Hi. Im new to AU's

[raised by monkeys]

g'day guys/gals and in betweens,

long story short, after searching for an xh 5spd xr8, ive just bought an s2 au xr8 5spd ute. Its black, has an fpv pursuit flat lid w/wing, 19s, leather, twin exhaust and 140 thou kms.

to be honest, i dont know much more about it. I found it online and live in SA, but the cars in melbourne not far from my parents - let my dad do the haggling.

im now gonna be strapped for cash due to doing stuff to house, buying a car, going on holiday and still being a ft 9-5 office worker + pt uni student... etc.

Ive had a custom money pit ef xr6, driven my oldies el s2 xr8, ba mk2 xr8 ute and my mates 6lt thunder vz ute - which is the balls... so hopefully the ute is up there with them.

I think first mods, after repairing front skirt paint and removing lid wing (for sale already pm me), will be put in the dvd player amp and speakers from my ef... then when cash makes my way dark agents, maybe a ba big bum rear bumper, ba leather/suede seats, bigger CAI, extractors (if not on there already - not sure on those details) and maybe some tuning... and then we'll see what happens, but i think there'll be some maintenance and other nick nacks along the way... So, you'll probs be seeing me around and asking for help.

Any advise on what to look out for?
Any ideas?

[Auslandau]

Its an AU ...... really there isnt much! Just little things like the door regs and power windows play up every now and again but are very fixable ..... UM ..... not much else really! Looks good by the way and have fun!

[robbyj]

Nice looking ute there mate. Good luck with it all
I actually like the wings on some utes,

[blueoval]

The au's are a solid model. Apart from the regular maintenance, there isn't much to worry about.

[Papa Smurf]

Very nice AU and the EF.

[FreddyDUZ747]

Wheres frd096 surely he has all the info........

[Uncle_Ken]

Welcome. Have a look in the workshop section. Lots of ways to spend and save money in the car builds
Uk

[GS608]

Very nice ute mate, BA seats won't work without a lot of hassle as the rails are welded on the BA where as AU are bolt ons.

Enjoy it!

[robbyj]

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

Wheres frd096 surely he has all the info........

is there a need?

[Mr Hardware]

An AU eh?
The only thing ever to go wrong with AU's that isn't 'fair enough' is ball joints.

[EATHSV]

Welcome to the AU club mate! Nice looking ute you've got yourself and by the looks of your EF its in good hands.

[raised by monkeys]

cheers guys.

Payment actually hasnt happened, should be this weekend but the deal has been made and the cheque written. Done all checks through vic roads and its legit.

In saying all this, ive come across a fella selling his 04 envy green ba ute with hard lid, 20" dark agents, typhoon front bar cracked and cracked headlight (said someone reversed into him and has the new parts in boxes ready to go on including new pursuit kit), carbon fibre bonnet with bulge with full leather and 80,000kms and he said if i grab it this weekend i can have it for 11g (hes advertised for 14g and said he needs money asap for a deposit on a brand new car he's buying)... so, if thats legit the AU may fall through so im waiting to see what eventuates after this weekend. If the BA is too dodgy or is going to be a pain, the Au will still go ahead.

The possibible prospect of a leather ba with lid is tantilising though. You can see in the pictures though some scratches on the skirts.

I'll keep yous in the loop though.

[Donny]

What is/was that ute, an XR6 or 8?? If its an 8, I wouldnt touch that with a bargepole and stick with the AU.
The B series 8's are thirsty, front heavy, gutless down low unless modified a decent amount and the 4 speed auto in the B series is a shocker if thats auto. BA1 and earlier 2's also had the plastic timing chain tensioners that stuffed up plenty.. Well out of warranty now, an u mainly hear how bad it is on cold start up..

Comparing an AU 2 or 3 XR8 ute to an equivalent BA 1 or 2 XR8 ute, the only things the BA wins out on slightly is outside looks, and more power. The AU V8 has a much more versatile engine power range, good from virtually idle and up, where as the (stock) Boss260 is near useless below 3500rpm. The rest of the things on the B series XR8 utes is a step backwards IMHO, and many here would agree..

End of the day, its your money, but Iv had a BA XR and a FPV BF2 GT-P and now have the AU3 XR8, and I dont regret having the Tickford XR for 1 millisecond.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by Donny

What is/was that ute, an XR6 or 8?? If its an 8, I wouldnt touch that with a bargepole and stick with the AU.
The B series 8's are thirsty, front heavy, gutless down low unless modified a decent amount and the 4 speed auto in the B series is a shocker if thats auto. BA1 and earlier 2's also had the plastic timing chain tensioners that stuffed up plenty.. Well out of warranty now, an u mainly hear how bad it is on cold start up..

