[isszy]

I thought I would start a bit of an ongoing report on my first new car. A change of employment has meant that I can afford to buy a new car, and have been lucky enough to buy it outright. It's all mine.

Specifications
This is a fairly unique car - not many with the combination I chose. Hence almost 3 months from order to delivery.

2014 Holden Commodore SV6
Heron White
Manual

No cost 'Extras'
Alloy faced pedals
Space saver spare

Options
Sunroof
Satellite Navigation
Side Track Stripes
19" SSV alloy wheels
1600kg tow bar


Accessories
Holden car mats
Holden Sports Armour


Picking up from the dealer

The dealer experience was a good one, although it was a pretty easy sell for them. I had already made up my mind before I walked in so it was just ticking the boxes for the salesman.


The least number of km I've ever seen on a car

I picked the car up first thing in the morning and drove straight to my first work appointment - about 50km trip. It had 13km on the clock when I picked it up.
As well as the car, the dealer provided a nice gift box with the car.



The car felt immediately comfortable, it does not feel big (although I am coming from a VY wagon which some would say was a big car). The first thing you notice (and it brings a smile to my face each time) is the immediate response when you press on the accelerator. It is easy to start the car at the lights in second gear (recommended in the owners manual for economy driving).









There is a road just near my house, about 15km long, which is a well known mountain climb road mainly for cyclists, but also motorcyclists and drivers. My son used to love going for a drive up this road in my RX-7, he now has a new favorite - he wants to do it in the Commodore. This car is so well sorted, it drives like a small car but with heaps of torque. The manual gearbox is smooth and easy to select gears with. I can drive this car as smoothly as an auto without trying.

I think it looks awesome. I had a guy give me a thumbs up driving past a service station - I've never had that in any other car. IMO, white sets off the VE/VF body shape perfectly. Some of the chrome highlights that look a bit over the top in other colours look more subtle in the white.

The interior is simply stunning. It is so much better than any other Holden, and probably any other car I have been in. The controls are easy to use and you need to take your eyes off the road less to use the HVAC or radio controls. The satnav is easy to use and so far accurate. The fake suede and fake leather (cloth and vinyl to the uninitiated) is easy to clean and I think will be more comfortable in the middle of summer than leather.


Such a comfy place

It's not perfect, I have a few minor niggles, but nothing that would be hard to live with.
- There is no light on the ignition. Probably this is because most Commodores are auto, and the key in the ignition is not necessary to start the car.
- The satnav does not have guidelines - the VE satnav had a coloured grid to help judge distance.
- You can't see the dials from the passenger seat. Most people would see this as a positive, but not when you are trying to keep an eye on the speed a Learner driver is going.

I have done almost 500km in the first 4 days - I'll update once I have a bit more to report.

 

[Dr.Show-Me]

Nice looking car. Which engine does it have?

 

[isszy]

210kw (290hp) 3.6L SIDI V6.

 

[RedVee8]

Looks great mate

 

[bballr4567]

That is an amazing looking car.

My wife is looking for a fun car and I really wish this was available over here now.

 

[mikmak]

Great choice Isszy. Congrats! The colour does look great and the Sports Armour (which is essential IMO) blends in well with the rest of the stripes. Massively jealous. Totally agree about how responsive the current V6 is. Much faster and smoother than my Sportwagon. Happy motoring!

P.S. what do you think of the steering? It takes some getting used to but to me is like going from incandescent globes to LEDs.

 

[isszy]

Thanks Mick. I had planned on turning it over in two years and getting one of the last ones, but right now I can't see that happening.

I have not had any issues adjusting to the steering. I have taken it for a fang a couple of times up Mountain Highway and it felt very precise. I am driving the VY sedan today as my wife was taking it to show some people at work, and it is amazing how disconnected the front of the VY feels from the back in comparison. I never thought there was a problem with the old car, this one is just so much better.

Peak hour traffic last night with a bit of freeway I got 9.1l/100km resisting the urge to punch the right pedal too much.

 

[mikmak]

Suuuuch a good looking car! Don't tell my wagon but I've been thinking about your car today. So wish I had a manual.

 

[isszy]

Me too

I took my daughter out into an industrial estate last night and did about 20 laps around a block that gave her the experience of indicate, brake, clutch & change to second, corner.

By the end of the time she had it pretty perfect.

 

[isszy]

The more I drive this car the more it makes me mad. How can GM finally get something right, only to throw it away ??

I visited my little brother tonight and we took each others cars for a drive.









There is no doubt the Redline is awesome. I would say the clutch in the Redline (also manual) was easier to get right. Having said that my 'little' V6 did alright and my brother came away impressed.

