2007 E-series HSV GTS Road Test
27 Jul, 2007
79 Comments 
The HSV Senator I drove a little while back didn’t do it for me, the six-speed gearbox felt a bit woollen and agricultural and just didn’t feel up to the task. With that, I gave HSV a call in a last ditch attempt to regain my faith in the marque.
I went in of a Monday afternoon and there it was, a blue GTS waiting for me. I’ve gotta say, this thing looked pretty damn good. Sitting on 20” wheels all round and finished in a dark blue colour, I was looking forward to taking the manual driven GTS for a fang.
The interior is familiar HSV territory – in fact – spotting the differences between this and the R8 is anyone’s guess (aside from the leather clad seats). Surprisingly, the GTS is a friendly unit to drive. Although the gearbox is rough as nuts, the clutch is easy and light, while the brake pedal has a firm feel to it and the accelerator is spaced nicely alongside the brake for a bit of heel-toe action.
After driving a few other HSV vehicles – R8, Grange and Senator – I was also a bit disappointed with the audio track on offer. The manual GTS I drove on the other hand though was angry – bloody angry! North of 2500RPM, a dirty V8 racket creeps through the firewall to arouse the driver and passenger alike. Not bad methinks.
It’s quite clear HSV had their larger passengers in mind when designing the seats. The side supports are meaty, but with a figure like mine – you know…not fat – my body moves around the seat base spasmodically during cornering and doesn’t allow me to stay firmly planted while giving the GTS some stick. On top of that, our car had the black, plain Jane interior which looked a bit drab in comparison to the colourful red interior offered in red HSV GTS vehicles ($690 option).
Rear leg room is just astonishing. Whenever I hop into a VE – be it an Omega or a GTS – the rear leg room never ceases to amaze me. There is just a plethora of room available, with enough space to accommodate a trio of HSV’s seemingly target build demographic.
Driving a manual HSV is a totally different experience to the auto cog box. The whole process is so fluent and natural. Line up a straight stretch of road, dial up around 2300RPM and let the clutch out gradually with a bit of swift motion and hold on. Nail the throttle to the board and let the revs speed around to redline. Grab the small, stubby gear-shifter and give the clutch a stab, then slam the gear lever into second gear and let the clutch out. Soon after grabbing second, 100km/h hits in a gob smacking 5.55-seconds (although HSV claims 4.96-seconds).
Unfortunately, trying this more than twice didn’t bode well with the GTS I was driving. Along with just over 10,000kms on the clock, one of the magazines had probably just finished ‘driving’ my copy. After a couple of fully fledged 0-100 runs, the clutch became sticky and wouldn’t return to its upright position. Tread was also wearing thin on the rear tyres – for once, it wasn’t my doing! – making traction off the line a somewhat trivial task.
One of the main reasons I wanted to punt a manual GTS through some bends was for the MRC (Magnetic Ride Control). According to HSV boffins, the magnetic ride system employs a bunch of electro-magnets that can quickly alter the dampening of the suspension, variable upon driving conditions. Hit the ‘Track’ button and the system automatically firms up the ride, waiting for hard cornering before reacting with full force.
Line up a bend in second gear and turn-in feels extremely crisp and spot on. The steering is a little lighter than I would have liked, but it’s relatively precise and provides enough feel to understand what’s happening through the wheels. Nail it on the outset of the corner and the 275-wide Bridgestone Potenza ZR20s grip like the proverbial to the road and work in unison with the MRC’s gadgetry to provide mouth watering performance without the need for a deep set of pockets.
The best part about the GTS was its driveability. Although the gear shift will always be a nigh on two hand job, once you’re cruising in 6th gear, there is oodles of torque available and it’s dead silent – to a degree, you forget you’re cruising in a 307kW V8.
