1996 Ford Fairlane Ghia review from Australia and New Zealand
"Reliable Luxury Bargain!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Automatic Transmission leaking fluid.
General comments?
The good points for these cars are, they are comfortable, quiet, safe, surprisingly economical (average 10.4L/100Klm), powerful and appear to be built to a better than average standard. I have seen many of this model Fairlane with 300,000+ klms on the clock & they still look good.
The bad points, no real bad points, the brakes are only average, handling is a little on the soft side and the engine sounds a little harsh above 400rpm, but theses are only minor complaints. Under normal driving conditions the average driver probably wouldn't even notice.
This vehicle overall proved to be 100% reliable in the 18months that I owned it. I only had one problem of the transmission leaking fluid. I was told buy one mechanic that the leak could not be fixed because it was from the top seal where the wiring loom plugs in and I would have to pay for a new transmission ($3000-). I took the vehicle to another mechanic who fixed the problem for $140-.
I would highly recommend this vehicle.
Recommended Reviews:
  | 1998 - Fairlane Ghia 4 Litre Multi Point Fuel Injected Straight Six Cyl This is one of the best Ford Fairlanes I have owned, as well as one of the best models ever built |
| 1992 - Fairlane NCII Ghia 4.0L in-line 6 Reliable, very comfy |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.O LT Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 130000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 160000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Volvo 850 |
| Date of Entry | 2nd March, 2006 |