some advice please...

[DevilishChick60]

Hey guys,

Just a some advice if you could all help me..

I'm in the market for my first car. I am preferably looking for something that I can buy and it does most of my driving life. I've been looking at a few 03-04 XR6 Falcon's which are reasonably cheap but I have raised some backlash from my parents and a few of friends for the Falcon and other medium sized cars being too big for a woman like myself in her early 20's ( I might add I''ve had my licence since I was 18)

My parents always told me you got to feel safe in the car you're driving and a small pocket rocket just doesn't make me feel safe. My girlfriends all learnt to drive in large cars because of the same reasoning but I'm still at loggerheads with everyone.

Should I go with what I feel comfortable in or should I go with the advice of my family and friends??

[Ptbl]

DevilishChick60

my advice to you is to take their advice underconsideration however do whatever you want! In the end your the one who will be driving, hey if your comftable in larger cars go for it simple.

all the best

[XCwillo]

Dont get a bubble car, i've known too many people in my town to be killed after collisions due to no crumple zone.
Get something that has the safety, fuel economy and comfortably to be a perfect car
Something like a Black XR8 Ute
Girl driving nice ute = Win the heart of any guy

[Protadog]

gota get an xr8 i had a bf xr6 and that was nice to drive (even though wasnt a manual) but if you get a 6 you're going to want an 8 straight away so id just get an 8 first off lol as i made that mistake :P

[Crazy Dazz]

Not sure what you mean by “most of your driving life”? You want the car to last 40+ years?

In any car, you must learn to judge the location of your extremities and drive accordingly, and a careless small car driver will have almost as many dings as a careless large car driver. So it makes no sense to claim you are any less suited to a large car than a small.
Pick a car that you feel comfortable in, that suits your size and driving style, and that suits your lifestyle. (If you want to drive friends around then a bigger car is better.)
If you want to go with a smaller car, make sure it is from a quality maker (ie not a Daewoo) has DSC, multiple airbags, etc.
As an alternative to a Falcon, you might want to consider a Mondeo, good size without the power.

[jaydee]

My wife drives a BA, she's short though and has a bit of trouble judging where the front and back of the car is when parking, hence it's covered in scratches and dents.

Then one day she realised it had electric seats so she could raise the height and has a better driving position (even though I told her about it when we first got it).
She says she loves driving it and feels safe in it (had a bad crash in a Pulsar when she was younger).

She prefers driving my daughters Corolla for shopping, plus it's a hatch.

Maybe hire one for a weekend or if you find one in a car yard see if they will let you test drive it for a day or weekend (unlikely though, but a smile from a pretty girl goes a long way).

[AussieAV]

Listen to the sensible advice about things like safety, running costs, insurance costs etc, but don't let anyone tell you how you should feel about any type of car. Be true to yourself, and pick a car that suits your budget and needs, and that makes you feel safe and comfortable.

You are the one driving it each day. If you can find a car that you enjoy, it will bring an extra bit of happiness into each day.

Wish you luck in finding one that's right for you.

[BENT_8]

This is an age old argument between parents and their offspring, they just want whats best for you.

My advice for you would be to go with the XR6, try and find one with reverse park sensors to help with parking etc.
The falcon, although a large car, will see you through many years of trouble free motoring, is reasonably cheap to register, insure and maintain and parts are plentiful if you happen to need them.

The Falcon may be a handful for a few weeks but you'll learn to love it and feel very safe, which should keep the parents happy.

Good luck!

Steve

[mik]

drive as many cars as you can first before you make your pick(cos you`ll prolly be stuck with it for a while), what feels good for one person may not be what feels good for you, as general rule the bigger the vehicle the more fuel/running costs are incurred, if you were my wife or daughter i would be trying to steer you towards an egas falcon or a focus(i don`t like micro cars), the more sporty types of big cars are more fun to drive but comes at a cost, and car ownership these days is costly, so if your on a budget bear that in mind, good luck with your choice.

[kinksta]

My sister got a Mazda 6, great car for what she needs, and can be fun to drive...until i realise I am a bloke and quickly just back in the G6ET...hahahaa

[DevilishChick60]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Not sure what you mean by “most of your driving life”? You want the car to last 40+ years?

As an alternative to a Falcon, you might want to consider a Mondeo, good size without the power.

No thats not what I meant.. I meant something that would last me at least a few years.

I looorve the latest Focus, but it's out of my range and a Mondeo I dont like. I guess im just picky.

Originally Posted by jaydee

Then one day she realised it had electric seats so she could raise the height and has a better driving position (even though I told her about it when we first got it).

