HSV LPG Performance car on the way
September 25, 2009 by Alborz Fallah
Of all the cars you’d expect HSV to make, one powered by LPG wasn’t on the top of our list, in fact it doesn’t seem to be on the top of anyone’s list. Surveys by current HSV owners has shown that fuel economy is not in the top 10 concerns, HSV dealers have also said they are not interested in LPG, nonetheless, it’s coming next year.
The LPG-powered car will be based on HSV’s V8-powered performance cars and should hit the market some time next year.
“I’ve done a survey with my dealers and they’ve told me they don’t want it and I said ‘I don’t believe you’, so I’m doing this program without a solid customer demand for it. But I know that we started this program when petrol was $1.60 and heading north, and does anyone want to speculate that that won’t come back? My philosophy is that I’ve got to have that (LPG) in the cupboard. If we start off and people don’t option it, that’s fine, but there will come a point where they will.” HSV’s boss Phil Harding told The Age.
The idea is to compete with the Europeans who are now producing cars with similar or more power than the Aussie performance brand but with much better fuel economy and lower emissions.
HSV concluded that LPG is the more viable option over diesel when it comes to a fuel economical performance car. Mr Harding says the company seriously did consider the diesel idea having even built an engineering prototype with a diesel engine in it but the numbers just didn’t stack up.
The LPG system will be available as a cost option on all models in the HSV stable bar the R8 Tourer.
Do you think HSV’s LPG models will succeed? Does a brand such as HSV even need to worry about fuel economy?
Print it: 
itd always be nice for a car to be more economical, but the economy is not something that would turn a potential HSV buyer away. i doubt many, if any, will option it on.
I can’t wait to see its silver strap-on.
Am I allowed to make an off topic comment? My nieghbour has had the RACV come 3 times this week to start his VE Commodore. I then read this….Adding to the problem, the flat batteries allegedly require a \\\’deep cycle charge\\\’ at a Holden dealer. This may explain the experience of one caller to the program, who said that on a run to Queensland his vehicle had required eight roadside assistance calls along the route.
Holdens breaking down all over the country and Caradvice has not reported it…..why not? If it was Falcons it would be front page! Its gonna look good having all these HSV’s breaking down…….as usual.
Are you going to post this in every article today?
Why not, its his right to.
Yeah but hes posting it to show his contempt against HSV/Holden. Just shut up and keep it to yourself. Oh and BTW the HSV range dont need to worry about fuel economy. What they need to worry about is their interiors and the F6 which is making them all look slow.
What do you mean its his “right” too? His right to agitate every reader with his story im sure no one is really interested in?
I’m interested in double standards where junk like HSV/FPV always get respected by media outlets. Pfffff – even Korean cars are better built that Oz dinosaurs.
HVS series II = Plastic-fantastic
I thought the few ford fan boys left in Australia had all retired to nursing homes by now. (or where all busy trying to get the tranny fluid out of their BA radiators) The holden v ford ‘rivalry’ is an out of date concept that belongs in the 1970s.
The rest of us just don’t care.
Ive had my German branded SUV (im not mentioning brands, as this is off-topic as it is) for 4 months and it has requred 9 trips to the dealer, twice I have been stranded at 11pm at night in town due to the car not starting. Cars are complex mechanical machines, these things happen. Although the problems im having are taking the shine off my $90,000 SUV.
If Car Advice was to write articles about every car that breaks down in Australia every day; and why they broke down – they wouldn’t have enough time to do articles on any new cars.
BTW: when you see a car on the side of the road or on the back of a tilt-tray tow truck/transporter… how do you know that it’s broken down? or are you just making a biased assumption?
my god these cars are ugly……..what the hell is going on with that front end? overdone overpriced and very very very overrated …….
they really should have stuck with the Diesel, even just as an option for the Senator and the Grange. If Audi and BMW can make performance diesels HSV should at least try. I thought they were playing around with a BMW diesel anyway?
that is why it’s a Holden and not a BMW
BMW>holden
always
Holden still doesnt have the ability to cope with the new Diesel performance technology that is why they are offering the LPG
What a waste – they could have spent that money designing a better looking E2 range, and perhaps fixing up their showrooms to be a little more exclusive.
BTW I just read on another site that a performance version of Holden’s Cruze small car is being considered by HSV!
