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New Commodore - 2018 First Look

Brettly-2008

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Quite frankly all these people buying the massive pickups and SUVs are buying into a fashion which will cost them dearly in the future. Tyres for these things cost a mint, as does diesel servicing (especially if you are only doing daily short runs) and most of them handle like blancmange on a skateboard.

When I was looking at buying a new car my brother was jumping up and down wanting me to buy an SUV which, in his words, would be "great for the dog...heaps of room" blah, blah, blah. Well the SUV's height means doggy can't easily jump into the back, most SUVs have bugger-all room in the tail unless you fold down seats and they don't have the speed or handling finesse of my lovely VF Commodore sportwagon. Horses for courses BUT why people have moved away from wagons and big sedans (if they have a large family) is beyond me. Fashion, I suppose...but one that they'll pay for once the maintenance cycle begins. Now if they are bushies or they go four wheel driving and camping...or do a lot of load lugging, well and good. Otherwise a Holden or Ford ute or wagon would surely suffice.

Awful lot a truth here. I couldn't think of anything worse than an expensive, two-tonne, inefficient, uncomfortable, poor quality truck as a daily driver. And then I'd step out of the thing and cringe at the fact I paid $60k+ for drum brakes and leaf springs! Don't get me wrong, they have their purpose/place, but not for me, not as a daily anyway.
 

Stroppy

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Stroppy

There's more to buying an SUVforvsome people than just being fashionable.

I drove Commodore sedans for years and loved them but age and physical conditions eventually made them difficult to enter and exit.

I'm almost 65 and 6'4" in height. My knees are both stuffed. The other half has hip problems. Late model Commie seats tend to be pretty low set and we bought an SUV principally for the much higher seat height and easy access. The wagon type body also beats a sedan boot for loading.

Handling is adequate but obviously inferior to your VF. Dittoneconomy though not by much. We don't have a large SUV and the size of our car is ideal. It's a fair bit shorter than a Commie and pretty manouverable.

I'd much rather have a VF but it just doesn't suit our needs any more. I'm sure we are not alone

Calaber, I've no doubt there are people such as yourself who need a taller vehicle for easier egress and ingress. That was one of the only things which attracted me to thinking about buying a SUV...that and the high-up driving stance. So please don't think I was being critical of folks such as yourself for whom such a vehicle is physically better suited...I wasn't and best wishes to you. I was more thinking about the "average" buyer for whom buying such vehicles doesn't make economic or practical sense when the large wagon alternative will do the job cheaper, with better handling and basic safety.
 

Stroppy

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Awful lot a truth here. I couldn't think of anything worse than an expensive, two-tonne, inefficient, uncomfortable, poor quality truck as a daily driver. And then I'd step out of the thing and cringe at the fact I paid $60k+ for drum brakes and leaf springs! Don't get me wrong, they have their purpose/place, but not for me, not as a daily anyway.

Yes...very true. A couple of years ago a mate bought himself a brand new Land Rover Defender for his retirement. He optioned it with absolutely everything from winches, bull bar, the best UHF radio, in-built shelving and a lovely Engel fridge for his envisioned camping trips with his doggy companion. It was a great vehicle to look at and, as Landies are, was as tough as nails however...when he had been driving it for a fortnight he popped around for a visit and he looked pretty sad. After we had chatted for a bit he came out and said, "Mate...if I had my time over I wouldn't have bought it." I was really surprised and asked him why. His answer was illuminating. "It handles like a barge compared to my old Maxima, it can't pull the skin off a rice pudding and the brakes frighten me!" I reminded him that he was talking about a basic agricultural and military vehicle and what was he expecting for normal road use...etc... I also reminded him that it had many other merits over a road car in the bush and in atrocious outback conditions. He knew all that... he just couldn't live with the thing as a day-to-day driver. So, being that he was on his own (wife and kids long gone) and could spare a few bob I talked him into buying a day to day "normal" car and keeping his Landy for his trips. He went and bought himself a near-new Aurion V6 and was as happy as a pig in mud! He could afford to keep both but the Aurion went on to become his main driver.
 

Immortality

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Stroppy

There's more to buying an SUVforvsome people than just being fashionable.

I drove Commodore sedans for years and loved them but age and physical conditions eventually made them difficult to enter and exit.

I'm almost 65 and 6'4" in height. My knees are both stuffed. The other half has hip problems. Late model Commie seats tend to be pretty low set and we bought an SUV principally for the much higher seat height and easy access. The wagon type body also beats a sedan boot for loading.

Handling is adequate but obviously inferior to your VF. Dittoneconomy though not by much. We don't have a large SUV and the size of our car is ideal. It's a fair bit shorter than a Commie and pretty manouverable.

I'd much rather have a VF but it just doesn't suit our needs any more. I'm sure we are not alone

I hear you, I'm about 6'6" but not quiet as old yet, knees well past there best too I'd say.

Day to day it's not to bad on short trips but after a long haul it's takes a while to extricate myself from the drivers seat. Cruise control is great in that regard, you can flex etc without effecting road speed.
 

Calaber

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Calaber, I've no doubt there are people such as yourself who need a taller vehicle for easier egress and ingress. That was one of the only things which attracted me to thinking about buying a SUV...that and the high-up driving stance. So please don't think I was being critical of folks such as yourself for whom such a vehicle is physically better suited...I wasn't and best wishes to you. I was more thinking about the "average" buyer for whom buying such vehicles doesn't make economic or practical sense when the large wagon alternative will do the job cheaper, with better handling and basic safety.

No offence taken mate. While our gutless little Captiva is as excting to drive as a Morris Minor, it meets our current needs well.

I've had my share of big V8's years ago and from time to time I've wished for just one more go. I got to drive a new CV8 a few years back but unfortunately the other half was with me so I couldn't give it a boot. I just knew I wanted one. Still do for weekend SOLO trips.
 

VS_Pete

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monstar

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510 Nm from 1300 RPM is... incorrect. Makes you wonder how much hype surrounds the whole thing.
 

commodore665

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The red one is the new Holden , the other a Buick Lacross , like peas in a pod .
GM global[/ATTACH]
 

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greenacc

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Looks like a Swedish Mazda eunos. The Kia looks better.
 
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