Does my car have more problems than the average commodore or is it normal

[holden#1]

I previously owned a VS Calais which I brought with 146,000kays on it. I replaced all the above mentioned items + catylytic coverters and exhaust before it reached 170,000 kays....
It was quite annoying...

I now own a one owner VS Exec which has done 225,000 kays.
Previous owner says he has not replaced one mentioned item... everything seems to be in fine condition...
wtf????

 

[Harvs82]

I previously owned a VS Calais which I brought with 146,000kays on it. I replaced all the above mentioned items + catylytic coverters and exhaust before it reached 170,000 kays....
It was quite annoying...

I now own a one owner VS Exec which has done 225,000 kays.
Previous owner says he has not replaced one mentioned item... everything seems to be in fine condition...
wtf????

I guess it just comes down to how the car has been treated over the past 12 or so years... Regular servicing is the key, as well as using the recommended lubricants and genuine parts. I still use the recommended 20w/50 oil, and change it every 5000km, use the genuine holden coolant at 50% concentration, and haven't had to touch anything related to the cooling system at all.

Some people are just unlucky I guess, I know that my car is on its 3rd fan amplifier for the climate control system, the previous owner (original owner) had also replaced it several years ago... I was chatting to the people down at Holden who said it was a very common problem, especially now, some people are unlucky, and blow them quite often, whereas other vehicles never have a problem....

My mate had a VT V6 with only 40000km on it, his olds used to own it, it was fastidiously maintained and never thrashed, and yet within the next 20,000km, he had to replace the alternator, power steering pump and the water pump...

Every car is going to have its problems... but with VS now being atleast 10 years old, you are going to have to expect that things are going to wear out sooner rather than later.

 

[evil_monkey]

all the things you have replaced are comman items to go on commodores ive had a few commys heres a list of the to of my head things ive had to replace turns out most of it is to do with interior/trim rather than mechanically enjoy...


1988 vn series I 5spd exec
owned it for a year and a half i replaced the alternator, idler belt, thermostat and clutch
then just basic servicing
had a brown interior nothing was broken i did an interior conversion switched to full berlina everything was changed over so it looked as if it was a berlina


1999 vt series II exec
x2 remote heads $150 ish
x2 map pockets appx $45 each
x1 seat backing appx $250
x1 seat rail plastic cover appx $20
internal dash globes both instrument cluster and controlls $5 a globe = near $100 to replace the globes i needed to replace
drivers speaker grill appx $45
automatic shifter sourround $20 new off ebay (old one had 3 screw holes from hands free kit)

after replacing all this it brought the car up to new showroom condition mechanically i didnt have to change anything apart from a $10 purge hose and the idler belt n the basics spark plugs leads filters etc had the car for 12 months very reliable but beeing a vt it was sluggish so i sold it to get a vs as i had a vs at the time that had a lot more go


1996 vs v6 exec
x2 oxygen sensors
ECU
exhaust manifold bolt
fuel pressure regulator
rocker cover gaskets
idler bearings
x2 remote heads
roof lining sagging $180
a/c button/dimister switch $20 each
dash fascia broke whilst replacing switches $99
ashtray $20 ebay (old one cracked)
automatic selector $10 ebay (old one scratched)
recently sold that to buy an 01 vx acclaim about a month ago

1995 vs series I ute
x2 remote heads
all idler bearings
rocker cover gaskets
a/c switch
tail lights

didnt really keep it long enough to have much else needing replacement other than basic servicing sold it in october last year to buy the statesman

1998 vs series II 5.0L statesman
x1 remote head + key cut (spare was missing)
ignition module
ignition coil
radious rod bushes
front ball joints
alternator bushes
heater tap
vaccume solenoid under the dash
drivers side velour window pillar (old one had a hole in it from hands free kit)
ash tray
3 wheel centre caps

and yep still got the car and absolutly love it

and last but not least

2001 vx acclaim
x2 remote heads
x3 plastic seat rail covers
unlock button for rear centre arm rest
all the globes in the dash
front dash storage compartment
stereo/mid centre console sourround type thing havent replaced it yet its on order its gona be horrible to change as it seems to be a very decent chunk of the dash it has 4 holes in it on the side from a hands free kit dam what is it with me buying cars that have holes in the trim from hands free !! so yeah to replace that panel its all one peice

 

[cruzn]

Sounds like a lot of work. Did you pick it up really cheap from a hoon? Whoever sold it to you did so at the right time. Everything is new now at least. Just interested though, who is doing the replacing? Is it you replacing as it fails, or is it your mechanic telling you it needs to be replaced?

I am replacing everything as it fails. Purchased the car as a repairable write off with minimum to medium damage to the rear. I am the sixth owner of the car in its 12 year life. All five owners before myself purchased the car from a dealer thus making it literally being under warranty its whole life except for about three months before i bought it. It has had every service in the book and the previous owners looked after it judging by the condition. (P.S i believe the high amount of owners is due to the fact that it is terrible on fuel 16L/100k i have since converted to gas two days ago)

 

[holden007]

My Commodore I have replaced a few things including:

Auto Trans x2 (first one 7yrs ago, second one just fixed this week)
Power Steering Pump x2 (5yrs for the first one, a year go for the second one)
Radiator and all hoses (a year ago)
Waterpump (a year ago)
Fuel pump (2yrs ago)
Water jackets (a year ago)
Brake booster (replaced 6 yrs ago)
Alternator (replaced 5yrs ago)
Temp. Sensor (a year ago)
Oil leaks (fixed 6 yrs ago)
valve seals (7yrs ago)

I had alot of problem with he water system, firstly the radiator went, when the water pump died out, then the radiator hoses started leaking (also replaced thermostat)and then after replacing them the water jackets were gone. I think the pressure took these parts out one by one. My water system is practically new:thumbsup:

 

[andyman]

ive had my car neally 4 weeks done 290k's on it with the odometer approx on 194000 and have done the following
-Windscreen $220
-roof lining $250
-aircon regass $110
-steam cleaned interior $75
-Pinion bearings on the 19th march $?
-radiator/heater hoses $80
-parts for a service $ 200
-Rear vision mirror $30

 

[Jon Z]

Have had the car nearly two years now and all i have had to replace is sway bar link pins and bushes, and the 3 idler pulleys, oh and fix the rear quarter window leak. It's done 150,000 so i guess most of the problems will come as she gets on more.

 

[kylegray]

vr

When im bought my vr about 6 months for 2 grand i though i got a bargain, though i only had to fix up a few things to get a road worthy but i ended up spending another 3 grand just to get it road worthy:

brake rotors X 4
brake pads
steering wheel
tyres X 4
exhaust from cat back n manifold
idler pulley
front engine mounts
sway bar bushes front n back
strut to chasis link bushes
rocker cover gaskets
tail light
speed sender in tranny
wiper squirter
battery

but it was all worth it now... its an excutive but for some reason its got lsd, cruise control n abs... prolley cause its an ex cop car!