Last Commodore V6, the start of the end.

[Herbmiester 925]

Yesterday was the last day of production for the High Feature Holden V6 and the first big step in the end of Holden production. As a brand Holden may be doomed especially if they continue with rebadged Korean sh*t boxes. The whole demise of the Aussie car industry is a bit sad as in the final years Holden with the VE/VF Commodore especially showed that they could make a decent car. I drove an SSV Redline Commodore recently and I have to say I was impressed, the very tasty LS3 V8 power was not the main thing that impressed me it was actually the chassis. This car drove well, corned well, gave decent steering feel and was a pleasure to drive enthusiastically. Having driven the XR6 Turbo I would say that is Australia's best engine ever  and if that were in the VF Commodore Chassis it would be so much fun. In fact put that motor in GM's new Alpha chassis (Camaro and Cadillac) and it would probably be the best straight six engined car in the world. Very sad we are not getting any Alpha chassis cars in NZ as the Camaro seems to be dishing out a few black eyes to more expensive so called drivers cars. Anyway sad that it's all going to end next year but at least we have our Jap import BMW's to give as turbo 6 and V8 RWD fun for not too much money. 

[treone 648]

Sad day indeed . Looks like I'm keeping my VZ HSV Avalanche wagon and V2 Monaro (manual!) and watch'em appreciate.

Anyone interested in a E60 M5?

[KiwiTT 23]

Large cars died because of their impracticality for families who saw an SUV as a better option.

[Herbmiester 925]

Yes the SUV is the king of family vehicles but what a bore they are to drive. 

[Michael. 2313]

Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan and smaller model Fords have really sucked the market dry for the once Holden / Ford big saloon only buyers.

When you get more quality often for less its hardly surprising what's happened has happened. 

 

[Herbmiester 925]

I would argue the quality of the VF and later VE Commodore was very good, the Falcon was a bit of an old design and it showed.

[Matth5 471]

I've done several thousand KMs in the latest gen V6 Commodores (work rentals), had much fun thrashing them in the countryside. They're excellent cars, up there with the Germans for much less money. Massive improvement over the previous gen too.

I wish they packed that engine and other hardware into something smaller and sportier, could have done well. 

Now they're going to be another front wheel drive appliance car, yawn..

Edited December 1, 2016 by Matth5

[Neal 544]

The USA video on the SS was very complimentary . Mentioned a few of the design engineers were also across the e39 M5. Sounding like a very good car.

[Herbmiester 925]

Yes the Aussie car industry was indeed propped up by subsidies and with the demise of the large car it was bound to die but that said in losing the VF commodore we lose a well made, powerful, decent handling rear wheel drive car that is far from its use by date, the falcon not so much apart from that glorious Barra Turbo engine and the less said about the Aussie assembled Camry/Aurion the better. My wife has large 6 cylinder cars as company vehicles and I would take a VF Commodore any day over a Subaru Legacy, Skoda Octavia or Aurion which were her alternatives; why? Rear wheel drive, comfort, room, safety, technology and a bloody good chassis, Maybe we will get the Camaro one day, I certainly hope so as every test says it's an excellent drive. 

[Haitoman 110]

On 12/2/2016 at 8:41 AM, Matth5 said:

I've done several thousand KMs in the latest gen V6 Commodores (work rentals), had much fun thrashing them in the countryside. They're excellent cars, up there with the Germans for much less money. Massive improvement over the previous gen too.

I wish they packed that engine and other hardware into something smaller and sportier, could have done well. 

Now they're going to be another front wheel drive appliance car, yawn..

I don't really think they are up there with the latest BMWs, Mercs, Porsche. Maybe with Audi which are still a bit tinny inside. 

[Matth5 471]

2 hours ago, Haitoman said:

I don't really think they are up there with the latest BMWs, Mercs, Porsche. Maybe with Audi which are still a bit tinny inside. 

If you take price into account. The SV6 as a brand new car is much more car for your money than anything European or Asian...

The equivalent cars from BMW and the likes is far more expensive. A BMW 320i is more expensive than a Holden SV6, if I was buying new and that was my price range, I'd pick the Holden for sure. 

Used is a different story... hence I'm not driving a Holden

Edited December 4, 2016 by Matth5

[coop 261]

On 2 December 2016 at 4:23 PM, 3pedals said:

 

The Aussie car industry died because it was  a protectionist ideology  desperately  trying to hang on to aid and subsidies to enable it to turn out substandard products  well past their use by date.

