First Car - Vz Executive

[chickencoop]

I have just bought my first car (second hand)and guess what its a holden vz executive 3.6L.

Its a beautiful grey color. thats done 49,000 km.

What should i be looking at doing (service wise) to make sure its up to scratch?

[torana355]

Oil and filter change, Air filter. If its an auto check the levels and the state of the fluid. The bushes on the front control arm ect start to leak after a certain amount of km's. I just got mine replaced with nolathane and there are no more creaks from the front end.

[chickencoop]

Thanks torana355, Im wondering whether i do it myself or get someone to do it for me..


Im pretty stoked about doin things to it,

The battery i think is on its last legs so that might be the first thing i do, but im thinking about the mods i can do to it.

Anyone got some ideas on upgrades/improvements i can do?

Also On the distance left feature for fuel consumption whats the best distance left people have achieved with a full tank of fuel?

[chickencoop]

This is my car, yopu can see me chargeing her at the moment



And another

[Ozzie]

nice buy!

you got any other plans for it "mod wise"?

[chickencoop]

Not sure yet its a first for me so im lookiong for ideas/suggestions..

[torana355]

Yeah i wish my first car was that nice!! My first car was a crappy camira lol.. As for mods i just got a VCM tune done yesterday for $880 that i would highly recommend. Gives the car torque below 3k.

[chickencoop]

Ive been saving my penny's for a long time torana355, A very long time...Too long when yopu think about it... But its finally happend..

Thanks for the suggestion ill have to read into it bit, but sounds interesting

[torana355]

Im new to these new Alloytec Commodores too mate and from what i have read the VCM tune was the best bang for your buck mod i could find. You could get and exhaust system but from my long experience with driving modified cars loud cars attract too much attention from the 50. Ive also read a bit about the two hole airbox mod, though the guys at Castle hill exhaust said they only got 3hp from a custom made OTR style air intake so i don't see the point. I know a K&N air filter will increase the throttle response though.

I don't fully understand your fuel left question?? I know that most of these cars get about a 10l/100km with mixed freeway and suburban driving. I actually got 8.9l/100 on a 100km round trip yesterday. Based on the 75L tank i would assume you could get about 700km's out of a tank with mixed driving. If you are always in start stop traffic then it would drop to 550-650.

[chickencoop]

A new exhaust system, would be great, just looking at whats there at them moment is pretty average, My old man got extractors on his old cruiser, made huge difference to low end power. I dont remember them being that much louder though.

So I take it playing arpound with the exhaust on thes things can have a tendancy to make them louder(SIGNIFICANTLY)?

i do have plans to get a tow bar( so i can tow the old mans boat). i know its not a performance thing but its a necesity at this stage... ( I love my fishing to much)

[torana355]

If you just got extractors it would not be any louder but im not sure there would be a big difference in power/torque. Im sure you could get a full exhaust system that is not loud but usually you need a straight through system to get good gains. Any straight through system will be louder then stock.

If you want to tow stuff you should think even more about the VCM tune as the alloytecs have torque management bellow 3k that would affect towing performance.

[chickencoop]

You are certainly swaying me towars a VCM tune, When i do get around to putting a towbar on, do i need to worry about the suspesion or any other things that could crop up?

[torana355]

Not sure but i think you can just put the towbar on and start towing right away.

[chickencoop]

Thanks torana355

[torana355]

hey just check the owners manual it has everything you need to know in the towing section mate

[chickencoop]

yeah have been reading through it slowly, found the section on towing there is a fair bit of information...

[boofis]

same colour as my exec bought at roughly the same KM too (I have 55k up on it now). Mines ex-copper though so I've got rear power windows and traction control, and is still under warranty until august

Get it tinted, I got midnight express from tint-a-car. Looks sweet. I'm also getting a new set of wheels with rudd money, but I'm just gonna get something stock holden (something calasis/sv6ish).

Also getting phreddys aux-in mod done this week (he's up in Brisbane!) so i'll be happy

[chickencoop]

Mines out of warranty, but thats ok, Ive thought about tinting but have seen so many old cars where the tinting has bubbled that it really turns me of it. Im curious however can i ask what tinting did set you back?


I use to drive an 1994 magna, and this thing is a dream compared to that. Im finding myself using any opportunity to drive it. Just backing it out the driveway is a pleasure.

[boofis]

Mines out of warranty, but thats ok, Ive thought about tinting but have seen so many old cars where the tinting has bubbled that it really turns me of it. Im curious however can i ask what tinting did set you back?

Tinting wouldn't bubble for ages, long after you've got rid of her Mine came with a 15 year warranty. If I'm still driving my car in 15 years something is wrong :P The tinting was $300 if I recall correctly, from Tint-a-car. You could probably get a better price elsewhere....

I must say, do the tint. You'll love it

I use to drive an 1994 magna, and this thing is a dream compared to that. Im finding myself using any opportunity to drive it. Just backing it out the driveway is a pleasure.

Haha I know the feeling. I went from a 1993 Toyota Camry with 300,000 k up on it to a 2006 VZ Commodore. Still feels like a limo to me! Mind you, the camry served me well, was a great first car.

[chickencoop]

OK heres the first thing that i want to fix..

as you can see in the image(excuse quality taken on my mobile)

the trims have been rubbed away around the A/C controls and also the select buttons on the stock radio have been worn away, what can i do to fix these?

ie can i get new trims/radio face if so where(im in SA) and how much would they be?



thanks

[chickencoop]

anyone with a few ideas?

[Danoz]

yeh i would be interested in this too.. My car has the same problem.

[boofis]

Mmm not sure how one would go about fixing something like that. When I was looking for mine I came across a VZ Acclaim that had all the buttons / text colours etc worn away.

Didn't look pretty at all

[mainpath]

I don't think you could fix it unless you changed the panel ?
I thank god don't have it near the air con but i have it in the radio which annoys the crap out of me.
I guess the only way to fix it is just to replace it ?

[torana355]

Changing to an aftermarket Headunit would fix part of it. Then get a new surround panel for where the air-co controls are.