How many of you would buy VF SERIES 2 again (SS)

[Forg]

I'm not so sure the market is as small as they think it is. On the ground dealing with end customers I'd be confident in suggesting a bunch of sales straight up (myself included). Problem being that it doesn't fit into Holden's new age yuppie bullshit image they're trying so hard to gain.

As for the development cost, if an aftermarket joint can do it Holden can do it easily enough (from what I've gleaned from some of the guys I've spoken to, their engineering guys have looked into it). I don't think anyone would buy it expecting Commodore handling, I'd be happy to compromise handling off - I like the way the new Colorados drive, but can't deal with the lack of grunt and the turbo lag. Oil burners aren't really my thing either.

I really think Holden need to go out on a limb. Consider - Holden sell quite a lot of Colorados. Holden also currently sell a lot of V8's. Look at Ford with the Mustang - demand is there if you do it right, and nobody else offers a V8 in a ute except Toyota and it's diesel. Cost wouldn't be a great deal different to build either (if anything it will be cheaper as LS motors are much cheaper than common-rail turbo diesels).

I dunno ... people seem to be generally scared of combining 4WD inefficiency with large-engine inefficiency ... eg. they only sell something like 100 Patrols a month, apparently.
I think it'd be more likely they could sell a US-style truck with a petrol V8, for a lowish price at least, than a Japanese-style light-commercial; they could then also target people who want something more imposing/threatening (I reckon this is part of why Rangers sell as well as they do; all these JDM light commercials are massive these days, but Rangers look even bigger).

I don't see there being much crossover between Commodore V8 buyers & JDM light-commercial buyers though; the Commodore V8 has become quite the enthusiasts' vehicle, but hard-riding poor-handling JDM light commercials are the exact opposite.

Guess we wouldn't know 'til they tried it.

 

[BLACK-VE]

Yeah I get it.
I am far from selling it but I just started pondering why is just was not thrilled with it...

I'm a bit the same, my daily VE Berlina gets driven through the Adelaide hills a few times a week and I love the way it handles on 17's with RE003 rubbers and slightly lowered, absorbs the bumps better then the SS

 

[KT11H]

Coming from Falcon XR6 Turbo ute, it was fast but scary in the wet, very scary indeed, its chassis couldn't handle the power and the leaf spring suspensions at the back were good for loading but not so good at handling. It would apply to most of the pick up trucks, their ladder frame chassis would make a mockery of a V8 engine.

 

[OSH1360]

ive had a VF2 MY15, VF2 MY16 (current car) and I've got a VF2 MY17 on order (its actually sitting in the showroom)

there not daily driven either.

if you dont mind the car, why wouldn't you?

 

[Mik 030]

I moved from a HSV Avalanche to the VF2 Calais Ls3 wagon, as I needed a vehicle to tow an Ecotourer (caravan). I am a v8 fan, don't like SUVs and/or diesels, so found my options limited.
The Avalanche fit the bill, but was nearly at 200k. A relative bought a Ranger with bells and whistles. It has a great drivers seat, but a most basic passenger seat. His wife had to buy a padded seat cover to travel any distance....
I would buy a similar replacement because it is comfortable, quick, has towing guts, was relatively good value and is fun to drive. My wife enjoys the comfortable ride as she has a bad back.
What else is there?

 

[monstar]

A change of haircut is as good as a holiday, and life is too short to wear the same suit and tie Ron but comparing an SS to this POS, and this non descript thing is drawing a long bow. Just not apples to apples.
Sure from paper stats, 1/3 to 1/2 fuel saving comes with 1/3 to 1/2 less performance. And yes I'd bet my moustache the V8 engine noise is louder.
But I don't get the assertion that the LS is an old tech engine, and off top of my head don't think Subaru or Mazda make an engine comparable to suit a full size (5m two tonne) sports sedan?
Perhaps more to the point it is the type of car doesn't suit, but I think the engine technology is sound for the application. I mean what is missing, wrong with it?
I reckon if you had it tuned properly, you know like 4s 0-100, low 12s 1/4, and dialled in the handling you would like the car much better (ticks, clatter and all). But realistically that's another $10k.

 

[BLACK-VE]

I moved from a HSV Avalanche to the VF2 Calais Ls3 wagon, as I needed a vehicle to tow an Ecotourer (caravan). I am a v8 fan, don't like SUVs and/or diesels, so found my options limited.
The Avalanche fit the bill, but was nearly at 200k. A relative bought a Ranger with bells and whistles. It has a great drivers seat, but a most basic passenger seat. His wife had to buy a padded seat cover to travel any distance....
I would buy a similar replacement because it is comfortable, quick, has towing guts, was relatively good value and is fun to drive. My wife enjoys the comfortable ride as she has a bad back.
What else is there?

I'll be honest hardly anyone uses a V8 for towing these days, whats your economy like towing?

We had a 6L for towing(VE SS afm) and was in the 20L range when towing, bought a prado(not a fun drive by anymeans) but when towing its great on long drives on the highway re comfort and economy in around 12>13L. part of the reason the V8 is dying.

We younger heaps had holden V8's on lpg for towing even the little 253's

 

[TSMAX]

I would go for a manual SSVR or a WRX STI given the choice again.

 

[White Swan]

I like my SS and if it was written off I'd replace it with the same or maybe if I could afford it a Redline.
It does everything I ask of it.

 

[Forg]

I'll be honest hardly anyone uses a V8 for towing these days, whats your economy like towing?

We had a 6L for towing(VE SS afm) and was in the 20L range when towing, bought a prado(not a fun drive by anymeans) but when towing its great on long drives on the highway re comfort and economy in around 12>13L. part of the reason the V8 is dying.

Probably also because stuff like a VH 308 had less torque than a new 1.8L Corolla.

*ducks the inevitable thrown rotten fruit*

One desirement we had when buying the VF was the ability to tow, but it wasn't going to be a regular thing so didn't matter if it was a bit thirsty. We've used it once to tow my FIL's bigger-than-I-thought-it-looked-before-attaching-my-new-car-to-it 70's fibreglass half-cabin, which on estimation afterwards was probably over the tow-capacity even with the stabiliser-bars, but taking it easy & mostly on motorways/highways it was about the 18L/100km mark for that little jaunt.
The other time I've towed was using one of those deity-of-choice-awful rental car-trailers to pull a Mk1 Escort shell back from my FIL's place ... that actually made no difference to the average fuel used, because the poor thing gets used for so many short trips (it's used daily but I fill 'er up only every 3 weeks or so) ... I think it used fewer L/100km with 1000kg of trailer+car on the back at highway speeds than it usually does in stop-start traffic with just my better-half driving.

Towing was a secondary concern though, and there's no need for us to get a diesel truck for that purpose; but if something happened to the Commodore & we replaced it with something else, you can bet your bippy I'd miss that ability to tow. Even the Euros don't bother with that ability here; a mate has a manual E60 BMW 530d which in Australia has a tow capacity of something like 1500kg but with the exact same tow-kit fitted is rated to 2700kg in Germany, we're guessing they figured nobody was buying a 530d for towing anything so they didn't bother with whatever regulations they'd have needed to bother with to increase the official tow capacity.