1986 Holden Calais VL review from Australia and New Zealand
"Check for a service history!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Radiator/water pump replaced after overheating problems.
Crank angle sensor replaced after a hard start problem. Eventually this led to a no start problem.
Reconditioned auto fitted ($2000 and that's not including the $500 labour charge!)
Centre bearing replaced.
Alternator/regulator replaced.
General comments?
The VL Commodore is a great car providing you take the time and money to maintain the vehicle. From experience, I have found that parts and overhauls are not cheap.
The particular area of concern is the cooling system - make sure you install a heavy duty 3 core radiator (your temp gauge will never go above half again!) Also, follow the specified filling procedure to avoid air-locks in the radiator which will eventually lead to expensive cracks in the head gasket.
Whilst my problems are not unusual for this car (and the Nissan Skyline) they should not have occurred at such low mileage (well maintained VLs have been known to travel anything up to 300,000kms without any major engine work). Quite simply, the previous owner failed to maintain the car. Therefore if you plan to buy a VL Commodore, check for a service history...
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 Nissan inline six Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 150000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 177450 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla Twin Cam 16 |
| Date of Entry | 13th February, 2001 |