Step outside and the GTS and onlookers turn into drooling statues. The quad circular LED brake lights, along with the quad tail pipes finish off the HSV’s bloody aggressive stance. Coupled with a mean set of 20” wheels all round and cross-drilled rotors with red callipers, the GTS even impresses tree huggers who are against fuel guzzling V8s.
A few other factors that make the E-series GTS so impressive lie beneath the skin. Take the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) for example. Over the years I’ve been writing road tests, I’ve sampled many ESP systems both on and off-road. The setup used in the VE range, and more so the HSV range has to be one of the best in the world – I shit you not.
Lexus are criminal when it comes to their VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system. It literally pulls 97% of power out of the engine and brakes wheels when even the slightest loss of traction is detected. It scares the living crap out of an unsuspecting driver and jolts the car in all directions. HSV’s ESP on the other hand lets you have a bit of free-play with the back end before it steps in. Even when it does step in, it doesn’t take its glove off and slap you in the face, it subtly brings the ass-end back into line and reduces power to the driveline if necessary.
The best part is that when you hit the symbol with the squiggly tyre marks, the system turns off all electronic nannies, leaving you with 6.0-litres of menacing V8 to play with!
Don’t expect any wonders in the wet though. Trying to manoeuvre this puppy in the wet is like trying to break dance in a jewellery store…things are bound to go wrong. Come into a corner too hot and you are met with chronic understeer; give it too much of a stab on the way out and the rear end wants to dance. Striking the perfect balance between traction and speed results in a slow and boring drive when the road is glazed with water. The GTS’s stomping ground is a dry race track, that’s when and where it performs at its full potential.
Under the bonnet, an LS2 V8 lives. Producing 307kW, this 6.0-litre behemoth makes 550Nm of torque and is claimed to jolt from naught to one-hundred in just 4.96-seconds. The claimed 0-100 time must have been achieved on a downhill stretch of road, with a back wind and Mark Skaife shifting the gears as nobody else has managed to achieve that time.
The HSV GTS is available in two guises – automatic and manual. The manual GTS is available for $75,990, while the automatic weighs in at $77,990. Standard features in the GTS include: 20” alloy wheels; fog lamps; rear parking sensors; cruise control; electric windows; automatic headlights; trip computer; dual-zone climate control; Bluetooth connectivity; 6-disc in-dash CD player with MP3 compatibility; 8-way electric seats and MRC (Magnetic Ride Control).
Safety features include: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); dual-stage driver and passenger airbags; front side impact airbags; side curtain airbags; active front head restraints and ABS brakes with EBD.
Suffice to say, the manual version of HSV’s hero car has yours truly impressed. Where else do you get ball-tearing performance for a fraction of the cost of big Euros who demand things like 20” wheels and a mean set of brakes as options…?
Out of all the cars I’ve driven, the GTS also has to be one of the easiest to hold at – and beyond – the limit. Drop the rear end out and small and precise movements of the throttle and wheel hold it out for all and sundry to see. On top of that, the MRC provides bugger-all body roll through the bends…is there anything else a car nut could want? Nup, I sure as hell don’t think so.
CarAdvice rating (out of 5): 
- by Paul Maric
Location: Home / Holden, Behind the Wheel, Holden VE Commodore, Sports Cars, Top Australian Cars / ...
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(18 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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July 27th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
PRIMO!
Yeah, ok i love these:-)
Wish it had a larger engine though!
Cheers
F-0
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July 27th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
This is probably one of the best written most comprehensive articles I have seen on this site. Good work Paul! It makes me look at the car in a slightly better way, even though, it still seems somewhat “tacky”. At the end of the day, it is only a Holden, so what can you really expect? Good article, regardless.
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July 27th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
A nice car, the only issue I have with any HSV is the driver.
Why do they all drive around with their driving lights on? Now that’s a factory which should be closed down ASAP, the one which manufactures the driving lights for all tarted up Holdens and Fords.
The perfect cars for anyone with an inferiority complex.
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July 27th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Isn’t it an LS2 V8 in these VE Commodes?
