TRD Aurion vs Falcon G6E Turbo

[Supercharged TRD]

Hi everyone

Please help me! I'm about to buy me next car and I'm finding it really hard to make the decision. I like the TRD's ability to turn heads (it is a real looker) but it seems like the Falcon is really really good value. I've heard horror stories about Ford's build quality though, but not sure if they have changed their quality control for the new model. Decisions, decisions.....the new car has to last me at least 5 years so I really want to make sure I'm making the right choice.

TRD Aurion 3500SL

Pros:

- Toyota reliability

- Looks great

- Exciting ride

- Good fuel consumption

- Quite exclusive

- Better resale

Cons:

- Torque steer & wheelspin

- Expensive for what it offers

- FWD

- Interior not as "upmarket"

- Only comes in black and silver

- Slower than the Falcon (0-100km/h in 6.1s)

Ford Falcon G6E Turbo

Pros:

- Great power & acceleration (0 - 100km/h in 5.1s)

- RWD

- Luxury interior

- Great features & value for money

Cons:

- Ford reliability

- Fuel consumption higher than the Aurion

- New model, so untested

- Low resale value expected

- Going to be very common

[Tmaster100]

The build quality of the Aurion is nothing special at all. I would go as far to say that it's typically Australian built and no more better then a Commodore or Falcon. That said the only part of an Aurion i praise is the drivetrain.

Ford though has turned a new leaf and pressing the panels now in one piece so all the panels should line up perfectley. There has been a huge boost in quality control at the Broadmeadows plant also, something Toyota know nothing about.

Whilst i may be biased due to having so many problems with my Aurion i don't think there is any competition between the TRD and G6E with the G6ET being a much better car all round. It has buckets of torque, better suspension, better handling, better steering, better build quality and has the tick of approval from pretty well all of the motoring magazines.

Pumping 240Kw from a FWD car is just stupidity at it's best. It's a G6ET for me without any hesitation. In fact i am heading to a dealer to look again at the new Ford range this afternoon.

[Pumped]

Depends what your after, If your after outright speed and "track" ability id have to go with the Falcon

i have a TRD aurion, and i must say how many people say it has to much power for a front wheel drive car is a bit of a joke, it puts the power down amazingly well for being Front wheel drive

ive owned a lot of powerful front wheel drive cars, the TRD puts it down very easy, if you think it has to much power, your just too soft lol

I owned a BA Xr6 in the past, it was a good car, quite heavy on fuel, much much much heavier then magazines and ford quoted, and it wasnt driven hard, just work and home, they're not great with stop start driving

Also have had v8 commodores, the falcon NA xr6 returned similar figures on fuel to those.

although the new falcon is apparently improved straight sixes are always known to be thirsty

aurion uses alot less fuel, but 98 ron though :( i assume the FG uses 95

build quality wise they are both pretty similar, the falcons are decent but have never been known well to hold up over time, and ive had experience with a number of falcons, its a bit to early to tell how the FG will go.

Also i have heard the G6E doesnt have an LSD?

not sure i can believe that?

Would seem a bit crazy for ford to not include one

either way, both are great cars to drive, and if you drive them at 80% of there ability they wont be all that different either,

The TRD aurion can handle suprisingly well, the soft steering is the only negative i have with the car, even the FWD isnt to much of a bother :)

If i could see myself owning another ford, id probably go with the ford.

just had to many in the past with to many finnicky small issues, power window dramas, rattles, creeks, etc

hopefully the fg is a step in the right direction, it definately looks the goods :)

I must also ad, Toyota are pretty damn flexible with the pricing on TRD aurions as they arent selling that well

I doubt ford would be flexible with it being such a new car, so make sure if you decide to look closely at the TRD you negotiate the best price

Edited June 26, 2008 by Pumped

[Supercharged TRD]

Depends what your after, If your after outright speed and "track" ability id have to go with the Falcon

i have a TRD aurion, and i must say how many people say it has to much power for a front wheel drive car is a bit of a joke, it puts the power down amazingly well for being Front wheel drive

ive owned a lot of powerful front wheel drive cars, the TRD puts it down very easy, if you think it has to much power, your just too soft lol

