Decent ZB review

[Calaber]

Deuce,

Whilst I agree with your statement regarding assuming what other members of the forum can or cannot afford, I have become tired of members who would not touch a ZB because of whatever, but haven't actually driven one. So often, these seem to be members still driving mid 90's Commodores which seriously would not compare favourably to a ZB in just about every way, including performance.

Being dedicated or loyal to Holden is commendable but common sense tells you some (or is that most) of these comments are puerile, based on opinion rather than experience, or just plain stupid.

 

[dgp]

It’s a funny thing isn’t it. I haven’t driven a ZB, I have sat in one and I liked the interior. I have bought new commodores every three years since 2002, and before that was a 10 prossesion of second hand ones.
I would buy one as transport if I liked how they drive, but I would keep my V8 too
The thing that worries me about the ZB is the long term viability of the platform given that Vauxhall has been sold off to PSA.

 

[Calaber]

It’s a funny thing isn’t it. I haven’t driven a ZB, I have sat in one and I liked the interior. I have bought new commodores every three years since 2002, and before that was a 10 prossesion of second hand ones.
I would buy one as transport if I liked how they drive, but I would keep my V8 too
The thing that worries me about the ZB is the long term viability of the platform given that Vauxhall has been sold off to PSA.

I agree. No matter how good the car is, it could become an orphan. Holden is trying to entice buyers into a new type of Commodore which may only have a brief production life. In the event that PSA abandon the car, as they surely will, what then for Holden? Will they try to reinvent the Commodore name with another totally new vehicle or finally put the name to rest? I think that depends on the success of the ZB and the type and origin of its eventual replacement, if any.

 

[vr304]

Would much rather my manual VE ss and a little bit further down the track a low k’s VF, enjoy your Mazda 6... ooops I mean zb people

 

[vs-lover]

The thing that worries me about the ZB is the long term viability of the platform given that Vauxhall has been sold off to PSA.

Don't you mean Opel was sold to PSA. ? Vauxhall is actually owned by Opel and Opel as a company was sold to PSA. Anyway now that we've clarified that,..............

GM are already looking for another platform within the worldwide network to base the Commodore upon after it finishes it's 5 year deal with PSA. The Z as we know it is a one off and parts are going to be rather hard to source after GM finishes with it.

Taking that into account most manufacturers make cars with the view that they will only be on the road for 5 years and then there will be no interest in them apart from scrap metal merchants and recyclers etc. From there on there will be another new car to purchase and talk about with the ZB just being a distant memory.

Does anyone honestly believe that GM ever think about HT Monaro's or Hatchback Torana's, no not really. As far as they are concerned they always only think of tomorrow and never yesterday, that's how manufacturing and retailing works, the rest can please themselves.

 

[Reaper]

Perhaps you should take a test drive in one before you make such disparaging remarks about this car. I’d bet you have never been in or driven one and also that you could never afford to buy one.

I can't speak for VR304 but personally as the owner of 6 new Commodores over the last 20 years (and not base model puss buckets either) the BS does absolutely nothing for me. It has nothing to do with the Australian made thing what so ever. For me, the Commodore is a large RWD performance sedan. The BS is neither of these things and anybody claiming it is, has never driven a proper large GT sedan.

 

[holomatrix]

Like the author of the previous post I have owned a succession of SS-V, Calais-V and Redlines over the last decade. I currently drive a ZB Calais-V M-F as my work car. Whilst it is a nice enough car (the underlying Insignia B platform is certainly a million times better than the Insignia A - a rather rubbish car that was thrown together for 9 or 10 years - much like the Dodge Journey which is in something like it's 12th year in the same platform - with only minor dickdacks and tweaks during the Insignia A lifecycle), it is certainly nowhere near as solid, refined, spacious, comfortable or properly grunty as either of the RWD VF Calais-V or VF Redline offerings. The AWD system is certainly interesting, and yes, there are ways to tweak it to send more power to the rear wheels... but it drives more like a ten year old Audi or BMW than a contemporary (today) GM/Chevy/Holden. Much of what Holden did with the internals and driver aids and other tweaks of the VF was to introduce the 'toys' to us and get us ready/used to what was to come.

As someone else said elsewhere in these forums... if it had been presented as a reintroduced Gemini/Camira/Vectra or even just as the Insignia that it really is, it could stand on its own and would not suffer the (mostly negative) comparisons to the VE/VF Commodores of old. It is not a commodore. My father, who took to driving commodore's when the VB SL/E was released (the car I learn't to drive in) feigns to call it a Commodore (he asks how the Insigniadore is doing ) and for die hard redneck Aussies like him, no amount of explaining that the VB-VT commodores were based (less and less) on the Opel's of old will convince them that this MID-sized hatchback is the next succession in the Commodore line.

I am holding out to see something that I was recently told a chap in Sydney is trying to do... he has bought a ZB Calais-V that was a writeoff due to chassis bend from what I was told was a light-medium rear-end impact, and is transplanting the engine, electrics and Twinster system into a donor VF. I haven't seen any more about it (just some rumours on the grapevine) but it would be interesting to see if the ZB tech becomes more palatable to some people if it is presented in a VF shell?

 

[VS 5.0]

I am holding out to see something that I was recently told a chap in Sydney is trying to do... he has bought a ZB Calais-V that was a writeoff due to chassis bend from what I was told was a light-medium rear-end impact, and is transplanting the engine, electrics and Twinster system into a donor VF.

I was expecting to see "LS3 from" instead of "into".....much disappoint.

 

[holomatrix]

Not sure they will ever do womthing like that... the engine bay barely holds the turbo four-bangers and the east-west 3.6ltr. The measurements don't look right for a V8 in either N/S or E/W... that is, unless they developed a more BMW/MB type V8 that delivers the mid-300's of KW while only being something like 4.2 litres?

 

[uz3r]

I currently drive a ZB Calais-V ... it is certainly nowhere near as solid, refined, spacious, comfortable or properly grunty as either of the RWD VF Calais-V

Interesting. Im a VF Calais V driver... Im surpised to hear you report this. The V6 VF Calais is hardly a grunty car (due to its weight).

Its also interesting to hear your reports about the ZB not being as refined or comfortable - the popular ZB reviews haven't picked-up on this.