1974 Holden Statesman HQ review from Australia and New Zealand
"A very comfortable cruiser!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Very little!
The air-conditioning compressor required a set of seals when I purchased the car.
The diff was a little noisy and required reconditioning.
The motor was overhauled at approx. 300,000 Km. The Trimatic transmission was also overhauled at the same time.
A little rust under the vinyl roof...
General comments?
This vehicle is an excellent performer and quite comfortable to boot!
The overall comfort of the interior is very good. Being in the car for a long trip as driver or passenger is not uncomfortable. You get out at the end of the trip as comfortable as when you started.
It eats up country miles without any effort!
While the good ol' HQ isn't anywhere near the technology of the WH, it is still excellent value for money if you can find a good, reasonably well looked after example.
One of the best things about this car, and others of it's vintage, is that you can actually do ALL the work on it yourself without any fancy tools or equipment. Any spares required are generally readily available anywhere in Australia, and don't cost the earth.
Reliability is not a problem in my experience. The car always starts first go, and has never left ME stranded (although I once left it stranded in a creek once... remember, ALWAYS check the depth of a water crossing, even the one that you regularly use!!!)
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1984 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 308 V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 270000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 370000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Holden Torana |
| Date of Entry | 29th June, 2002 |