is the falcon big enough to be a family car?

[Mont5.0]

My BFII wagon does everything required and some.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Not sure why you would bag the Territory for reliability when it shares stuff with the Falcon and is built by the same people. It will probably last the same distance.

You could be an engineer at Ford Australia with that mentality.

1990 Ford Capri. Same chassis as the successful Ford Laser. Car is woefully under engineered and is a world wide failure. Takes a little more than cutting the roof off a car to make a good convertible. MX-5 thrives and is an engineering success.

Ford Territory. Same underpinnings as a falcon parts, major suspension dramas with ball joints, bushes, sway bars because engineers did not consider that falcon parts may not withstand the extra 300-400kg over the long term.

[chookaradley]

Originally Posted by Stefan

You could be an engineer at Ford Australia with that mentality.

1990 Ford Capri. Same chassis as the successful Ford Laser. Car is woefully under engineered and is a world wide failure. Takes a little more than cutting the roof off a car to make a good convertible. MX-5 thrives and is an engineering success.

Ford Territory. Same underpinnings as a falcon parts, major suspension dramas with ball joints, bushes, sway bars because engineers did not consider that falcon parts may not withstand the extra 300-400kg over the long term.

Welcome to 2013. It really irritates me when people continue to bring up Territory balljoints/suspension dramas when the issue has been dealt with long ago. Weight had nothing to do with the balljoint failure in early Territorys, it was a design issue which was addressed circa 2007. Its like saying dont buy a new Falcon because they are prone to Headgasket failure. I own both a FG and a SZ Territory and both are fantastic family cars

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by chookaradley

Welcome to 2013. It really irritates me when people continue to bring up Territory balljoints/suspension dramas when the issue has been dealt with long ago.

Dealt with long ago? Can you point me to the "new and improved" link pins and swaybar bushes for my SY Territory. I've replaced them 6 month ago and they need doing AGAIN. The new and improved headlight switch? I need to replace my second one.

Tell me which dealer is handing out these parts for nothing.

[chookaradley]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Dealt with long ago? Can you point me to the "new and improved" link pins and swaybar bushes for my SY Territory. I've replaced them 6 month ago and they need doing AGAIN. The new and improved headlight switch? I need to replace my second one.

Tell me which dealer is handing out these parts for nothing.

If we are going to talk about 7 or 8 year old cars that have done god knows how many kms, we can spend hours discussing what faults they have/might have no matter what the manufacturer. Do you think every Territory owner is replacing their link pins and sway bar bushes every six months?. Mines 12 months old now maybe I shouldve replaced them twice by now?. I dont doubt your frustration but your experience is not nesesarily indicative of every Territory owner.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by naddis01

My wife won't even consider a falcon because of the sedan boot opening. She is short and she has trouble lifting a pram or large item up and through a sedan boot. If it had a hatch style opening (but could still be a sedan shape) where the boot hinged at the top of the rear window instead of the bottom it would be a different story. We have a Mazda 6 wagon that was bought because it is easier to put things in rather than a bigger boot. We very rarely take out the (very clever) cargo cover.

my mother has the same issue with her falcon AU. i had to put a handle on the boot lid so she could reach it to pull it down.

[Andy777]

We just did a small holiday in my FG xr6t, we got 3 baby seats in, 3 kids in 3 years

So 2 prams, portable cot, small foam mattress folded in half to fit, clothes for adults and kids and fishing rods (small ones), all floaties and kick boards fitted it all, was a game of tetris but we got so much into it, we have a kluger as well just the xr6 is way smoother on the freeway and all round better car to drive

Inside has more room then the kluger, so can do family duties with ease

[GT69]

Buy her a second hand FG GT/F6. Or new FGII XR6 Turbo....Just because you can.

Me and my missus are having this discussion as well. She likes the Mondeo, but would love a terri. I Love my falcon, but am heading towards a Ranger. We are looking at camping and travelling through NT and WA, so ride comfort and height are what we are chasing. I'd prefer to get her a Fez or Focus, and get a dual cab Ranger for the going away/work stuff....But I love to support Aussie jobs, so a Terri/FG3 Turbo ute looks like the route we'll go.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

my mother has the same issue with her falcon AU. i had to put a handle on the boot lid so she could reach it to pull it down.

