So I bought an Aurion

[shedcoupe]

And now I miss my Falcon ...

In this thread - https://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11484208 - I relate the saga of repairs to a BF XT Falcon sedan.

It got to the point where I was over fixing it and just wanted some reliability so I bought a one-owner with service history Toyota Aurion Sportivo (12/06 - same age as the BF) with 186k km on it.

And it's okay.

But it's three inches narrower and the wheelbase is three inches shorter.
The suspension is bouncy and choppy (might be dampers but I doubt it).
The cruise control wand is dicky compared to the BF's controls.
The screen dimmer doesn't dim the lights illuminating the stereo controls.
The footbrake is fine but it isn't a handbrake.
The engine has grunt but it doesn't have the same effortless torque as the BF did.
The front wheel drive means I can feel those 24 valves through the steering wheel (and speaking of which, the offset is okay but why on earth is there any at all on any vehicle ??? Ergonomics - hellooo ....).
The rear seat doesn't fold down for when I want to drag home big wide things though there is a tiny ski port.
It's had a radiator a while ago and hopefully it won't need a water pump or alternator for a while if at all.
The dash plastic is melty (and hopefully has outgassed all its VOCs), and the dash is a little rattly on some road surfaces.
Seats are okay.
Radio is brilliant (like my Hilux's radio - it gets AM stations from many miles away whereas the BF's was hopeless).
All in all a good enough bus for the highway (where most of the kays will be driven) but it's not as nice as the old girl was.

Spotted an FG Sprint today. Looked tasty despite the idiotic screen controls for the fan etc. Sigh.

[Cav]

DH!

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Cav

DH!

went off hulk's recommendation

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by CJR09

went off hulk's recommendation

Doubt It,, It's got Too many Kays on It for Him..

[whynot]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

And now I miss my Falcon ...
The suspension is bouncy and choppy (might be dampers but I doubt it).

Fair bet it is the dampers at those km.

I think the Camry's (particularly the four cylinder models) are an OK for of transport to get from A to B. Reliable. Doesn't bite the driver if it isn't pushed hard. But, in no way are they are driver's car.

Also, you haven't fessed up as to what colour cardigan you bought? We need a detailed report on that selection process.

[shedcoupe]

Originally Posted by whynot

Also, you haven't fessed up as to what colour cardigan you bought? We need a detailed report on that selection process.

The cardy is a nice visible metallic gold - much better than the same-as-the-road Lightning Strike, which given the almost overwhelming incompetence of the steering wheel attendants on the road these days is a good thing.
And it's not the other choice of black or white which seem to be everywhere.

The slippers are made of rubber and are in a dark colour, and the incontinence pad is a lovely shade of white.

[Cav]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

The cardy is a nice visible metallic gold - much better than the same-as-the-road Lightning Strike, which given the almost overwhelming incompetence of the steering wheel attendants on the road these days is a good thing.
And it's not the other choice of black or white which seem to be everywhere.

The slippers are made of rubber and are in a dark colour, and the incontinence pad is a lovely shade of white.

Hey, I have the exact same stuff.

Do your pads leak too?

[Falcon SXR8]

My mother in law owns one, she seems to love it. Bought it off some guy a few years ago, low ks, had a gtech in the glovebox. Checked the history on it and it had a heap of high 5s to 100kmh on it, must have had it in a real performance car at one stage

[shedcoupe]

The brake pads don't leak and I'm hoping that the caliper pistons don't too.

[five 7]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

The brake pads don't leak and I'm hoping that the caliper pistons don't too.

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9...zoB8Oxe69GPN8-

[shedcoupe]

Originally Posted by five 7

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9...zoB8Oxe69GPN8-

Thanks but Mr Mighty hasn't yet become Mr Dribbly

[jaydee]

At least by owning a Toyoata you know everything will work and stay working ( door actuators, electric windows, headlining won't cave in, heater A/C will always work etc) at least that's been my experience with Mazdas.

[shedcoupe]

Originally Posted by jaydee

At least by owning a Toyoata you know everything will work and stay working ( door actuators, electric windows, headlining won't cave in, heater A/C will always work etc) at least that's been my experience with Mazdas.

Yeah that was my thinking.
As much as I loved the old bus the thought of doing the center bearing, the diff bushes, the rest of the rear end bushes, the starter motor, adding a transmission oil cooler blah blah blah just didn't appeal.
Sure some of the list are consumables, but an oil pump at 160k km ???

[.:4:.]

Im surprised no one has mentioned the 1 thing that improves comfort, handling, performance and looks on any toyota. And people i know who have had them swear by this. Gold badges.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Im surprised no one has mentioned the 1 thing that improves comfort, handling, performance and looks on any toyota. And people i know who have had them swear by this. Gold badges.