She says she loves driving it and feels safe in it (had a bad crash in a Pulsar when she was younger).

haha she sounds like me.. short! but just a question how does the electric drivers seat work? I know it sounds like a dumb question but i'd like to know.

if you are interested Jaydee im looking at this one: purple XR6

Originally Posted by AussieAV

Listen to the sensible advice about things like safety, running costs, insurance costs etc

Aussie AV, It was surprising that most of the insurance companies I contacted will not insure me in a medium sized Japanese ricer such as a stock Lancer, old school Skyline, and not anything remotely in relation to a Mondeo or a Focus. I thought it was a bit wrong to offer a person like myself insurance for a large car such as the Falcon and not for a medium sized car like the aforementioned. I will keep looking around.

Originally Posted by BENT_8

My advice for you would be to go with the XR6, try and find one with reverse park sensors to help with parking etc.
The falcon, although a large car, will see you through many years of trouble free motoring, is reasonably cheap to register, insure and maintain and parts are plentiful if you happen to need them.

The Falcon may be a handful for a few weeks but you'll learn to love it and feel very safe, which should keep the parents happy

Thats exactly why I looked at the Falcon. I figured the Falcon was a very safe car to drive and one that I wouldn't be scared of driving. I said to them.. Who's gonna be driving? you or me?

kinksta haha! maybe you should just stick to the G6ET!

Keep the advice coming cos i'd still like to know everyone's thoughts on this!

[T3man]

You must do what you think is right - naturally take on advice from others.

Personally I would recommend the XR6 - try to get a BFII with the ZF 6 speed (I see you are looking at autos). The little extra you will pay for a good example (go to the auctions - don't buy from a dealer) will reward you in the long term. Better power delivery and better fuel economy are the main benefits.

Now you still may find the XR6 a bit thirsty - so you may want to consider this - they respond well to dual fuel LPG conversions and it will basically halve your fuel costs.

At the end of the day the Falcon will be the safer and less expensive vehicle over a long period than a small buzz box.

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Forgive me DevilishChick60 but I love story telling

I am the same age as yourself and I've recently bought my third car.

After my first car died, my Holden friends all gave me grief because I bought a Ford. Then I felt the need for more power and a sportier car, so after much umming and arring, the missus finally told me to just buy what I wanted.

I ended up with a V8, and then all my friends with Jap cars gave me grief because it was a Holden and didn't have a turbo (somehow the xr6 turbo was exempt from the 'ford bashing' from all sides).

I wanted a bit more adventure, so I also bought a dirt bike around the same time, which then drew criticism from my 4wd mate, who all said I should have got a 'real vehicle' if I wanted to go bush bashing or tackle the trails.

Moral of the story, you can't please everyone! Get what you want, research your options and settle on what's best for you!

Personally, I like the comfort offered by a larger car, and the extra $20 or $30 a week in fuel and rego puts me in a vehicle I feel safe and content with, and doesn't make my legs cramp up.

The beauty about the falcon is that so many are on LPG, a 6 cyl rego isn't "that" much more expensive, and insurance is pretty good value too (mine is around $100 a month for full compo).

My 2c anyway

Edit: Agreed with everything T3Man said above

[Mad_Aussie]

The '05+ focuses have one of the best crash ratings of that size car. They are pretty slow, but are pretty fun in the bends. I've seen them go for well under 10k now.

As over-played as they are, WRX's are pretty good cars. You have to treat the gearboxes nicely, but 2001-2002 bugeyes are cheap as, aren't too uneconomical, and are a bit of fun to put the heel into when you feel the need to. Only issue is the insurance side of it of course.

But if you've got people saying 'a falcon is too big for a woman', go look at a 2JZ Toyota Aristo - they are about the same size as a falcon, if not bigger, are full luxury, will blow most new cars away with a bit of boost, and aren't exactly cop bait. Then you can go around giving the middle finger salute to anyone who reckons you should be in a small car.

[Geez Louise]

As has been mentioned....get a car that you feel comfortable in. Parents will always offer advice (that's our job) and we just want our kids to be informed and have options.

There is no point getting a car for looks if it is too big for you to drive. Having said that, xr6's are not that big.

Not a Ford option but a Mazda 6 is a good medium size car and everyone I know that owns one, loves them...just a thought

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Another consideration is height, my mates gf took my car around the block and could barely see over the dash, even with the seat at full height.

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by XCwillo

Dont get a bubble car, i've known too many people in my town to be killed after collisions due to no crumple zone.

what do you mean?
you trying to say the drivers face isnt a crumple zone?

i was a very happy boy when my sister got rid of her 121 (was after a crash at 20kmh which tore out the suspension)
so i lent her my xr8 and she loved driving a big safe car.

my lady on the other hand thinks anything bigger than her yaris is overkill.

so in the end buy a car that you feel safe in and stuff what anyone else thinks

[MotherNatureVer2]

I am little(short.... 5'1) and love my Falcons. Always have had 'big' cars. I have just recently got a 06 Fiesta as my daily so I can fix & do a few things to my Sprint.

Must say I love it!!!! It doesn't feel like a little car, has enough get up & go for safety of overtaking out here in the bush.