BMW 135i, Audi S3… HSV Cruze!!!
Thats a rumor that Wheels has confirmed was wrong. They were considering an Insignia as an exclusive import to the range but can no longer afford it. They said that the Aussie made version could go hot hatch in the Holden range but would not become a HSV.
I think its a good thing to offer something other performance cars don’t.It gives it a unique option. I personally find it appealing andwould feel less guilty about the enviromental impact that last run up my favourite road would cause. My only worry is resale on a car that already doesn’t hold up too well.
i’ve read elsewhere that liquid injection LPG cars get more power with less fuel use than petrol…that’s always a bonus, especially if the better technology filters back to Holden LPG cars…
I’d rather source my cars energy from an Australian gas company than some extremist Muslin government so this is a big win for me. Hopefully the styling changes soon. Note to HSV marketing – the only people that do Roy Morgan surveys are old and lonely people – not HSV customers. Source your feedback like the rest of the motoring world does – forum responses to “spy” photos.
Ever heard the phrase “Better for people to think you’re an idiot, than open your mouth and confirm it”?
Less than 30% of our oil imports come from the Middle East and a growing portion is coming from domestic sources (approx. 25% at present).
Also, Australia imports most of the LPG consumed in the Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne markets, while exporting more than 2/3 of domestic production.
All of Australia’s diesel for domestic transport is imported. LPG is a much better alternative. Diesel is one of the most overated fuels, it is less refined than petrol and is a compromise for a passenger car. The only reason it exists in a passenger car application is due to the tax incentives in Europe.
“I’d rather source my cars energy from an Australian gas company than some extremist Muslin government so this is a big win for me”
Ahh, the intellect of the average Holden / HSV owner. Thanks for the confirmation!
Many of the middle east oil companies have links to extremist organisations and/or government. One of the biggest threats according to the EU, is having a significant amount of energy reliance on organtisations and governments which have known extremist views.
if you cant afford to fuel a V8 car then dont buy one?. if people are going to pay 60K – 85k + for the car then they should be able to fuel the dam thing. you would think buying a car that you take costs of fuel, car servicing and insurance into account before buying a car.
Wooooooo, woooooo, woooooooo
the first thing asked should be….
Is this a dedicated LPG vehicle, or a dual fuel????
HSV currently do the Omega LPG options, this wouldnt want to be one of those.
If they do a dedicated version and put some investment into it, well about bloody time. Not just about time on Holdens part, but the automotive world as a whole.
On the other hand if the “LPG option” is a hotted up Omega dual fuel arrangement, then I will keep wandering why LPG continues to be done half arse
I currently own a HSV Clubsport VE and do around 25,000 klms a year from all reports the system will run on a combiantion of LPG and petrol on demand with no power loss at all therefore this means i can drive for say 1000klms on city fuel prices and return home from one of my country trips without paying through the nose. Also at around 50 cents litre for LPG and still having the availability of 400 plus horsepower whenever i want it why not. I have already made the decision that the next one i purchase will be fitted with this option bring it on. This system being direct liquid injection [ not a simple vapour taxi set up ] will attract rave reviews once it gets out there mark my words HSV are on a winner here.
I agree
IF i was going to buy a HSV i would get the gas option just for the extra resale value, new HSV buyers may not care about the cost saving of LPG but the used HSV buyer will !
Yup, that makes a lot of sense indeed. Economy for everyday use, and power available when you need it. This is the future of V8 motoring.
if u can save,why not?
if it doesnt change the power figures, why not?
as he said, the option is there..whether or not u take it, it’s up to u
I have this horrid feeling the revised look is starting to grow on me..
Really – I’m getting used to it as well.. Although I think that if they got rid of the superfluous non-functional nostrils it would look a lot better. Whilst the LEDs look a bit d!cky IMHO they look better than the Mardi-Gras style eyelashes on the Audis
I think everyone is discovering that. Looks better in the metal. Go HSV
I saw one today at the lights on a truck and it looked really nice in the metal. The R8 i mean, the GTS looks awkward with its black bit up front.
Glenn,
This system being direct injected versus the Vapour system hasnt seemed to saved the current commodores from running rough when switching back to petrol.
For mine you wont get the optimum tuning unless its a dedicated setup.
