the trans thinking for its self, mean i dont feel as in touch with what engine is doing. I understand that the motor is a fair bit more powerful than AU, but have not had to tow anything or floored it as yet

Everything works on this car ATM which is change

Creature comforts like AC, Electric window and good upgrade

Anyhow , I was concerned that another Falcon wagon would not be a big upgrade, the cars look superficially the same , but there is a lot of changes and im happy with upgrade.

If current car is as reliable as AU was then im on a winner !

now to fix the hood lining .....


cheers

[XYwagonAU]

p.s. my last post said i paid a bit for BF but it was 1/3 of original budget, so that s a bonus !