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14 month old Redline or SV6 thats been sitting around

stooge

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I just cant shake the compulsion to snap up a Redline or an SV6 wagon before they're gone. They both have next to no km's on them. Worst case scenario though is they'd have the same 14 month old fuel and have not been started in that time. Whats the risks? If I did the deal or even before the test drive, would it be asking too much to drain the fuel and replace it? I guess the handbook service oil change would have been done already. How bad really is one really dry start once in its life? Thoughts appreciated.

it will be fine.
go the v8 if you can they are really nice.
I have had the 3.0 evoke, 3.6 sv6 and the 6.0 ssv and the ssv is very nice to drive even in stock form it handles well and has enough power.
the 6's are ok too but the ssv is much nicer.

you could get the zb too like others have said but you need to think about the terrible track record holden has had with its imported models, its going to take some time before issues begin to show with the zb (if any).
my Colorado is a 2016(my16) and that thing needed a new engine within 3 years of ownership and there are many more just like it with the same problem and now I have seen reports of 2017 models with the same problem when it was supposed to affect 2014 to 2016(my16).

it was great to "test drive" but that was never going to reveal the underlying issues the model had until I had owned it for a while and at the time of purchase the issue was only just being identified so the word was not out about it like it is now.
 

Banjo79

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Some serious love for the ZB out there! Enough for me to take a second look.
Three killers for me, exterior styling, less cargo volume, I have a large dog that needs more space, not less and rear seats dont fold as flat as VF. I sleep in the car when I'm travelling if it's cool enough. ZB out of the picture.
So, as much as I really do appreciate some other opinions on car choice, I'd really like some on my original question, pretty please.
If it helps for you to imagine is a ZB thats been sitting around for 14 months, that's cool to
So basically, what vehicle components will suffer from having sat for so long. Or is there little or nothing to worry about. Anyone know if it is standard for dealers to start and or drive a vehicle thats been sitting around for so long?
 

Anthony121

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Interesting to hear. What did you think of the power, and also the power delivery?
Journalists complain that it feels like it has 2HP unless it is revving hard.

I drive a V8 as my daily drive and nearly like the VXR over the Redline. V8 has more down low power under 2,000rpm where the VXR needs to be up around 3,000rpm but that was the same for the VF V6. Brakes don't bite as hard as the VF brembos but are better than the standard brakes on the other ZB Commodores. Plenty of take off power. Would blow away VF V6. The best bit was the AWD in the wet. Not a problem going around corners with power. I don't push my redline that hard in the wet. Also the adaptive cruise control was awesome too. We could only imagine what our next Aussie Commodore would of been like here if they continued manufacturing.
 

Skylarking

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Banjo, I know that lead acid batteries will die unless preiodically charged.

All auto parts stores periodically do this for all their wet batteries, usually once every 4 weeks from what they have told me. I’d be surprised if Holden & its dealers don’t have a similar battery maintenance routine in place (keeping in mind that the VF owners manual states you should place your battery on a charger overnight if the vehicle has not been driven for 6 weeks).

Such periodic maintenance should preserve the battery but I have no idea what else the dealer must do to ensure all the mechanical components are also preserved.

I have read statements in various vehicle manuals about periodically using the aircon to avoid seals drying out. Likely there are other potential areas of concern that also require that the vehicle be run (kms put on it, not just idled).

Heck, Holden insists that even one’s very low km vehicle still needs it scheduled service so presumably presold vehicles sitting at the back of sales yards need something as well.

You could ask Holden or your dealer what if anything they do for preventative maintenance on unsold vehicles. As such preventative maintenance would costs (maybe internal funny money between dealer departments, maybe billed in some way to Holden) they should be able to clarify that with some proof... whether they’d want to ‘share’ such info is another issue.

Wonder what Holden itself does with all its unsold ZB inventory sitting hidden away on some huge storage lot somewhere, distant from any convenient servicing...?
 

Anthony121

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Wonder what Holden itself does with all its unsold ZB inventory sitting hidden away on some huge storage lot somewhere, distant from any convenient servicing...?

They get started weekly and washed regualry.
 

VS 5.0

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Heck, Holden insists that even one’s very low km vehicle still needs it scheduled service so presumably presold vehicles sitting at the back of sales yards need something as well.

You could ask Holden or your dealer what if anything they do for preventative maintenance on unsold vehicles. As such preventative maintenance would costs (maybe internal funny money between dealer departments, maybe billed in some way to Holden) they should be able to clarify that with some proof... whether they’d want to ‘share’ such info is another issue.

They should be at least stamping the service book, no ?
 

Skylarking

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They should be at least stamping the service book, no ?
No idea what processes they’d use but why would they stamp any service book on an unsold new vehicle, doing would make it seem second hand.
 

Skylarking

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They get started weekly and washed regualry.
Yeah, I can see that happening on a dealer lot but the wholesale storage lots are a little more remotly located and sometimes chock full of vehicles that they overflow into paddocks (as was the case in 2008). In the later there would be logistic issues with starting what may be 1000’s of vehicles o_O but not saying it can’t be done :p
 

tml678

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We could only imagine what our next Aussie Commodore would of been like here if they continued manufacturing

I suspect they would have borne a very strong relationship to the ZB, undoubtedly with a V8 option of some description however.
 

VS 5.0

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No idea what processes they’d use but why would they stamp any service book on an unsold new vehicle, doing would make it seem second hand.

I was going off your comment that they hold customers accountable for servicing on time, not just distance, so should hold themselves similarly accountable.

If that is the case and they do in fact complete those services, then why wouldn't they stamp the service book, thereby providing the proof of such maintenance as you proposed.

If the service stamp shows nominal kms and reflects the odo, I don't see how it would make the vehicle appear 2nd hand.

The astute purchaser would take more comfort in the fact that the dealership has gone to some effort to maintain the vehicle in an as new state rather than letting it deteriorate.
 
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