Judging by the number plate . . . ?
Nice colour of this car, too.
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Maybe they should call this place HSVAdvice haha. I hope you guys get your hands on a TRD Aurion!!!
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Paul, we will … we will. Let it come out first, we have been asking for months.
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I dont think that people who buy an HSV would bother looking at a fwd toyota even a TRD.
By the same token I dont think many European luxury car buyers would look at an HSV but thats fine because we are talking about completely different people despite manufacturers trying to make conquest sales.
Im not saying anything bad about any of the cars that may be implicated.
What does everyone think? Does this sound a fair comment?
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
“Trying to manoeuvre this puppy in the wet is like trying to break dance in a jewellery store… things are bound to go wrong”. Analogy of the decade - love it.
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Yes fair comment… I wasnt saying though the TRD Aurion was even near the GTS though, I would just like to see its review, good or bad… from a prity unbiased source like caradvice.
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July 27th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
thanks for the compliments paul
I am actually really keen to drive the TRD Aurion, I personally hold high hopes for it.
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July 27th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Sorry guys, you’re exactly right!
That was a typo on my behalf, it’s meant to be an LS2 V8 - not an LS1. Doh! It even says it on the number plate!
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July 31st, 2007 at 12:59 am
ino everyone probably gets sick and tired of FORD vs HOLDEN debates but as good as the new HSV’s look the new FPV GT-P comin out next year looks amazing compared to this. i think holden are gonna have to really shake things up a bit to compete
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August 2nd, 2007 at 11:54 am
what a heap of crap if i wanted to have a fast car i would buy an f6 typhoon thats some real power not some pansy pushin faget hsv fet and the car looks like a mazda 6 with steroids and a holden badge added
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August 2nd, 2007 at 5:33 pm
A VERY NICE CAR, WISH I HAD ONE. GO HOLDENS. HOLDENS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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August 2nd, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Though a ford man myself … the new Holdens are quite nice, but i would like to know if anyone else HATES the steerting on them??? Ifrequent my fathers SV6, and im SO sick of how sensitive and twitchy it is. (n.b: Im not talking about handling, im talking about steering feel at ANY speed) let us know
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August 5th, 2007 at 12:47 am
Bigt are you joking? If you wanted a fast car you would buy the slower one, that’s silly. And its also not mentioning weight distribution handling rigidity or the many other advantages the E-series GTS has over the Typhoon. Go back to your fellow Ford fans and Hypothesize about what Ford may do next year. Its better to be a dreamer than out right delusional.
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August 5th, 2007 at 8:49 am
The typhoon lacks ESP a feature which is much needed on a car with near 300kWs of power….
It is a fantastic car, don’t get me wrong .. but .. it is a bit of a dinosaur and the GTS and the R8 leave it for dead.. and I am usually a Ford man.
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August 6th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
mate i think ur wrong because a shity holden v8 couldnt keep with a typhoon because my xr6t blows all 300+kw dunny doors off the road
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August 6th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
If this article is true, and the HSV GTS can reach 0-100kms in 5.55 seconds, then wouldn’t that make the F6 Typhoon the faster car? as it does hit the mark at 5.35 seconds… Understandable though it is an aging(OMFG a 3 year old car! Quick hide before the dinosaur eats us!!!), however what does that say if HSV’s top car is being beaten by a 3 year old “relic”?
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August 8th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I love the way the holden fans keep hanging on to this rigid chassis and weight distribution stuff. gees stop reading the holden times. yes it may heve better weight distribution and a more rigid chassis but what does this all mean? it means they finally got a holden to handle as good as a falcon or maybe just a hairline better to be fair to holden. (but keep in mind the falcon is 5yrs old)
and with weight distribution, well a lot of racing setups dont actually dial cars to equal on all 4 wheels anyhow just like brake bias. in fact a little more weight on the front can help to turn the car in.
but anyway when someone test drives a VE do you hear them say “wow i can feel how rigid the chassis is”? NO
they say it handles well and if the only way holden could make it handle was to make a rigid chassis it doesnt mean thats the way a car has to be to handle well
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September 28th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
I have the GTS, totally happy with it.
