1978 Holden HZ Kingswood SL review from Australia and New Zealand
"Very good value for money vehicle"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Warped inlet manifold (big problem with these vehicles).
Premature rusting in exhaust
Seized alternator and universal joint bearings
Body rust around doors, guards and tailgate.
Carburettor difficult to tune correctly
Overheating when standing too long in traffic (V8 Radiator cured this)
General comments?
Very solidly built vehicle. This vehicle has been kept in almost stock condition over its life.
Not as refined or well made as a European or Japanese vehicle, but very good value for money, and extremely simple and cheap to maintain.
Given its age, good parts are becoming more difficult to obtain.
Even though routine maintenance for this type of vehicle is cheap and easy, it requires frequent maintenance - certainly more than a modern vehicle.
Its fuel consumption can be rather high, especially in city use.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1986 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.3 Litre Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 142000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 351000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 6th June, 2003 |