Getting a VR Executive
Hello! im buying a vr exec of my grandma soon (shes downsizing) and I was hoping I could get your opinions on what i should do to it first. As far as I know its 100% stock and in a good condition. The first thing I want to do to it always changes, some days I want new tailights, other days exhaust and even have it lowered. But im really not sure as this is my first car and I dont want to get anything that I will regret as I dont have a lot of money to spare.
Any opinions, suggestions, prices etc is greatly appreciated!
Cheers!
Donating Member
Welcome to the forum.
This probably isn't exactly what you're looking for, but if I were 50 years younger, and looking at what to do with my first car, then I'd spend some money on advanced driving techniques. Learn to drive that car so that gearchanges are imperceptible, braking always smooth and progressive and when passengers alight from their car they think to themselves "that dude sure is a good driver". Once you learn and use advanced driving techniques you will enjoy driving much more and old Granny will be so happy that you are looking after her car.
Good Luck.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
new shocks and bushes with a brake check maby replacement and a flush will make it a better car and saffer
Give it a service if it needs one.
Drive it around as is for a month or so, keeping an ear and eye out for any issues, sort out those.
After that it is up to you what you want to do, some practical mods would be window tint, lower (but not too low) suspension, memcal tune off a capable forum member, aftermarket headunit.
Banned
(As well as the previously suggested mods)If you do change the tail lights please just go to Calais ones. The aftermarket ones are ridiculously gay and people will laugh at you behind your back. I would also recommend upgrading your seats to Calais/statesman ones which just bolt in very easily. Maybe paint the garnish which is the grey bit between the lights and then lower it and put on some nice rims, I would suggest vr clubsport rims or vt international rims. A cold air intake and a cat back would be the most I would personally put on a v6 performance wise and you can pick them up fairly cheap. Clear indicators also make the car a lot neater. Also the vr/vs 's' or 'ss' kits look nice which consist of a lower front lip, a lower rear lip, side skirts and a bootlip or spoiler. This is just what I would personally do, I suggest browsing the Vr/vs section to get a feel for what you like and don't like: VR - VS BEEFY, Trayner,and TRIKK are some stand outs among many others. Goodluck
Thanks mate. For the record its auto, and i'm not looking to switch to manual anytime soon. Got any suggestions of where I can go to learn these? And how much would it cost me approximately? My old man has always said he wants me to do different driving courses. Mind you, i'm still on my L's.Originally Posted by hako
Cheers, ill look into that!
Had a service 3 weeks ago (I believe) but then again, my nans been ripped off by a few mechanics over the years and I'm unsure whether they serviced it or just left it in the workshop for a few hours then charged her for it. Does that happen or am I just paranoid? Haha. Also, any issues in particular that I should be looking for? Don't want to have a repeat of the supercheap auto ad!
Getting the windows tinted is definately up there on my list, not actually sure if I want it lowered, will it even be noticable to the eye or will it just feel more stiff? Keep in mind theres many speed bumps around the areaAny particular brand I should look for in head units?
It almost makes me vomit seeing some of the tail lights people put on their cars around here. Not making that mistake! Where do you reckon I could get the Calais parts? Would the wreckers have em? Been eyein off the vr clubsport rims as well, not sure about the vt rims, don't really do anything for me.(As well as the previously suggested mods)If you do change the tail lights please just go to Calais ones. The aftermarket ones are ridiculously gay and people will laugh at you behind your back. I would also recommend upgrading your seats to Calais/statesman ones which just bolt in very easily. Maybe paint the garnish which is the grey bit between the lights and then lower it and put on some nice rims, I would suggest vr clubsport rims or vt international rims. A cold air intake and a cat back would be the most I would personally put on a v6 performance wise and you can pick them up fairly cheap. Clear indicators also make the car a lot neater. Also the vr/vs 's' or 'ss' kits look nice which consist of a lower front lip, a lower rear lip, side skirts and a bootlip or spoiler. This is just what I would personally do, I suggest browsing the Vr/vs section to get a feel for what you like and don't like: VR - VS BEEFY, Trayner,and TRIKK are some stand outs among many others. Goodluck
Ive got a mate with a vs and he has "frosty" tail lights. Opinion on those? And by clear you mean the blackish ones, I really hope you don't mean the Altezza ones *vomits*
Cheers for the help, i'll have a look around the forums
You guys have been awesome!
Enjoy it as it is, spend money on maintaining it.
I wish i never touched anything to my VS - money waster.
Donating Member
Your old man is smart!.....nothing worse than a knock at the door at 3AM for a parent. These schools cater for L's as well. One of my sons did a course with an ex police driving instructor and said he learnt many tips for survival on the roads and as parents we were much more at ease knowing he'd learnt these skills. Good Luck.
