Gday Gday!

[Fantaysia]

Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself My name is Ray and i am planning on buying a 2003 BA Fairmont Ghia. Can i get some input from some experts? What should i look out for? Is it ok to buy privately without a warranty? I saw a 2003 Fairmont Ghia with 91k on the clock for $18999 is that good?

ANy advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated

[jaydee]

Hey mate, welcome, good to see another sandgroper here.
Buying privately comes with all the ususal pitfalls of no warranty etc.
If you have any concerns spend a couple of hundred getting it sussed out by the RAC or someone.
Price sounds OK but there's always room for improvement.
As to any common faults with BA's to look for I suggest you go to the BA section in here for expert advice.
I have a BA Futura on dedicated gas and love it.

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by Fantaysia

Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself My name is Ray and i am planning on buying a 2003 BA Fairmont Ghia. Can i get some input from some experts? What should i look out for? Is it ok to buy privately without a warranty? I saw a 2003 Fairmont Ghia with 91k on the clock for $18999 is that good?

ANy advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated

I brought my parents an 11/05 Futura for $15990 at auction nearly a year ago. 45k on the dial iirc. So 19k for an 03 is too dear. Good luck, not many issues with a late model Falc nowadays!

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by MNM96

I brought my parents an 11/05 Futura for $15990 at auction nearly a year ago. 45k on the dial iirc. So 19k for an 03 is too dear. Good luck, not many issues with a late model Falc nowadays!

Yeah but lets be honest, thats a Futura (at an auction); the Ghia is work a few grand more easy.

Is it a V8 or I6?

As the others said, check the usual things, also listen out for thumps and thuds in the rear, could be diff bushes.

Give the tranny a work out once its warm, running through the RPM to hear anything odd.

Looks at its service history etc. Got a link to the car?

[Fantaysia]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Yeah but lets be honest, thats a Futura (at an auction); the Ghia is work a few grand more easy.

Is it a V8 or I6?

As the others said, check the usual things, also listen out for thumps and thuds in the rear, could be diff bushes.

Give the tranny a work out once its warm, running through the RPM to hear anything odd.

Looks at its service history etc. Got a link to the car?

Its a V6 ... i read the BA faults section and it kinda scared me back into buying a 2002/3 magna (cheaper and reviews are positive).... I haven't got a link to the car its down at Maddington Ford dealer ... the first one i've seen i must say so i'm not gun-ho for it ...They look like lovely cars but all the problems listed .. i would be devistated to get a knocking, clicking or shuddering noise after buying my first newish car (not being mechanically minded of course)

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by Fantaysia

Its a V6 .

Have a good close look at the engine, sounds like someone changed it!

That said, Buy a Magna, that will suit you down to the ground.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by MNM96

Have a good close look at the engine, sounds like someone changed it!

That said, Buy a Magna, that will suit you down to the ground.

Agreed.

Fantaysia if you are serious then drive the thing and find out. A BA ghia (or any ghia from EL onwards) would be better than a Magna.

Dont be afraid about comments here, for every one sook here, there would be 100's that are fine. As humans we tend to complain more than we praise.

Oh and the I6 in it, is one of the best going around, and definately the best 6 that will ever be in a Aussie car.

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Yeah but lets be honest, thats a Futura (at an auction); the Ghia is work a few grand more easy.

An 03 Fairmont Mk1 with 91k is no way worth a few thousand more than an 11/05 Futura MkII with 45k.
Sure an Auction car is different to a dealer or Private car. A car from auction you are sure came from an auction, a car from anywhere only maybe came from an auction!
Either way, you purchase each car on its own merit, no matter where you buy it from! If its a thrashed shibtox at auction originally sold to Hertz, you only consider it if its cheaper than one sold to Telstra or ANZ Bank.
Mike

[hy_boi]

You guys on the money or what, this bloke has just come from owning a magna...lol..how'd you's guess.

Otherwise we have a 03 fairmont 16 for 16990 drive away on our yard, something to consider maybe.

[Cooper69S]

Originally Posted by MNM96

An 03 Fairmont Mk1 with 91k is no way worth a few thousand more than an 11/05 Futura MkII with 45k.

he's talking ghia, not fairmont. big difference.
check the original price of the ghia vs the 05 Futura and the few extra thousand you pay for the ghia is well worth it. changes from mk1 to mk2 were fairly minimal so not much point worrying about that.

I owned a 2002 Ghia for a year or so (until i decided having 2 falcon's was a bit crazy so kept my v8, sold the ghia and bought the mrs a mazda 6 which she loves).
the Ghia was a beautiful car. i highly recommend them. their list of standard features is very impressive and the leather interior is worth the price difference on its own IMO.

one thing to check is the boot at the ends of the chrome strip above the number plate. mine and a few others i've seen developed rust there. i've heard its somehow caused by the plastic chrome but not sure if thats true... a bloke at ford i spoke to back then said the boot was the only real area they'd had any rust trouble with...

[Fantaysia]

Originally Posted by MNM96

Have a good close look at the engine, sounds like someone changed it!

lol yeah mate it had 2 I6's side by side .. my bad, forgive my japanese potty mouth

Well i have been researching and looking at yards etc all week ... i'm going for a serious look/drives this Sat but currently i'm still leaning toward the magna ... one major thing i have seen is the build quality .. 2 out of 3 fairmonts i saw had center console's not lining up (gaps) and one had leather stitching coming apart .. I love the car and i do think its better styling and features than the magna but now i'm looking more into the 04/05 magna/awd i'm thinking i should save myself the 5grand difference and not stress about build quality and common faults people have with the BA. I guess i'm not cut out to be a true ford man .....

[Scone]

Hi Mate the problem you will have with the Magna is it will be worth nothing in a few years time, unlike the Mont, I traded my Au 2 early this year and the man said at least its not a Magna.

They are a nice car but......

scone