TinSnips
Polish all the things...
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2010
- Messages
- 4,865
- Reaction score
- 35
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Hills District, Sydney
- Website
- www.drivencolour.com.au
- Members Ride
- VF SSV Ute
Well, the green SS has been sold to make way for this new VF SSV that I picked up on Saturday. So far, the verdict is - loving it. Haven't had too much of a chance to drive it yet but the interior design and feel of all the touch surfaces are streets ahead of what I stepped out of. Seating is similar, but the subtle changes are noticeable. Deeper bolsters, added shoulder support and softer leather than VE make for a comfy and supportive ride. The new wheel is nicely padded and significantly thicker than what was in the SS - It would fit in between VE SSV and E3 HSV steering wheels in terms of feel. Shift action is tighter and more accurate, which is a big plus and the dash layout, construction and material is quite nice. Obviously, cash was saved in the areas that are generally out of reach - forward section of the dash, door pockets, behind the seats, B pillars, etc - but the whole cabin FEELS more solid, including switchgear. Whether it is or not remains to be seen but initial thoughts are positive.
Road noise is massively reduced which is fantastic, but so too is engine noise, so that will be missed. It's crying for an aftermarket exhaust of some kind. I'm liking the My Link info screen - gadgets have never been a big thing for me but I like how this works and the standard sound is improved, if still built to a price. Have to say that sat nav is still not up to the standard of my portable tom tom unit (which is sensational to use) but the screen in the car is massive and no doubt I'll get used to it. Paler fabric used in the roof lining makes the cabin feel lighter and larger and the deletion of the broken elbow hand brake in favour of an electric brake is brilliant.
Steering feel with the electric steer is numb but sharp and accurate - quality of that is well above the price bracket. Self park feature is something I'll probably never use but I guess it's handy to have. Rear camera is nice and clear but missing guide lines, which can come in handy at times. Also liking the blind spot indicators as the utes have massive blind spots.
The to do list is just made up of the basics. Ride height needs to head south a bit, needs to be a little more noise and tint - It's been a long time since I've owned a car without tint and I'm missing it already! Booked in tomorrow for Suntek 35% carbon film. No big plans for this, just need it for a comfortable, reliable work ute that I can have a bit of fun with on days off. Oh.. and the chrome will have to go, as will the stainless accents inside. Don't want black, but something a little different that still gives a little depth. The interior stainless trim throws off some gnarly reflections in full sun, so will just go with a brushed titanium vinyl or similar.
One negative that I've noticed, seemingly across the VF range - they're painted really badly! Huge amounts of peel and far more dust nibs than should be accepted. The upside of that is there is a very healthy amount of clear on the car - a consistent 60-70 microns of clear (150+ microns total thickness) across the car. So sanding the peel out shouldn't pose much of a problem if I ever get the time to do it!
Road noise is massively reduced which is fantastic, but so too is engine noise, so that will be missed. It's crying for an aftermarket exhaust of some kind. I'm liking the My Link info screen - gadgets have never been a big thing for me but I like how this works and the standard sound is improved, if still built to a price. Have to say that sat nav is still not up to the standard of my portable tom tom unit (which is sensational to use) but the screen in the car is massive and no doubt I'll get used to it. Paler fabric used in the roof lining makes the cabin feel lighter and larger and the deletion of the broken elbow hand brake in favour of an electric brake is brilliant.
Steering feel with the electric steer is numb but sharp and accurate - quality of that is well above the price bracket. Self park feature is something I'll probably never use but I guess it's handy to have. Rear camera is nice and clear but missing guide lines, which can come in handy at times. Also liking the blind spot indicators as the utes have massive blind spots.
The to do list is just made up of the basics. Ride height needs to head south a bit, needs to be a little more noise and tint - It's been a long time since I've owned a car without tint and I'm missing it already! Booked in tomorrow for Suntek 35% carbon film. No big plans for this, just need it for a comfortable, reliable work ute that I can have a bit of fun with on days off. Oh.. and the chrome will have to go, as will the stainless accents inside. Don't want black, but something a little different that still gives a little depth. The interior stainless trim throws off some gnarly reflections in full sun, so will just go with a brushed titanium vinyl or similar.
One negative that I've noticed, seemingly across the VF range - they're painted really badly! Huge amounts of peel and far more dust nibs than should be accepted. The upside of that is there is a very healthy amount of clear on the car - a consistent 60-70 microns of clear (150+ microns total thickness) across the car. So sanding the peel out shouldn't pose much of a problem if I ever get the time to do it!