Defensive Driving Course Melbourne Sandown - Adrenalin.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
How's your son going now? What's he driving? Ever since I turned 16 and got my L's I've been confused as to why driving courses aren't mandatory, sure it's a bit of money to fork out but in my opinion I reckon it's money well spent. I don't think as a parent I would let my child get their P's without doing a course.
Donating Member
That particular son now drives a VZ SS .....another drives a Crewman SS.....and the third loves the bush so he drives a Hilux SR5. First mentioned one has only had one speeding ticket in his 8 years of driving and reckons the instructor gave him the 'message', second lost his licence due points about 5 years ago but saw the light and now has a clear licence....third has never had a ticket except for unroadworthy vehicles. So despite 2 of them driving cars with 6 litre V8's, they can enjoy their cars whilst staying safe. The 2 boys who didn't have advanced driving instruction learnt the hard way, and will sometimes recount some of their experiences in which they were lucky to be alive...so they learn't the hard way.
Of my 4 daughters, 3 drive and none have ever been booked.
None of our 7 kids has ever had a prang.....luck probably plays a big part there but as parents we have always stressed on them to act responsibly on the road plus they tell me I'm a bit of a 'back seat driver'. They all love their vehicles and when you care for something, you look after it.....no way will you risk damaging it.
I've had 1 speeding ticket in 50 years of driving but I have to admit that in days long gone, the cars, roads and particularly the law, were very very different.....
Sermon over... sorry for writing crap, but you seem to be approaching the subject of driving with responsibility - keep it up.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
That was a very good read, thank you! Nice to hear none of them have had a collision. Almost got t-boned by a copper with lights and no sirens yesterday, heard it screeching and it stopped a couple metres from the front passengers window. Needless to say, my dad didn't say much for a few minutes. Surprisingly it's the first emergency vehicle i've encountered so far.
Also, did you assist your children in buying their cars?
I think good driving constitutes the safety and comfort of the passengers. Try to corner accellerate and brake smoothly, And try to look further ahead of you than the next car being able to predict or see what cars further away are doing will save you some paint. Other than that its all technique and practice really. I got so many mates i hate getting in the car with because they're just simply bad drivers...They think they're awesome with their hard acceleration jerky gear changes, jerky cornering and late braking hell im still trying to convince one of them how stupid he looks downshifting in an auto. Anyone can put their foot down.
It's sad how some people just can't understand that they aren't peter brock
In Qld, L platers need to have 100 hours in their log book and hold their L's for a year before they can go for their test. Every hour they log with a qualified instructor counts for 3 hours on their log book.
This is a good start I guess, but back in the 70's in Darwin, they offered driver education at school. We had basic lessons, defensive driving, the works, as part of the curriculum, and as a reward for doing the course, we were eligible to get our license a year early. This should be standard everywhere in my view.
**We could get our L's at 15+9 months, and go for our P's on our 16th birthday. We also only had one year of P's so I had a full license on my 17th birthday !! **
You have the right attitude and thats the biggest hurdle jumped already.
Your first car? So you dont have any money right? Your first car is transport, nothing more. Its a stepping stone to something you really like. Buy stuff that makes it safe and reliable, worry about the bling when you are more financial.
Instead of buying fancy new wheels and tyres, clean the wheels you already have, and put new tyres on those.. if they need them. Spend the difference on a decent service and tune.
Instead of buying a super doof doof stereo, just install a CD player and some decent speakers. Spend the difference on brake machining and decent pads.
Instead of buying a body kit, learn to wash and polish your car regularly. Learn how to use armour all and a vacuum cleaner. Dont underestimate the difference regular cleaning can make to the quality of your ride. Save the change! I could keep going but you get the drift..
In 3 years time your priorities will have changed, your income will be higher, you'll have some savings, and you will have some idea of what you want to do with your life. You'll have a decent deposit for a nice reliable new car... or a house or business or more schooling if your priorities have changed.
Again, its probably not what you wanted to hear. But you asked...
Just one more piece of advice from an old bugger. You have an auto, thats cool. But if you can, learn to drive and take your test in a manual. I dont know about other states but in QLD you can get an auto only license. Dont burn your bridges, get a manual license.
Last edited by DAKSTER; 15-08-2011 at 08:06 AM.
Donating Member
The deal with my kids was that if I teach them to drive then I get a say in the choice of car (usually have to help with $$$ too!), so most got cars like Lasers, Pulsars, Valiants or Commodores - safe, reliable and cheap to buy and fix. When they'd call in at home for a visit, I'd wait till they weren't looking and check the tyre treads for feathering which indicates cornering too fast etc...sneaky but eases your mind. After a few years when they looked for a newer car I'd only assist if asked. It's pretty hard to hold your tongue at times!!! They bought a few bombs over the years...usually tried to buy private but every now and then they'd buy from a dealer mainly so they could get rid of their trade.
But as others have stated, you seem to be approaching driving and owning a car in a responsible manner which gives you a distinct advantage on the road.