I owned a BA Xr6 in the past, it was a good car, quite heavy on fuel, much much much heavier then magazines and ford quoted, and it wasnt driven hard, just work and home, they're not great with stop start driving

Also have had v8 commodores, the falcon NA xr6 returned similar figures on fuel to those.

although the new falcon is apparently improved straight sixes are always known to be thirsty

aurion uses alot less fuel, but 98 ron though :( i assume the FG uses 95

build quality wise they are both pretty similar, the falcons are decent but have never been known well to hold up over time, and ive had experience with a number of falcons, its a bit to early to tell how the FG will go.

Also i have heard the G6E doesnt have an LSD?

not sure i can believe that?

Would seem a bit crazy for ford to not include one

either way, both are great cars to drive, and if you drive them at 80% of there ability they wont be all that different either,

The TRD aurion can handle suprisingly well, the soft steering is the only negative i have with the car, even the FWD isnt to much of a bother :)

If i could see myself owning another ford, id probably go with the ford.

just had to many in the past with to many finnicky small issues, power window dramas, rattles, creeks, etc

hopefully the fg is a step in the right direction, it definately looks the goods :)

I must also ad, Toyota are pretty damn flexible with the pricing on TRD aurions as they arent selling that well

I doubt ford would be flexible with it being such a new car, so make sure if you decide to look closely at the TRD you negotiate the best price

Thanks for the advice mate....I know the Ford looks better on paper. But damn that sexy Aurion look really tugs at the heartstrings. If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for yours and how much do you think I'll have to pay to get for a 3500SL with the moonroof and sat nav driveaway?

[SecaBoy]

hey mate..

i've already sent you quite a length PM... but for some reason it didnt save it on my side... if you want, you can post up my PM to you...

otherwise, the basics of what my PM said to you was this......

my dad has owned a brand new BA falcon and also a brand new territory within weeks of their release to the market...

he owned both of them for 3yrs and BOTH of the cars have fallen apart and been an absolute POS...

from this experiance, i would NEVER own a Ford when they've been just released... i'd always wait until the second series... but thats just me...

i bought my TRD before the price reduction was made known to the public... however my dealer included this in the price for me...

i wont make my deal public because i dont think that its right...

however, what i will say is to push for the sat nav and sunroof to be thrown in for free... you will definitely get AT LEAST those items for free...

good luck with your decision... its certainly not an easy choice... :)

[e240]

I don't understand why people think you can't get power down through a FWD car, or that its rediculous to have power through a FWD.

My other car is a FWD and easily puts down more power than an Aurion (and still normally aspirated) and is 500kgs lighter as well. I have no issues putting that power down.

Reason why I bought my Aurion was I needed a family car, wanted a long term purchase that will last - and something that wasn't a Honda..LOL

[Supercharged TRD]

hey mate..

i've already sent you quite a length PM... but for some reason it didnt save it on my side... if you want, you can post up my PM to you...

otherwise, the basics of what my PM said to you was this......

my dad has owned a brand new BA falcon and also a brand new territory within weeks of their release to the market...

he owned both of them for 3yrs and BOTH of the cars have fallen apart and been an absolute POS...

from this experiance, i would NEVER own a Ford when they've been just released... i'd always wait until the second series... but thats just me...

i bought my TRD before the price reduction was made known to the public... however my dealer included this in the price for me...

i wont make my deal public because i dont think that its right...

however, what i will say is to push for the sat nav and sunroof to be thrown in for free... you will definitely get AT LEAST those items for free...

good luck with your decision... its certainly not an easy choice... :)

Hi Secaboy

Thanks for your reply, I got your PM and it realy helped in my decision process. This Saturday, I am test driving the G6E Turbo and that's it. I will make my decision after that.

[AcoustiK]

Also a point I think the G6E has launch control too, I wouldnt mind testing that out too...

