2007 Holden Caprice V8 Road Test
24 Aug, 2007
56 Comments 
2007 Holden Caprice V8 Road Test
CarAdvice rating: 
Recommended Retail Price: $66,990 (V6), $70,990 (V8)
Options Fitted: None
Holden’s new VE range has been a step in the upward direction, both in terms of size and power. Needless to say, Holden’s Long Wheel Base (LWB) variants have also received similar attention. Holden’s WM range (which includes Statesman and Caprice) carry a totally unique exterior design, along with extra capacity for both people and luggage.
From the outside, the new Holden Caprice doesn’t look that dissimilar to an equivalent sized vehicle from the Germans. The front end carries a Bi-Xenon headlight cluster, while the rear uses LED lights. The side profile features beefed wheel arches, along with an LED clad indicator arrangement which looks classy and defined.
Step inside and the luxuries continue. Rear passengers have an absolutely staggering amount of leg room. Six-foot something passengers have more than enough leg and knee room – and then some. To top off the luxuries, rear seat passengers have access to headrest mounted LCD screens which play DVDs, which are loaded through the roof mounted DVD player. Wireless headphones are also available for those who prefer a slightly more private experience.
Up front, an LCD screen with climate controls and audio controls commands the dashboard, while the Bose branded sound system exercises the ears. Electric seats with memory, along with steering wheel mounted trip computer and audio controls help make the driving experience as convenient as possible.
The Caprice comes standard with Holden’s 6.0-litre V8 power-plant which mashes out 270-kilowatts of the good stuff, while laying down 530Nm of back pushing torque Power is sent through a 6-speed auto cog box. During normal driving conditions, it’s quite a sedate unit. But, as with all Holden VE V8s I have tested, the rocking motion from the engine really doesn’t suit the demographic the Caprice is marketed towards. Fuel consumption is considerably poor – taking into consideration the vehicle’s weight and the capacity of the motor. The Caprice can also be optioned with a V6 motor instead.
When it comes to boot space, you will struggle to find a contender that beats the Caprice. There is more than enough room to pack enough luggage for several weeks away. Our test vehicle had a few build quality issues though, such as a misaligned handbrake handle, along with loose trim surrounding the steering wheel. This can be put down to the pre-production build of the vehicle being test driven.
Standard features include: Bi-Xenon headlights; heated exterior mirrors; leather seats; cruise control; central locking; front and rear parking sensors; auto-dimming rear vision mirror; automatic windscreen wipers; automatic headlights; tyre pressure monitor; Bluetooth phone connectivity; 10-speaker sound system, including 6-disc in-dash CD player; DVD player with dual LCD screens; 10-way electric front seats; tri-zone climate control and power windows.
Safety features include: Electronic Stability Program (ESP); ABS brakes with EBD and BA; dual stage front airbags for driver and passenger; side impact airbags for driver and passenger; side curtain airbags; active front head rests and traction control.
Priced from $66,990 for the V6 and $70,990 for the V8, the Holden Caprice offers exceptional value for money when features and size are taken into consideration. A bevy of options are available to compliment and personalise your Caprice, including larger alloy wheels, interior and exterior colours, along with satellite navigation. The Caprice is the perfect option for the executive businessman who wishes to travel in style and luxury. With enough gadgets to keep passengers happy, there is no disputing the Caprice’s relevance in the market. The Germans need to beware, this Aussie luxo-barge is right up the alley of their target market.
- by Paul Maric
Location: Home / Holden, Behind the Wheel, Holden VE Commodore / ...
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(23 votes, average: 4.04 out of 5)
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August 24th, 2007 at 11:35 am
my brother had a new caprice v8 as a company car for about 6 months. He changed it over because the fuel consumption was atrocious. The six speed auto was also a problem as it was very jerky with rough gear changes. For a top of the range vehicle it had poor build quality with many rattles and bits of trim pooly fitted in the interior.
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August 24th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Holden needs a one of the best turbo diesel powerplants in the business for the Caprice and Calais. Just go ask Audi for their 3.0-litre TDI from the Allroad. One word - sensational!
