John Williams
New Member
Hi all,
This is my first post, and it's on behalf of my dad. Firstly, after over a decade or so of having Ford Lasers and dreaming about getting a Monaro, the day of a new car is coming very soon. I'm his 'helper', which basically means I'm all over Carsales AU looking for something that he could get. He's always loved Holdens and had a couple of 8-cylinder models pre 1990s, and really likes the 3rd gen Monaro. He has no idea about the different variants and model updates, but ideally we'd be looking at a VZ or V2 Series III (or late V2 Series II) CV8.
However, I've been attracted to the HSV Clubsport E Series R8 more recently, for a few reasons. Firstly, my sister is within a few years going to be over 6 ft, and I'm about 6 ft already, and my dad is 6ft 3. Whilst I understand the Monaro isn't a matchbox, having a sedan with 4 doors and greater rear head and leg room would probably be a benefit. Secondly, even though it is a classic, the third generation Monaro is old. It's based on a last gen Commodore platform which is already out of date by 5 years. The R8 has lots of new features and tech. Thirdly, safety is a priority. While the Monaro still has 4 airbags and a 4-star ANCAP rating, the VE Commodores have 5 star safety ratings and many have at least 6 airbags. And finally, while the current Clubsport on offer has had several tweaks, it basically is the same car as the original E Series R8.
Now, the major question, something I need help with purely because I can't answer (having never driven a Monaro or anything made by HSV). What is the driving experience like when you're in a VZ Monaro CV8 compared to a E Series Clubsport R8, in terms of handling, performance etc.? What would be the better purchase? I've thought about suggesting the SS V but it's very common and to most on the road, it's just a Commodore.
Thanks all for your help,
John
This is my first post, and it's on behalf of my dad. Firstly, after over a decade or so of having Ford Lasers and dreaming about getting a Monaro, the day of a new car is coming very soon. I'm his 'helper', which basically means I'm all over Carsales AU looking for something that he could get. He's always loved Holdens and had a couple of 8-cylinder models pre 1990s, and really likes the 3rd gen Monaro. He has no idea about the different variants and model updates, but ideally we'd be looking at a VZ or V2 Series III (or late V2 Series II) CV8.
However, I've been attracted to the HSV Clubsport E Series R8 more recently, for a few reasons. Firstly, my sister is within a few years going to be over 6 ft, and I'm about 6 ft already, and my dad is 6ft 3. Whilst I understand the Monaro isn't a matchbox, having a sedan with 4 doors and greater rear head and leg room would probably be a benefit. Secondly, even though it is a classic, the third generation Monaro is old. It's based on a last gen Commodore platform which is already out of date by 5 years. The R8 has lots of new features and tech. Thirdly, safety is a priority. While the Monaro still has 4 airbags and a 4-star ANCAP rating, the VE Commodores have 5 star safety ratings and many have at least 6 airbags. And finally, while the current Clubsport on offer has had several tweaks, it basically is the same car as the original E Series R8.
Now, the major question, something I need help with purely because I can't answer (having never driven a Monaro or anything made by HSV). What is the driving experience like when you're in a VZ Monaro CV8 compared to a E Series Clubsport R8, in terms of handling, performance etc.? What would be the better purchase? I've thought about suggesting the SS V but it's very common and to most on the road, it's just a Commodore.
Thanks all for your help,
John
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