1999-2006 Ford Falcon Ute used car review

Take a look at the surrounding traffic next time you're doing the daily commute. Chances are a high percentage of the cars you see will be commercial vehicles. And the humble Ford Falcon Ute is the reason for a lot of it.

Back near the turn of the century, Ford had finally ditched the ancient platform upon which it had been building its Ute model for about two decades, and came up with a new version, based on the then-new AU Falcon. And even though Holden had resurrected the Ute via its Commodore model of the late 1980s, the new Ford was seen as the real workhorse when it came to tough Aussie Ute. But it was still car-like enough to serve as both work and private transport for a raft of people who didn't need five seats and a boot.

Nowadays, as those early AU Falcon utes near their 20th birthday, they've done a remarkable thing by remaining relevant and, to a large extent, a popular choice.

In fact, you could argue that the AU Ute saved the whole Falcon thing, back at a time when the equally new AU Falcon sedan was copping an awful pasting, mainly for its ungainly looks. But the Ute? No such problem, especially considering that utes weren't always supposed to be lookers in the first place. And they're so cheap now, that they can be picked up for chump-change.

While the Falcon sedan was hastily revised and finally replaced by the BA model in 2002 (itself really a heavily reworked AU) the Ute benefited from all those improvement as well, meaning that, tech-wise, it pretty much kept pace with the sedan. Well, if you didn't count the sedan's independent rear suspension which never made it to the Ute, the latter instead sticking with an old-fashioned, but workman-like leaf-sprung live axle.

But the DOHC six-cylinder engine that the BA pioneered? Or the improved interior of the various AU facelifts? And the sensational turbocharged six-cylinder engine from the Falcon XR6T?
Yep, they all made it on to the Falcon Ute, giving buyers back then - and now - lots of choice and variation.

We wouldn't go back any further than the AU when shopping (the pre-AUs were clunky, primitive things) and there doesn't seem to be much point shopping for a car newer than, say, a BF. Even then, that takes us right through from 1999 to 2008, meaning there's load of choice, simply because there are literally thousands of them out there to choose from.

A basic AU Ute will be just that; basic. Some have a bench seat and a column-shift for the four-speed automatic and because these can seat three people instead of two, they're actually sought after second-hand. Much more common is the same vehicle with bucket seats and a T-bar shifter, while a percentage of AUs were also fitted with the five-speed manual.

But the fact is, if you're after a manual Falcon Ute, then the XR6 offers a much better chance of finding one. We'd give the V8 model a miss in all this: Unless you really crave that V8 noise, the six goes pretty much as hard and uses a lot less fuel. They're also a lot easier to find.

Moving up to the BA, you'll find a better standard of trim across the board, better build quality and a nicer looking thing, especially from the front. Interestingly, though, the AU was a nicer car to steer with a sharper front end and a better seating position.

The plum buy is the XR6 Turbo version and go for an auto as they're a better package than the clunky five-speed manual.

The BF Model is the last of our prospects and, while it's a bit fresher inside, beyond that there's really nothing to choose between a BA and a BF apart from the six-speed automatic gearbox in later BFs. Fuel economy in the latter will be better, but durability will probably be about the same.

With so much mechanical commonality between this decade's-worth of models, the known issues are more or less the same, too.

The six-cylinder motor is a tough customer, even in turbocharged form, but coolant leaks can be a problem from the back of the water pump. This is a simple fix, but watch out for tired radiators, too, particularly in the case of the Turbo which work its cooling system harder. The engine can leak oil from the rear-main seal, too, and this can be expensive to put right.

The automatic transmission has a finite lifespan, usually around the 180,000km mark, but less if the vehicle has towed big loads. The transmission also has a cooler which works in tandem with the car's radiator. If this cooler fails, it can allow coolant into the gearbox and its electronics, frying both, so that's a big fix and definitely worth a pre-purchase check.

Brake rotors are extremely prone to warping and many owners upgraded to a tougher set of Tickford/FPV brakes or even aftermarket units which were better but didn't always prevent this problem completely. A pulsing though the brake pedal on application is a sure sign of this condition. Sometimes the rotor can be skimmed enough to get the car through a roadworthy inspection, sometimes not, and the problem will re-occur.

Bear in mind that early examples may have travelled well over 200,000km by now, so every single component needs checking.

Make sure the damper are okay, the suspension bushes are still tight and things like tyres and brake pads have some life left in them.

The Falcon Ute is a pretty easy car to service and maintain, so there's no reason it shouldn't have been.

Which brings us to our last point: The ultimate worth of a second-hand Falcon Ute will depend almost entirely on how it's been looked after and how hard it's been flogged along over the years. A lot of Utse were bought by uncaring fleet operators or tradies who were more than prepared to work their vehicles into the ground. So a privately-owned Ute that has been used to cart jet-skis rather than brickies' sand is going to be a nicer thing to own now.

Our rating: 3.5/5

Nuts and bolts

Engine/s: 4.0-litre six-cylinder/4.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Transmissions: Four-speed automatic/Six-speed automatic/Five-speed manual

Fuel economy (combined): 11.4 litres per 100km

Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): 3 stars (AU)/4stars (BA/BF)

Likes:

• Tough and dependable.
• Good at what it does best.
• Cheap to buy and run.
• One of the handiest cars you'll ever own.

Dislikes:

• Some have been flogged to death.
• Can feel a bit primitive to drive.
• Later versions lost some tactility and comfort.
• Base-models can feel pretty Spartan.

Competitors:

Holden Commodore Ute - The old enemy, the Commodore Ute got an independent rear suspension in the late 1990s, so rode better. V6 engine not as good though and seen as more of a show-pony. 3/5

Toyota HiLux - Most of these were four-wheel-drive, so if you don't need that function, you're paying for it anyway. Strong and long-lived and the option of diesel power. 3.5/5

Nissan Navara - Another Ute that was usually four-wheel-drive equipped. Popular when new so plenty around, but time has not been kind to them. Dual-cab layout appeals, but ride quality pretty awful. 2.5/5

What to pay (courtesy of Glass's Guide)

Model     Year          New      Now

AU XR6 1999       $35,155    $2200

AU XR6 2000       $35,605    $2700

AU XR6 2001       $35,000    $3346    

BA XR6  2002       $35,125   $4700

BA XR6  2003       $35,125   $5200

BA XR6  2004       $35,335   $5500

BA XR6  2005       $35,335   $5700

BF XR6  2006       $35,620   $6500

BF XR6  2007       $35,620   $7000