Anything less is a compromise
Bring on a dedicated system, dont do it half arse
Hey all motor magazine did a review on the LPG clubby about three months ago and they loved it. They said there was no smell and the switchover was seamless, also they didnt detect any loss in power, the only thing they didn’t like was the lack of differentiation from the current crop(shouldn’t have to worry about that know)
If you want proof of how good gas is take a ride in a Caprice/taxi the change over is not noticable, and somehow when your after max power it changes to petrol, and starts on petrol.
The version I’ve seen has the gas button/level placed into the front ash tray/option and not the crapy switch that looks like a piece of stick on foil.
The cost is about $4000 though less the $1750 rebate. another option is the 50 usable litre tank that goes were the spare is (about another $250). I went through my 10 series manual last night and noticed about four pages on a tyre compressure kit, maybe that will come with the next series.
I’m keen to hear about gas injection on the AFM engine.
another vote for dedicated, petrol /gas is a comprimise, if more range is required there`s no excuse, they make tanks in all shapes and sizes now.
Welcome aboard the Dedicated train…..
Also remember that a dedicated vehicle vehicle will have the same range as a petrol equivalent because the LPG tanks fitted carry another 20 Litres over your typical petrol tank.
Also, A dedicated vehicle could get more range than a petrol vehicle if they kept that extra 20L advantage, and then invested in a good injected gas system.
if its not dedicated, they are wasting their time
Why don`t they just build more economical motors and not gas guzzlers.I mean people buy these cars and all they really are is a family car with power. They aren`t a sports car, they can`t get all their power to the ground, when push comes to shove they don`t handle and they aren`t well built. People pay 80k plus for some of these and they don`t even have a family or rarely have people in them. I mean if your going to buy a Taxis you could at least carry passengers lol. No but seriously whats the appeal of a car like this? Oh I forgot its because its apparently Australian, what a joke.
Ok Grandpa,
put your PJ’s back on and climb back into bed.
These things sell so suck it up.
Obviously plenty of appeal to people other than grumpy old men.
Go hug a tree, or catch a train, bt dont refuse someone the right to live their own life with out your selfish input
Cmon, Andrew which one do you own? Just for the record I`m neither old or a tree hugger I have had my hi performance Taxi`s before. I`m sorry I just don`t rate them and I hardly think my opinion, oops sorry selfish input lol, will refuse anyone the right to live their life.
I dont own any HSV nor do I ever aspire to won one, but what I can do is respect the appreciation others have for the HSV range of vehicles.
Maybe you are not a tree hugger, maybe you are not a grumpy old man, I just couldnt come up with any other reason as to why you would hunt down a HSV post, then slag on about other peoples motoring preferences.
Are you into your Euro high performance brands or something????
If so, one thing you cant deny is the great value for money the aussie performance vehicles are
Yeah sure Jon, “don’t handle” – compared to what for a car of this size in this price range? – and they’ll sell up a storm like usual and you will still ask what’s the appeal? That’s OK some people will never get it and go through life thinking their opinion is superior while others just love this country and what it produces!!
You tell ‘em. All those non patriotic wankers out there can suck the exhaust from my Commodore. I didn’t buy it because it was Aussie, nor because im a patriotic person, but because no other car, and i mean no other car out there offers better long range touring capability and cabin space along with that extra something up back when you want it. So what if they drink a litre more than a camry, there still heaps of fun to boot. Holden and HSV make good AUSTRALIAN cars with brilliant bang for your buck!
September 26, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Shak says: “Holden and HSV make good AUSTRALIAN cars with brilliant bang for your buck!”
Just need to point out, Holden/HSV… they don’t make Australian cars! They just claim that they do it, so to all you “patriotic to Australia” people out there, if you truly are Patriotic then you would admire the Falcon, as it is the only car on the planet that is designed, produced and assembled in Australia.
The Commodore has blueprints made from other cars that are already built and just slapped together. They are in no way Australian built cars, the only title they deserve to have is Australian assembled… just like all the other car makes out there, you know, the Euro brands like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi, VW… etc, same goes for the Jap Cars in Australia too.
FYI Jon – Falcons are predominantly used as “Taxis” whereas Commodores are predominantly used as “Highway Patrol Cars” and are therefore; the [SS] Holdens usually have upgraded suspension steering brakes etc than the entry level Falcon
However; if you happen to be a Euro-Lover; I hope you realise that cars such as BMWs Merc-Benz etc are used as taxis over in Germany etc.. as are Camrys etc over in China-Japan.