You must be happy with what you are driving and should make your decision on that and that alone

[atec77]

Originally Posted by DevilishChick60

Hey guys,

Just a some advice if you could all help me..

I'm in the market for my first car. I am preferably looking for something that I can buy and it does most of my driving life. I've been looking at a few 03-04 XR6 Falcon's which are reasonably cheap but I have raised some backlash from my parents and a few of friends for the Falcon and other medium sized cars being too big for a woman like myself in her early 20's ( I might add I''ve had my licence since I was 18)

My parents always told me you got to feel safe in the car you're driving and a small pocket rocket just doesn't make me feel safe. My girlfriends all learnt to drive in large cars because of the same reasoning but I'm still at loggerheads with everyone.

Should I go with what I feel comfortable in or should I go with the advice of my family and friends??

I have to ask what sort of driving you expect to be doing , running local on the coast or further ?

How about you consider your own abilities re servicing and that be a guide as to affordability and choice , I would at this point normally suggest a smaller to medium sized car like the Fiesta or perhaps a Euro car
Manual or auto , petrol or gas , I have a number of cars each being for a purpose but the daily being a used bimmrer which is uber great to drive and cheap to actually run
Good luck with the decision .

[Mr Hardware]

i fail to see why there's an issue with a woman driving a falcon

my wife loves my AU, and drives it every other day. And beats grandpa_spec_au's car from the traffic lights.

that's the real reason he bought a V8, he just remembered the shame every time he hopped in the AU

[Fireblade]

My wife has an 05 BA XR6 as her daily, loves driving it and wouldn't have anything smaller. She is a lot more comfortable with our son in there too, just feels safer with a big car around her. For the record she's also 5 foot nothing

[NC_Lane]

I learnt to drive in my NC, and continued to drive it after I got my licences..

a few years later when I first tried to drive a small hatch it scared proverbial out of me..

All these cares zoomign so close to me

Feel much safer and confident in a large car..

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

i fail to see why there's an issue with a woman driving a falcon

my wife loves my AU, and drives it every other day. And beats grandpa_spec_au's car from the traffic lights.

that's the real reason he bought a V8, he just remembered the shame every time he hopped in the AU

If I remember that incident correctly, YOU were driving MY car at the time!

I still maintain that we lost ONLY because A.) The unequal weight distribution attributed to the drivers side and B.) You weren't confident without your sheepskin seat covers :P .... oh and she had a very slight rolling start!

Please update us all DevilishChick60 on what you end up getting

[Riksta]

I just traded my AU for an LS Focus Zetec.

Going from the "large" car to a smaller one I always thought was going to be a bit of a stretch, but let me just say I am loving the Focus. I feel just as safe in it as I did the AU, in fact it has more airbags and I guess I drive it totally differently than I did the AU.

My reasons for downsizing were mainly economical, the AU just wasn't viable as a daily driver for me anymore, I did dread the thought of losing power and being in a smaller car, but the Focus seems to put the power down to the ground quicker and easier (being manual), but doesn't seem as good at high end (highway overtaking and the like - need a good run up and drop a gear or two).

Go with your heart. Test drive, and drive again, get the feel of different cars, and go with what feels best for you.

[Fev]

My mum drives an XR6T every day. I don't understand why your family/friends have a problem with you buying a Falcon when it's one of the safest cars around for the money you'll pay for it - an since they all learnt to drive in large cars whats the problem?

Don't listen to what others say in regards to "too big or too small". Judge for yourself on what sort of car you want. Do some research, make sure they're reliable, don't have any big known faults, easy to service and parts aplenty. A Falcon won't let you down there (except the handbrake and brake shudder) but they aren't life threatening.

[last fairlane]

Big is better
even if the powers that be say otherwise
My Mrs is 5ft2 and she has a BA Ghia and the electric seats suit her fine
we have tried small cars but always come back to Falcon size
anyway if you drive 50Ks north you can have our BA Ghia with RWC and rego
if youve got 10Gs to spare
John

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by Riksta

I just traded my AU for an LS Focus Zetec.

Not sure if it was the Zetec but I drove a turbo diesel 2.0L version of a focus in the manual, thought it would be a bit of a joke.... until it came on boost... spun the wheels changing gear by accident, boy does it have some torque!

[waggaclint]

My advice would be to get something your happy with, go out and test drive a few different cars ya like....The XR6 are a great reliable safe car, if ya can stretch the budget try get a BF or a BFII or something with low km's....

When ya find something you like make sure to get it checked over by a mechanic or someone you know with good mechanical knowledge...

[TUF_302]

Get what you want, its your decision in the end, your family can give you all the advice they like, but at the end of the day its up to you to find a car you feel safe in and that you like

[BLUEYBA]

I think one thing you must consider once you have worked out what you want froma car in terms of safety, performance and anything else is you need to like the car. Remember you're getting in and out of it everyday, being stuck in traffic or driving on holidays. no one like to drive a car they hate before you know it you want to buy a different one and wasting your money.