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August 24th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Now Rick, did your brother really choose a two-tonne car with a six litre V8 and expect the fuel consumption to be anything but atrocious? I do agree with his comment about the transmission though - there is a calibration issue here that Holden is aware of, but I wonder when the fix will arrive. Apart from these issues though, the Caprice is a bargain at the price.
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August 24th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Graeme, he didnt expect it to be light on fuel but at the same time it was much worse than anything he had experienced before. I dont know where they get those fuel consumption figures they advertise with the vehicles.
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August 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
The Holden Luxury cars are nothing more then just WONNA BE’s… simply put, they DO NOT even come close to comparing to REAL CRAFTED MARQUES like Lexus, BMW, Benz, Audi etc and i have yet to witness a Commodore model to actually have the grace to age with dignity.
Have a look at this brand new Caprice… it is rattly and squeeky with i’ll fitting interior already let alone 3, 5 or even 10 years from now. That is were all the extra money goes into with engineering REAL MARQUES - ensuring quality, refinement, relibility, dependability, durability and ofcourse DIGNITY.
Now… i do acknowledge the price differance but Holden has been advertising that ther new range of Luxury vehicles can compete against the ‘world’s very best’ without mentioning anything about price or price brackets. If that’s how Holden wishes to advertise thier cars then that is exactly how i will pass judgement upon them.
The Lexus LS460 currently holds the ‘World Car Of The Year’ mantle so i have been waiting for a very long time for Holden to pick a fight with Lexus especially considering how Holden has been pitching thier cars.
The fact is, the Lexus LS460 would smash a Statesman/Caprice/Grange and they know it so maybe Holden should be alot more careful with thier advertising technics in the years to follow to safe some very embarrassing and brand tarnishing moments.
The Holden Luxury cars are great 60/70/80 thousand dollar units but they ARE NOT GENUINE MARQUES. Simply put… they lack the CRAFSMANSHIP.
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August 24th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Did you actually drive the car??? How did the V8 perform? Could the car handle? How well did it stop? Interior noise levels? This is what all car reviews should be about, not just mentioning a few stats anyone can read off a car spec sheet!
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
here we go, Dingo is on his soap box once again!
Lexus this and lexus that…
Dingo what do you drive?
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I agree with Dingo, this car is a poser and it shows in the quality of its build and the reliability or lack there of from its engine.
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Its a great looking car and great value for money, i really dont think id be willing to part with an extra $100,000 for a german equivalent over some minor issues.
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
leeds…
thats a good point and one many miss! no other luxury car is worth an extra $100,000 over and above the caprice/statesman.
imagine if you spent that sort of money improving the caprice, it would far exceed the germans or luxury car any car.
The value diminishes the more you spend.
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
You get what you pay for. The Caprice might look great but how does it compare to the more expensive brands in a crash? How reliable is its inheritantly unreliable V8 engine? How well fitted is the vehicle when we have people who say they have had problems. And most of all, how unique is a car that looks like a VE? There are many reasons why the equivalent luxury brands cost more, maybe there is some cost inflation… but you still get more.
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Its’ all relative to cost in the end…Is the caprice worth the money? probably not, but no luxury car is…
My point is though, fair dinkum luxury makes, BMW, MERC, Lexus etc…are not $100,000 better than the caprice…simple.
If you spent that sort of money improving the Holden, it would far exceed any other luxury car.
The mark ups in price get larger the more money you spend on a car…
It was the wheels car of the year who stated that back in 2002 a $30,000 BA falcon sedan steered and rode better than a $100,000 Merc e-class, particuarly on rough roads…
Take a look at the new Ford mondeo…it’s abilities are catching up with the BMW 3 series for handling dynamics and quality of build at a far cheaper price…
the mainstream manufacturers are gaining on the traditional luxury makers…the gap had reduced.
Yes the luxury makes still hold the advantage, they would want too and have too! but the gap isn’t as big as many like to believe…
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August 24th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Also it is Merc that had slipped in the quality rankings in the last few years and had to face up to cathcing up with mainstream brands, BMWs 5 series was beaten by the kia amanti in the latest side crash tests!
All is not what it appears…
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August 24th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
HA! This is the only Holden that I can honestly find nothing wrong with. It looks decent, handles nicely and is pure luxury. That being said, it doesn’t compare to a Fairmont Ghia.
