VR 5.0L questions

[someguy360]

To be honest if I was looking to buy a V8 daily, it would be something LS based.

Better economy, easier to modify, more comfortable ride.

The interior, braking and ride quality of a VT-VE is much nicer.

You'd probably be able to find a VX-VY LS1 for similar money to a 5L these days, the 5L's are appreciating quicker than the LS's at the moment as in most states they qualify as classic vehicles now for registration purposes. That and the older millenials are now buying the cars that they couldn't afford in their youth now they have money which is driving the values up.

Don't get me wrong I feel really bad for saying don't get a 5L because I love them, but in 2023 conditions I'd reckon you'll get over daily driving one if you live in an urban area. 5L commodores are literally from the last century, and they drive accurately to that time period.

I had to upgrade mine to VT-VZ brakes from the standard VR brakes because I felt so nervous in built up modern day traffic knowing I likely couldn't stop in an emergency quick enough if I had to (VR/VS brakes were undersized from factory let alone in much more built up and demanding conditions 30 odd years later).

The only thing I can really suggest is go and drive one for a while, take some test drives etc and make sure it's what you definately want, around town the engines do feel pretty pokey as they make low down torque similar to a diesel where as Alloytechs and LS's make power up high in the rev range.

But I certainly wouldn't be getting rid of VE comfort for a VR if I was driving it every day, thats for sure.

 

[Anthony .]

To be honest if I was looking to buy a V8 daily, it would be something LS based.

Better economy, easier to modify, more comfortable ride.

The interior, braking and ride quality of a VT-VE is much nicer.

You'd probably be able to find a VX-VY LS1 for similar money to a 5L these days, the 5L's are appreciating quicker than the LS's at the moment as in most states they qualify as classic vehicles now for registration purposes.

Don't get me wrong I feel really bad for saying don't get a 5L because I love them, but in 2023 conditions I'd reckon you'll get over daily driving one if you live in an urban area.

Thanks for your advice. The thing is that I am more in love with VS- prior commodores, and really like the VE commodores (but they really need a v8 in them for the stance the car has). Not at all suggesting the v6 is inadequate.

I love all commodores (well except the ZB- wrong category) but in terms of VT- VZ Commodore, I certainly dont dislike them by any stretch of imagination but my favourites are what I mentioned about. By favourites, I mean Holdens that are not worth an arm and a leg (think VL, VK, etc).

And thanks for the invaluable advice given here. You answered my questions perfectly (and you also own a VE sv6 too) so you would know how to give a good comparison between the two.

As for me, a lot of thinking with the detail given here

 

[someguy360]

Thanks for your advice. The thing is that I am more in love with VS- prior commodores, and really like the VE commodores (but they really need a v8 in them for the stance the car has). Not at all suggesting the v6 is inadequate.

I love all commodores (well except the ZB- wrong category) but in terms of VT- VZ Commodore, I certainly dont dislike them by any stretch of imagination but my favourites are what I mentioned about. By favourites, I mean Holdens that are not worth an arm and a leg (think VL, VK, etc

I'm with you there, I'm not a big fan of the 3rd gen commodore, the styling doesn't do it for me.

But for a daily driver I'd happily run one.

1st and 2nd gen commodores are still my favourite.

If your prepared to spend the time and money to keep a now classic car on the road, credit to you!

 

[VS 5.0]

I dailyed my VS 5 litre for 19 years and 230,xxx kms until 2017.

It had 292 xxx kms on it (unopened) when I sold it.

While I miss the feel and sound of the motor, I much prefer everything else about my 6 litre VE.

 

[someguy360]

I much prefer everything else about my 6 litre VE.

I've become accustomed to having bluetooth, touch screen, dual zone climate, good accoustics and good cabin sound deadening, digital speedo, auto headlights etc for my day to day now I don't think I could go back. And while you can add BT and touch screens to older cars etc, it's not the same as the factory stuff that just works as it's supposed to.

It shows I'm getting older, I'd much rather drive around every day in comfort and save the more "pure" driving experience for the weekends.

 

[VS 5.0]

I'd much rather drive around every day in comfort and save the more "pure" driving experience for the weekends.

My "pure" driving experience is now limited to driving the 20 year old Mini 50+kms to work and back every Friday to give it a run.

1.6 litres of fun lol.

 

[someguy360]

1.6 litres of fun lol.

Sometimes the smaller the engine the more fun you have.

My old 1.5L Ecoboost Focus fleet car was so much fun to throw around corners and just rev the absolute nuts off. (that and it wasn't my money if I broke anything)

 

[Anthony .]

I'm with you there, I'm not a big fan of the 3rd gen commodore, the styling doesn't do it for me.

But for a daily driver I'd happily run one.

1st and 2nd gen commodores are still my favourite.

If your prepared to spend the time and money to keep a now classic car on the road, credit to you!

That is what I still need to consider. If deemed acceptable, would you still consider the price difference between the V6 and v8 worth it?

 

[Anthony .]

My "pure" driving experience is now limited to driving the 20 year old Mini 50+kms to work and back every Friday to give it a run.

1.6 litres of fun lol.

What about the missing 3.4L?

 

[someguy360]

That is what I still need to consider. If deemed acceptable, would you still consider the price difference between the V6 and v8 worth it?

Absolutely.

In 10 years time the V8 will only be worth more and more and be more desirable as a collectors item (regardless of milage/condition), the values will never really go down. I sold my Atlas grey VN SS for $800 back when you could almost not even give a VN away and now they are $40-50k, but v6 VN's are still worth bugger all in comparison.

A V6 will still be just a V6.

It's been this way all the way back to the Kingswood days. I remember when I was younger looking at 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder kingswoods for a while. Back then they could barely give 6 cylinder sedans away, V8's were still a good $10k for a clean one (15 odd years ago was still a fair bit for a second hand car of that age).

It's the same now, a 6 cylinder Kingswood is barely $15k in average condition and a V8 one is $50-70k plus. Same as 1st gen commodores, you can still pick up a 202 commodore for a reasonable price, 253 and 308 1st gens are $40-50k now in average condition and rising quickly.

I guess I might be biased because I'm a V8 guy.....but I'll never walk through a car meet or a car show and see a V6 and even if it's had $50k spent on it with all the L67 bits, bolt on mods, W2A intercoolers, cold air intakes etc and fancy paint jobs and go "Man thats a nice car", I'll still just be like "lol V6" even if it's faster than a 5L, it's still a V6 commodore, hence why I bought my SV6 as an economical shopping cart, and nothing more, because thats all it is...I'll never touch it, ever and when I'm done with it I'll sell it for the bugger all it will be worth.