The only problem I have with it is the rims, go near or slightly touch a gutter and your rims will pay the price and so will you.
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November 11th, 2007 at 1:45 am
It is true the handling is 2 generations up on the VZ. At cruse and speed..
It might not go well down with the boys in blue but it’s a class almost ahead, Ford Falcon from base go close then as the models move up the distance moves apart, Doesn’t matter if the Blade Control IRS is 5 years old it was brought forward 6 years early to move them away from the AU series.
In 5 years this IRS is tuned well with it should be said many more enhancements available in it, Now into Holden’s IRS it’s new and it’s got plenty left in it.. The Area ford stays with holden isn’t handling it’s drive train keeps it very close. That is the truth i have had a BA Fairmont in my driveway for over 6 months, I drove the VE Calais for 1300km, And my brother owns the BA he said honestly it’s the best car he has driven but he wished it had more power.
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November 14th, 2007 at 12:55 am
True Manny! Ive found that the hard way. HSV provides a small cannister of black brush paint for mine but havent come up with something to at least cover the black scuff marks. Ive had 2 use almost matching silver mag spray paint to cover mine. (just blame the mrs) Works for me. I love my GTS to bits but have also ordered the 302kw COBRA and cant wait to see what it can do. Maybe the 7.0l 385kw gts soon to be released October next year will be the car to look at, ill definately have one, thats for sure. I know my 2007 GTS is here to stay.
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November 14th, 2007 at 1:07 am
i notice that there seems to be alot of one eyed ford n holden supporters here. all i can say is once you own a gts and a cobra, its only fair that you compare the two that way, instead of talking bollicks. many of you might not get the chance to be in my shoe, but its really funny when i read all these comments when most of you cant afford these cars
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November 14th, 2007 at 7:32 am
You right about one eyed supporters, I had to change my name because I got targeted. But the Cobra may not be as quick as the current HSV, you need to wait untill mid next year when an FPV with real power comes out.
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November 16th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Hey, from an owner of 3 cars perspective, Falcon 2003 XR6 turbo (wifes car), 2005 HSV GTS (my car) and my 2007 Feb 15 GTS…. my pride and joy…. my old gts eats the xr6t…. not in speed, in handling, smoothness, comfortability…. heck even a 6L v8 has better econ then the xr6 wtf is that?
xr6 gets to 160 quicker then both my gts’s, once it hits that mark i still have 3 more gears and have taken them both above 240 where my xr6t simply runs out of torque… which is expected from a 6cyl compared to an 8… so to the guy i read who was saying his xr6t would eat it… good luck to you sir come meet me on the highway!
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December 3rd, 2007 at 10:47 pm
But does it like all the VE Commodes, ride like a billy-cart, sound like a truck? Nothing will stop it from looking like it was “styled” by a committee of visually impaired apprentices and the HSV is even worse.
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December 8th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
all you people bickering about ford or holden which is better, if you lot spent more time actually figuring out which is better. To William [rides like a billy cart] meet me on the highway my billycart gts will take you apart, my mates at walkinshaw agree. beat 415rwkw, will you win!!
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January 1st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
if you want Top engine with speed in a FPV / australian Ford… go typhoon as the normal standard ford start o die then… but saying that u are comparing Ford Vs HSV when should be comparing HSV VS FPV both cut out at 250Km/h… typhoon will sit with the GTS to cut out…
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January 1st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Robert, 415KW? - THAT’S NOTHING FOR A TUNED CAR!
Have you herd the F6 Typhoon can exeed 1000HP? So I can have the 1000HP FPV and you have your 415KW HSV.