Its all relative
Camry’s are not used as taxis in Japan.
I thought they had Jetta’s as taxi’s in China.
“They aren’t a sports car, they can`t get all their power to the ground..”
Well then what do you consider to be a sports car? because if a sedan; such as an HSV or FPV isn’t a sports car – then neither is an M3 or M5 sedan; AMG C63 or even an Audi RS6 etc.
“.. when push comes to shove they don`t handle and they aren`t well built.”
Same can be said for the Euros too.. if you watch Top gear and you will see that a number of them have way too much power for the rest of the car to deal with ..
so much so that its really nothing more than a W@nk [that is the driver is trying to make up for a certain short-cumming]
Then there’s the times when JC and the boys pick the sh!t out of the fit and finish of the car particularly for the use of hard crap plastics or superfluous extra features etc.
People pay $80k plus for some of these and they don`t even have a family or rarely have people in them.” – Again; same applies to a number of the Euro sports sedans and coupes too you know.
Wheelnut, your inane babble is a little tiring. And so is your respect for Top Gear, an entertaining show but the fools in Oz consider Jeremy and Co’s reviews as almost biblical.
BTW here are a few excerpts from Top Gear Oz for you to consider about your beloved HSV:
“Then there’s the times when JC and the boys pick the sh!t out of the fit and finish of the car particularly for the use of hard crap plastics”
‘The GTS relies on bright colours and big, thick stitches to draw your attention away from nasty, loose-fitting plastics.’
‘HSVs are, by nature, for bogans’
‘A cruel person might describe this as the most expensive Commodore ever made, which suggests that its quality might not be quite as high as its price tag. A cruel person might be right.’
I actually agree with Top Gear in their assessments above – do you too?
I’m not saying that HSVs design interior or fit/finish is the best – my point was that neither are a number of your beloved Europeans.
The reason I mentioned Top Gear is because its more well known than most of the other international car magazines/and websites from which I have read several reviews which made similar negative comments about the various European Sedans – but I guess you just choose to ignore those articles…. no car is 100% perfect
As for my “inane dribble” – at least I am able to make comments which are on topic unlike you who more often than not says nothing about the car but criticise other peoples comments without any factual info to show why they are wrong.
The Realist, Why did you selectively quote JC when he obviously loved the car? Honestly the comments section in Caradvice is a laughing stock in the car enthusiast online community, I used to love the site but its just degenerated into a platform of bias and stupidity.
“Bias and stupidity” – apt terms for the commie lovers on here.
Next thing you’ll be saying is that Holden is an Australian company and runs a successful commercial model.
People criticising well-made, fantastic value Australian made cars is a perfect example of someone suffering from cultural cringe. It is common amongst people who are insecure about their lot in life and feel that the grass must be greener somewhere else. As people feel more and more unsuccessful and disenfranchised in the community they live in, they will reach out and idolise an object or person deemed to be an image of success from another community – in this case euro cars. Its also similar to young people idolising North American rappers. People resent success around them and aspire to success in a different form, cultural cringe in countries gets stronger as the divide widens between the haves and the have-nots.
I challenge you to find a VP HSV owner who can recite the alphabet.
Remember, B doesn’t come after V.
So this thing will cost more, go slower and stink like gas in the cabin, dont tell me it wont cause all LPG cars do.
The realist, which Topgear do you think will give a better, more in depth review?
There are 3 lpg systems – vapour which is the taxi version, vapour injection which is the Omega version (both drop power levels) and the new liquid injection. I for one can’t wait. More power, less cost, better for the environment.
Here we go again, the same BS argument about how our cars are bang for your buck. Guess what they are not, they are poor quality and way overpriced for what you get in features and quality.Go price an Audi or BMW or Merc in lets say the UK. Now lets use an Audi S4 in the UK as an example, it will set you back around 34,000 GBP, now convert that to Aussie dollars and thats about 61k and what do we pay here for lets say an F6E Turbo I`d guess about 58k. Now I know what I`d rather and what is a superior car, it isn`t the Falcon.So when you compare dollar for dollar what we pay, well you guys are being ripped off for absolute inferior products. I mean HSV were charging 150k for that Commodore and for 100k Australian you could have an RS6.Abolish the Tariffs and let see how they fair when they are closer in price.