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August 24th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Oooh… there you are Adam - didn’t take long for you to pipe up. I drive two poxy Camry’s but i’m a wonna be Lexus driver.
Another reason why REAL MARQUE’S charge more is because ‘THEY CAN’ so give me one good reason why one wouldn’t when they can.
Try charging $150 000 for a Statesman/Caprice/Grange and people will probably crack thier ribs in laughter.
Get real - Holden Luxury vehicles have a dismal past for engineering poor quality, refined, reliable, dependable, and durable vehicles therefore have no reputatble heritage to speak from. A strong reputation carries a lot of weight and with that one can expect to hand out more pennies… like it or not, that is the brutal facts of business.
Todate, i have not read 1 single article yet that has not had some sort of quality compliant with Holdens new luxury range. Infact, there have even been issues with the bootlid lifting by themselves while driving along.
Like i mentioned earlier, i have yet to witness a Commodore model that has had the dignity to age with grace. Commodores history of becoming rattly, squeeky, loose, troublesome and at times even literally fall apart is quite renouned. However, older Lexus models have remained honourable to thier drivers and at the end of the day - that’s what you are paying for.
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August 24th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
ADAM - have you noted the latest RAC Customer Satisfaction survey ??
Mazda, Honda and Toyota all ranked very tighly against each other with Mazda 1st, Honda 2nd and Toyota 3rd. The survey continued on to state that Ford and Holden were down the list and fell by the wayside as they failed to match the benchmark.
This is consistant with JD Powers very recent analysis of Western Australian Motorist as the three mentioned also ranked at the top while Holden and Ford further down the list. The leaked Australian Quality Survey also published the fact that not 1 single Holden offering could even score average against competiotrs. That’s right, every Holden was ranked BELOW AVERAGE.
The point i’m putting forward is what hope does Holden truely have to compete with honourable marques when they cannot even compare to regular brands.
Someone with wealth and passion for cars WILL NOT purchase a Holden if thier luxuries can comfortably support more tasteful offerings. Holden’s range is for those who cannot afford otherwise.
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August 24th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
So right you are Dingo !
Here we go again the old $100,000 less than a MERC ,BMW crap again.
What do you think they drive as a Commodore in Germany ,BMWs 5 series !!!
So are you telling me that a Commodore is a better car than a BMW only when purchased in Australia because of the price ? Or is the Commodore better than a BMW 5 series world wide,you cant have it both ways?
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August 24th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
^^but if you are a buyer in Australia the price in germany is irrelevant, its still $100,000 more than a caprice, i see what you mean in terms of quality but regardless they ares still far more expensive cars here in aus. And like clarkson said, there are more 3 series than mondeos in europe, buying a bmw is no longer the exclusive club it once was. Bag the caprice if you must but you have to admmit the gaps between them are narrowing.
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August 24th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
The gaps between any Holden vehicle and any BMW vehicle narrowing is a load of crap! No matter how many Holden Caprice’s get sold here compared to where ever else in the world, no matter how much cheaper the Caprice is to any other BMW vehicle, it doesn’t even matter that the Calais V has more power then the 550i, Holden will never get anywhere near BMW as a car company. There is a reason that the BMW range costs $100,000+ and until we get see any of the Holden range near that price, you cannot compare those two companies. Holden is slipping away very fast, they need to pick up there game so they can actually say they have a Luxury/Sport car that can match a Lexus and go as fast as a Ferrari (exaggeration). They say stuff like that now, but it’s all crap. Holden should stick with a company they might actually have a chance of beating in their own events… Proton!!! Bwah ha ha ha…
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August 24th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Azza - what’e even more of a laugh is that Holden sells pathetic 2 star crash rated Barina’s and all of those other Daewoo junk and then try and compare thier more ambitious vehicles to the very best in the world under the very same name brand.
Everything that so proudly wears a BMW, Mercedez Benz, Lexus, Audi badge are reputable, honourable and specifically crafted machines hence the invaluable respect they have so rightly earn’t over many generations of presitage motoring. Yet, Holden thinks if they engineer a differant car and advertise differantly then they must be a honourable company aswell. Only a true fool would believe such tragic hype.
