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Hey everyone!
Been a long time fan of ETCG, thought I’d finally get around to joining the forum.
I’m from Melbourne, Australia, and look forward to hearing how much our cars differ to yours.
Speaking of cars, I drive a Ford. A Ford that is likely very different to anything that you Americans have seen; its a Falcon. Specifically, a 1998 Ford Falcon GLi Wagon
My first car, and I’ve been pretty happy with it over the last nine months. However, I’ve just aquired another Ford:
The gold one is a 1995 Ford LTD. They share essentially the same chassis. The LTD is a long wheel base sedan, and is the highest-spec model Ford of its era. I’m not sure what a similar ranking would be for American cars, but the hierachy for Aussie Fords of this vintage is: GLI / Futura / XR / Fairmont (+Ghia model) / Fairlane (+Ghia model) / LTD. Full of some nice luxuries of the time; electric leather seats, sunroof, automatic climate control. The works.
The only downside is that the V8 in it does not run. Me, being a P plater (not sure if you have anything similar in the US of A, but it means I’m in my first 4 years of driving), I cant drive a V8 anyway, so the 4L Inline-6 from the wagon will slowly be making its way into the LTD.
I might update a thread on here with the same updates I will be putting on one of the Australian Ford forums as I modify it, so I can give you guys a taste of our cars over here!
Cheers guys
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Nice looking cars. The Falcon kinda looks like a Taurus here I think. Falcon and many of the other names Haven’t been used in many years 70’s I think. Why can’t you drive a V8?
Yeah I love them! The Falcons have been around here since the 60s, but I’m not sure if they will be around for too much longer. Ford want to make a ‘world car’ and there isn’t a market for the Falcon large sedans overseas.
We’ve been getting Mondeos exported here for the last couple of years. Not to mention the newer Falcons closely resembling the Mondeos.
Each state has it’s own legislation for P plate (probationary) drivers. Because we obviously have less experience, there are a few restrictions. One of them is no V8s, no turbo/supercharged cars etc, along with some other stuff. Although it is annoying, I can understand why they do it. A high powered car does not mix with a driver with little experience.
I’m not sure if America has the same sort of thing, but in the state I live in (Victoria), our licencing goes like this:
16 yo – can get your Learners permit, must only drive with a fully licenced supervising driver (eg a parent)
18 yo – can get your Red P plates, which are for one year, but only if you have completed 120 hours of driving on your Learners permit in your log book.After 1 year on your Red Ps, you get your Green Ps. There are a few less restrictions, and you have them for 3 years. After that, you are fully licenced.
A good system in theory, and although us youngin’s do like to complain about it, it’s probably for the best. A good way to ‘ease’ people into driving.
I am in Canada but USA has a very close system for a liscence I think. At age 16 you can go take a written test and 20 min later you can drive but you need a liscenced driver beside you. No restriction for time to do the next test, you drive with a person from the liscence office and they grade you, if you pass then you can drive alone. Then in a year and a half another drive test to be able to drive on the highway over 80 kph. never any restriction on engine or anything, there are separate liscences to drive a large truck like a dump truck or bus.
Oh okay, that does sound fairly similar. For the learners permit, you need a written test. for the P plates, its a 20 minute drive test, plus a computerised hazards perception test (a video plays and you click when it would be safe to change lanes, brake, whatever).
In a few other Australian states (New South Wales and I think some others) they also have the restriction to 80km/h on highways on learners permits and P plates, but not in Victoria.
Yeah trucks and buses require a Heavy Vehicle licence, and there are some different grades for the licences as well, from light commercial trucks all the way up to B-Doubles etc. From my knowledge you have to be a full licenced driver to get these though (off your Ps, so at the least age 22)
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