Yeah Jon anyone can mount an argument for value for money – like a mate who bought a new ’superior’ $70k BMW late last year. Two weeks later as his daughter was getting out the back of it her foot caught on the shroud of the air vents ripping it clean off and cracking the plastic surround at the same time. Nothing that $300 and a 6 week wait while a replacement part came from Europe couldn’t fix!
Look I think everyone has a story about something going wrong with any car. But the fact is we don`t produce a quality vehicle, I`m not saying we can`t but we just don`t. We pay to much for them for what they are and honestly if we weren`t located geographically where we are and there weren`t the tariffs imposed, we wouldn`t be paying what we do. I don`t buy brand new cars of any sort, it just doesn`t make sense to me. But a 3yr old Euro is way better value than a brand new Commodore or Falcon.
Holden and Ford in Australia aren`t even profitable, if it wasn`t for tax payers money propping them they wouldn`t survive. Now if Ford or Holden produced something decent I would have no qualms buying one again, but the fact is they don`t and I doubt they ever will.
People who believe that cars would be cheaper if we didn’t have tariffs are kidding themselves..
Because what would happen would be – all 3 local car manufacturers would most likely close down [which a number of people on here can't wait to see happen]..
We would then be left at the mercy of the overseas car companies who would keep the prices of their cars at what they are now if not increase them; as they have something we want and as there is no other [local] alternative.
The other thing is that as a result of the local car industry disappearing and the subsequent job losses in other industries; there would be hundreds of thousands of people unemployed.
Which would mean that very few people would actually be able to afford a new car.. as those who still have a job are paying more in taxes etc to help the government support those on dependent centrelink.
So the majority of people [including those in the Anti Ford/Holden Brigade] would be left driving around in old model Commodores and Falcons.
Wheelnut®™ says:
“We would then be left at the mercy of the overseas car companies who would keep the prices of their cars at what they are now if not increase them; as they have something we want and as there is no other [local] alternative.”
Please wheelnut, stop repeating such idiotic statements!!
With the local manufacturing operations of foreign companies gone, the imported brands competing among each other would insure the prices would stay down!! It’s not like the dunnydore directly competes againts VW golf, Mazda 3, BMW, Benz, etc… Without import tarrifs and the reduction of shipping costs per unit of a vehicle as a result of increased import quantities to fulfill fleet demands, cars would actully be cheaper!!
As for the Job losses, i rather the government subsidies the temporarily unemployed workers as they relocate to more profitable sectors of the Australian economy, then to hand out to artificial keep alive these large foreign corporations!!
Import tariffs is what keeps the 3 local makers in the business – but all these pro-local manufacturer supporters really need to ask themselves: DO WE REALLY NEED 3 different local manufacturers.
We are taxed to the max for importing better engineered, better performing, more environmentally compliant and much better built Euro cars, and we support 3 local companies selling us overpriced junk. C’mon people, become realists. Oz doesn’t need 3 local car plants, and it definitely doesn’t need two companies that design cars in-country from scratch, and they sell a few thousands cars per year, majority being sold off as fleet cars.
As for not Australia not producing quality cars.. When the VE Commodore was sold in the USA as the Pontiac G8 it was quite popular.
The problem was that in the end it fell victim to the GFC as did cars from Europe and Japan and sales started to fall. It wasn’t because it was crap.
Not only that but on an American website similar to CA they have done a number of comparisons with the Pontiac G8 against a number of similar cars form Europe and Japan – and they were impressed with how well it performed considering that in a number of cases its fighting well above its weight
Then thereare a number of American car enthusiasts want the VE to make a return to the USA as the new Chevrolet Impala.. they would also like to see the VE Ute be sold in the USA – Then there are those who want Ford to start importing the Falcon
So the fact that motoring journalists and car enthusiasts in the most competitive automotive market in the world hold the VE in such positive light says something about how good the unique Australian built Cars are
Wheelnut,
The G8 was an epic fail in the US, so no it wasn’t popular, regardless of what some lone voice on the internet has said!!
Yeah, some people might like it, but the numbers of them sold, just tells us, they preferred other cars more!!!
Some foreign jurnalist, with different level of standards might be impressed by a G8. But we locals, who have had plenty of experience with them, and don’t see them through the exotic glasses, know how woefully built units they really are!!