Like isaid, Holden has no homourable presitage heritage to speak from but crappy old cars.
Holden is a joke.
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August 24th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
@ Dingo
Well said.
Once upon a time Holden used to have it all, and for them to lose everything they once had so fast is just stupid on their behalf. I wouldn’t mind knowing how many times the other GM companies have had to help Holden… To this day, I still cannot understand how they manage to keep afloat in sales… In the posistion they are in now, they are taking a massive risk comparing themselves to any major company like BMW. In my personal point of view, Holden are putting their head on the chopping block voluntarily and are just waiting for the loud crack of the axe to drop.
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August 25th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Since when did this argument become about korean imports, christ leave it alone already that argument is boring as shit.
Even if this car supposedly has a poor build quality its it right up there with the germans looks wise, and the reviews seem to give it a good wrap anyway. Good job holden i say. Too bad the fairlane couldnt do this well, shame really
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August 26th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
ah and there you are dingo,
mate i know what you are saying and agree that holden needs to watch their marketing campaigns before they get done for false advertising…BUT……………..
the fact still remains that you are simply getting what you pay for. (one of the oldest sayings in the book).
if the caprice was the same quality and same price as the respected names in luxury then holden would sell bugger all here aswell.
anyhow the caprice should be compared to toyotas (not lexus’s) top of the range luxury vehicle.
i know toyotas quality aint that hot aswell. i think you said earlier you had a 03 camry?? well i had 2 of those in the family a sportivo and altise.
dodgy drivers window seal
wiring harness replacement recall
fuel tank recall
worst cloth trim i have ever seen (it “pills”)
absolutely zero driver appeal
thats a few, im sure you would agree with because both of the toyotas i know suffered from it.
now dont go hit me with faults on holdens because i know most of them (and there is a lot). i know they a pieces of shit.
but dont go giving us your purely biased opinions ive heard them all before. i swear you have copied and pasted from other posts, cause i swear i have read half of what you have said before.
smokin,
the reason the fairlane wasnt selling aswell is that holden has the monopoly on fleet sales. most of them go to fleets. on the otherhand the 300C sells as much as the caprice but with no fleet help. the caprice would be dead also if it werent for the fleet sector. nothing wrong with fleetsales, its part of business. im just saying holden tied the fleets in so thats why they can justify to keep it
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August 27th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
God you people crap on! Look at me, I have a BMW…Do this Do that! Borat had it right when refering to stuck up A-holes! Holden have built their best car to date, on the whole people are raving about it. The handling and braking are far superior to any previous commodore, or any falcon ever! How do I know? I am a test driver. When I first drove the BA XR6, I could not believe that I was sitting in a new car! I close my eyes and feel like I was in an old EA! One tends to get SEASICK in a falcon. If you want to do comparisons with european or jap cars, one must do so in a relevant fashion. EG: FOR THE PRICE, HOLDEN HAS THE BEST PACKAGE!
I say shame on those who complain about the commodore or luxury range, without really giving it a go. Trust me, I have! As for teething problems, show me a car in this price range that doesnt have teething problems in the first run of model. Grow up lexus lovers, they are far too over-rated for me!
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August 29th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Holden, Ford & that other t brand have been getting away with selling cars with ‘teething’ problems for too many decades.
No car is perfect but give me a break it really is tedious to hear the Ford V’s Holden rubbish in this day & age.Get over it.
And as far as the German comparison is concerned,I was not born yesterday.It is future taxi fodder.
6.0l V8 what is the point?
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August 31st, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Hey David.
Enjoy your Toyota Prius. I heard that owners of those cars sniff their own farts. Have fun with that…
You think you can do better to design a car with a new model with absolutely NO TEETHING PROBLEMS? Put your money where your mouth is. (You may have to unzip your trousers to do that though!
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August 31st, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Although I prefer the Caprice (and especially the Grange) to Toyotas I find myself asking a simple question after reading the comments on this site. How much testing do Toyota do on any of their new models compared to Holden?. This I ask because there are always niggling things going wrong with the Holden If you believe everything you hear. My personal opinion is that these problems started with the VB and have never stopped. I have old roadtests of H series Holdens that seem a lot more complimentary on fit and finish then than what you here now. Just a thought and interested to hear what others think.