Comparing an AU 2 or 3 XR8 ute to an equivalent BA 1 or 2 XR8 ute, the only things the BA wins out on slightly is outside looks, and more power. The AU V8 has a much more versatile engine power range, good from virtually idle and up, where as the (stock) Boss260 is near useless below 3500rpm. The rest of the things on the B series XR8 utes is a step backwards IMHO, and many here would agree..

End of the day, its your money, but Iv had a BA XR and a FPV BF2 GT-P and now have the AU3 XR8, and I dont regret having the Tickford XR for 1 millisecond.

I have only driven a B series for short distances and of those vehicles they were hire car's, so I can't really agree with your comparsion fairly,

Oh what the hell, yes I can we all know the AU's rock all over the B series..

[raised by monkeys]

haha. Yeah its a 6spd ba mk 2 xr8.
I have two thoughts. The first i was thinking surely an 04 model xr8 has got to be an improvement on an 01 previous model. The second is that understanding that ford took the windsor basically as best as they could and inevitably changed motors for whatever reason (US and economic influence?)... but being that theyve used the (efi) windsor for more years than fingers and thumbs on my hands, surely theyve fiddled with it enough to make it the best they could.

And yes, id have to agree the BA's are a healthier looking vehicle. Not that this is the basis for my decision, but an economical one, and i do prefer BA seats. Old man goes to view the BA this arvo.

As i said, if the BA looks like a pain in the **** on the horizon, ill grab the AU. Both sellers agreed on $11g.

[Boza]

mate I have 3 bf's as company cars for my business and they're shockers which is why I kept my au xr8 ute the interior is cramped compared to an au reliability is ok mine are all the dedicated 6 but the sumps leak they use water and the diffs are constantly chewing out wheel bearings if I were you go an au or if you can afford it go fg but stay away from ba/bf

[Donny]

Just a few thoughts to ponder on....
You might wanna ask why its so cheap.. That AU is priced right, the 3 year younger BA2 is priced cheaply...
Usually that kind of money is asked for a higher milage 02/03 BA mark 1, where most were auto, and some 5 speed manuals..
This being a 6 speed manual makes it a rarer car that 'should' earn it a bit more value due to not as many around.. (Look at carsales etc, most are auto)..
Makes me wonder why so cheap?? Whats wrong with it? an whats the real reason the seller is offloading it?? Does it need a pile spent on it, or has it been flogged to an inch of its life and getting a bit tired.. Lastly, why does it have a carbon fibre bonnet?? Seenings it has a diffrent front bar too, has this car copped a decent hit in the front??

The BA has an improvement in looks outside, but thats about it.. It looks a little more refined outside.. Trim and plastic materials used is far inferiour, BA seats are mostly similar to AU but with slightly diffrent driving position..

The Windsor has had the benafit of 4 decades of refinement.. That said, theres still more you can get out of them for a relativly cheap cost.. Strokers, alloy heads, manifolds etc are all quite cheap and plentiful.. A full rebuild into a stroker with alloy heads and goodies may cost around 10k..
Choose the Boss, and open up type engine repairs or rebuilds etc are very expensive.. A stock Boss full rebuild starts around 10k..

Both have had the potential to be totally thrashed, but in the end the AU will be much cheaper to fix if anything goes majorly wrong in the longer run..

[raised by monkeys]

Thanks for your input guys. BTW my mistake, its 5spd.

Youd think my knowledge on cognitive function and logical thinking, and assiting people to develop these skill for a job would help me to make the safest decision lol.
I think theyre pretty comparable really, cause i know the AU's are reliable vehicles, i know that the BA has been in a prang (the guy told me on the phone) but its also done 60,000 less kms too... and like jeremy clarkson, i like flirting and more power.

The AU isnt registered atm either so thats presenting as a bit of an issue, in getting it on a truck to SA (transport companies wont take a car unless its registered - so looking into permits atm).

If only i had a small philosophical light saber wielding green alien to consult with.

Thanks guys

(I have a feeling I'll end up with the AU though)

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by raised by monkeys

The first i was thinking surely an 04 model xr8 has got to be an improvement on an 01 previous model.

I sold the AU to buy a BA .... wasn't a wise thing to do so I gave the BA to the Mrs and bought another AU for me ...... so no ..... above is not true. As far as the seats go ..... I would rather replace the BA seats with the AU.

[Donny]

If its a 5 speed, its a BA1.. That makes the choice even easier in my books.. BA1 was the least refined of the B series by far.

If reg is an issue with the AU, Mention to the AU owner about the BA your lookin at for the same $$ that has rego too, and negotiate with him to leave what (if any) rego is left on the AU till you get it home an you send back the plates or if its already out, negotiate with him to put some more rego on, or get him to drop a bit more off the asking price to cover the inconvenience of the extra transport cost of an unregistered vehicle..
11k with some rego is about the right money for that AU, he isnt selling it cheap in the market or dear, but around bang on.. Just depends on how keen he is to move it on. Yr the buyer, use what leverage u can..

