VY Wagon with a V8

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Something that I thought would one day catch-up with me has occurred today. The cost of registering a V6 in Queensland has now gone above $1000 per year. I figure with this momentous occasion I might as well start looking for something like a VY with a V8 fitted to it from factory. The exact cost of annual registration in Queensland for my VY wagon is $1019.85. [insert string of appropriate rude words here]. I lost contact with V8 Commodores when I sold my VH. So, I am not familiar with what models after the VH and what style of bodies came fitted with the V8 - other than SS's. I have to apologise for my ignorance of later V8s.

Can someone give me an idea as to how readily available V8 VY wagons are? I am not after anything like an SS. Just a good old bog standard V8. How good were the VY V8 motors for reliability? Or am I better off going back to an earlier 'V' model. Rightly or wrongly I have been told by different mechanics that the last of the non ultra electronic V motors was the VY six cylinder. I am not sure if this rule of thumb carried across in the models after the VY V8s?

The 'momentous' part that I mentioned earlier, came around because of a decision I made years ago. After my VH Commodore Vacationer, that was factory fitted with a 4.2 litre motor, and a 4 speed manual transmission, plus air conditioning - annual registration started to creep up to close to $1000, I decided it was time to step back to a V6. Registration here in Queensland is based off the number of cylinders a motor has. Plus, at the time the car was a Police magnet, because it needed a respray. It looked rough despite it being A1 mechanically. At the same time my Dad offered me his VN Commodore, which had less than 120K on the clock. He was quoted a really low trade-in price when he went to buy a new Toyota sedan. Yes, I apologise for writing in the 'T' word. So, instead of trading in the VN my Dad offered the car to me. Now, just a rough bonnet for VH is worth more than what I sold the VH for - [insert very - very sad face here].

Now that the nice folks at the Department of Main Roads and Transport have jacked the price of annual registration of a six cylinder past my old $1000 cutoff limit, my reason for not having a V8 has disappeared. It is time for me to start looking for a nice little V8 again. I also like wagons more than sedans. A ute, or a one tonner would be good too.

I definitely make no apologies to Greta Thunberg of "How Dare YOU!!!" fame. No, not even the tiniest bit of an apology at all, Greta!

Kind regards
Lionel

 

[Fu Manchu]

You are looking for a Unicorn.

 

[Commo64]

Can someone give me an idea as to how readily available V8 VY wagons are? I am not after anything like an SS. Just a good old bog standard V8. How good were the VY V8 motors for reliability? Or am I better off going back to an earlier 'V' model. Rightly or wrongly I have been told by different mechanics that the last of the non ultra electronic V motors was the VY six cylinder. I am not sure if this rule of thumb carried across in the models after the VY V8s?

V8 VY Wagons are pretty hard to come by, and IMO a V8 VE Wagon is a better buy due to being a better package overall...

 

[lout]

sounds like you have a similar mindset to me
i am nearing retirement and will lose my company van
so was looking for a station wagon
my must haves V8, leather and climate
wanted something that i can work on without being held to ransom by dealers
not too much electronics (PIM and electronic throttle body, bloody HVAC intergrated into the radio))
which brought me to VY, (VT and VX had the piston slap issues in the V8)
then another forum member was talking about his adventra
almost like it was built just for me, my very own "Homer"
started the search for low km Vy LX8 adventra
now in my members ride

 

[Commo64]

which brought me to VY, (VT and VX had the piston slap issues in the V8)

What about LS engines in general? Don't they have a common issue with the lifters failing?

 

[Lex]

VT and VX had the piston slap issues in the V8

Your the first person l've read that that has said, vt - vx had the piston slap.
Never heard that before.

 

[Commo64]

Your the first person l've read that that has said, vt - vx had the piston slap.
Never heard that before.

I've heard that there was massive issues with piston slap and poor build quality of the LS engines when the VTII came out... The engines also burnt a lot of oil as well and needed to be rebuilt under warranty... Not sure if the issues continued into the VX series....

 

[Lex]

I've heard that there was massive issues with piston slap and poor build quality of the LS engines when the VTII came out... The engines also burnt a lot of oil as well and needed to be rebuilt under warranty... Not sure if the issues continued into the VX series....

Your the second person.

I've read about the lifters failing.

 

[bluehighway]

I think a better way of finding a good LS engine is to give them all a 'true' cold start and go from there...I wonder how many nice engines have fallen prey to lunatics revving the guts out of them while not under load or doing burnouts all night only to wake up in the morning and start complaining about the new sounds they are hearing...lol Another thing ive picked up from reading threads is you gotta be very careful about who or where you take your car to be serviced...because like anything... V8's attract trouble from people that should know better when servicing clients cars...more often than not they just cant resist taking your car for a quick run . Choose wisely would be my advice. Rear main seals are another issue check underneath for any sign of leakage...Who owns the V8 Holden?......lol

 

[VS 5.0]

(VT and VX had the piston slap issues in the V8)

Any LS can have piston slap issues.

Including LS3.

Just ask @Ron Burgundy