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August 31st, 2007 at 8:43 pm
HOLDENDRIVER… Like your comment about Prius, had too much of a laugh at your wording. Must admit Holden are pretty good at model differentiation in the Commodore range. Hope Ford finally lifts the bar right over the top on the upcoming Falcon as overbloodydue! Streuth that was a big word to type up!
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September 1st, 2007 at 12:05 am
Hey calm down you Aussies. Holden have a market, Audi, Merc and BMW have markets and they are different.
Holden will always sell in Oz whatever they make good or bad. Just let them know what you want. I used to have an Audi A6 1.9 Diesel now i’m in a 3.0ltr diesel vectra (UK) peformance is better but the Audi was nicer overall. The Vectra was 25%less than the Audi to buy. Says it all
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September 1st, 2007 at 9:25 am
Roberto, I am glad you are happy…lol. I personally think that some people pop up an opinion without any REAL backing for it. It frustrates the hell out of me because I do take my time when test driving to come up with a clear and fair decision/opinion.
Trouble with the internet is, instant expert, just add keyboard!
I await with much anticipation of the upcoming falcon. Spy pics are most impressive. I cant wait to drive it.
As I said in a earlier post, the BA performance range had some punch, but really slack suspension. Recently I drove a BF xr6 for the first time, and it was the exact opposite. Engine lacked punch, but suspension ride was almost perfect for cornering…go figure.
I am hoping that the new falcon puts these two together as have holden in this current model IMHO.
Realistic logic says that the new falcon has a big hurdle to jump if they wish to compete with the commodore. And lets be honest, ford has been VERY slack when it comes to performance figures of their V8s. Need that rectified if they want credibility back.
On a side note, HOW HOT DO THE VE V8 SUPERCARS LOOK!!!
Cant wait to see the new falcon version!
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September 1st, 2007 at 9:40 am
Hi Lloyd. Your post has an interesting point. My personal response is, that any car in that price bracket is going to have some niggling issues. You specifically point out the commodore. Take a look at the XD>>> falcons. Door handles anyone? It is an unfortunate side effect of a cheaper car. What everybody has to remember, is that cars are built using LOTS of different companies to supply components.
Holden and Ford share quite a lot of these companies in producing their vehicles.
The problem is, the finished product of a car built in Australia, is 90% something else other than that cars brand.
That being said, as each model goes into production, commitments have been made with suppliers to provide good reliable parts to perfect specifications. That does not always happen. For example, the differential supplied to holden for their recent one-tonners, has a nasty habit of becoming noisy.
It is easy for people to say: holdens are a piece of crap, the diffs are noisy. And that is ok, holden took that on by using those diffs. But they didnt make them. So with the VE, newer suspension brakes and you name it have brought it back up in the quality stakes.
Loads of test driving is done by all manufacturers, but there is no way any new model can test what drivers do to their cars everyday in Sydney! Wear and tear is a very hard item to test, so is testing a car past 100 000kms before releasing it.
Europeans are known for their superb manufacturing skills, hence it makes sense that their cars are going to be of a higher quality to ours. Ozzies are well known for their BBQs and Beer. Not our fabrication skills.
There you have it. Thats my two cents, looking back over the amount said in this post, its more like a tenner.
ttfn
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September 1st, 2007 at 10:32 am
holdendriver!
I hear new episodes of FAT PIZZA are being planned.
You ought to audition.
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September 1st, 2007 at 10:53 am
Thanks David, I think I would make a great BOBO!
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September 1st, 2007 at 10:57 am
I have just fuelled up my chainsaw, anyone for a dual?
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September 1st, 2007 at 11:14 am
Roberto might make a good MAMA
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September 1st, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Are you going for Toula? lfmao
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September 3rd, 2007 at 2:39 am
Well dispite what you all think I happen to like turtles. Infact I think about them often in the throws of passion in order to get me across the line. Yes sir turtles are hawt.
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September 3rd, 2007 at 7:48 am
How ya goin Kent?
