1989 Toyota Lexcen VN review from Australia and New Zealand

Driver's seat a little worn.

Things replaced ~250,000km:

-Rear tyres

-Rear shocks

-Cover for harmonic balancer was missing on

purchase

-Windscreen (bonnet hinge shifted and corner of bonnet nicked windscreen) $165 new

-Computer fried, $150 reco

-Crank angle sensor failed $50 new

-Coil pack replaced with larger one

-Spark Plugs

-Original air filter is over-rated, new filter lets the thirsty, asthmatic beast breathe a little easier, seriously. (especially 16 years later)

-Air-Con switch

-Front speakers (old ones perished years before I got the car) I also put a 2nd hand Sony head unit and 6X9s in the back. now the system has some actual fidelity.

Things that should be replaced now at 256,000km:

-Tail lights and looms

-Rear tyres (being my first car on the road, it's amazing the tyres lasted this long; almost 2 years)

-Rear torsion bar

-Springs all round

-Should really have a front strut brace

-Most of the suspension rubbers and mounts

-Steering arms and front suspension bars should be replaced

-Front brake rotors and pads all-round.

The VN has the potential to be a great car, but it just isn't. I love my VN, and I think it's great. It's very fast, however the automatic transmission is clunky and slow, however it kicks down smoothly and effortlessly.

If you're thinking of buying a VN as a first car, then make sure you understand how it handles first, it can be quite lethal around corners if you don't understand what it's doing. The VN's suspension geometry and wheelbase layout makes it a medium car with a longish wheel base; couple this with a light rear-end and bad handling, and you've got a dangerous machine. If it's your first commodore, take it to a car park and work out how it handles, and never try to take a corner at high speed, it'll just end in tears. Also, beware of driving in the wet.. and on tram tracks.

..Having said this, the VN is a good car, lots of space (even in my sedan), great power steering response (you can feel it fighting you) and it can be quite economical. I once got almost 600km out of the one tank from freeway driving.

This car has a major rattle problem. The interior built quality is pretty good for an Australian car of its type and age (pretty solid actually) but the interior plastic could've been fastened better.

The car isn't all that quiet on the road (about the same as a VL for road noise, and the V6 is pretty quiet too) the rear seats are comfy and very sleepable on long trips. Air-con compressor can get noisy over 4000RPM.

The rear seats don't fold down, but you can take them out (2 bolts) to have even more access to the boot and more storage space. (it already has a large ski hatch thing)

If you're looking at buying a VN, make sure it runs smooth, listen and feel for the gearbox to make sure it's not so clunky, and it shouldn't take more than 1.5 seconds to change into reverse.

Also check to see that the bonnet hinges are solidly bolted and that the corners of the bonnet miss the windscreen by a good 15mm. Make sure the tail-lights aren't cracked (as water will get in and corrode the lower bulb clips/holders.) check around the windscreens, door sills, boot etc. for rust.

I've never seen a VN Lexcen with a straight body.

VN Commodore/Lexcen is probably the most stolen car in Victoria.

If you're looking for a basic, practical, powerful car that is cheap, then buy one of these and get it serviced regularly (parts are cheap as chips). If you're looking for something that's smooth and refined that holds a lot of junk and is comfy and spacious and around the same price bracket, look at something European like a Saab 9000.