Buying a VX Calais... Gen3 or S/C 6??

[mrgem1982]

Looking to buy a VX calais, mainly for comfort levels, Now my issue is what motor??

I travel 40kms a day (highway kms) so fuel efficiency is a bit of an issue, but also want
something with reasonable power both for towing (horse float) and fun times.

One major worry for me with a gen3 is all i hear about piston slap. I really dont want
to buy a car with a motor that makes a whole heap of nasty noises. I read that alot of
gen3s were fixed from factory? Is there a way to know if this has happened to certain cars?

Now the S/C v6, i dont know much about them.. reliable? surely better designed than the gen3?
fuel economy compared to the gen3 (highway)??

Obviously when looking for a gen 3 i need to be aware of piston slap, oil consumption and oil leaks,
but what are common probs with the super 6?
And while im at it, any reasons to aim for a series 2 over a series one (VX)??
Thanks in advance guys...

 

[TonyJZX]

piston slap isn't an issue

either it never had it

or

it's been fixed from the factory

bit silly to think that it has had to for the last 10 yrs and it's still running fine today

get an LS1... there's really no alternative

 

[accentstencil]

Gen 3 is my recommendation. Problems fixed in series 2. Highway fuel economy is great, with cruise set to 100 k I can get 9L/100k (sometimes a bit less) on a highway, unless it is mountainous terrain. City driving is a different story.

 

[Thessman]

id go gen 3. i like super 6 but thats from a modifying point of view. but for every day driving, fuel economy for highway and especially in a calais gen 3 are great for noise, fun and all round great motors. go gen 3

 

[Vt_vic]

try a few cars out if the car has piston slap move on i was in the same situation and i went with the ls1 the l67 needs a few grand to get moving

 

[wana s' charge stock vt]

^^^true about the supercharged, there not that quick stock, i were a little disappointed with mine at the start... but once ya spend a little on em they're good i've only spent about a grand on mods(rockers, cooler, 12psi, cai, exhaust) and its starting to get up and boogie now...

fuel econ' is sort of up to you- if ya drive/put around as slow as ya would in an ecotec you'll use the same as an ecotec, as soon as ya start getting into it a bit and using boost it'll use as much fuel as an 8....

no major issues with em that i know of- $30 coupler in the snout of charger rattle a little, and the old factory LIM gaskets. thats about it

v8 sound better thou

 

[soop]

Ls1.
No question.

 

[carra909]

ive got an n/a 6 calais s1 so im not gonna give an opinion about what engine to get, as any of the above are better then mine.

but as far as i know the only real difference between the s1 and s2 cars is the toe rods on the rear end, s1 have heaps of problems with camber-ware and unalignable toe, for the s2 they finally stuck on some alignment and rear tyre wear is much better.
that and afew different exterior bits are the difference; calais badges: s1 are cursive s2 are block like, head lights: s1 are chrome s2 are black and grill: s1 are vertical lines whilst s2 is like a diagonal mesh. that should help you tell them apart

 

[MR_VX]

Id go the LS1

 

[st3r3otyp3]

I noticed on my car the other day there`s a sticker near the drivers door hinge that says field product campaign completion with date and dealer code (recall completion for piston slap????) and its an 02 series 2, and series 2s have black dash and interior bits on the door cards console etc were series 1 has has the VT grey.