Sounds like you are on your way to an ol’ fashion diggin.
Gone a bit kookoo me thinks…lol
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September 13th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Well I actually (shock horror) purchased a VE with my own money as a private purchaser. Only a Calais, not a Statesman or a Caprice and guess what? I’m pleased as punch with my purchase.I may have purchased a BMW/Merc if I earned 3x as much but that’s a moot point really.
No doubt some people have had issues, I don’t doubt it. But for just over $40,000, it’s an awesome car. Yes I know your Accord Euros and Mazda 6’s have superior resale, but guess what? Every car takes a huge bath in resale. A couple of thousand difference will be made up in cheaper servicing and parts.
I have been pleasantly surprised in all aspects of my new Calais - build quality (sorry boys, no rattles or squeaks), materials, level of luxury and safety equipment and yes, the looks. Oh, and no electrical faults so far. I know it’s a ‘given’ that no-one looks at a VE Commodore (even a Calais) but in the real world, I find they do. Sorry to break it to you. Maybe put another fat exhaust or oversized wing on your grey import 1988 Silvia?
The best thing is that because so many people have an irrational pathological hate for Holden (as witnessed on any Australian car blog), my car stands out even more. Thanks!
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September 16th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
All hail King Troy. Glad you like it buddy. I did some Pre-delivery drives on the Calais, and want one myself. They are the least rated car in my opinion, up against these over-rated buzz boxes that is!
The VE is a great driver, quiet and smooth. What more do you want for the price?!
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September 16th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
1 thing i dont get is y so many ppl buy the luxury commerdor range because in all honesty they are over priced for what they are they are not a power house on the road and honestly i would prefer to buy a f6 typhoon for a small cost of 60000
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September 21st, 2007 at 2:41 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
You dont think $60000 is overpriced for a 6 cyl plastic car? The F6 realistically is Fords best offering as far as power goes. (Their V8 claims to have 290kw, but is no where near its own 6cyl in performance/distance figures. @270kw, the VE Caprice is luxury, style AND POWER!
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September 24th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Holdenwoo is just wasting their time again, if people r a fan of GM Holden good luck to them, but quality is the first thing that comes to my mind, holden lack so much of this ingredient they keep putting lion badge’s on Korean car’s scratching heads why everything about them falls apart, I mean if you are going to buy a Epica for instance you might as well buy a Hyundai or Kia, ouch, HOLDENWOO should keep the Epica and Caprice behind closed doors before the doors come off. LOL…………… as for Ford Mondeo, most of us know now quality come’s before a cheap Holden and the Mondeo has truckloads it, thats why Mondeo was in the latest James Bond Movie….
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September 24th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Have any of you baggers even driven the cars you seem so knowledgeable about? I have owned many cars and driven lots I didn’t own. Most cars are pretty reliable if looked after properly but I have learnt 1 thing during my life, never listen to the opinion of a person who drives a company car, because very few of them will tell it is a good car no matter what it is. 2 if a person has paid his own money for a car he doesn’t like to admit he has a lemon. People who test cars although they don’t mean to get very critical of anything that they would rather not have to test because of the amount of really exciting cars they get to drive. So ignore all the BS take what interests you for a drive and make up your own mind, after all YOU are the one who is going to drive it!
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September 24th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
TED… mate it takes maximum skill to put Holdenwoo together. Holdenwoo (whilst they do not build more then 1 car Downunder) have many over qualified dipsticks put stickers on HRT VRX Astra Opel cars (where the hell would Holden be without them and Vauxhall!!!!!!!!!!!!) like the HRT Astra (oops Opel is still mentioned on the dash instrument cluster. Better change that one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The well thought of sticker wacked on the car and couldn’t even put HRT on seats as others have must of taken up many boardroom (bored-room) meetings and burning the midnight candle. More concerned about Woo land then sticking to the iconic brand they ONCE WERE!
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September 24th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
This is fact for holden, having so many recalls and upset owner’s cause neglegence gets in the way of care or reassurance including their product’s, thing’s start to break at the seams, when complaints pile up for holden you wonder if the stupid company really care’s. I have been burnt by this particular company so “proof is in the pudding”.