I would opt for the G6E anyday based on the papers, but yeah as people said its a series 1, look at the BA's when they first came out...

and plus you will soon be expecting lots of modifications for this car if your into it, I doubt the TRD Aurion will have upgrade packages dedicated to it all...

[Blind Kid Seeks]

i read in WHEELS magaizne JULY... all the deliveries on Ford Turboed Sixes have been delayed as the Turbro they fitted was failing.

According to WHEELS as the smaller turbo fitted for higher response was spooling up quicker and longer the Ball Bearing RACE was suffereing from enormouse heatsoak cause the turbo to fail.

IMO...

I'd buy the Aurion...

[DKzr6]

Never ever ever buy a new ford model just after release. I speak from experience......

Bought an EF when they came out in 94 - nothing but problems

Bought an AU when they came out in 1999 - it had so many electrcial faults that FORD actually wrote it off as unrepairable, and replaced it with a new AUII.

Bought a new BA XR6 when they came out in Dec 2003 (maybe 2002 - cant remember) it was 3 months after the release of the BA - It had fault after fault. It was towed back to the dealer 16 times in the first 12 weeks. Started with random electrical faults, which lead to dead gearbox, powersteering, not starting, not accelerating etc. Sold it after 40,000km

Well as far as ford is concerned 3 strikes and you are out.

Another thing to note - and anyone who has had the misfortune of dealing with ford Service will know - no matter what goes wrong with your car - you will be met with the standard response "It's within tolerance, and they all do that, so there is nothing wrong with it"

Had a liberty 3.0R-B for 2 years which wasn't perfect but still an excellent car, and now the Aurion which is light years ahead of the Falcon in terms of reliability and build quality.

In 30,000km only 2 minor issues with the Aurion which were fixed immediately under warranty.

If you have to buy a car now - buy the TRD, if you can wait 12 months, go for the series 2 falcon.

[CHA54]

If you get a Ford, make sure you keep a close eye on the body seams around the rear of the car checking for rust at regular intervals. Browse www.fordforums.com.au for more info. Here's one thread to get you started: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.ph...age=1&pp=25

Also ask the dealer if they can do an extended factory warranty...

Edited June 26, 2008 by rollamods

[SecaBoy]

If you get a Ford, make sure you keep a close eye on the body seams around the rear of the car checking for rust at regular intervals. Browse www.fordforums.com.au for more info. Here's one thread to get you started: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.ph...age=1&pp=25

Also ask the dealer if they can do an extended factory warranty...

^^^ dad's territory has this rust issue BIG time...

its a lease car through the company, so he doesnt care... all i know is that come november when the lease is up, he has vowed to NEVER get another ford...

i think he is looking at a mazda cx7 or a subaru tribeca...

[Speedz]

OMG what a rust bucket!!!!

[beaves]

Anyone even thinking about buying a Ford should read that thread from start to finish, absolute tripe of a brand. I know Blue SX has had some dramas, but f%$k, that is nothing compared to that state of those cars.

[AcoustiK]

Anyone even thinking about buying a Ford should read that thread from start to finish, absolute tripe of a brand. I know Blue SX has had some dramas, but f%$k, that is nothing compared to that state of those cars.

Is there any threads on the FG falcons on there yet? would love to see the common problems with this range of cars....

[Tmaster100]

I went to another Ford dealership today and gees, the paint on the new Falcons is terrible. I was shocked how dull they really are. I also went and looked at VE Commodore's and like the SS but i would be worried about the quality of these cars too.

The new Accord and Accord Euro are very high quality but think they look like ladies cars.

It's bloody hard. At the moment i am caught between a rock and a hard place.

[AcoustiK]

I went to another Ford dealership today and gees, the paint on the new Falcons is terrible. I was shocked how dull they really are. I also went and looked at VE Commodore's and like the SS but i would be worried about the quality of these cars too.

The new Accord and Accord Euro are very high quality but think they look like ladies cars.

It's bloody hard. At the moment i am caught between a rock and a hard place.

