VFII Calais V Questions

[rocketrider]

Hi All,
I'm currently looking at purchasing a VFII Calais V Sportwagon with LS3 V8. After researching, and having a test drive of the car, there are a couple of things that are causing me some hesitation...

- The rear headrests in the sportwagon are not adjustable, but are adjustable in the Calais sedan version. Also the sedan version has a centre headrest, whereas the sportwagon has none. To me, having 3 young children and planning to keep the car for a very long time, this is potentially a safety issue, and just feels cheap in what is meant to be a luxury car. Is it possible at all to swap the rear seat/head rests with those in the Calais sedan?

- I was a bit disappointed with the road noise, as the reason I decided on the Calais was the premise of a quieter car than the more sporty suspension tunes in the SS and Redline. I'm not sure how this car will go on coarse chip, as I couldn't test drive it on those types of roads, but on normal suburban streets, there appears to be more tyre/road noise than I expected. I guess this is due to the low profile 19" wheels? Any owner experience with this?

- There is no premium Bose audio available in the sportwagon. I didn't get to test the audio system fully, is there much difference between the Bose audio available in the redline sedans, and the stock audio in the sportwagons? Is it worth getting an aftermarket system in the sportwagons?

Apart from these 'nit-picks', the LS3 V8 is awesome, just the sound of it when the car is idling gives great pleasure!

I'm thinking now to forget the luxury and practicality thinking, and just go for a Redline sedan in manual! Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[vrclubbie]

Hi Mate,

VF 1 Calais wagon (v8) owner here

Can't answer you regarding the seat swap - although, I too find it odd that the headrests are not adjustable.

re: Road noise, it's not too bad with the 19's on coarse chip, but it isn't 'world class' certainly not a problem for me though - the side mirror noise is more annoying. I just returned from a road trip to Canberra with a full carload, nobody complained about road noise and I didn't find it tiring. The suspension is great for long trips and the seats are super comfy, it's a great cruiser, but probably worth taking it for another drive as this is all subjective.

re: stereo, the stock system is pretty bad IMO - my partners car (mazda 3 sp25 GT) has a bose system, it's MUCH better than the Calais (stock). I upgraded all 4 speakers, then added a sub and amp - sounds decent now. You can pretty easily upgrade all 4 speakers (6.5 inch all around). I also put some dynamat on the inner and outer door skins - 1 bulk pack will do the trick. The 4 speaker upgrade sounded GREAT and really, the sub is just there because i'm an idiot. I used Pioneer 'champion' series gear all around - you can buy splits for about $170 on ebay, co-ax for just over $100 - so it's not an expensive exercise. Dynamat cost about $250. Any semi-decent aftermarket sound gear will sound better than a bose system.

 

[3rspecB]

Sedan rear seats don't fold down like wagon rear seats do, so mounting points / hardware may differ. Also wagon rear seats have the child seat hook at the back of them while sedan rear seats don't as the child hooks are on the parcel shelf.

 

[RED LION]

I havnt had any trouble with the road noise in mine. Although with the Rapiers and Potenzas is an improvement over the stock 19s.

Not adding the Bose system is ridiculous. I might put some Bose speakers in it one day but it’s not high on the to do list.

 

[rocketrider]

Thanks for the input guys. vrclubbie, tell me more about the side mirror noise? Is that a wind noise issue?

Before my test drive with the Calais, I got to drive a borrowed 2017 Mazda CX-9 GT for a day. It was a very quiet refined car, and I expected that kind of thing from the Calais, so maybe my expectations were too high? Incidentally, the CX-9 had a Bose system, which was awesome. Funnily enough, I thought that the CX-9 drove better around corners, and sat much flatter than the Calais. If only they could fit a LS3 V8 into the CX-9! I guess I need to test drive the models with the FE2 and FE3 suspension.

 

[vrclubbie]

It sounds like you're in a similar position to me one year ago. Choosing a family car that isn't boring.

The wind noise is not a huge problem, but it exists, why? I don't know... Probably for the same you can see spot welds around the boot, screw heads holding on the chrome trim at the front of the car, rough chrome on the inside of the tiptronic section of the chrome gear lever surround, a gap at the front of the side skirts and the body of the car, etc... etc...

Mazdas tend to be very nice to drive, the 'zoom zoom' stuff is not just the marketing department trying to make them sound sporty. they are also very well built and have fantastic service departments/dealers. It's not just me saying that either, independent surveys can confirm.

Ultimately though, you will only get a top spec cx-5 for Calais V wagon with an LS3 money, and no (current day - brand new) Mazda is pushing over 300kw.

If you want a compromised car, with awful fuel economy, terrible depreciation, questionable build quality and after sales service that puts a smile on your dial every time you leave a red light or hit a freeway on-ramp - buy the Calais.

If you want the opposite, buy a cx-9/5 or outback with the 3.6 (and cvt *spew*)

It's really a head vs heart battle. I wanted... no, I NEEDED a V8 again, so Calais it was. Not to mention it's literally the last chance you will have to own an Aussie V8 family wagon... if you're the nostalgic type...

oh, almost forgot... all your mates with 4 cyl SUV's will be jealous haha

 

[Forg]

Geryltrux are the epitome of “compromised”, driving CX-anythings & Outbacks are like being forced to lick the pus from Satan’s anus by a leather-clad Mardi Gras man-horse where the back-half is Tony Abbot & the front half is Bill ‘Zimger’ Shorten (he’s the one wielding the whip)!

LS3 Calais is heaven compared to all of that ... except not-manual, not-manual is something of a downer.

 

[KT11H]

Have a CX9 sitting in my garage, bought it new 7 years ago, it uses more petrol than my ute, but it seats 7 and very "civilised" to drive. Drove the new CX9, much improved fuel consumption and even more "civilised" - the 2018 model handles better too. Get the CX9 for your family but drive the Sportwagon for yourself....

 

[rocketrider]

"Get the CX9 for your family but drive the Sportwagon for yourself...."

Haha, I like it!

The CX-9 engine is actually pretty good, 420Nm at 2000rpm. Mazda is meant to put the same engine in the new Mazda 6 later in the year, shame it's going to be FWD

 

[tommy_z]

Owner of a VFII Calais V sedan (albeit V6!).

1. Sports wagon back seats fold down unlike in the sedan so none of the sports wagons have the capability of adding the rear headrests. This is so the seat can fold flat downwards. Trust me there’s nothing wrong or bad about the lack thereof; it is only the Calais sedan series that has the rear headrests. The rest have the same design and it is just as comfortable for everyone except the one in the centre seat (but you would avoid sitting there for long periods anyway right?)

2. I don’t have any road noise from my Calais; it is super quiet on the freeway and ride quality is awesome on the stock Turanzas. I’d be inclined to put Potenzas when the time comes for replacement. Maybe your test drive had a bad seal perhaps; check with the dealer and other stocks because your ride should be quiet with only little noise at freeway speeds. Neighbourhood and city driving is a breeze. You will have a lot more fun in a V8.

3. I have the Bose speakers and while they are an improvement over the Sv6 I had previously (great bass and depth of sound), it’s still not as good as the aftermarket stereo and speakers I installed on my VX Acclaim. To be honest... I really don’t listen much to music as I drive but if you were wanting something quality, you would go aftermarket regardless of what car you bought. Besides you got that bimodal to listen to!!!!

I bought the Calais V for the luxury and features it provides over the other Commodore models (I hate flipping through a manual where it says ‘this MAY be fitted to your car’). You’re going for a V8 and I would say that provided you can iron out the wind noise with the cooperation of your dealer, you will have a very fantastic car.