VE Leather Console Lid

[3onTree]

Hi guys.
I have a new SV6 Sportswagon and I shelled out for leather interior, all is well except when i drove off from the dealer I rested my elbow on the shallow rubber console lid and thought you got to be kidding as it pulled the hairs off my arm! Dealer rep said it was standard despite 2k plus for the leather interior - smiling knowingly.

Firstly the leather is absolutely cheap rubbish compared to mid price Euros. For the price you pay for cow hide, the interior is cheap and bloody nasty and the seats are very cheap too (compared to other cars in the 50k bracket where VW Pasat plays). Why don't Holden get the anti-whiplash seats from the other markets , at least offer as an option for a decent seat. The console lid just adds insult to injury. Anyone over 5 foot is going to find the cheap console lid useless and you cannot rest your elbow on it without leaning over a lot ... I am 5 11 and the lid is about 100mm too low to be useful. I noticed that HSV fit a proper lid which much more height and leather. I absolutely love the car except for the cheap console lid and rubbish brakes... Such a shame. The car has absolutely great quality body / chassis, motor, (auto still not anywhere near the ZF) and handling / steering. Cosmetics cheapen the thing.... and there are no quality options. After all that, can anyone point me to decent console lids and suggest brake upgrade? I noticed from other posts the v8 brakes use the same pads... that confuses me.... that would suggest same contact area, possibly multi-piston calipers on the v8 brakes. How can you get anything from a bigger rotor if you use same pads? the extra surface area is not being used? Any ideas.? cheers.

 

[UFO]

Hi guys.
I have a new SV6 Sportswagon and I shelled out for leather interior, all is well except when i drove off from the dealer I rested my elbow on the shallow rubber console lid and thought you got to be kidding as it pulled the hairs off my arm! Dealer rep said it was standard despite 2k plus for the leather interior - smiling knowingly.

Firstly the leather is absolutely cheap rubbish compared to mid price Euros. For the price you pay for cow hide, the interior is cheap and bloody nasty and the seats are very cheap too (compared to other cars in the 50k bracket where VW Pasat plays). Why don't Holden get the anti-whiplash seats from the other markets , at least offer as an option for a decent seat. The console lid just adds insult to injury. Anyone over 5 foot is going to find the cheap console lid useless and you cannot rest your elbow on it without leaning over a lot ... I am 5 11 and the lid is about 100mm too low to be useful. I noticed that HSV fit a proper lid which much more height and leather. I absolutely love the car except for the cheap console lid and rubbish brakes... Such a shame. The car has absolutely great quality body / chassis, motor, (auto still not anywhere near the ZF) and handling / steering. Cosmetics cheapen the thing.... and there are no quality options. After all that, can anyone point me to decent console lids and suggest brake upgrade? I noticed from other posts the v8 brakes use the same pads... that confuses me.... that would suggest same contact area, possibly multi-piston calipers on the v8 brakes. How can you get anything from a bigger rotor if you use same pads? the extra surface area is not being used? Any ideas.? cheers.

So let me get this straight, you've just bought the car and are just now noticing all these 'faults' with the design and inclusions???

Lets summarise your complaints here:

Dont like Centre Console Lid
Dont like the Leather
Dont like the Seat Design
Dont like the Brakes
Dont like the Auto (prefer the ZF)
Dont like the 'cheap' Cosmetics

Umm.....dude, I got to ask..... why did you buy it?!?!

The console lid is obviously a huge deal because you mentioned it like 5 times. You didnt notice this on the test drive? And just for reference, I'm a little over 6ft and to me the console is the perfect height! Try lowering your chair a little bit more. But if it's still a drama, get the console lid trimmed in leather and padded at any car upholstery mob for no more than $200.

And I'm really confused as to why you paid for the leather option if you hated the leather so much?
Again, a car upholstery mob could have given you your 'better seats and leather trim' you are seeking, if the stock wasnt good enough.

I'm not familiar with the brakes on the V8 as I dont own one, but what I do know from previous brake upgrades on previous cars, the stock brakes are matched to the engine... as such I dont think the V8 brakes are the same as the SV6. That doesnt make sense. In regards to getting better response, I think changing to aftermarket pads (like Pagid) and getting good quality brake fluid will make a huge difference. If not, go to DBA and get some bigger slotted and vented rotors. Changing calipers gets more expensive, so I'd leave that until the very last option because that money could be put to better use. But again you have to ask yourself- if they ARE the same brakes as the V8, and you still find them crap, how is it that V8 drivers are satisfied with them?

In regards to the auto box, tell me which one you bought? Because if you bought the newer SIDI engine with new 6 speed, I'm going to tell you that you got rocks in your head . There is no one (not even people on the Ford forums) that will say that the new 6spd is bad. It's a HUGE improvement and a terrific drive. Mind you if you bought an older SV6 with the older drivetrain setup, then yes.... I'd have to agree with you that its not great.

Finally with the cheap cosmetics, well I guess thats personal taste... and again something you should have noticed prior to handing over your cash. For me they are fine. It's all relative to purchase price. Some other recent posts in this section have the commodore comapred to bmw and other euro brands. Schmucks . Of course they are better- at 3 times the price! The new VE 2 update is coming out very soon, and apparently has different plastic bits for those who dont like the current setup. If you hated the cosmetics so much, maybe you should have waited until the update came out?

