Would you buy a Holden today?
Discussion
New fun family car time. When we arrived in Oz just over 2 years ago I fancied buying a big banger V8 Commodore, but of course needs must and we got a sensible Honda while we found our feet in a new country. Now that - there they are! - we have found our feet, I'm thinking again of a car that is reasonable family friendly but also has a wee bit of pistonheads appeal - so the Commodore V8 comes onto the radar again.
Obviously since 2019 Holden has passed away / been euthanised. Does anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of buying a used (VF) Commodore today - especially in respect of ongoing relaibility, parts availability, and servicing?
And can someone simply explain the logic of the Caprice/Calais/billions of sporty-sounding submodel names?
Obviously since 2019 Holden has passed away / been euthanised. Does anyone have any thoughts on the pros and cons of buying a used (VF) Commodore today - especially in respect of ongoing relaibility, parts availability, and servicing?
And can someone simply explain the logic of the Caprice/Calais/billions of sporty-sounding submodel names?
Holden maybe dead as a brand but with Walkinshaw racing & Holmart going strong plus UK & USA based suppliers I wouldn't expect too many issues getting parts or specialist know how, the Holden/HSV section on this site has TONNES of info.
My old boss has owned Holdens for the last 15 odd years (UK based) so I've seen a fair few of them. He's had Utes, saloons and Monaros including some ultra rare HSV GTS-R versions. They only ever get serviced & performance upgrades, no breakdowns or failures which is impressive and makes them seem far more than being a tarted up GM product bin special. The HSV R models in particular are seriously good bits of kit, HSV took the idea of a saloon version of a Corvette ZR1 and some how make it even more bonkers that you could imagine :-)
If I lived in OZ and was faced with the Ford Falcon vs Holden VXr8/HSV I'd end up having to have one of each , maybe a Falcon saloon and a HSV Ute , Barra daily, LS toy.
My old boss has owned Holdens for the last 15 odd years (UK based) so I've seen a fair few of them. He's had Utes, saloons and Monaros including some ultra rare HSV GTS-R versions. They only ever get serviced & performance upgrades, no breakdowns or failures which is impressive and makes them seem far more than being a tarted up GM product bin special. The HSV R models in particular are seriously good bits of kit, HSV took the idea of a saloon version of a Corvette ZR1 and some how make it even more bonkers that you could imagine :-)
If I lived in OZ and was faced with the Ford Falcon vs Holden VXr8/HSV I'd end up having to have one of each , maybe a Falcon saloon and a HSV Ute , Barra daily, LS toy.
Jader will be along soon, but AIUI they have committed to parts availability for the next 10 years and there's still plenty of knowledge around (although the products are fairly simple anyway).
The SS is the sporty one with the harder suspension etc., Calais is the luxury one and Caprice is the LWB, if I understand correctly.
I bought a VE SSV when I arrived 7 years ago, which I still miss. Go for it, they do feel special.
The SS is the sporty one with the harder suspension etc., Calais is the luxury one and Caprice is the LWB, if I understand correctly.
I bought a VE SSV when I arrived 7 years ago, which I still miss. Go for it, they do feel special.
It all gets a bit confusing, so hopefully this helps.
From the start in 2006 to the end in 2017 it went as follows: SWB (Commodore /Calais) model designation goes VE, VE2, VF, VF2. LWB (Caprice) goes WM, WM2, WN, WN2.
VF2 / WN2 V8s have the 6.2 LS3. Everything before that has the 6.0. LS3 SWB sedan and wagon also got bimodal exhausts. I think the bimodal back boxes can be bolted on to a LWB.
In terms of trims: SS is base, SSV mid, and Redline is top. SSV is a posh SS, Redline has Brembos etc. Calais / Calais V has softer suspension but apart from that is basically an SS / SSV. Caprice didn’t changed exterior wise from WM to WN2 - it got the VF interior at WN and then the 6.2 at WN2.
VF2 SS/SSV/Redline got a new front bumper and the wagons got new rear lights. Calais kept the same exterior but the sedan boot badging changed to having Calais in big letters across the boot lid at VF2, and the wagons got the new rear lights.
SSV was dropped at some point (maybe MY17?) and SS got extra kit e.g. HUD.
Check the boot of any SS - if it has a big plastic cover for a second battery on the RH side it is ex-police. Police wagons also have a cargo barrier. Almost every VF2 SS for sale at a dealer in VIC is ex-police (there was never a police spec SSV or Redline).
For daily use I’d consider a VF 6.0 tbh. The AT ones have cylinder deactivation whereas the LS3 doesn’t. Fuel consumption on an LS3 is about 30% higher. To put that in perspective I got about 10l/100km out of a 6.0 on a mainly freeway commute, and 13l/100km out a 6.2. At 115km a day that was quite noticeable! Use any of them in town and the numbers get a lot worse.
Spares and servicing shouldn’t be a problem. The aftermarket for older Commodores is huge and I expect it will stay healthy given they are now seen as collectable.
The only problem for me is the price at the moment!
From the start in 2006 to the end in 2017 it went as follows: SWB (Commodore /Calais) model designation goes VE, VE2, VF, VF2. LWB (Caprice) goes WM, WM2, WN, WN2.
VF2 / WN2 V8s have the 6.2 LS3. Everything before that has the 6.0. LS3 SWB sedan and wagon also got bimodal exhausts. I think the bimodal back boxes can be bolted on to a LWB.
In terms of trims: SS is base, SSV mid, and Redline is top. SSV is a posh SS, Redline has Brembos etc. Calais / Calais V has softer suspension but apart from that is basically an SS / SSV. Caprice didn’t changed exterior wise from WM to WN2 - it got the VF interior at WN and then the 6.2 at WN2.
VF2 SS/SSV/Redline got a new front bumper and the wagons got new rear lights. Calais kept the same exterior but the sedan boot badging changed to having Calais in big letters across the boot lid at VF2, and the wagons got the new rear lights.
SSV was dropped at some point (maybe MY17?) and SS got extra kit e.g. HUD.
Check the boot of any SS - if it has a big plastic cover for a second battery on the RH side it is ex-police. Police wagons also have a cargo barrier. Almost every VF2 SS for sale at a dealer in VIC is ex-police (there was never a police spec SSV or Redline).
For daily use I’d consider a VF 6.0 tbh. The AT ones have cylinder deactivation whereas the LS3 doesn’t. Fuel consumption on an LS3 is about 30% higher. To put that in perspective I got about 10l/100km out of a 6.0 on a mainly freeway commute, and 13l/100km out a 6.2. At 115km a day that was quite noticeable! Use any of them in town and the numbers get a lot worse.
Spares and servicing shouldn’t be a problem. The aftermarket for older Commodores is huge and I expect it will stay healthy given they are now seen as collectable.
The only problem for me is the price at the moment!
Edited by Jader1973 on Thursday 13th May 13:10
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