The issue isn't reaching the bootlid. It is being able to fit a large item through a sedan boot opening as opposed to a hatch. I am talking about a sedan shape with a hatch opening much like the Holden SSX concept Commodore from the 2002 Sydney Motor Show or the Mondeo hatch or Mazda 6 hatch.

V8 AWD hatch. Perfect family car! Although it would be better with a conventional hatch instead of a drop down tailgate.

[Agile]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Can't say I've seen a Territory Taxi....if there is it's probably getting a weekly suspension rebuild.

OK, I get it that you HATE Territory's. Alot of people have had a great run out of theirs. Me included. As for storage, 9 years ago almost when I ordered my Terr Ghia I ordered the sliding middle row seat so I could maximise rear carrying capacity. At six foot I put pedals to the bottom of their travel, steering wheel to all the way in, position front seats to comfy position [forward from where they normally would be] and slide back seat forward. Four blokes have good leg room and the back is big enough to stick 4 full size golf bags, 4 buggies and an esky in there. We have tried that in a commy sport wagon, and a Jeep Grand Cherokee [9 months old] and no you cant do it. Some gear has to go in the back seat passengers laps.
So I would sugest a BF wagon or a Territory. Both are cheap.

[RAPID_BA]

What about an adventra?

Awd, v8 option, plenty storage. Basically a ssx as per the Holden concept.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by naddis01

The issue isn't reaching the bootlid. It is being able to fit a large item through a sedan boot opening as opposed to a hatch. I am talking about a sedan shape with a hatch opening much like the Holden SSX concept Commodore from the 2002 Sydney Motor Show

Now there is a great idea, I don't really follow new concepts so I've never seen this before.

Why does the "dark side" keep coming up with this sort of stuff?

I remember trying to move an out-door setting with my EL XR6 a few years back. Couldn't fit jack in the "big" car, so I went and got the GF's SX Celica and fitted the table and 4 chairs no problem, the boot was similar to that Commodore concept.

[OffRoadFalcon]

We've had the AUII Futura wagon since 2003. Fits everything, does everything, totally reliable, comfortable, very fuel efficient where we live, and looks great!

Lately with the portable exhibition of my dads landscape photography, we manage to fit unbelievably large loads in that car.
All round its been fantastic, we love it.

[Itsme]

Yes the Falcon is big enough to be a family sedan but if you want bigger go for it, it is your money & choice.

[Ben73]

Depends how big your family is I guess.

[JG34JA]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Why does the "dark side" keep coming up with this sort of stuff?

You can thank Peter Hannenberger for a lot of it that made it into production, back about 10 years+ ago their policy was to get multiple variants of the VT-Z platform; hence 1 tonner AWD ute, Crewman, Adventra, AWD Crewman, Monaro, the AWD Monaro Coupe - all came off the same platform.

Must admit a soft spot for LX6-LX8 Adventras.

Ford took their Falcon platform and continued LWB but after a great deal of correct market research, managed to engineer a car that outlasted every single one of the General's efforts at this time, the Territory.

[FG GeeTee]

Falcon is plenty big enough. Granted, there would be other people carriers which would be more comfortable but none would drive as well.

I did have a photo of my GT fitting 2 capsules and a booster seat but couldn't work out how to attach via iPad.

Boot also swallows a double pram with ease.

[ryeman]

The FWD SUV is the most efficient sized package for people and luggage cos for a given wheelbase length and being able to raise the seats off the floor ( as opposed to Falcon ) your legs can drop instead of the legs out sports car posture, with the result that the back seat can move slightly forward but maintaining comfort and additionally making the rear storage space larger within a more compact overall length ergo the new Kuga when it finally gets here. 0-60mh 5 sec as ŵell!

[XrRabbit]

Yea should be pretty big enough. I have a ba xr6 falcon. I don't have a family but room for 3 fully grown males in the back and the boot is massive. Is something I would keep for a family car

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by trublu

Yes the Falcon is big enough to be a family sedan but if you want bigger go for it, it is your money & choice.

Our family made a few holiday trips Melbourne to Queensland and back again - the parents and us 4 kids plus our gear - in an XB Falcon Futura sedan with a front bench seat. It was downhill from there. Next was a Nissan Prarie, but after that my older sisters got jobs and cars and did their own thing and the need to seat 6 wasn't required.

[flappist]

Another HULK thread goes the same way.

Closed