Comments: 1-15, 16-20
Firstly the odometer is stuffed, so who knows how many kilometres it has done, common fault with analogue odometer in this model.
Two piece tail-shaft bearing went, ouch expensive, approx $250 to repair.
Electric fuel pump suffers from vapourisation on hot days, after a hot summer I replaced it with a higher pressure after market piece for less.
Engine mount ripped right off the rubber, wear and tear, cheap to replace.
Too many general maintance items to list.
With mild suspension modifications, eg. new shock absorbers and springs, the thing is ready for the race track, with 225/60 R15 tyres that is.
With minimal amount of money you can give the motor a nice reconditioning with increased horsepower, add a manual transmission and you got something every businessman in a VT Executive hates.
The E.F.I. is great giving 25% power increase over the Black 3.3L Carby version.
It is my first car and don't think I will every sell it, recommend it to every low income teenager.
Bargain for price, even Calais are great value and hold resale value better.
Hi, what is the fuel consumption like in the efi engine.
I have a 3.3L carby engine and I get about 460km per tank (city) and 650 -700km per tank (highway). My engine is not standard, but it has extractors, worked heads and a stage 2 cam.
michaelgladigau@yahoo.com.au.
Can't give you numbers on fuel consumption, but I have a mate who has owned both, carby and E.F.I., he says the E.F.I. is more fuel efficient. But probably not worth switching over, too expensive.
I can't believe some of the things I read on this sight.460 kms around town from a VK Commodore!!...You must be joking??.. and 700kms on the open road... try taking 120lms of both those figures and you'd be closer to the mark!.
I did road trip with my brother in law in 1986.His Commodore was about 12 months old at the time and had only covered 15,000kms.We averaged about 10L/per 100 kms over the entire trip. That was driving the car sensibly and keeping close to the posted speed limits.
I agree... I've got a 85 vk that has only done 125,000 and they drink for a inline six, it gets about 350 of a tank of 50 driving it like a baby and that is a standard motor with costom sized extractors and a 2 1/4 exhaust running though.
If you want that bit more acceleration out of them just change the diff ratio and compromise some top end speed, it makes a big difference.
Have a EFI VK and it drinks the fuel something chronic, but it has guts and in the end that's what matters.
I own a V K Calais 3.3lt if you want a 202 to go a lot quicker bolt on a 186 head this gives you a truck load more compression get rid of the standard carbbe (peice of crap)
with these mods it's the best and cheapest way to get your 202 flyen.!!!
I have a 85 vk calais I have some head and bottom end work done to it didn't cost that much and it goes hard and likes to drink the fuel, but I can live with that for a 18 year old car that runs 14.6 and around town I get about 300klm going easy on the old girl...
Hiya well I've got a 85 vk berlina that has done roughly about 200000+ and it's 18 years old and nearly everythings original in it and the good thing is the engines original part from a new water pump which they go anyway and the usual replacement of the harmonic balancer and the only thing I can pick about my car is it needs an new power steering rack and I've been told that the engine is getting old and worn out and I haven't got the money 4 getting mine rebuilt as I want 2 try 2 keep my berlina at original condition as I'm really happy with it as when I bought it it was like a normal family sedan with the pin stripping I took off and it had the calias mags then I bout a set of pursuit rims and then a set of nice looking mags then I bout a wood grain steering wheel and now I'm going 2 find a way 2 get my engine rebuilt and after that a respray then put the brock kit on it and it should look great..
Commodorekid05@hotmail.com
MATT..
I have a 85 VK Commodore, with a 3.3L carbie engine, it just loves to drink the fuel. but I have a questoin. When doing around 100km/h it gets a vibration through the car I thought it would be the tail shaft, so I changed it, and I still get the same vibration, any ideas?
I had an 1985 VK Wagon, carby/auto. It had only 105,000 kms on the clock in 2000. Man it drank the fuel so bad if I went out with mates i'd have to refuel, sometimes, twice in a day, that's just for A to B city driving. Worst fuel sucking car ever. As for the vibration, above,...i don't know, post the problem on www.justcommodores.com/modules.php?name=VBVK_Faults. They may be able to help.
I have just recently bought a vk commodore. Before I could use this car as a regular I had to replace, heater hoses, water pump, fan tensioner, diff oil and various other little items. The fuel consumption is not the greatest however I would rather pay a little more in the fuel stakes and have some power than have a fuel economical car and no power. As I live in the country I will be doing lots of long driving and found that it uses less fuel, has more power, and is more comfortable than my parents EA Ford. Even though it is an old car, it is comfortable, powerful and I wouldn't give it up for the world.
The VK's Don't look like crap, just look at all the other cars from the early 80's, BMW's for example, the look shockingly bad, commodores at least in Australia are one of the best looking cars.
The VK's are also good for P platers because money is usually lacking therefore a cheap reliable car is necessary.
The Vk is an great car for its age, plenty of power good temperature management, low cost for the car as well as parts and they are a joy to drive. Yes they are good looking for a 19 year old car, not a huge brick or anything like that. Well worth it.
I own a vk 5.0 calais which is my daily driver and a 5.o executive for racing the calais does 250 km on a tank of gas $18 and is a joy to drive. this old think still turns heads and the calais featured better options then bmw and mercedes in its day. best car ever made.
I have just bought a 1984 fuel injected vk Commodore, but I don't no weather to put unleaded petrol in it or leaded...