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January 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 am
This car has 60% korean parts doest it, hmmm so a powerful kia or hyundai wicked lol
go ford
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January 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
also whats the deal with holden with there performance 6’s there isnt any is there compaired to ford or toyota
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January 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 am
um owner omg how can you take a xr6t to 240 when they are limited to 200 hmm
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January 2nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
Sounds like you are making up bald-faced lies/stories and have very little car knowledge Mr. “owner omg” if you don’t know the XR6T is speed limited below 240km/h. Do you really have a XR6T and two GTS’s?
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January 2nd, 2008 at 8:01 am
the normal XR6 is limited to 200km the XR6Turbo and XR8 are limited to 230Km
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January 2nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
OMG Ford camp ‘oh I can get 100HP out of my Typhoon’. The GTS is a way hotter and faster car then your Typhoon, get over it.
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January 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
TP, I remember stating that Ford has a better six and Holden a better V8. Then you bagged out the Chev V8 for being pushrod. Do you change your mind to suit whichever car/brand/supporters you happen to hate at the moment?
Or are you bitter because the TRD doesn’t come close to HSV or FPV?
Way faster/better? Seems awfully close to me, only a couple of tenths in it. The biggest difference is in the price.
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January 2nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Watto I wouldn’t bother…….as usual the Toyota lovers are still going over the SAME old ground they have tried win before…….your right about the TRD though a poor excuse for a performance car! You may as well bang your head on the desk cause the 3 from the Toyota club will always disagree with facts! And twist it around till they find an advantage that suits them and makes them feel better about themselves!
Read what Azza says back in August…….I guess a couple more months will put them on the back foot yet I still think if its white they will argue its black!!!!!!sigh…..I am so over this crap!
Its been such a nice quiet site for the last month too! Oh well more time spent on the Ford Forums I guess to escape the frustration and dribble!
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January 2nd, 2008 at 10:24 am
BM, not wrong. I honestly like the looks of the TRD, bodykit not overdone, subtle grey highlights, except I’d hate to be cleaning the exhaust outlets all the time.
But it sure seems to be aimed at FPV/HSV and doesn’t come close. I’m sure it’s smooth and refined, but the person looking for the fastest Aussie car will have to give it a miss. It’s unlikely to challenge them until it goes AWD or RWD (unless they perform a miracle in eliminating torque steer).
The GTS looks good/mean, except the vents behind the front wheels look too big. I still don’t like the taillights but applaud HSV for going to more effort to differentiate it from an SS. Stamping new sheet metal for a smaller volume of cars like the HSV’s must cost a fair bit extra.
I wish FPV would have some differences like that.
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January 5th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Can anybody tell me why are HSV manuals are slower than the autos? And when it is the opposite with “HOLDEN”, the auto is slower than the manual!
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January 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Because a SS V manual 0-100km time is 5.6 secs and the SS V Auto 0-100km time is 5.8 secs (Sedan)
HSV Clubbie manual 0-100km time is 5.7 secs and the auto 0-100km time is 5.0 secs. Whys that?
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January 5th, 2008 at 10:25 am
No idea Duck. Probably due to different drivers and testing conditions. For example, in the article HSV claims 4.96s to 100km/h but Car Advice got 5.55s.
Quote CA = “….. is claimed to jolt from naught to one-hundred in just 4.96-seconds. The claimed 0-100 time must have been achieved on a downhill stretch of road, with a back wind and Mark Skaife shifting the gears as nobody else has managed to achieve that time…..”
Where did you see the 4 times? (SS auto/man, HSV auto/man) Unlikely they would’ve all been done by the same driver on the same day.
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January 5th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I got the times out of the WHEELS mag
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January 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
All of them? Did they set all four times on the same day? .ie. wind direction, temperature, etc could’ve been different between one auto/manual test and another?
Maybe Wheelnut has some technical info why the auto is quicker on one and manual on the other.
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January 5th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
It was in the “SHOWRROOM” section of magazine, so i would’nt have a clue!
