2nd Aug 2007, 01:25
Quote: "Fuel pump has blown up. Computer blew up. Satellite navigation hard drive blew up."
I hope this isn't the detail you gave the dealer - they may have just called a bomb squad. If you're going to dump on a car, a least have the research and knowledge to explain the problems you've had. "Blew up" doesn't tell us anything. What were the repercussions? How did the dealer explain it? What does the car drive like? Even though this is only a Commodore I have a hard time believing you actually own it or even drive one regularly.
5th Aug 2007, 02:21
This car hasn't even been out a year and already major problems.
What was that Holden? The new VE can mix it with the best Europe has to offer?
What a load...
I feel sorry that you fell for Holden's propaganda. Trade that heap of junk in and buy a Honda or something else Japanese mate. Or even a Aussie built Toyota or Mitsu. These are good too.
Don't support Holden if they won't support you.
5th Aug 2007, 06:21
I am from the US and we have regular 'hackers' that infect each of our car enthusiasts sites and review boards. Their mission is simple... to defame, discredit, condemn, ridicule, and otherwise make a particular vehicle 'BAD'. Oh, yeah, they almost always have a competitor's vehicle... occasionally they are stupid enough not to change their email address that relates clearly to the car owned.
In the US we have various wonderful review boards that one must register their car make, model, etc before they can be express their opinions about a particular car, and typically are filtered out if suspect... do you Aussie's have such an unbiased/objective service??? You probably do and should ignore unfounded negative remarks ie for a fuel pump, etc to fail so early would cause the immediate END of that car's sales in the US or anywhere I would imagine.
7th Aug 2007, 07:04
Sorry Mate...don't believe you one bit. I have had both Holden and Fords and never in all my time driving them have has any where near the issues you have stated. A brand new commodore would not include all those issues unless you are driving a test mule...I'm thinking you are a Honda sales person or lover...don't be fooled thinking Honda is a perfect car either...
14th Sep 2007, 04:12
I work in a Holden Dealership. There are problems with the VE. There were also problems with the VZ, VY, VX and so on. None of the above I've had the pleasure of dealing with yet. Certainly not fuel pumps blowing up...hahaha. All cars have problems. Some customers don't experience them. Some buy a lemon! Such is life.
28th Dec 2007, 21:33
Regardless of whether this review is as reliable as fireproof petrol or not, the biggest problem is with Holden's customer service and warranty claims department. J D Power the 3rd stated many moons ago now, that a good dealer can save a bad car. This can push an ownership experience up the ranks accordingly.
The problem here, is that Holden has a very poor reputation for admitting and fixing problems, teamed with arrogant, unknowlegeable, surly and unco-operative dealers. Whilst the VE series Commodores have very few problems in comparison to the VT series, the fact of the matter is that getting these problems rectified is more than a major headache for many disgruntled customers.
There should be no excuse for denying liability for carrying out legitimate warranty repairs.
To my mind's eye, it's this lackadaisical attitude that is partly contributory to Holden's slight market share slippage.
5th Jan 2008, 21:42
Just because some of you have no problems with your car doesn't mean you speak for everyone. If they reviewer had a lemon, then he had one.
Commodores are KNOWN to be problematic and unreliable. Nothing surprising here.
19th Jan 2008, 22:49
I haven't driven the new VE, but from appearances seem OK, especially for a Holden.
Like stated before, there are Friday arvo cars and lemons; get over it.
I have owned my VT series2 V8 (yes the apparently dreadful gen3) since new and never had any major problems.
The Japanese and euro cars definitely have less of the common faults of Holden/Ford in my opinion though.
There are plenty of people out there that will still buy this car purely because "it's a Holden and Holdens rule", and Holden will have to rely on that until they can make a truly top quality car.
18th Nov 2008, 22:38
Gees mate,
Don't write off a brand just because it appears that you bought a lemon. My brother in law had a VE Omega and he covered approx 100000 km without experiencing any troubles.
As stated in other comments, ALL makes have their lemons, not just Ford and Holden. And if so many people think that Commodores and Falcons are crap, why are there so many on the road. This is because in my view they are built to suit Australian conditions.
20th Oct 2009, 12:41
I agree that all car companies produce lemons... It's just that Holden seem to produce fields of lemon trees.
I have had 2 Land Cruisers. 1974 FJ-40 and now a HJ-60. First one had 1,200,000 when I rolled it. Had been to EVERY part of Australia and back again.
I worked with Fords and Holdens. I serviced a fleet of taxies. The VT's gave up the ghost at 350,000km. Doors literally fell off, and the engine would be ratted. Fords were good for often 1 million clicks or more on the original engine.
The VN, VP, VR Commodores are poorly made and unreliable.
Just my 2 cents.
20th Feb 2011, 19:27
You can't compare a 74 Land Cruiser to a 2007 Commodore or any other new car. Everyone knows cars in the 70s will probably last forever until run into a tree at 70klm/h. Every car company builds lemons, including BMW, Mercs; you see it all the time. And to say Holden builds more lemons than other car companies is probably true, but that's also due to there are more Commodores on the road than any other car, so there are going to be more people with problems.
And in relation to the last comment about taxis; I wonder how often taxis are actually serviced to the manual. As well, wouldn't you expect to have problems with cars with 500000+ klms on them? Buy a European car such as an Astra or even a BMW, and see how they hold up after 500000klm, if they make it. I sell mine around 120000 to avoid problems.
I will admit I am a Holden man, but I have owned Commodores for years relatively trouble free, and yes, when you think back to it now, the VK was a crap car, but at the time it was great, even compared to its overseas rivals. And the comments about the gen 3 Holden; I owned two, and had no problems, the VX and VY. If this guy isn't just pushing Hondas, you just got unlucky and got a lemon.
21st Jul 2007, 03:48
Yeah sure.