Holden V8 GenIII

[strad]

thanks all

[Dachau]

I own a VX SS 6spd and it has done 16000 Kms. I brought it new and have put about 2 1/2 lires of oil in it. I thought initaially it was using it bad, so i changed the oil that was in the engine from new, Agip, to Castrol Protec and it has slowed the consumption down considerably. Mind you, I drive the car hard, it isnt pampered. The GM mechanic I know told me sometimes the engines take up to 20 000 kms to settle into low oil usage. Mind you, I heard that a few of the engines are having new pistons and rings fitted under warranty due to oil usage.
I dont really care as I will be trading it soon for a Monaro and they are always under warranty anyway, so its irrelevant to me.

[Alan Jones]

My mechanic also warned me about the Commodores and the oil leaks and general amount of time off the road compared to the AU's. He worked for Aussie Fleet Sales, and said the Ford, though not as nice to drive, was a cheaper and more reliable car to maintain.I have always been a fan of the Blue Oval, but having owned a VL with the nissan 6, was more than prepared to buy another Commodore if the right deal presented itself until having a chat with him and a few mechanic mates. It mightn't look as good when you pull the bonnet, but that good old 250 6 of Fords has certainly proved a reliable motor over the last 30 odd years.

[elephino]

A friend of mine's family had a VN Calais and a VS Executive wagon a while back (at the same time). The Calais was virtually run into the ground about 6 months ago, traded in on a new Elantra. The VS didn't even last that long...

I've heard bad things about the Commodore 6 with oil leaks and such.

On the other hand I wouldn't buy the current Falcon as I can't get the steering wheel high enough for my liking. Doesn't miss by much. Then again I'd rather by something other than the Falcon and Commodore for the same price anyway

[Amaroo Park]

Originally posted by AlanJones
My mechanic also warned me about the Commodores and the oil leaks and general amount of time off the road compared to the AU's. He worked for Aussie Fleet Sales, and said the Ford, though not as nice to drive, was a cheaper and more reliable car to maintain.I have always been a fan of the Blue Oval, but having owned a VL with the nissan 6, was more than prepared to buy another Commodore if the right deal presented itself until having a chat with him and a few mechanic mates. It mightn't look as good when you pull the bonnet, but that good old 250 6 of Fords has certainly proved a reliable motor over the last 30 odd years.

Jonsey I work in the Maintenance dept work for a major fleet company with about 40,000 cars trucks, and plant Aust wide. And with the analisys that I have done recently the cold hard facts are the Falcon is by far the most expensive to maintane followed by the Magna then Commodore and the cheapest which would be no suprice is the Toyota CAmry or Avalon.

[Alan Jones]

Aaaah, That's interesting Mr Bond, thanks for the info, I'll let him know and hope your stats don't prove their point with my AU

[Dachau]

Im a mechanic by trade and run our family automotive business. Over the years it has become very knowledgable over here NZ, that the Falcon has always given the most probs, especially with oil leaks and p/steer and suspension. The V6 Holden has almost been bullet proof, and up until recently, our biggest engine reconditioner in town had not reconned a V6 Holden!!! But Falcons, hundreds...Im not kidding. As with all new cars or new new, you will always get probs, my VX SS has had a recall for an electrical fault.....but its the amount of probs that make the difference. I have a mate who is the service manager in the Ford dealership and the stories he tells me..LOL, you wouldnt believe.
At the end of the day, it doesnt matter what car you prefer, there are lemons in all makes and models...you should see what BMW's problems are.
Personal observation over the years has led me to conclude that the Ford is the more problematic than the Holden....thats from the shop floor, not magazines.
But as always there will always be diehards who buy Ford/Holden etc......so it comes down to personal choice at the end of the day.
I think the AU Falcons are ugly as sin, but I drive a Holden, so......???

[Alan Jones]

Thanks for the info Dachau,that makes my mechanic look like a bit of a dud ! I have had my front suspension tightened in the wagon and a leak was found in the steering rack when I purchased it which was replaced under warranty. From the stories above, sounds like buying a Toyota would have been a better move

Oh and the ugly as sin comment....

[Alan Jones]

take a look at THIS!

[Dachau]

Those wagons are big cars, like driving a tank. Dark colour mate...lots of cleaning...LOL.

