FTO AUSTRALIA

Hi guys, just wanna know how u keep your FTO in tip top shape. As some of u might know, the 1 I've bought recently was not well maintained and I'm having a lot of problems with it, including creaky doors, engine problems, spoilt antennae, horn not working, and the list goes on...

Would be great if I could get some advice and tips on how u guys maintain your cars.

sorry to hear mate ..

doors - graphite lube & / or grease should do the trick .. might need to degrease them first to get all the dirt out
engine - regular oil changes & the major service @ 100k should last for quite a while
same for the gearbox / radiator / brakes etc
antenna - whats the problem with it? might just need some wd 40 sprayed all over it if the retracting mechanism isn't working, can get a lot of dirt in there, otherwise some people don't plug it in to the aftermarket Cd player properly?
horn - check fuses, then if that doesn't work see www.completefto.com.au for taking stock steering wheel cover off to check the horn is connected there (might even have had the plastic parts break off, so you'd need to clean them out - common problem), if not .. i have a spare horn that you could have for postage costs if it turns out that it's the actual horn
as long as you change all the fluids fairly regularly & fix any other problems as they come up you should be fine..

I've spent an assload of cash on my baby over the years to keep her in the best condition as i possibly can .. but you save a hell of a lot of money doing as much of the servicing as you can yourself

Thanks! Done the doors recently, they sound smooth now. Antenna seems broken, might replace in the future. CD player is spoilt as well it seems, can't seem to get change the channels on the console itself and the remote isn't working. Horn doesn't seem to be connected. The previous owner changed the steering, will check it out soon. Will have to see my mechanic soon when I'm done with my uni assignments.. >.< suspension's too stiff n creaky as well. Sigh..

if the creaks are coming from the back of the car its prob your rear sway bars its a pretty common problem, u can buy new ones on ebay when their listed for $50 (i got quoted $180 at pedders half parts half labour) so i just greased them up have been good for nearly a year, getting the rubber boots off the bushes and getting them ack on is a bit tricky though, good luck