1971 Holden Kingswood HQ review from Australia and New Zealand
"All the sexiness of the seventies!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Ties rods wear quickly.
Transmission requires servicing (weak)
Flooding is a problem in hot weather.
Cold start-up and idle is always difficult.
Headlights are weak.
Heater/ demister is slow.
Flow through Vents are a joke except with the window down.
Bearings in the steering shaft are wearing and making the power steering iffish'
Dash cracked.
Windscreen seals continue to leak after 'fixing'
Rust around windscreen and in lower doors.
Plastic grille cracks/ breaks with collisions with birds. They are hard to get now.
General comments?
Despite the problems this old thing is amazing for the build date (1973).
The HQ is a comfortable cruiser and the suspension upgrade to make it handle is fairly cheap comparative to other vehicles.
People who complain about the HQ are not looking after their own. The car is very reliable with a minimum amount of good car-care.
The HQ is big inside. Sits 6 with ease and a heap of load space. The wagon is a true tank and you can move your house with one that has roof-racks.
The look and style of the car is still cool. It has good bodyline flow and looks tough compared to the plastic oddisies around.
The car is solid and takes a pounding.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1987 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 253 petrol Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 380000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 430000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Holden HQ |
| Date of Entry | 16th November, 2003 |