I wouldnt mind the new accord, its got 200killawasps as well, although im not sure on the 0-100 compared to the Aurion.. but for quality and interior its ahead, had a sit in it (luxury model) and makes you feel like your in merc or bmw to the least. and I doubt it has rattles like an Aus built car..

Nah, i dont think they are ladies cars at all, its not like your buying a civic or Jazz, lower and get some nice rims :),

[Speedz]

Yah I also dont mind the new Honda too, but they also comes with the higher maintenance cost too...

Price wise its about the same as a mid spec Aurion so makes a good alternative if not a better alternative...!!!

[tekkyy]

I guess the base TRD Aurion does lack features for its 57k price tag.

But if you are feeling unlucky then the G6E does seem like a gamble.

Yah I also dont mind the new Honda too, but they also comes with the higher maintenance cost too...

Price wise its about the same as a mid spec Aurion so makes a good alternative if not a better alternative...!!!

Before buying the Aurion we did consider the Accord Thai too, until we realise its Thai built.

We then considered Accord Euro.

In the end our local Honda dealer recommended us a Toyota dealer. We later bought the Aurion from that Toyota dealer lol.

Both Accord Euro and Accord Thai may seem competitively priced, at first glance.

But you can't get the discount you get on Aurion (report here to be 6-7k off except for Touring) so I don't know.

[Supercharged TRD]

Went down to my local Ford dealership yesterday to have a drive of the G6ET. My first impression of the car is it is very good, nice lush interior and great features (like reversing camera) and seat memory. Drives very well too, power goes down fast to the wheels and acceleration is quite remarkable.

However, it seems like to make the amount of car fit to the price tag they've had to cut corners. The gearshift feels very "plastic" and light and the steering feels like it was made by Fisher Price. Knocking on the doors gives a very hollow sound and they are extremely light. A lot of plastic used on the interior. With Ford's track record, I just don't think it's worth the gamble.

Ok Ford lovers don't slag me off, I think they have excellent designers and the new Falcon is no doubt making Holden, TRD and other manufacturers sweat a bit. But for me, I've made up my mind - the TRD Aurion 3500S will be my new ride.

Bad news is the TRD dealer told me that they're selling pretty well now and any orders have to be manufactured. So it's a 2 - 3 month wait for my red 3500S :-(

The reason why I didn't go with the 3500SL in the end is that I really like the red interior and I'm going to put an aftermarket GPS/DVD system in (the Eclipse AVN6000) which blows Toyota's one away. My planned mods are:

- Eclipse AVN 6000 DVD/GPS/reversing camera/forward camera/bluetooth handsfree

- New amp

- New speakers

- Sound deadening

- HiDs

Local Northfield guy says he can do it all for $7,500. I would like to go for the Varex mufflers too but warranty voidance is an issue for me.

Edited June 29, 2008 by TRD Aurion Owner

[Speedz]

Congrats on your well made decision!!!!

[Gab]

good choice!

ive only driven the G6E, fg XR6, bf XR6 & toyota ZR through work

was very impressed with the ford major improvement from the previous

have fun your a luck man

[Pumped]

:) nice choice

Ive got a Red 3500S and pretty much plan on doing the exact same mods as you :)

New headunit, new speakers, sub & a 5 channel amp

and i plan to replace the catback system too

i'm sure you'll enjoy it, heaps of power :)

Edited June 29, 2008 by Pumped

[SecaBoy]

congrats on your choice... i'm sure you'll be happy with it in the long run... :)

the only time i regret getting the trd is when i see (read: hear) a HSV R8 on the road... but wait till my exhaust system goes on in a couple of weeks, and i'm sure i wont regret it anymore... ;)

got something in line for an intake system too... ;)

[Speedz]

^ Is that the Ute...?

If so I like that car too... bloody aggressive look and the power to boot, but read about it they kinda skimp on the luxury interiors... (Wheels.com.au)

But then on one hand hey its a ute... on the other hey you pay big bucks for it too...