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by Donny

If its a 5 speed, its a BA1.. That makes the choice even easier in my books.. BA1 was the least refined of the B series by far.

this seems to be the general consensus then.

If reg is an issue with the AU, Mention to the AU owner about the BA your

Originally Posted by Donny

Yr the buyer, use what leverage u can..

Unfortunately my dad is a softie and doing the wheeling and dealing for me lol. I told him to negotiate re: rego and transport.

Thanks guys.

[b2tf]

I'm not going to convince you that either is the better car because that's something you need to decide for yourself, but I am questioning why the BA is so cheap. You know its been in a prang but that still seems really cheap for a done up ute, even if it does have some damage.

The Windsor engine is the closest thing you will find to bulletproof in my opinion and in AU guise it was in it's last incarnation as a Ford V8 here, so the vast majority of the bugs were ironed out. They are not an absolute powerhouse out of the factory but you do have a solid base to work on should you wish to wake it up a bit (and aftermarket parts for Windsors are widely available and you have a mass of options from multiple manufacturers).

The BOSS on the other hand in the particular ute you've mentioned here is in it's first incarnation and therefore there are a few more niggly issues that can come up, things like cam chain tensioners, oil pumps etc can let go and given the complexity of a modular engine it is going to cost you more to fix than a Windsor. Both utes look pretty well looked after so it is important that you find out what work has been done on the driveline too - better to know before buying than find out something has been modified or repaired/replaced.

Either way I think you will end up with a good looking ute that will serve you well.

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Either way I think you will end up with a good looking ute that will serve you well.

very diplomatic

[raised by monkeys]

Just spoke to my old man. Dad owns an 05 6spd BA mk2 supercab xr8. He took the green BA for a drive. As mentioned by Donny, dad said that it seemed to be sluggish compared to his own mk2 down low and not as powerful later on. Said it seemed a little "rattley" and found quite a few more scratches. He then took the AU for a drive, he said that expectedly was not as powerful as his BA but said it felt stronger and more solid than the green BA. Payment and arrangement of the AU goes ahead this afternoon.
Dad wants to drive it to Adelaide (he can get a permit) but i dont want him to. A: because he doesnt know the car and id feel bad if it had an unexpected break down. B: because of the travel, increasing the KM's and stone chips (******* im pedantic with my cars i know but i hate stone chips on dark coloured cars).
When the Au's in my posession, ill get to the panel beater for a major detail, polish and wing removal and fix the front skirt.

cheers
shaun

[Donny]

I think if you read Austins post in full it pretty well tells you what he thinks..

5.0 Windsor in stock forms not a powerhouse, but can be made to go well pretty cheaply and is very refined an near bulletproof.
5.4 Boss engines in the BA1's were in their first incarnation and at their least refined state. Some did suffer various issues as he has listed, some were also bad on oil use too.. Also he said Boss engines are more expensive to repair due to their more built in complexity..

Big thing the Boss needs for a longer life is to find one thats been really well looked after and not thrashed to an inch of its life all its life. An the only way you can guage that is to meet the owner, talk to him, look at the cars condition as a whole, service history documentation, test drive etc etc and finally evaluate all you see and make the best educated guess you can..

I would never buy such cars sight unseen.. The whole thing could be totally flogged out, not just the motor, but the trans, diff etc..

Edit... Just seen your last post. Congrats on your choice.. I think you made the right call..

[raised by monkeys]

Some more pics. As i said earlier. First plans are big detail and repair front, remove wing and different rims. Then we'll see.

Im after a short shifter if anyone has one too. Billets are quite expensive, so will be happy just with a hack shorter shifter for reduced legnth of shifting.

[b2tf]

I reckon you'll be happy with it. Ive actually got the top end of mine apart at the moment and am taking some time away from it because Im about ready to snap (just fiddly stuff which I hate) but once it's all back together again I'll be wrapt with it.

Please tell me the sticker on the rear window is going too

[raised by monkeys]

Cheers b2tf. I was just reading the thread on windsors then and seen your input, you seem to have some great in depth knowledge which i ill be asking for the influence of later on down the track

The car will remain a daily driver for me with the intention of initially just maintenance, running it stock with the addition of better air flow, and then look at some more performance mods. Will mainly be driving to work (about 8kms one way on a highway) and taking the dog to the beach, about 12kms. Just wanna have enough boot to scare the dog when hes in the back

(going to get some shorter gas struts so the lid will only have a 10inch gap at the rear with the gas struts at full extension).

I live in a smaller coastal town (20 thou population) so economy isnt a big thing for me at this stage.

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Please tell me the sticker on the rear window is going too

I could use the force id be peeling it off with my mind already. So ASAP

[AUIIPURSUIT]

start a build thread on your 'disgusting looking inbred' ute as you so called AUs...