Let’s not forget they are so undesirable, without government support they wouldn’t even exist~!!
Tomas: Your beloved Toyota also benefits from Tariff protection.. receives just as much Govt funding/support and have about as much fleet sales as Ford and Holden do..
So what the hell makes you think that if the Tariffs were 0% or the government stopped supporting the industry that Holden and Ford would disappear but Toyota would [somehow] remain?
Wheelnut, you obviously love hearing the same things over and over again, or maybe you just lack the ability to comprehend!!
Toyota is not my beloved!! And where exactly do I say that Toyota will remain in Australia? I know it is a little hard for you to comprehend that not everybody is a one eyed brand supporter!!
Well for someone who claims not to like or be a fan of Toyota you sure do defend them a hell of a lot don’t you?
You say that you do so in order to try and counter-act the un-informed negative comments people make about Toyota… yet you make similar comments about Holden and Ford..
You challenge people to back up their comments about Toyota with “facts” yet you very rarely do so when people ask you to do likewise in relation to Holden or Ford.
Then when people do provide evidence [from a particular magazine or website] if you don’t agree with it you usually ignore it and insult them. However; if the same magazine/website says something positive about Toyota; then it somehow becomes a credible reference.. the same applies to surveys
Wheelnut, thats a pretty stupid generic template message you go there…
No Tomas its merely an observation of your behaviour/conduct on this site
But yet again you don’t like or understand what is said you came back with a statement to try and insult me and make yourself feel better/appear to be smarter etc.
Did you see the comparison on Top Gear UK when JC compared the VXR8 [Clubsport] up against a number of more fancied Euro Rivals…
Sure its not as “refined” as a BMW or Merc-Benz or Audi but in terms of bang for your buck [or power for your pound] JC said that it was one of the most insane yet fun sports sedans he has driven.. mainly because it doesn’t have all those interfering nanny-controls.
Then there was the review when the Hamster drove the VE Maloo Ute with a similar verdict..
Yes I know I am referring to Top Gear [again] but its the most watched Car show in the world
If you hate Australian made Cars but love European Cars so much and want to pay what they do in the UK…. then why don’t you move over there?
Without brining up the counter argument that has been said a few times before.
Does Jeremy Clarkson, or Hammster actully own a VXR8 or the Maloo Ute?
Tomas: you can admire a car [for what it is] and not actually own one
I mean going by your “logic” the fact that YOU don’t own an Aston Martin; Lamborghini; Veyron; Ferrari or Koenigsiegg etc means that they are crap does it?
But in response to your question: No JC doesn’t own a Maloo or a VXR-8 However; he has made positive comments about a number of European cars.. bought one and then found them not to be as good as he thought.. so what does that say about them?
Wheelnut®™ says:”so what does that say about them?”"
Like Jeremy Clarkson saying that he thought the VXR8 was moronic, and he wouldn’t have one?!!
QUOTE………..
“70sDatsun says:
September 26, 2009 at 1:28 pm
So this thing will cost more, go slower and stink like gas in the cabin, dont tell me it wont cause all LPG cars do.”
Im gonna tell you it wont because not all LPG cars do.
Ive never heard that one before, and Ive owned LPG before and always remained interested in its development.
The only reason I dont have LPG now is because on the development side of things its not keeping pace with Petrol. Not the fuels fault, but the manufacturers.
Sure the LPG smell is noticable, but thats probably because you are used to the smell of the more toxic unleaded and diesel fumes…….
For the record LPG doesnt naturally smell. they add that “rotten egg” sort of smell to it so a leak can easily be identified.
Perhaps they should add lavender to it??? ha ha ha ha ha
Tomas79 says: September 27, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Wheelnut®™ says:”so what does that say about them?””
Like Jeremy Clarkson saying that he thought the VXR8 was moronic, and he wouldn’t have one?!!
That may be.. however; the fact is he reviewed a European car gave it a rave review then found it to be a nightmare to live with
So even though he said that he wouldn’t have a VXR-8… if he bought one he might have found that it was better than what he thought – particularly as a daily driver
I mean its like someone [like you] making a negative comment about a Holden or Ford [as you do] based on a 5 minute ride in a Taxi [for example] – Yet if you actually drove one for a longer period of time [3-6 months] you could be pleasantly surprised… Well I know you wouldn’t but maybe others would be.