Imports like Aristo and Crown with gold badge option are highly sort after

[marty351]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Imports like Aristo and Crown with gold badge option are highly sort after

They're the asian equivalent of wog Valiants.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

It got to the point where I was over fixing it and just wanted some reliability

It's ok, death is an unavoidable consequence of life, and people prepare for it differently. Nobody should judge you for how you choose to spend your last few months..

Personally, I would try to spare my kids the humiliation of selling "Dad's Aurion" after you're gone, but they can always lie and say it belonged to their grandmother.

[shedcoupe]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Personally, I would try to spare my kids the humiliation of selling "Dad's Aurion" after you're gone, but they can always lie and say it belonged to their grandmother.

It could be used as a device to worry them for years to come if the decision to buy one was couched in terms of advancing senility.

Or worse. A friend's husband came home one day with a new Jeep he'd bought not long after buying a new Holden Adventra, much to her shock and dismay because they couldn't afford it (apart from the obvious reason that buying it wasn't a good idea).
Turned out he had a brain tumour.

[janddbone]

Considering its an Aussie made Toyota, good chance the headliner will still end up around his ears...

[XR Martin]

If it's an early one they had a rubber hose for the vvt oil line which would perish and dump all the oil in about 5 seconds.
Recalled in the US but not here, Toyota would fix it under a tsb but only if you serviced it with them.
Same issue on the Klugers and Rav4.
Odd thing was the Camry had fold down seats, but oddly the Aurion didnt.
Must of been a chassis strength issue.
Oh they do clock springs regularly too, replace with another genuine if you can
Aftermarket lasts only about a year, compared to the Toyota one which lasts about 5.

[shedcoupe]

The oil pipe has been done thankfully.

Luckily the clock is digital in this one ;-)
Nah thanks for that - I had to google to find out what a clock spring is.

I’ll have to read the manual to see if I can stop the thing yelping when it gets locked or unlocked.

Another plus for the Falcon - the Aurion display dimmer doesn’t dim the stereo control lighting - d’oh.

[Mont5.0]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

Luckily the clock is digital in this one ;-)
Nah thanks for that - I had to google to find out what a clock spring is.

not sure if serious..

[Bossxr8]

Hit the roads and start chopping HSV's and FPV's, Hulk style

[shedcoupe]

Yeah it’s not quite as easy to drive as slowly as the BF - seems to want to rev a bit more.

[M&Ms]

I see what this is, a hulk-baiting thread. He's wondering what the better option is for him here: Does he take the bait and reply, or does he ignore or watch from afar.... Aaaah the dilemma he must be facing right now!

[Ben73]

The torque steer in an Aurion is stupid for such an average car.

Was in a rental once, mashed the throttle from a standstill and almost put it into the wall.
I owned a V6 Magna at the time and it had very little torque steer so I wasn't ready for the Aurion stupidity.

[shedcoupe]

Yup the torque steer is fierce but manageable if you’re on it, though it’d catch out some people in the rain I’m sure.
Another reason to like a Falcon.

[turbo4]

How do you handle such rapid acceleration?

[shedcoupe]

It’s a struggle. However I’ve got a few strategies to deal with the brutal performance experience.
The boot is ballasted with used meals on wheels trays, I’ve let the tyres down to 10 psi, and my de Havilland tinny is bolted to the roof racks.
When I head down to bowls I make sure that I have my lightweight racing slippers on so that I don’t press the accelerator pedal too hard.

Actually my old XW (W) GT would only just beat it over the quarter.
And use about twice the fuel.

[mick taylor]

My wife bought a New 2011 Aurion and nothing has gone wrong with it at all.
This one has the 6sp auto, I think early ones has a 4sp auto.

It's not a car for me, but for a front wheel drive it's not bad, yes their is a bit of torque steer but for how much power it has, such is impressive as I have driven gutless 4cyl FWD that were shocking torque steer.
That being said use 95 octane in you Aurion and it will really improve the performance or use E10 94 octane then see just how fast it truly is, it would flog any stock XW-Y-A-B GT into the weeds, I had it up to 240KM/H It's not so bad on the highway and it will poke about around town.

If you try and drive it like a performance car you will not like it, if you flatten it off the line you will get huge axel tramp, you can flatten it on 91 octane and it will just take off without the tramp but with 94 you have to be carful because I hate that tramp and on dirt roads I hate the Aurion it's shocking to drive on such and the noise of the stones flinging up in the guards when the wheels spin drives you up the wall.
But for you average Joe blow it's a fine car because they will never experience such in the way that I like and demand in a car.

I am happy that my wife bought it, her dad demanded her to buy a Camry and she did not like the Camry as the engine was not as smooth and she likes power. She has been dobbed in by the nipper for doing burnouts taking off in my SS at times. not to mention she claims that her Aurion does not like me driving it, well that's not the impression that the Aurion gives me, I think it likes me driving it. anyway she claimed that her VS Commodore did not like me driving it as well and all the other ones as well.