I dont know mate... I'm not sure if you are trolling or just a little nieve when it comes to buying cars, but something doesnt mesh right. You buy a sportwagon and then sign up to JC to trash it. Maybe you should have stuck with the ZF, because it doesnt sound like you are too happy with your purchase?

 

[jasonsv6]

bigger rotors with the same pads further from the center of the wheel will give you greater stopping power.
brakes are a complex mix of physics bigger pads will not nessaceraly increase the stopping power.
bigger does not equate to better alll the time

 

[TinSnips]

you can get the HSV style console lids from JHP JHP Vehicle Enhancements - Specialise in Holden Monaro and Commodore Spoilers, Body Kits, Tyre and Wheel Packages.

but if you're resting on it, you're not driving it like you should, so with that logics, bench seats should be fine and you won't be finding the limits of the brakes. I find the brakes a little weak on my ss but they'd be fine on the v6. If not, grab a set of slotted fronts from DBA or similar with some decent pads and you'll be fine. Also, yes... the passat IS similar in price.. but good luck fitting as much stuff in it as your sportswagon... and if cargo isn't an issue.. why buy the wagon? Just a thought.

 

[greenacc]

I drove a VW Jetta with leather the other day, dam thing was a waste of space on the road, the diesel sounded like a truck.
Again, the stopping power of brakes is based on the amount of torque ( you could call it negative torque i guess) that the pads can apply to the rotor to slow the rotation of the wheel. The decelleration is then transferred to the road through the traction of the tyre.... hence if you have crappy tyres you can't stop quickly no matter how big your brakes are.
The difference between V6 and V8 brakes on VE's is the Diameter as has been said above. Not only the outside diameter but the inside and outside diameters, so the width of the contact area on the disc is the same on both, but the force is applied at a greater diameter so the same pads apply greater force on the V8. If you put bigger pads in the same callipers supposing they fit, the clamping force of the calliper will be spread over a wider area, thus applying less pressure per square inch of pad, and resulting in more or less the same stopping power.
I will agree with you on one point which is I'd also like to improve the brakes on my VE V6. Not because they are no good, but because i pranged my last car cos i couldn't stop in time and don't want that to happen to this one !!
Park you car beside a V8 and compare the rotors. Better still park it beside a Passat and laugh !

 

[3onTree]

bigger rotors with the same pads further from the center of the wheel will give you greater stopping power.
brakes are a complex mix of physics bigger pads will not nessaceraly increase the stopping power.
bigger does not equate to better alll the time

Ahhh that makes sense. Thanks.

 

[3onTree]

HI mate, appreciate your views. Funny thing the written word.... I didn't think I was trashing the VE. I love the car but am critical about some parts of the car (the cosmetics I refer to are some of the interior plastics, the body kit is just awesome). The platform is absolutely world class. The body rigidity is a well known strong point and Holden is really getting the domestic product up on par with global product by using advanced steels and production methods. The euros have been using advanced steels like Boron for years. It is great to see Holden given the budget and license to develop a global product. After driving Euros for the past 10 years I am very happy to buy Holden again because I do not believe the price difference with the Euros is justified anymore. The faults I picked are minor, overall I love the car (I have said that twice now). I can’t walk away from the car without looking back at it, and the drive and suspension is better than any Euro out there. There is no getting around the fact that the suspension was developed for our roads.

To your comments, about brakes, appreciate your suggestions I will look into my options further, and I agree I don’t want to shell out for exotic parts to improve the brakes for every day use. I am not going to use my car on the track so I am not looking for fade free hand of God brakes. I must have confused you with my post, I am aware that the pads are the same on the VE V8 and V6 but the rotors are different. I will look into getting the V8 rotors. Even though brakes are matched to the engine and weight of the car, it is also a matter of matching it to the price of the car. I am interested in better brakes than what Holden bean counters have allowed.

Centre console is a simple matter I know. I’ll have a chat to the local motor trimmer.

Thanks for your post, cheers.

 

[3onTree]

I cannot see why anyone would pay 50-80 k for a VW. They handle like crap on our roads and cannot compare performance wise to a bread and butter Omega let alone an SS or SV6. The interiors though one those cars are pretty nice... they do nice interiors. Its a known fact that the Audi group are the benchmark for interior design and finish. But you can only sit in the car park for so long.

 

[3onTree]

Yeah true, hands at quarter to 3 ( or 10 to 2 if you drive a Toyota). On the long drives, cannot avoid resting the elbow. The versatility of the Sportswagon is great. Can't get 4 mates, golf clubs and over night gear into a sedan. I don't deliver photocopiers so the Sportswagon is a good compromise. I
ll check out those links, thanks heaps for reply.

 

[TinSnips]

No worries. I'll admit it. I'll rest my arm on the console in the highway aswell at times. But at 6feet 5 inches tall, I honestly haven't found the height of it to be an issue. Any higher and it would get in my way. Must be those damn gorilla arms of mine! Lol