Wheelnut, as I have said a few times before, on a number of different articles, I’ve actually have had 2 falcons in the past as a company cars. And my brother has a falcon at the moment, and offcourse he is having probelms as we speak..
Anyway, I do respect falcons, much then those dunnydores… Holden really shouldn’t be around… They aren’t even reliable enough to be used as a taxi!!
You’re right Holden Commodores are used as Police/Highway Patrol Cars instead. where they receive equally as harsh treatment as the Falcon Taxis.
Not to mention that Camrys/Aurions aren’t used as Taxis or Cop Cars – so what does that say about their reliability?
Camrys are most definitely used as taxis both here, and heavily overseas.
Experienced fleet marketing department and big fleet discounts != inherent reliability.
Which state are you from – I’ve lived in Sydney Melbourne Adelaide and Perth and I haven’t seen any Toyo-taxis?
It’s a naturally known fact that Holden’s and Gas don’t mix… especially Commdores! Especially V8 Commodores that have OHV Pushrods for an engine. They don’t have enough technology to support LPG in their Commodores let alone the HSV range!!! Isn’t the HSV E2 range bad and ugly enough, now they’re putting it on gas!??? WTF!
This is just going to turn into another Holden/HSV nightmare…
Azza says: September 27, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Just need to point out, Holden/HSV… they don’t make Australian cars! They just claim that they do it, so to all you “patriotic to Australia” people out there, if you truly are Patriotic then you would admire the Falcon, as it is the only car on the planet that is designed, produced and assembled in Australia.
Azza If you honestly believe that then you are seriously delusional.
May I suggest that you either watch “Billion Dollar Baby” or read Peter Robinson’s Book “Autobiography” – both of which go through all the background information in relation to the research development and production of the VE range..
or even visit the Holden Factory in Elizabeth South Australia and tell us what you see.
Well I have owned many Australian cars and I still own one. My current business car is a BA MK2 RTV ute on gas. Thank god it starts every morning and is cheap to run because otherwise it would be gone. Where do I start, um probably with the brake discs, gone after 55000 kms, next the seatbelt doesn`t retract properly and has been fixed previously and then there is the rear suspension bolt I noticed half hanging out when I was filling it up. What about the rack rattle that has just started, oh yeah then there is the annoying rattles, especially the one in the dash and last but not least the coating coming off the steering wheel. Now I personally think this is ordinary for a car with 58,000km`s, but the saving grace is I bought it for 34k and there is only 2.3 yrs left on the mortgage, but then its happily gone.So I don`t think anyone has the right to say I am unaustralian, I have been nothing but loyal.
Clean your seat belt,
I had mine back to the dealer once and they told me thats the cause.
They did clean it for me for free, then told me why it was.
You must be getting in the vehicle with dirty or sweaty clothes because that is the biggest contributer.
you cant even see it, but the build up is there
Also, how do you fill up your vehicle if you notice suspension issues??
Brake discs…..
Biggest cause is driving through water, that will stuff em real quick
Ive had Holdens for twenty years and only moved away now beacuse of $1.70 fuel. But im not lying, in over twenty years with a new commodore every four years ive never once had a problem. NEVER ONCE! If anything they have been more reliable than my occasional Jap or euro. Owned two Beemers and they both f*cked up after two years. The Magna and the Accord were good but didnt have enough oomph. People shouldnt be prejudiced against Holden/HSV. Drive them first and try and maybe buy one, then pass judgement. Always good to be a bit adventorous!!
“Owned two Beemers and they both f*cked up after two years.”
1992 318s purchased in 2007 don’t count.
Ok so you have moved away from Holdens because of the $1.70L fuel……
Well please share with us which vehicle you drive that only demands 85cpl fuel
Just to let you know my mates Commodore had the same issue with the brake discs at about the same km`s, but he just got some crossed slotted or drilled from super cheap and changed them. I`m not sure if Ford and Holden use the same supplier or not.
Does anybody know if the Active Fuel Management system can run on gas, I guess no as the AFM would leave the valves open and the gas injectors would still be pumping gas in. One option might be turning the AFM off. 630kms Melbourne to Lakes E return 70 l. The engine runs like a dream, although very hot on a very cold day. WM10 The new computer system has double the driver options, a great car.
HSV’s don’t use AFM so there is no problem there.
One word…
G E N I U S!
Bout time too