1985 Holden Commodore Royale (NZ) review from Australia and New Zealand
"A reliable old snail"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Starter Motor replaced (twice!)
Alternator Replaced at 90,000km.
Distributor replaced at 130,000 (bearings were shot)
Radiator leak, needed re-soldering.
Transmission sump leaking - new pan gasket needed.
Rear electric window switches not working.
Front wheel bearings replaced at 110,000.
Front shock absorbers replaced at 120,000.
General comments?
Export special VK, no wonder the Aussi's dumped the starfire with the VH in Aus. The 1.9 is Gutless and uses almost the same amount of gas as the 202. With the "Royale" option pack the power steering robs the engine of so much power that it will stall if turned to full lock when idling cold.
I bought this car because it had really low Kms on it. But the engine really lets the car down, with the puny 13 inch wheels the engine is spinning at 4000 rpms at just 100kph. I kept it just as a second car work hack it has towed just about everything albeit SLOWLY!
Recommended Reviews:
  | Avoid this Commodore |
| 1984 - Commodore VK Black 3.3L Carburetor Great car IF you know the service history |
All 1985 Holden Commodore reviews
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 Starfire Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 66000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 133000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Audi 100 |
| Date of Entry | 9th April, 2003 |