Where have all the Commodores gone?

[lmoengnr]

People have said in this thread that the best built Commodore was the VF. Why is that? To me the VE was built better. Holden made a mess of the LS3s, I have heard they took more shortcuts, one being thinner paint. VF's seem to be a lot thinner on the ground than VE's.

HSV had problems with the LS3 in the E2's and E3's....
There was a batch that had soft cam lobes.
More Mexican quality control.

 

[Jeda]

HSV had problems with the LS3 in the E2's and E3's....
There was a batch that had soft cam lobes.
More Mexican quality control.

My E1 Clubsport was the first of the LS3 my08 upgrade model. It had noisey lifters from day 1 and a wobbly harmonic balancer.
All in spec according to the dealer..

Also had the colour screen replaced under warranty as it would just randomly black out. The replacement unit was fine for about a month too, until it started doing the same.

Electronic issues are not a VF only problem unfortunately.

Luckily with the vf, a new battery generally solves most of the gremlins that pop up from time to time.
I especially liked the day before I changed the battery in the WN. I went to roll down my windows and the seat back started reclining!

Good times.

 

[Lex]

Jesus Christ, I'm getting anxiety reading this thread. ???? So glad I sold my VF last year, I've dodged a bullet according to you lot. Thanks very much guys.

What did you replace the vf with?

 

[griezy]

Victoria also has a fairly old fleet as well in my opinion, though there's quite a few new cars rolling around... I guess the reason why NSW has the newest fleet of cars is because of their roadworthy situation and how you have to do them every 3 years...

we have to do the road worthy (pink slip) here in NSW every single year

 

[chrisp]

Victoria also has a fairly old fleet as well in my opinion, though there's quite a few new cars rolling around... I guess the reason why NSW has the newest fleet of cars is because of their roadworthy situation and how you have to do them every 3 years...

ABS has some figures on the average age of cars in Australia… https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/i...motor-vehicle-census-australia/latest-release

I had a look at the excel data file, and more specifically the ‘passenger car’ average ages by state (for 2021)…

NSW 9.7 years old
Vic 10.3
Qld 10.1
SA 11.9
WA 11.2
Tas 12.9
NT 9.9
ACT 9.4
Aust average 10.4

The Victorian average car age is pretty close to the Australian average!

 

[griezy]

reading this thread just made me think how bad the newer bombadores really are, my dailies drivers are a VH SL-X Wagon which i owned for 9 years now only broke down once (only for the starter motor which are easy to get) and a LS1 VT Calais which has never failed me yet (had some small electric problems when I first got it 4 years ago but never failed me, but sorted them out quickly and easily) which has close to 400,000 km's still with the original motor, and i do 400 km round trips every second week from past the blue mountains to Campbelltown

 

[Commo64]

Yes all early Series 1 V6 which didn't have the SIDI engines (only released I think it was 2009 onwards) were basically lemons.

Your 3L is a SIDI therefore good, and the 6 speed seems to be pretty good

Well I've done the chain once, all of the 3.6's and 3.0 engines have the risk of failing timing chains, even if it has a full service history

 

[figjam]

I had a look at the excel data file, and more specifically the ‘passenger car’ average ages by state (for 2021)…
NSW 9.7 years old

Geez ........... I am well out of date. My average is 16.6 years. Note to self ............. must look at some new EV Chinese cars next week. Yeah ? Nah .

But back to where are all the Commodores ? Not in central NSW.
Last week driving through Barraba ............. every car parked in the main street was a white 4WD dual cab or wagon.
Looked like a Toyota used car yard. Seems that the Bushies have forsaken Rory.

But Gatton still had the Holden signs in the main street ............ and a Kingswood in the showroom.

 

[afstruct]

Geez ........... I am well out of date. My average is 16.6 years. Note to self ............. must look at some new EV Chinese cars next week. Yeah ? Nah .

But Gatton still had the Holden signs in the main street ............ and a Kingswood in the showroom.

I'm with you , can't see my little fleet getting brought down in average age.
The Focus is only months off that 9.7 average age.
My 4 = an average of 25 years .
Throw in the 2 bikes and it drops to baby 24.167 years

 

[NORTI]

majority of our stuff is 20+
the ranger at 5yrs old is what brings our fleet average up to 23yrs
otherwise the commodore based fleet is at 26yr age average