Commodore Questions (biased Opinions Not Needed)

[Rich_Rolla]

I'm looking at a VR commodore. I just wanted to know about their reliabilty.

 

My parents once had one that was a lemon but Dad had a VS that lasted 280,000k's without a single hassle.

[4ages]

I have found you need to maintain these well, other wise you will end up with some dramas. In saying that I am aware that you need to maintain all vehicles, but my wife has one and it's been little thing after little thing since we bought it...

[SLO-030]

All depends on how the car has previously been treated previously. (just like any car really)

 

And there will always be the cars that are lemons, but then again there may be another one that looks the same but might be the most reliable car you may ever own.

[Jason KE30]

I can vouch for the ones that have been well looked after. Engine-wise anyway.

My dad had a VN (same motor as VR) and by the time he sold it it'd done 440,000 kms no worries.

So yea if you're gonna look at one get service records and what-not. And if it looks like that the person who has owned it has thrashed it then walk away.

[SLW42]

my mate had a vr sedan with super lows and skidders all round cained the ass off it and skidded it everywhere it only shit the gearbox after 2 yrs of constant thrashing i know this isnt what you want to hear but they are pretty reliable cars the only really common prob is the starter solinoid goes in them so it will get harder and harder to start them sometimes!!

[Rich_Rolla]

my mate had a vr sedan with super lows and skidders all round cained the ass off it and skidded it everywhere it only shit the gearbox after 2 yrs of constant thrashing i know this isnt what you want to hear but they are pretty reliable cars the only really common prob is the starter solinoid goes in them so it will get harder and harder to start them sometimes!!

 

Possible to upgrade this to avoid the problem?

 

VT starter or something?

 

Well yeah. I wont be thrashing it.....much....but if it can take that kind of a beating I'm sure it'll last as my daily.

[JiP]

You wont always be able to tell if the cars been thrashed. They could have easily tidied it up. Make sure you take it for a test drive and be the one driving it.

[Trev]

I'm looking at a VR commodore. I just wanted to know about their reliabilty.

 

My parents once had one that was a lemon but Dad had a VS that lasted 280,000k's without a single hassle.

 

They are as reliable as you make it, if you start treating it wrong then it might give you problems, They can be made to go quite well, We currently have a vr at work that has a GT30 turbo bolted onto it, I have seen v6 commodores with boost light up the back wheels on the highway at 100km/h, I have had quite a few commodores but the vs executive I had was fairly heavy on fuel.

 

What is your plan with it?

[orangeLJ]

The buicks are fairly reliable, transmissions are a bit of a weak point if you intend to give it a flogging.

 

Ecotechs (VS onwards) are probably slightly more reliable if treated well, can take a good flogging when need be. My parents bought a VS execo with 150k on the clock, drove it till 290k and then my brother put another 60 thousand kms of thrashing the balls of it, on top and it still didnt use a drop of oil or water.

 

If you are looking at a VR, just check the strut towers for any fracturing (common if they have been given a flogging on bad roads, or have had a "hard life")

 

Also be weary of KMs if you are buying from someone that could be a bit dodgy, there are that many low km commodores at the wreckers, and a cluster swap is a straight forward thing, so the KMs on the dash might not match the car. But thats another bonus really, there are LOTS of cheap parts about if you need them.

 

They are what they are, comfy to ride in, build quality is decent and they get decent economy in the right conditions, good tow with, plenty of boot space etc etc.

[irokin]

Also be weary of KMs if you are buying from someone that could be a bit dodgy, there are that many low km commodores at the wreckers, and a cluster swap is a straight forward thing, so the KMs on the dash might not match the car. But thats another bonus really, there are LOTS of cheap parts about if you need them.

 

The odometer likes to break after 300,000+km too so you're more than likely going to find a replacement cluster in those that are getting up in KMs. Our 93 VR had done about 360,000 when the odometer broke and we traded it in at about 450,000km. We had that car from about 50,000km

 

I really can't say a bad thing about them. Engine and tranny were still untouched in any major way. Heads hadn't been off ever and the transmission hadn't been separated from the motor. Did a few harmonic balancers and the tranny was starting to slip a little but the motor wasn't burning much/any oil and still pulled well.