[Alan Jones]

Yep, its a 3 beer job in mild weather but as for the room, I LOVE it! Very handy when u have a little one and a boat.

[DavyboyLT1]

Here's my machine. Looks a little different than the Holdens you guys see, but has the 350 V8 and 6-spd.

AlanJones: We like 'em black over here too!

[Crash Test]

Annoying blow off valves? Get with it! They are called w***er valves I like my WRX's, but I always get a chuckle out of try hards on the streets...

BTW- the latest Mt Cotton Hillclimb was held in the wet, and a latest model WRX blew everyone away- old WRX's, Commodoores, Formula Libre, all mannor of sports cars... that was fairly impressive. But saying that, in the dry on the track, it's better to have the old lighter car. That Subaru bunch in GT Performance have had all sorts of dramas getting them up to speed.

Some friends who work at the service department at the local Ford dealership (even though they are confessed Holden fans) say that the new Falcon isn't that problematic, but they have much more dramas with any of the imported Ford products, like the Taurus etc...

[Alan Jones]

Originally posted by DavyboyLT1
Here's my machine. Looks a little different than the Holdens you guys see, but has the 350 V8 and 6-spd.

AlanJones: We like 'em black over here too!

Davyboy, would u consider swapping?
Certainly makes my station wagon seem like a family man's car.........oh, wait a minute, THATS what I am.


Crash, thanks for your info as well regarding your mates.
I heard basically the same and the thread here shows many different opinions which just goes to show, as Dachau, said, cars will always have their fans and critics and by the sounds of the small sample of people above, all of the manufacturers are capable of building lemons.Makes u wonder about the truth of such advice like one I have heard which is to " never buy a car built on a Friday".

[calais]

a guy i work for has just picked up his $90,000 HSV monaro and it has already srung some sort of oil leak,visible on the floor when the car is moved.
very impressive.
AJ,i used to work at a ford dealership and some of the problems found on the AU wre quite horendous, although i have had 3 new commodores over the years and two were absolute lemons {company cars, not mine!}

[Alan Jones]

YEp Calais, i was told anything built before Sept 99( I think, Thanks Mt )not worth looking at. Apparently Ford made a few changes and rectified alot of the major problems on the line after this date.

[DavyboyLT1]

Originally posted by AlanJones


Davyboy, would u consider swapping?

Sorry, mate, but mine has the steering wheel on the "right" (i.e. left) side of the car

[Amaroo Park]

Originally posted by AlanJones
take a look at THIS!

Thanks Jonsey I have just brought up my dinner looking at that photo

[calais]

AJ, when i was at ford, we had a cop car come in {4litre} who's oil pump shi* itself during a chase. the cops kept on going!!!!!!!!!!
you should've seen the mess when the motor was stripped!!!

BTW, nice looking wagon!!!

[DAVID PATERSON]

I had a VT V6 from new and did 82,000km in 2 years and the only problem i had was the aircon switch failed, on Christmas eve mind you, 4 days in summer with no air!

I now have an AU, it's almost 2 years old and i've done 87,000 km, only problem is that the rear springs have to be tightened up at every service.

[Amaroo Park]

Well Holden say that there is no problem with these engines but we have a client who is getting a brand new engine from the factory then Holden are going to get it rebuilt with a set of revised pistons.

The problem with the noise in the engines according to Genral Motors is Piston to Gudgen pin clearance. The original pistons had bigger clearences to compensate for cold conditions of Canada. GM feel that Australia is too small a market for the Gen III to modified to suit Australian conditions.

So now Holden are giving clients brand new engines and then rebuilding them with the new opistons before the client gets them.

This has to be as big a stuff up by Holden as the original 3.8 V6 engines that they fitted to VN Commodore from 1988.

[gsr]

Gen III = oil burner, what a disgrace.

[275 GTB-4]

Some years ago when the GEN III's were first being offered in Australia a friend of mine was told that he could not have his normal new car extended warranty to cover his high mileage towing horse floats .....wait for it.....unless he bought his new car with the "old" aussie V8. Now there is product confidence for you

[Airhead]

five point seven equals shyte then?

[Amaroo Park]

Originally posted by AMoffat
five point seven equals shyte then?

Unfortunatly Moff........... Yes