I miss out on the push button start which was cool, lane departure and collision avoidance which my brother says are just annoying, the leather and suede interior and the heads up display. The heads up was angled for my sister in law, which meant that I had to duck down to see it (kind of defeats the purpose) but I could see it would be very cool.

The power of the V8 felt 'bigger', not necessarily faster (although I'm sure it was). They both have the ability to push you back in the seat, but the V8 is more sustained and growly.

We are both now wondering what replaces these cars in 3 or 4 years time - euro performance is going to be twice the cost of these.

 

[RedVee8]

The more I drive this car the more it makes me mad. How can GM finally get something right, only to throw it away ??

I visited my little brother tonight and we took each others cars for a drive.









There is no doubt the Redline is awesome. I would say the clutch in the Redline (also manual) was easier to get right. Having said that my 'little' V6 did alright and my brother came away impressed.

I miss out on the push button start which was cool, lane departure and collision avoidance which my brother says are just annoying, the leather and suede interior and the heads up display. The heads up was angled for my sister in law, which meant that I had to duck down to see it (kind of defeats the purpose) but I could see it would be very cool.

The power of the V8 felt 'bigger', not necessarily faster (although I'm sure it was). They both have the ability to push you back in the seat, but the V8 is more sustained and growly.

We are both now wondering what replaces these cars in 3 or 4 years time - euro performance is going to be twice the cost of these.

Mustang? C300?

Side note, could you see Holden benefitting from a short run of SV6 Redlines as the end gets closer?

 

[isszy]

I would have bought an SV6 Redline had one been available. There is a $20K gap between an SV6 and a SSV Redline so there is room to build something special. I doubt it would eat into SSV Redline sales as I think you either want a V8 or you don't.

I had plans of mine being a kind of Redline, but the forged alloy wheels were too expensive

 

[chinamonty]

Nice buy. I like it a lot. I have driven two VFs and did not a single second of a problem with the steering. It felt good and was positive enough, maybe it just has a similar feel to my wagon.

 

[isszy]

Had to drive it in the rain for the first time this morning. All the pristine underpanels will never be clean and new again.

Worse, some bloke lost a sheet of plasterboard off the roof of his Hiace van. By the time I got there it was just a few bits of paper and plaster dust but the front now looks like it has been flourbombed.

We sold my wife's Berlina sedan on the weekend. It was a shame to find out what they are worth - sold it to a wholesaler for $2300 - 18 months ago it was worth 3 times that. At least we are back to only 3 cars.

 

[kts350]

Mustang? C300?

Side note, could you see Holden benefitting from a short run of SV6 Redlines as the end gets closer?

I'd be very interested in a SV6 Redline, i love some of the stuff redline has but came to the decision I don't need a V8 now and i'd be happy with an SV6, the MRS would prefer a Calais V but because it get some stuff the SV6 doesn't have.

 

[RedVee8]

I'd be very interested in a SV6 Redline, i love some of the stuff redline has but came to the decision I don't need a V8 now and i'd be happy with an SV6, the MRS would prefer a Calais V but because it get some stuff the SV6 doesn't have.

Yep, I'm tossing up Calais or SV6; with the Calais V being very tempting... An SV6 with V kit could work very nicely.

 

[isszy]

This car makes me happy and sad at the same time. I love everything about it, and so does everyone I meet. I took it around to a mates place to show him on the weekend - his wife said 'I'm not much of a car person but I really like that'.

So why can't they keep building them. When you think of the last of breed from other defunct Aussie manufacturers - Nissan Pintara and Mitsubishi 380, these were completely underwhelming cars. But this is such a good car. I guess I should be glad that Holden and Ford will be going out with a bang, but I'm not. It makes me sad.

 

[zl-1]

Great that both you and your brother chose manual transmissions
Love the cars; too bad GM is killing them.

 

[mikmak]

This car makes me happy and sad at the same time. I love everything about it, and so does everyone I meet. I took it around to a mates place to show him on the weekend - his wife said 'I'm not much of a car person but I really like that'.

So why can't they keep building them. When you think of the last of breed from other defunct Aussie manufacturers - Nissan Pintara and Mitsubishi 380, these were completely underwhelming cars. But this is such a good car. I guess I should be glad that Holden and Ford will be going out with a bang, but I'm not. It makes me sad.

^^^I came to that same conclusion the other day thinking about the 380. The idea was kind of okay and so was the space, but the execution was very ordinary. I'm driving the SV6 ute at the moment and it gets near the same economy on the highway as the 1.8 Cruze! Twice the engine, twice the power.

 

[isszy]

Just took a run down Eastlink to my parents place in Frankston. It sat between 6.5 and 7.5l/100km instant readout at 103 km/h. My best for 100km is now down to 8.9 but I would imagine on a country trip it would be more like 7.