[Lexxi[ke35]]

My boyfriend has a VS, done 250,000ks and still goes well. The thing about commodores is that most of them get absolutely thrashed so its hard to find a good one. Eddy test drove 12 before he found a half decent one.

[7shades]

I've owned a few and put heaps through my little car brokerage business...

 

As above, points to look out for...

 

Pre-ecotec (VR) Death Rattle (timing chain/cam sprocket journals flogged)

VR/VS Harmonic balancer (they're all f@$ked, try to find one that has been replaced already cos they ain't cheap)

Odometer not working (they're all f@$ked)

a/c fan control resistor (they're also all f@$ked, and your fan won't work on 1 and 2)

HEAD GASKETS!!!! ALL GM V6's like to spit gaskets. ( I have done at least 4 in the last year) Check for milkshake under the oil cap

Radiator header tanks.... they're plastic, and rubbish. Brand new china spec replacement rad is $150 on evilbay.

Power steering leaks

Rack rattle

Transmission slip

Window seals shrink and leak

AC compressors are standard delco trash with the centre seal which perishes and leaks gas... don't believe anyone who says "It just needs regassing" It doesn't. The compressor is rooted and a new one is $$$.

Don't buy one that has been lowered. Every other suspension component will be flogged out as a consequence, and your rear bump stops will be missing.

Bailey channels work their way up and out of the runners, prick of a job to get them back in again.

Doors can sag... Adjust hinges with cold chisel and large floggerometer.

 

Oh and don't put a big exhaust on it... no matter what you do, it will still sound f@$king horrible.

 

VS II is the pick of the bunch, although the airbag cover on the passenger side dash will be lifting and need to be sikaflexed back down.

 

Do not, under any circumstance, buy a VT. Just don't.

 

Good luck. :dance:

[Rich_Rolla]

I've owned a few and put heaps through my little car brokerage business...

 

As above, points to look out for...

 

Pre-ecotec (VR) Death Rattle (timing chain/cam sprocket journals flogged)

VR/VS Harmonic balancer (they're all f@$ked, try to find one that has been replaced already cos they ain't cheap)

Odometer not working (they're all f@$ked)

a/c fan control resistor (they're also all f@$ked, and your fan won't work on 1 and 2)

HEAD GASKETS!!!! ALL GM V6's like to spit gaskets. ( I have done at least 4 in the last year) Check for milkshake under the oil cap

Radiator header tanks.... they're plastic, and rubbish. Brand new china spec replacement rad is $150 on evilbay.

Power steering leaks

Rack rattle

Transmission slip

Window seals shrink and leak

AC compressors are standard delco trash with the centre seal which perishes and leaks gas... don't believe anyone who says "It just needs regassing" It doesn't. The compressor is rooted and a new one is $$$.

Don't buy one that has been lowered. Every other suspension component will be flogged out as a consequence, and your rear bump stops will be missing.

Bailey channels work their way up and out of the runners, prick of a job to get them back in again.

Doors can sag... Adjust hinges with cold chisel and large floggerometer.

 

Oh and don't put a big exhaust on it... no matter what you do, it will still sound f@$king horrible.

 

VS II is the pick of the bunch, although the airbag cover on the passenger side dash will be lifting and need to be sikaflexed back down.

 

Do not, under any circumstance, buy a VT. Just don't.

 

Good luck. :dance:

 

Ok. I think there's a reason I always owned fords and toyota's

[7shades]

Oh don't get me wrong.... I had a VR Berlina as my daily a few years back, mags, lowered, tint, nice stereo and cold air... served its purpose quite well until it got backed over by a B-double :dance:

 

When they're good, they're great. Problem is trying to find that good one... as stated above most are pretty flogged out by now and are nothing but money pits. You'll spend the value of the car just keeping the thing on the road.

[SLW42]

Ok. I think there's a reason I always owned fords and toyota's

 

haha

 

commodores are good cars i had a vp that axed a kangaroo at 60 and all it did was break the front bar and bar support, all commodores sound the same with an exhaust same as falcons and hilux's and lancers and rota's they all sound the same as the next car with an exhaust on it,

 

they are good cars man, but not everybody can buy a good one man, it is just like a ke70/ae71 rolla without rust in under the fuel tank filler there is a few good ones out there but you have to search for ever to find them, same applies to non flogged commodores try to buy from an older person man they ALWAYS LOOK AFTER there cars man thats!!!