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January 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I don’t ahve any technical data as to why the Auto is quicker than the Manual..
However; HSV do alot of recalibration to the ECU etc inorder to handle the extra power and would most likely do a bit of work to the shift pattern of the Automatic
DUCK: As part of the showroom section at the back of wheels and motor where they list the prices; cylinders transmission etc they also include a reference as to what issue the most recent test was in.
Then you can see if they were tested together or against other cars like FPVs
However I’d say that the times in wheels weren’t set on the same day because therefore; you would have to allow for variables - Like Watto said; such as:
The Driver and his/her driving style - when s/he changed gear in the manual [ie short shift] or how hard he accelerated etc; was TC on or off?
as well as Weather Conditions [windy wet/dry hot/cool etc]
Don’t forget the cars used in these tests are “media cars” on loan to the Magazines for just a oouple of days from the manufacturer.
Therefore they are often tested to/beyond their limits
to see if they really do go faster in reverse.. etc
which means the amount of gtip and the tyre condition was probably less than desirable
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January 5th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
The HSV GTS manual was tested on 06/07 and the auto was tested on the 10/06
Wheelnut,
Because it is wierd, because the SS V ( manual 6 speed) does a 0-100km time of 5.6 secs (270kW).
SS V manual costs- $52,490
The HSV Clubsport R8 (manual 6 speed) does a 0-100km time of 5.7 secs (307kW). That is 0.1 secs slower and it is not that much slower but for they money extra money you pay over the SS V u would think it would be quicker!
Clubsport R8 manual costs- $62,890
But i guess weight of the vehicle would slow it down a bit but there isnt a huge difference. SS V- 1780kg & Clubsport R8-1812kg.
And there isnt a large gap in torque either SS V is 530/Clubsport R8 is 550
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January 5th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Maybe that’s why SS won Bang-For-Your-Buck in (was it?) Motor Magazine?
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January 5th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I meant, maybe that’s why SS won bang-for-your-buck instead of GTS or Force6.
One thing I didn’t agree with was they used the Force6 (luxury version) instead of Typhoon. Force6 costs quite a bit more and is a little heavier. The Typhoon (I think came in a close third?) may have gotten second or first when you factor weight/cost into the equation. The reason they cited was the Typhoon was already a couple years old while the Force6 was new-ish. Oh well, fair enough. We’ll see how the Orion Typhoon goes.
SS was deserving though, it’s a big bit of muscle for the price.
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January 5th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Yeah i agree!
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January 5th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
So, I’m curious Duck, what do you drive?
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
VN
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
What has that got to do that i agreed with you?
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
No offence, I’ve seen a lot of your posts, your obviously a Holden fan, but seem to appreciate other brands as well.
Mikka, TP, Hilko seem to think we (Holden and Ford fans) all hate Toyota for some reason.
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Do you have much trouble with the VN?
It’s commonly known the VN was prone to problems as was the EA Falcon. My bro-in-law had an EA and had little trouble. How about you?
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
It’s just I think some cars get a certain reputation, but you get some great, reliable cars out of that group. ie. VN and EA
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
No i own a porsche carrera…………………..just jocking! How old you and the other people u know (not being rude just wondering?
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Dam!!!!!!!!!!! You found out that i am a holden fan! No but you are right i am a holden fan but i also like other car companies too!
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Haha, yeah, we wear our hearts on our sleeve, huh. I have a Bugatti Veyron (I wish lol). I’m 33, yeah I know, old fart.
Are you considering/hoping for a GTS/R8 soon? A top car by all accounts. I mean, do you think I’d knock one back if someone threw me the keys?
So, any trouble with VN. I’m curious because I knew two people who had one. One had his fall to bits (literally) while the other barely had a problem. Same I’ve heard for EA. Just asking anyone with EA/VN so I can get a better idea of how true the reputation is.
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Not to be rude Duck…..but the VN was crap!
