2002 HSV GTS Coupe from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Engine required total rebuild following excessive oil consumption.

Up to around 3000 kilometers, this car performed very well, and gave no cause for concern at all.

Gearbox reluctant to engage reverse.

I am absolutely disgusted at the situation I am faced with.

This vehicle cost me well into 6 figures ($NZ), including insurance, improved security, radar.

For a vehicle of this price to have such serious problems at such a low mileage, I have been put off HSV products for good.

I have previously owned an HSV VP Clubsport 5th anniversary model, and a BMW 540iSE, both gave no problems of note during the course of ownership.

Indeed the older HSV proved more reliable than its 10 year newer cousin could ever hope to be.

The dealer has proved less than sympathetic. The concept that this should not happen in any new vehicle, regardless of cost, has been lost on him.

I had heard of issues with Gen3 motors before, but did not seriously expect to have any problems of this nature, who would with a 100K supercar!?

I plan to cut my losses and sell-on the car very soon, and will probably look at something like a 540i M-enhanced , or perhaps an Audi S4.

Promised much, but the reality is that HSV products still lag behind Europe when it comes to reliability and built quality. For me performance and price on their own are not enough.

$100,000+ on a Holden Commodore? what do you expect!!! Being an Australian resident I think this is a car for people with more money than sense. Should have stuck with a Beemer at that price. Sure the HSV has the straight line performance, but lacks the finesse and feel (AND QUALITY) only found in a BMW or Mercedes. This car is the automotive equivalent of Las Vegas, very glitzy, but not very tasteful.

I feel for you mate, I bought a VT clubsport, in 2 WEEKS I had to have the engine rebuilt due to a spun main bearing. I also had problems with a leaky sunroof, bad panel fit, noisy diff, oil leaks and the body control module. The sunroof was not HSV's fault as the dealer forgot to order a factory one, and installed a cheap aftermarket one. The dealer seemed like he didn't give a damn, he'd already got his $60 000. But after a lot of complaining through the right channels I got a replacement car.

I have just bought an old VP Commodore V8. It was first owned by Police Department and has plenty of power and only cost me $5,500 unregistered. So even if it has problems they shouldn't cost me too much.

What I can't understand is spending $100,000 in the first place, but surely Holden warranty would ensure you some degree of guarantee that any problems would be fixed by the dealer.

I too have had BMW's and enjoyed mostly trouble free motoring. 13 years on same radiator and exhaust is not bad and 6 years for battery. But I had head gasket go at 70,000k's due to defective materials and got no compensation for it because it was outside warranty due to my low mileage per year.

Anyway, my advise is to buy something cheap and easy to fix.

New high speed cars are too much a liability and in demand from car thiefs.

I purchased an HSV GTS Coupe in 2002. Reason? Nothing from Europe had the same performance for the dollar and it takes 4 adults comfortably. I have had virtually no mechanical issues at all. It has run like a clock. In the country or on a track it is superb. My only niggles are that around the suburbs it is harsh and the traction control is intrusive.

Woeful build quality? Welcome to the world of Holden. I have never in my life read a review where they have said the build quality of the Holden was good. It's just unfortunate that you had to spend $100K on a glorified taxi to realise that. Walk around some car yards and go check out some VT commodores and equivalent year Magnas and Camrys.

And the funny thing is that a Mazda RX-8 has a bigger boot than the later model Monaro/HSV coupe when they had to move the fuel tank to behind the back seat to meet rear crash standards in the US!!