New guy saying hi! And a few Monaro CV8 questions sorry!
Discussion
Well, i'll new guy saying hi, Great forum and some nice cars on here people!
i'm currently a regional organiser in in vectra owners club and have sold my GSI which will be going this week. I have for a very long time had a love for holdens etc....
This weekend i test drove a Monaro CV8, which to me is awesome as i'm jumping up from the Vectra! Now i know alot of you guys on here seem to prefer the HSVs etc, but i just like the look of the CV8, unfortunately i cant stretch to a VXR!
Anyway, i have a few questions which i hope you can help me with if you dont mind?
1. the good old fuel economy question? I currently do a country run of around 22 miles each way to work in Cheshire. I can average upto 34mpg in the Vectra (2.5 V6 manual) if i cruise and behave! Its it realistic to assume i could get similar out of the monaro? I noticed on my test drive the car sat at far lower revs when cruising so assumed it possible?
2. Has anyone vewr done LPG conversion on one of these? how do they fair? is this good for the V8?
3. Do all of them have reversing sensors? One dealer told me they was an option? but i didnt think there where options?
4. Is there optional kit OE kit for the yet like boot lid spoiler for example?
5. I plan to fit a stainless exhaust, are linden the only supplier? or is therer anywhere else in the north west?
6. Any ideas on depreciation? are they likely to hold their price? Im looking at 8 months old around £22K
7. The car in question has 15,000miles on the clock and 2.5 years warrantly left, is there anything i should look out for?
Thanks guys, sorry to ask so many questions in my first post, but these are points the dealer sounded vague over and i want some proper advice!
Hopefully i'll be joining up with the club soon!
Thans for any help,
Mike
i'm currently a regional organiser in in vectra owners club and have sold my GSI which will be going this week. I have for a very long time had a love for holdens etc....
This weekend i test drove a Monaro CV8, which to me is awesome as i'm jumping up from the Vectra! Now i know alot of you guys on here seem to prefer the HSVs etc, but i just like the look of the CV8, unfortunately i cant stretch to a VXR!
Anyway, i have a few questions which i hope you can help me with if you dont mind?
1. the good old fuel economy question? I currently do a country run of around 22 miles each way to work in Cheshire. I can average upto 34mpg in the Vectra (2.5 V6 manual) if i cruise and behave! Its it realistic to assume i could get similar out of the monaro? I noticed on my test drive the car sat at far lower revs when cruising so assumed it possible?
2. Has anyone vewr done LPG conversion on one of these? how do they fair? is this good for the V8?
3. Do all of them have reversing sensors? One dealer told me they was an option? but i didnt think there where options?
4. Is there optional kit OE kit for the yet like boot lid spoiler for example?
5. I plan to fit a stainless exhaust, are linden the only supplier? or is therer anywhere else in the north west?
6. Any ideas on depreciation? are they likely to hold their price? Im looking at 8 months old around £22K
7. The car in question has 15,000miles on the clock and 2.5 years warrantly left, is there anything i should look out for?
Thanks guys, sorry to ask so many questions in my first post, but these are points the dealer sounded vague over and i want some proper advice!
Hopefully i'll be joining up with the club soon!
Thans for any help,
Mike
Hi Mike - hows it going ?
MPG - no way will you average 34mpg, mine has the LSV stage 2 & wortec tune and sees 31mpg on the motorway so depending on traffic this is your target mpg, I believe a standard CV8 will be high 20's.
Not seen a LPG fitted Monaro yet but next to me are a conversion company who will fit the kits for circa 3K but you need to spend thousands on LPG fuel before you recoup the costs plus the chancellor is sneaking more tax onto it. LPG tanks are smaller and LPG is slightly less economicnal than petrol, however my van is LPG (OEM) and I love it.
Reversing sensors standard
Bootlid spoiler is in the brochure, circa 1K I think, also available are 2005 style bonnets.
Picador/Wortec offer a nice exhaust too, however its Southampton which is a bit of a drive for you.
Depreciation - suspect that after a year the worst is over and the depreciation curve is slowing up.
I reckon your 22K would get you an 8000 mile CV8 with the stainless exhaust already fitted, saving you several thousand on buying a dealer car and doing the work yourself:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/37888.htm
MPG - no way will you average 34mpg, mine has the LSV stage 2 & wortec tune and sees 31mpg on the motorway so depending on traffic this is your target mpg, I believe a standard CV8 will be high 20's.
Not seen a LPG fitted Monaro yet but next to me are a conversion company who will fit the kits for circa 3K but you need to spend thousands on LPG fuel before you recoup the costs plus the chancellor is sneaking more tax onto it. LPG tanks are smaller and LPG is slightly less economicnal than petrol, however my van is LPG (OEM) and I love it.
Reversing sensors standard
Bootlid spoiler is in the brochure, circa 1K I think, also available are 2005 style bonnets.
Picador/Wortec offer a nice exhaust too, however its Southampton which is a bit of a drive for you.
Depreciation - suspect that after a year the worst is over and the depreciation curve is slowing up.
I reckon your 22K would get you an 8000 mile CV8 with the stainless exhaust already fitted, saving you several thousand on buying a dealer car and doing the work yourself:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/37888.htm
LPG Conversions - the lowdown
Just had a meeting with my guys next door and they can do these cars, you are looking at 2K + VAT to install the kit, it would have a twin nozzle system to cope with the fuel surge on full throttle, they recently did a ford F150 with excellent results.
