Ford Falcon BF XR6 Turbo Used Car Review
While the very first Ford Falcon XR6 Turbos, the BA and BA Series 2, stamped their authority on the performance family-car market, by the time the BF model rolled into showrooms in 2005, the concept had really been honed.
Just for starters, the turbocharged 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine in the XR6 Turbo stands as the best locally developed engine ever to come out of this country. Bar none.
And while Australian performance sedan buyers like to think of themselves as a V8 clan, but the very first locally-made fast family cars were, indeed, six-cylinder vehicles.
All of which makes the XR6 Turbo special, beyond even its obvious charms.
And endless supply of horsepower, delivered in big, friendly gobs is part of the appeal, but the XR6T also has a loping ability that makes interstate travel a cinch.
Throw in the fact that this was a big, five-seat car with four doors and a huge boot and its appeal was obvious.
And that only got better when you consider the Turbo was also a tremendous car for towing a boat or campervan.
But it was the refinements made for the BF model upgrade that made the car even more of a standout. That started with the fact that the XR6T finally got the gearboxes it should always have had.
The manual was now a six-speed, but the bigger news was a six-speed automatic which made the most of the way the turbocharged engine made its power, but also, thanks to improved gearing, also managed to use less fuel. More performance and LESS fuel? Suddenly the world was all ears.
But the six-speed automatic also brought extra refinement and finally got rid of the whining four-speed that anybody who has ever ridden in an Australian taxi will recognise.
Tweaks to the basic engine also liberated some more power and torque (now 245kW and 480Nm).
Ford also worked hard to improve the reliability and durability of the turbo engine. Stronger pistons were part of the upgrade and so was a new design for the previously troublesome intake manifold gasket.
But Ford wasn’t content to let it rest there: For the BF Series 2 upgrade of 2006, the bottom end of the engine was swapped for the one FPV had been using in its F6 Typhoon model. That meant stronger con-rods (from the LPG Falcon, ironically) and improved valve springs that had also been a long-standing Achilles heel of the turbo-six.
When shopping the XR6T, make sure you find an example that has been cared for correctly.
Walk away from any car with brand new front tyres and rears worn down to the canvas; you’re probably looking at a car that has been abused by a boy-racer.
In fact, that’s a bit of a theme with this car; they’re now so cheap to buy that they’re falling into the hands of younger owners who don’t always treat them with the respect they deserve.
Take a close look, too, at the service history. Like any turbocharged engine, the Falcon’s six needs plenty of oil changes if it’s to remain in good condition.
The trade reckons shortening the factory oil-change interval of 15,000km to 10,000km is good, cheap insurance. Thick, black oil on the dipstick is a bad sign and is the first sign of neglect and will lead to internal sludge in the engine. And that’s the major cause of the turbocharger’s bearing running out of oil and failing, often taking the rest of the engine with it.
Another major service item is spark-plug replacement and, while the factory-replacement iridium plugs are expensive, workshops we talked to reckon a standard spark-plug with a reduced gap will do just fine and save you plenty.
Coil-packs often die young on these engines, too, but there the advice is to only used Ford genuine replacements.
Differential bushes are a common service item and the front brake rotors are very prone to warping, leading to a pulsing through the car under brakes. Replacement is the best course of action there.
A vibration under power is often the fault of a worn centre-bearing in the tailshaft.
The then-new six-speed automatic was causing its share of problems, too. But it wasn’t the transmission’s fault: It seems left-over sand and swarf from the engine-block casting process was being left behind and destroying the thin, metal pipes that formed the transmission cooler.
When that happened, the coolant mixed with the transmission fluid and the gearbox was toasted mechanically and electronically.
That sounds like quite a bit to beware of, and it is, but it also remains that the XR6 Turbo in BF form was not just possessed of the best engine, but was also one of the best cars ever to come out of this country.
The Falcon-based G6E Turbo didn’t come along until the FG model, so if you’re shopping in BF territory, then the XR6T is the only way to get that engine in a do-it-all package.
But the good news is that Ford sold loads of BF XR6 Turbos, so there are plenty of good ones to choose from.
If you're looking to buy a second-hand Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo, checkk out all the models currently on-sale at Drive here
2005 Ford Falcon BF XR6 Turbo Nuts and bolts
Engine/s: 4.0-litre six-cylinder turbo petrol
Transmissions: six-speed manual / six-speed automatic, RWD
Fuel economy (combined): 12.3 litres per 100km
Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): 3 stars
Our rating: 4 stars
Likes:
- Impressive performance.
- Flexible and smooth engine.
- Six-speed auto was just what it needed.
- Big four-door can do it all.
Dislikes:
- Appealed to the hoons, so watch out.
- Easy to modify, so beware backyard hot-rods.
- Driving position not so good for taller folk.
- An worn out one will empty your wallet.
Competitors:
- Ford Falcon XR8 – The XR6 Turbo’s stablemate, the V8 was a classy, DOHC design that probably should have gone harder than it did. As it was, the Turbo had more character and used less fuel. 3.5 stars
- Holden Commodore SS – The old enemy, the Holden SS was low-tech in some ways, but still delivered big performance. Similar packaging also made for great family wheels. 3.5 stars
- Chrysler 300C – In V8 form, the Chrysler was a proper performance sedan let down a little by its cheesy interior and relative build quality. Tough-guy looks aren’t for everybody. 3 stars
What to pay (courtesy of Glass’s Guide):
Model | Year | New | Now |
XR6 Turbo | 2005 | $47,655 | $5,800 |
XR6 Turbo | 2006 | $47,905 | $6,100 |
XR6 Turbo | 2007 | $45,490 | $6,700 |
XR6 Turbo | 2008 | $44,490 | $9,100 |