Best advice I was ever given was by an old police sergeant mate of mine - he said stay invisible when on the road - meaning never to put yourself in a position of risk to or from other drivers - they are the unknown wildcard factor.
Good Luck.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
Ahhh. When i say jerky cornering im not talking so much about in town driving as sort of...out in the adelaide heals...real windy and sharp. And I mean when you turn the steering wheel you should...palm it in one direction...and then palm it back as you come out of the corner. Its hard to explain but i've got a mate who is shocking at cornering because he twiches the steering wheel...so goes into the corner, and then turns a little tighter...then a little looser. Its probably petty of me...but when you're taking a 30km corner at...a fair bit faster you dont want to wobble around the steering wheel and throw the weight of the car in and out of the corner as you go through it.
If you cant do it smoothly...you're probably trying too hard. Slow down...or something.
In saying that...im no saint i've done my own fair share of white knuckled cornering and stuff...i just always do it alone. My father in law was paying me out the other night coz of all the carbon on my pistons, reckons i just dont drive my ss hard enough... He didn't believe me when i said its had plenty of thrashing, just not with anyone but me in it...lol.
Yeah you're right I don't have any money. But I've always been able to save money, so i'm desperately trying to get a job (and failing) so I can save up a few dollars. My dad will buy the car for me, and most likely buy me a few things for it that I REALLY want. Or something that he thinks I need.Your first car? So you dont have any money right? Your first car is transport, nothing more. Its a stepping stone to something you really like. Buy stuff that makes it safe and reliable, worry about the bling when you are more financial.
Instead of buying fancy new wheels and tyres, clean the wheels you already have, and put new tyres on those.. if they need them. Spend the difference on a decent service and tune.
Instead of buying a super doof doof stereo, just install a CD player and some decent speakers. Spend the difference on brake machining and decent pads.
Instead of buying a body kit, learn to wash and polish your car regularly. Learn how to use armour all and a vacuum cleaner. Dont underestimate the difference regular cleaning can make to the quality of your ride. Save the change! I could keep going but you get the drift..
In 3 years time your priorities will have changed, your income will be higher, you'll have some savings, and you will have some idea of what you want to do with your life. You'll have a decent deposit for a nice reliable new car... or a house or business or more schooling if your priorities have changed.
Again, its probably not what you wanted to hear. But you asked...
Just one more piece of advice from an old bugger. You have an auto, thats cool. But if you can, learn to drive and take your test in a manual. I dont know about other states but in QLD you can get an auto only license. Dont burn your bridges, get a manual license.
I'd like to point out that i've driven maybe 5 cars since getting my L's, 1 reguarly. I've noticed that my nans car (the car in question) have really soft brakes. Not sure if it's the right word but I have to push a lot harder on the brakes and start braking a lot earlier than on my dads car which is what I usually drive. It is a 2009 or 2010 camry. Their braking is so much different, is it because of the age difference alone or have the brake pads worn down or something else? Is this something worth getting checked out because I wouldn't mind some better brakes before anything purely cosmetic.
In victoria we have to do 120 hours of recorded driving. I've had my L's for 9 months and done 170 recorded hours. Add another 30 hours that haven't been put down. And I was planning to go for my manual license so I could drive both auto and manual. I've driven a manual twice and I was shocking. Shifting up was fine, but slowing and shifting down then stopping and taking off again was what I was struggling with.
Newer cars tend to brake better than older cars such as the VR.
A soft pedal may indicate that the brake fluid is due for a flush, something worth doing as it will help the car brake better. It'd do you good to inspect the pads and rotors and replace if necessary. Having your brake system in order could save your car, and even your life one day if you faced a hazard on the roads.
Donating Member
The Camry has much more sensitive brakes than the VR/VS Commodore, plus they need less pedal travel. I found this recently when test driving a '99 Camry.....the brakes seemed very good. However, the Commodore brakes will still stop you just as quick....they just need a bit more pressure.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
Thanks guys. I might as well have it looked at just incase
Just a quick update, I was looking through the past receipts and papers from all the mechanics it's seen. I noticed that recently this year the Ryco oil filter which was placed in the car last year had been replaced by a Phoenix oil filter. Both of them were fitted at the same mechanics, why would they change the product? Can anyone shed some light on whether this is a good or bad thing? Or are all oil filters basically the same?
And i'll update the first post on a couple more small things the car has had done
Probably because the mechanic has changed their supplier. Its not anything to worry about. While some filters are made better than others, its not something to lose sleep over on your 3800 - they will all do the job.
Yeah that's what I was thinking haha. Thanks!
its your first car dont waste your money on it
i got a vr cost me 3grand to get it on the road due to the age of the car and saftey regs these days for the car to be on the road lol but dont do it up just chuck some rims on it standed lowered king springs or super lows so it sits nice and a sound system and a decent exhaust and have it as a cruiser becuase first cars will always end up in a prang and get dinged smashed etc thats why im not doing my vr up anymore and becuase i got my son on the way
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