Donut tank sizes are 650 wide by 240 high - 67 Litres or 600 wide by 230 high - 55 Litres, I cant remember how big the space saver is so this will need to be confirmed.
The current break even point is 30K miles (assuming an average 25mpg) this takes into account the conversion cost. If Petrol prices increase ahead of LPG then this figure reduces, but if you did 15K per year then after 2 years you are in the green, obviously the less mpg you get the less milage you need to do to break even.
Mike if you are serious about LPG I can have this fitted and as a one off special and you won't need to pay the VAT.
Just had a meeting with my guys next door and they can do these cars, you are looking at 2K + VAT to install the kit, it would have a twin nozzle system to cope with the fuel surge on full throttle, they recently did a ford F150 with excellent results.
Donut tank sizes are 650 wide by 240 high - 67 Litres or 600 wide by 230 high - 55 Litres, I cant remember how big the space saver is so this will need to be confirmed.
The current break even point is 30K miles (assuming an average 25mpg) this takes into account the conversion cost. If Petrol prices increase ahead of LPG then this figure reduces, but if you did 15K per year then after 2 years you are in the green, obviously the less mpg you get the less milage you need to do to break even.
Mike if you are serious about LPG I can have this fitted and as a one off special and you won't need to pay the VAT.
Hi Dan...
Could do with another chat!
Firstly will pass on the PLG for now... was just playing with ideas! You know what we discussed abotu my max limit! This would smash it..
So far i think if my funds permit i can possibly meet you half way, but i think thats seriously my limit.
Anyway, like i said, please leave it with me & we can have another chat later this week when i have my figures!
Cheers,
Mike
It actually states in my HSV manual that LPG is not reccomended. This would imply that in Aus. It's maybe more common. I think if you had the engine in standard form you might be o.k, but further performance mods. would cause aggro
I remember that Rod ( the original HSV Uk importer) had the idea of creating the "Fastest" LPG car, basically converting a car like mine to LPG. It couldn't be done, but sadly I can't remember why, I think it was a problem with getting enough gas in. A friend had a Saab converted & basically had the same problem when the turbo boost came in.
I reckon that standard engines in Aus. Holdens are converted, so check out some of the Aus. forums maybe.
Also, I'm sure that Mark at LSV would remember more about the LPG conversions Rod thought about doing.
I remember that Rod ( the original HSV Uk importer) had the idea of creating the "Fastest" LPG car, basically converting a car like mine to LPG. It couldn't be done, but sadly I can't remember why, I think it was a problem with getting enough gas in. A friend had a Saab converted & basically had the same problem when the turbo boost came in.
I reckon that standard engines in Aus. Holdens are converted, so check out some of the Aus. forums maybe.
Also, I'm sure that Mark at LSV would remember more about the LPG conversions Rod thought about doing.
I think the twin nozzle system has been designed to overcome this fueling issue, he seemed to think that up to around 300/350bhp a single nozzle can deliver enough fuel.
At Bedford aerodrome every single race car runs on LPG, from Caterhams to EVO's to VX220's to Jaguar GT cars and these are raced flat out all day.
www.motorsportsensation.com/
At Bedford aerodrome every single race car runs on LPG, from Caterhams to EVO's to VX220's to Jaguar GT cars and these are raced flat out all day.
www.motorsportsensation.com/
try here www.holden-utes.co.uk/ they fit LPG to Holdens.......
Thanks for all the help guys... Think i will hold on the LPG for now, no way can i afford that as well at this time!
Dan, in your reply you seemed to indicated that a tuned Monaro will give better ecnomony that a standard one? am i right?
I can of see where your coming from if so, as my vectra GSI is upto 208BHP and is far more economical that standard... maybe due to better breathing?
Another quick question, is it possible to have electric fold in mirrors atall?
Cheers people! Sorry for all the questions,
Mike
Hi MCD, I moved from a V6 Vectra to a CV8 (forget the one in between), good move, totaly different animal as you well know. Anyway just thought I would add my two peneth with respect to fuel economy... best I have had on a motorway run is 22mpg daily drive around town no better than 15 mpg (04 CV8 with 3,000 miles)
Hi mcd and welcome.
I have a modified 04 CV8 (410hp) and today on motorway and dual carriageway with the occasional 'burst' I averaged 28mpg over 200 miles. At approx 75 - 80 I get 30ish.
For such a big engine the interstellar 6th gear gives reasonable economy. As an Aston Martin salesman once said to a friend of mine at the motor show when asked about mpg "if that is your main question may I suggest this car is not for you sir!"
However, the big bruiser from down under is a good balance (I do not want to start another Monaro 'v' Aston debate!). Like most big capacity, high powered engines heavy right foot = big fuel bill.
I have a modified 04 CV8 (410hp) and today on motorway and dual carriageway with the occasional 'burst' I averaged 28mpg over 200 miles. At approx 75 - 80 I get 30ish.
For such a big engine the interstellar 6th gear gives reasonable economy. As an Aston Martin salesman once said to a friend of mine at the motor show when asked about mpg "if that is your main question may I suggest this car is not for you sir!"
However, the big bruiser from down under is a good balance (I do not want to start another Monaro 'v' Aston debate!). Like most big capacity, high powered engines heavy right foot = big fuel bill.
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