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September 24th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Of course, Holden means a great deal to U.S wallets… the fact that they are now selling all these Korean trash vehicle with lacklustre safety proves this. They will do anything to make a sale, even shove the Holden badge on cars which are not fit for Australian roads like the Barina.
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September 25th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Bharrrr!
All you Toyota Prius driving, fart sniffing sooks!
I have worked as a technician for Holden in the past, and the thing that amazed me is the amount of warranty repair requests from customers that involved replacing parts that they broke.
Eg: The amount of cupholders in the VZ I changed, due to people yanking on them, letting their dog sit in them and who knows what! No matter how much you pay for a car, if you are extremely rough with a folding cupholder, it will break!
I have been a test driver in the past VT, I like to believe that I approached each car with equal attitude before driving it. The example I used earlier, the Ford BA XR6, was a true account. I was really looking forward to driving it, and became disappointed at the lack of ride quality. Same feel as an EA.
As far as the Epica, I have not driven it yet, though reports I have heard are not flattering. Just remember one thing…A LOT of car manufacturers are out-sourcing small car productions. It is the sign of the times. Business as you all should know, comes down to the bottom dollar. If it is unreasonable to manufacture here, when a cheaper builder is across the water, it must be done! Canada/Ford anyone? Mexico/Chev?
Trade agreements have killed local production. Try to reason it any other way, and you will fail.
The whole point?….you get what you pay for.
Got heaps of dolleroes? Buy a Beamer or a Merc. You may well be able to smell your own farts in these cars, with the quiet running, you would probably hear it too. But I promise, you ARE going to have warranty issues!
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October 10th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Holden is a joke. i agree, i had a vx and now drive calais -s C and to be honest holden quality is going downhill BIG TIME.
I have though of selling my car which did coast be $57000
4 years ago with all extras off course..
I never forget this, i took the car to holden service and when i asked why is there so many problems with new holdens, they simply replied, ” its a car build for 3 years”..
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October 18th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Summary: Yes, Holden have built the best luxury car to be had for $65-70k. Meaning that you get a lot more for your money than you would if you bought an entry-level 3-series, C-class, A4 etc. for the same price.
But, no, they still can’t compare with BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus in the big sedan stakes (which is what the Caprice is). A 7-series, S-class, etc. would take this to town. Have a nice day.
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January 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am
Nancy…
[…] There is also a range of products which is more suitable for ladies to buy […]…
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June 15th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I’ve had a V8 Caprice for 6 months now and love it. Yes it does have a clunky gearbox when putting the foot into it, but if driven steadily it’s fine.
It only has 9000klm on it, but the comfort and road handling is superb. I did look at Mercedes and BMW but chose the Caprice because you get better value for money.
To each his own, but to me it’s fine. Reading today’s newspaper they may be worth a lot in years to come.
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June 18th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I rather spend my $70 gran on a used lexus LS430, BMW serious 7 or 5 or Audi A6 and so all…
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June 18th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
for Holden and Ford fan, type in the Search box the word “complains” you will see how many problem these car have.
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July 18th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Hi, I work in Saudi Arabi, and I have a Caprice 2002 V8, it is sold here under that Chevrolet brand. it is a great car, everything is great about it, insane power, impressive stability, space… the overall quality in this model is high, you feel the tight build and high quality material in everything you touch. of course it is not perfect, it drinks fuel like a whale, but in Saudi this is not an issue at all since the fuel is cheaper than bottled water (truely speaking!).
I went to the dealer to check the new Caprice 2008 coz i’m considering to change now… man it is so cheap that i did not even bother to ask about the price! interior material is all hard plastic! it feels that u’r in a magnified small korean car! i don’t know why manufactureres are doing this to their successful cars… people can notice this! people are moving to European cars (mainly german’s) and Honda (among Japanese, they’re the only ones who are not compromsing the quality)
I wish I could replace my 2002-caprice with a new 2008, but i will not!
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October 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
holden caprice is catching up and the euro’s are falling, sure the caprice has its faults but so does every other car and no one in the right mind should buy a car $100000 more than a good old aussie sedan so get your facts right dingo and azza you idiots
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