VL I would have forgiven you! hahaha
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January 5th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
That wasn’t him that was me!
He should learn to answer on his own computer!
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January 5th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
I had that same problem with my nephew using my computer BM. In fact I got in trouble with Alborz over it because my nephew was being abusive.
Anyway, no matter how much a person knows, someone always knows more. I’m learning heaps from CA. Sometimes common knowledge/myth aren’t always right which is why I’m asking Duck about his experiences with the VN.
For eg. The common thought that a 6 cyl Falcon is thirsty. I’m aiming to see what economy mine gets (have never measured it before), as I said on the ZR6 Sportivo blog. So far I’ve done 510km on just over half a tank with 40/60 city/country driving. That “should” work out to 7.2L/100kms. I’ll know when I refill. That’s driving it easy, using the I6’s huge torque to accelerate instead of being heavy footed.
My normal driving style (heavy-footed) I’m guessing is 10L/100kms. I’ll know for sure when I do the next tank in normal driving style.
The point is, I’m finding I shouldn’t believe “everything” I hear, but try it for myself, or hear it from a trusted source, or I ask people myself.
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January 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Wholly crap……Watto,thats a pretty good result!
The M3 around town gives 12.5 open road 10.5……and thats on it!As you would expect!
VN as you would know was a real bad Commy! VL…….real good!
Hey my son does the same the 14 year old can be embarrassing!
Wont happen as you know for much longer!
Believe more than 1…..and ensure they have experience first! A good moto!
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January 6th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Well, I don’t have an official result yet, but based on what I have so far it looks good. Might go for a nice long cruise tomorrow so I have to fill.
Yeah, I wouldn’t expect you to take it easy in the M3 ;-)
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January 6th, 2008 at 1:51 am
As I do……..most of the time!!!
But I know I don’t have too! Cause I care for her!!!
Brett he takes her to her max to prove a point one of which he is yet to prove…………she don’t break!
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January 6th, 2008 at 10:05 am
The VN doesnt have long till it will……………..well be dead! 1990 model wagon very wheezy and the rubbers are coming off..or they are off!
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January 6th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Yeah, my EB is very sad, it has had a very hard life (rough dirt roads, heavy towing) with 440,000kms.
The engine/gearbox is still fine but A/C is stuffed, power-steer squawks a bit on full lock, runs like crap on fuel (dirty injectors) but fine on gas, lots of little things, that aren’t worth spending money on to fix.
I’m guessing if it were an EA it wouldn’t have lasted this long with the treatment it gets.
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January 6th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Hi Duck, does your VN have any power steering leaks? That was a common problem on the commodores with the Buick V6.
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January 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
correction…..
Quote “VN was crap”.
should have read entire range from VN to VS was crap and just fell apart.
i know a stack of VS owners especially and every one had a mountain of problems
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January 6th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Well duck gong by those dates you mentioned
The HSV GTS manual was tested on 06/07 and the auto was tested on the 10/06
leads to another possible reason ..Depending in whether or not the car was a sereis 1 model which would have been released 1 month after the Holden range; or if it was an HSV updated model.
If it was a Series 1 - by the time of the test everything should have been loosened up. Yet because as you illuded to the Manual was slower makes me think it was an updated model and so would have been rather tight
Whereas the Auto most likely a prototype - as at the time of the test Holden were just starting to get in the full swing of production. Therefore it probably had a few 1000ks on it and was a lot looser than the manual.
Remember in a recent issue of Motor they tested a VL Walkie a VE Clubbie a BF Cobra and an XC Cobra
Whilst the BF Cobra did well it couldn’t really match the Clubbie or VL mainly because the car was only a couple of weeks old and hadn’t loosened up yet.. and Manufacturers tell you no to go flat out until it loosens up after about 5000ks.
If they had done the test about now I’m sure the BF Cobra would have been alot closer.
