Should Holden Go?

[VTCommoDude]

I'm hearing all this talk about Holden going down the toilet? It does seem a shame, but like the stereotyped Australian, it seems Holden are a bunch of lazy asses that don't mind selling a dodgy product and not giving a shit.

Lately, its been the small things for me. An oil leak here, a broken piece of plastic there. But it adds up and I don't think I would ever buy another Commodore. Even the VE is having its issues with re-calls and engine parts blowing. A holden salesperson even told me not to buy one!

Issues I have encountered, and it seems everyone encounters, include:

* cheap plastic door handles that break
* cheap parts in gear box that break
* countless engine faults from sensors to oil leaks to ECU issues
* camber/toe issues resulting in tyre wear
* instrument/dash problems
* anything electrical will go wrong
* VN parts still being used in VE (I guess $1billion doesn't buy much these days)

The list goes on and on. This is Australia's icon, like what BMW is to Germany.

Is it just me, or is our beloved icon going down the tubes? The look great, but under the bonnet... yuck!

[TVR-190]

hence why i bought a VP, it can be mended with a stick, and even my old lexcen banger never had problems

[Hot-Rod]

I've never had any of those issues listed above. What are you doing to your car? Hell i even have the original tyres on my commodore, and it's got 70 thou on the clock. Do you regularly service it?

But i do admit some parts seem cheapish.

[Tree cutter]

I still think the VL was the best car Holden ever built. The only real problem was the rust around the windows, but Holden has the rust problem sorted now.

[daron]

had my vt for 7 yrs its still going after all the ks and abuse i give her daily
mind you after a long hard day i kiss her goodnight and she always starts the next day
was looking at buying a new ve but just cant justify all the problems Ive seen and head about them
everything is disposable these days even new cars

[Astranomical]

What VN parts are used on any VE?

[jas98]

What VN parts are used on any VE?

+1 from me....please explain what parts you are talking about???

[jphanna]

we had better hope that holden hang on with the commodore. unless you want to drive a front wheel drive EPICA (or any other adapted car form overseas) as the flagship for holden. the commodore platform is one of only a FEW in the GM stable that has rear wheel drive.

Ford Aust has same dilemma with the falcon and whether the US front wheel drive Taurus will eventually replace it. liek the commodore, the falc is one of a few RWD platforms left in Ford.

[MasterOfReality]

Trouble is, Holden and Ford in Australia have a long history of making sub standard cars in terms of quality.

Technically superior and better quality imports from Europe are taxed so heavily to protect the domestic auto industry, so we are all herded towards cheaper locally built cars. Holden and Ford know this, thats why they build cars the way they do and pretty much get away with it.

The sooner Holden and Ford are exposed to the global auto industry in a more competitive way, the better. Then we might actually see an improvement.

[minux]

When you have production workers earing 60k plus what type of car do you expect to prodouce to keep a competitive car in the market? Unions have pushed wages so high that somewhere along the line something has to go, in ford holden and toyotas sake its the quality of car. They should make the commodore in china, would be as good build quality yet cost 1/5th as much.

[MasterOfReality]

When you have production workers earing 60k plus what type of car do you expect to prodouce to keep a competitive car in the market? Unions have pushed wages so high that somewhere along the line something has to go, in ford holden and toyotas sake its the quality of car. They should make the commodore in china, would be as good build quality yet cost 1/5th as much.

Production workers in Germany earn more than what they do here, yet in Germany their prices aren't that far off than the locally built cars here.

Its all about protecting the incompetent local industry I think.

[jphanna]

If holden stop production of local cars (60th anniv?) , can someone turn the lights out on the way out of South Aust.

[stocky]

If holden stop production of local cars (60th anniv?) , can someone turn the lights out on the way out of South Aust.

when did you guys get lights?

[Hot-Rod]

Minux, do you mind if your job was exported overseas??

We have to protect the local economy. Not everything can be produced out of China. Automotive industry in OZ supports 100,000 thou's jobs. I dear say you know a few people who work in the industry and rely on that job to support their family.

[And_ROOS]

+1 from me....please explain what parts you are talking about???

Explains the VE Calais i heard manging down Eastlink last night...

[arrow224]

+1 from me....please explain what parts you are talking about???

+2 from me?

[jphanna]

probably the sump bolt....

[andyman]

i dont get how people keep talking commodores bad in this and commodores bad in that, i work for local government as a mechanic so i get to work on most variety of vehicles etc, i can swear on someones grave that we have sent more toyota's (of most models) back for warranty to be repaired or we have repaired them, then we have commodores as a model by themselves,

i dont agree with anyone who says ve's are crap, they are a far superior model to any other commodore made and are very comparible to other brands,

ve's dont have as many problems as you think, yes the early ones (my06 and my07) had a few niggling issues but most have been resolved and the current my09's run many different components like computers, suspension setups, brakes etc etc to the originals,

as with anything, try it before you judge it, rather than believing what others say

[andyman]

probably the sump bolt....

nope,



im thinking he's thinking the 4sp tranny, which by the way isnt the same, many improvements made and actually seems rather refined in the ve than previous models

[levymetal]

Lately, its been the small things for me. An oil leak here, a broken piece of plastic there. But it adds up and I don't think I would ever buy another Commodore.

you drive a 10 year old car, did you expect it to last forever?

[jphanna]

That old 4 speed started life in trucks, they may not be the smoothest trans out there, especially compared to 5 and 6 speed ones now, but its tough as nails. how many of the old 4 speeds have failed in the last 20 years? the VG (?) should have a 5 speed as standard for sure though.

[Johnsy]

Even the VE is having its issues with re-calls and engine parts blowing. A holden salesperson even told me not to buy one!

He isnt a very good salesmen then is he....

* VN parts still being used in VE (I guess $1billion doesn't buy much these days).

please list the parts that are from a VN on my car.....

The look great, but under the bonnet... yuck!

anyone else think an LS3 look's yuck ?


you don't look after your car or you have a lemon....... sell it and move on like everyone else !

[andyman]

That old 4 speed started life in trucks, they may not be the smoothest trans out there, especially compared to 5 and 6 speed ones now, but its tough as nails. how many of the old 4 speeds have failed in the last 20 years? the VG (?) should have a 5 speed as standard for sure though.

actually, they only generally last about 200-250,000km before something lets go, thats upto vs's, im not sure if the quality and lifespan has been improved when the vt's where introduced,



if holden wants to be competitive in the next model, 6-speed auto and DI-Alloytec with fuel consumption in the mid to low 9's and 210kw, has to be the minimum, they are allready copping it by the media etc for having out-dated power and drivetrain components

[levymetal]

with fuel consumption in the mid to low 9's and 210kw, has to be the minimum

power and economy do not go hand in hand. this will definitely not happen for the next model. i don't understand why an exec v6 has to have so much power anyway. surely there's a limit as to where someone is going to say "we don't need more power". these cars are already as fast as V8s were 20 years ago, does mum really need this behind the pedal?

[TVR-190]

That old 4 speed started life in trucks, they may not be the smoothest trans out there, especially compared to 5 and 6 speed ones now, but its tough as nails. how many of the old 4 speeds have failed in the last 20 years? the VG (?) should have a 5 speed as standard for sure though.

the VG was the VN/ VP ute mate