A month after I first purchased the car, the head gasket cracked which cost me around $1000 (AUD) to fix. Not long after the alternator needed to be replaced, Holden used to cut costs on parts so they put substandard equipment in their vehicles. Lighting systems on the dash and center console sometimes don't function. The power steering unit needed replacing. All this I would expect from a car that had been driven badly in it's life, yet this car hadn't. My previous car was a '79 Volkswagen GTI and it didn't have nearly as many problems.
The car was a great improvement on previous commodore models due to the adoption of a Nissan Skyline engine. But the rear suspensions hadn't been revised since Holden stared reworking the 2lt Opel, making the engine too powerful for the rear suspension system. The car is quick for a commodore of it's age, but build quality and handling are a serious concern. When the alternator died, I lost all control of the car and the steering locked, If something goes wrong in these cars it's deadly.
VL are ugly and it's an embarrassment to commodore putting a japanese motor in it go the blue 202 spend $200 on a blue 202 and you will eat stock VL's for breakfast. Only fault on the blue 202 are weak pistons and rings. Easily replaced.
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