Thats the problem with tests in Car Magazines because they’re new cars readers want the tests to take place ASAP following a release.. not giving the car enough time to loosen up..
So on its first outing the performance figures are usually quite poor.. But on it’s 2nd or 3rd Appearance against a newer rival they usually improve.
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January 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I agree with that Wheelnut. That’s something Bavarian Missile has often pointed out, how many kms is on a test car before they run it.
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January 6th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I Guess Great minds think alike! You; BM; Andrew M; and I.
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November 30th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
“correction…..
Quote “VN was crap”.
should have read entire range from VN to VS was crap and just fell apart.
i know a stack of VS owners especially and every one had a mountain of problems”
^^^^^^^^Really Andrew M, I know a fare few people that have had very reliable VS Commodores.
P.S. There must be dodgy commodores in Western Austrlia then! (joke). I live on the opposite side of Australia.
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November 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Duck,
Im not in WA, Im in QLD
I could probably count up about 10 people who i know have had or still have VS’s.
after seeing that many, i would really love to see the examples you call to be good quality…..
maybe its both of our opinions of good quality that vary
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November 30th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Sorry Andrew M, I thought you lived in WA, like Wheelnut does.
What all ten (VS Commodore’s) have bad quality or/and relaibility issues? If so could you name the issues they have or had.
Im not doughting that there is nobody that has reliability problems/issues with VS’s, I’m just saying I know a few people who have reliable VS Commodore. One bloke I know drives his VS Commodore, over 100km one way to work and another 100km back again everyday and no problems. The only problem his had so far reliability wise is that the headlights went. But there fixed now.
I believe that the Holden Commodore definitely has better reliability and quality under the bonnet (mechanically) than it does with interior quality which I think everybody agrees. But saying that the Holden Commodore’s interior is definitley not the best quality but it’s nowhere near the worst.
P.S. Just wondering Andrew M, what car do you drive daily?
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November 30th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Reliability of a particular model of car is similar to the results of the ANCrAP tests.
As I have said previously ANCRAP don’t test the safety of a particular mode of car they test the safety oftest 5 randomly selected cars of a particular model
Which when you consider the total number of cars of that particular model are sold over the life of that car its such a low percentage that it its really insigfnificant..
Even more so when you consider that ANCrAP don’t take into account various other factors such as weather conditions road surface and driver reactions etc….
no two crashes are exactly the same.
I mean the car they used in the ANCrAP test may have failed however your car of the exact same model may have passed, However ANCrAP and the Media manipulte and exptrapolate the results to make it sound as though every car of that Model would be the same
In the same way that just because you have heard about a number of V? Commodores that have had some sort of problem doesn’t necessarily mean that all V? will have the same problem..its more likely that a batch of a few 100 cars have the same problem - so the overall percentage can’t be that great otherwise people would have stopped buying commodores all together wouldn’t they?
[same thing applies to the Falcon]
Commodores and Falcons have both been around for over 30 years giving the Average Australian a practical safe well built RWD family sedan [on a budget] that is designed engineered and built in Australia to deal with the Australian environment etc..
They are also reliable proven by the fact there are so many of them that are over 10-15 years old still on our roads some have been turned into “street machines” however there are a considerable number of them in “factory” form.
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November 30th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Duck not everyone lives this great state…………sucks to be them!hehehe
Andrew resides in QLD,poor boy,Im still waiting to pick him up at the airport.
Wheelnut has seen the light and moved to where all the money and action now is!
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December 1st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
mmmm……..I like WA a far bit too! It’s my 2nd favourite state in Australia.
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December 28th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
for those who asked y the auto in the hsv is faster because the auto shifts faster. Havent u seen the drag cars most of the faster ones are autos and in a manual the clutch slows it down. And in the commodores the auto is slower because they havent put that much thought into straight line speed, just fuel econemy and drivability. But saying that manuals are much quicker on the track because with all the corners and stuff the auto shits itself
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