 

It all started with Australia signing the Lima Declaration in 1975. Since then she has been a snowball effect. 

The Australian auto industry was subsidised a lot less than US, Germany, France, UK and Sweden. Compare how much the Govt foots the bill for social/welfare issues due to the breakdown of the family unit (which funnily enough was kicked off and promoted by the same traitors who signed the Lima Declaration), Government subsidies to the three manufactures is a drop in the ocean.

Add in the fact Australia's lop sided free trade agreements which see the 4.0 Territory having an 80% import tariff if imported into Thailand and the 2.7 diesel at about 40% while Thai built cars are met with 5% Tarif at the Aussie boarder. Similar story for India.

 

Then Ford and GM HQ denied the Australian arms decent amount of R&D as well as the possibility of mass LHD exports. If Ford had the opportunity to export the B series Falcon Fairlane, and Holden the VE to North America they'd have kicked the crap coming out of the yank factories to the kerb. The VE Commodore was the only all new Aussie car to receive a decent budget as that fell under the zeta global platform and yet it still wasn't pushed in the states to be a viable replacement to the fwd crap they were producing. 

 

Then an there was no incentive to buy Australian (compare to say the French, Korean, Italian, or Japanese who seem to take some pride in what their country produces). State and federal Government have an appaling percentage of Australian built vehicles in their fleets, including Camry/Aurion. 

 

The new car market is saturated with so many choices compared to fifteen years ago. Sedans are a thing of the past in all sizes. Luxury barges down to the Corolla they don't sell like they use to. In the coming years there will be three main styles of new vehicles on the road. Small hatches, double cab Utes, and soft roaders, anything else will be a rarity. 

 

Either way, the latest Commodore on a ten year old design is a solid piece of kit. Let down with its interior especially in Calais and SSV guise with the suede door card and dash inserts looks like it could be out of Korea, just tacky. 

 

The Falcon 4.0 twin cam without doubt one of the best petrol engines we've had the opportunity of buying. Bullet proof, awesome torque, frugal, cheap parts that repco stock at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon. 

I always thought my old E39 530i MS would be perfect with the m54 thrown in scrap steel and the Falcon 4.0 dohc dropped in its place. More reliable, more torque, more power, cheaper to service, and better on fuel. Just doesn't sound as good. 

Edited December 4, 2016 by coop

[Olaf 3317]

On 12/4/2016 at 8:14 PM, Matth5 said:

If you take price into account. The SV6 as a brand new car is much more car for your money than anything European or Asian...

The equivalent cars from BMW and the likes is far more expensive. A BMW 320i is more expensive than a Holden SV6, if I was buying new and that was my price range, I'd pick the Holden for sure. 

Used is a different story... hence I'm not driving a Holden

yeah holy crap, I looked into buying a 3 year old SV6 and they're just not cheap at all!  

[Herbmiester 925]

47 minutes ago, Olaf said:

yeah holy crap, I looked into buying a 3 year old SV6 and they're just not cheap at all!  

They certainly do retain their value, especially the sporty ones.

[SmithyInWelly 212]

Used Aussie cars here are piss poor value - particularly given you can spend similar money on a used German that may be a year or two older, though will have better tech, quality, and generally better "feels" as the kids say these days  

I'd love an early millenium HSV - but for the money they go for I'd much rather have a euro.

[Herbmiester 925]

The way I see it is Holden's (modern) have decent retained value while Euros lose value like nobody's business. I guess its all down to Jap imports.

 

[Olaf 3317]

11 hours ago, SmithyInWelly said:

Used Aussie cars here are piss poor value - particularly given you can spend similar money on a used German that may be a year or two older, though will have better tech, quality, and generally better "feels" as the kids say these days  

I'd love an early millenium HSV - but for the money they go for I'd much rather have a euro.

the value thing is relative.  the taxi can be fixed by pretty much any garage for pocket change; the BMW can't.  Perhaps that contributes to the relatively low depreciation.  The canny taxi buyer recognises the two year older 5er will empty his wallet faster than a lap dancer on acid.

 

still, you wished for a Euro; and you have one! 

[SmithyInWelly 212]

2 hours ago, Olaf said:

 

still, you wished for a Euro; and you have one! 

Buuuurn.... (but a very well played one)

[Herbmiester 925]

Yes well my E92 is obviously the Lap Dancer on acid (plus dope,P and what ever else is available). It has literally spent more time at the shop than in my garage since I bought it in mid November.