2005 HSV Clubsport R8 VZ from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Needs a wheel alignment, pulls to the left. I have been told most HSV's pull to the left from new in New Zealand. Getting mine fixed today.

There is a rattle in the dash.

Superb ride, lots of fun and handles just maginally less the the Coupe GTS.

I am glad I spent the extra dollars and got all the R8 upgrades, it takes the Clubsport into a much better catagory.

My only complaint is why the hell don't HSV give us a better exhaust system, if they did we wouldn't go hunting for after marked stuff to make the car sound and perform like it should. Non of us buy a V8 to have it choked up.

My last car was a Ford XR-8, previous to that I had new 2002 VX Clubsport, sory Ford guys I gave Ford a go, but the Holden, in my book, is a better ride. The XR-8 cost me loads of cash, electrics, spark plug leads, replaced the diff, the wiper motor, the steering rack, the radio, shocks and boot seals. You don't expect that from a new vehicle, but hey I may have got a dud to.

Once I, ve run the Chevy in I'm going to put a set of headers on it and that's about it, it's all fun. Mine is in sting red, one interesting thing, I initiall bought the demo, found out it had been damaged so returned it for an out of the box car, the demo's gearbox was notchy, my new car is like silk..isn't that amazing.

Safe driving to everyone, read my HSV R8 CLUBSPORT web page, it's a diary on the a to z from a purchasers point of view.

www.hsvr8clubsport.com.

Cheers,

Rodger.

Lucky Mongrel!. ;)

Well Roger, I can agree with you on all counts, except I don't have the wheel alignment problem.

My wife and I owned 30 fords before this, 4 new - 3 XRs and an FPV - in the last 4 years. The FPV was a pig - where do I start? 1. Oil usage. It blue smoke like a 2 stroke.

It burnt oil like petrol - every time it was used, it went to the workshop for monitoring. 2 and more - the clutch slipped, gearbox crunched into 2nd, diff whined, paint washed off with the garden hose. All reported to Ford NZ, all avoided. At 13 months ownership, we asked - 'what are you going to do?'. 6 1/2 months later, Ford NZ came back with 'FPVs fault for delay, but ask customer to monitor oil'. Then a lot of dicking around, a long story, and I ended up saying to ford NZ something like 'you are so much use, I may as well buy an HSV'. Well, their response was basically 'go do it'

Thank you Trevor A, Manager Customer Services Ford NZ from Ford NZ for not returning my call when you said you would, and thank you John K for being so narrow minded - quote to Ford dealer asking for rectification - "he'll get nothing out of us". And you topped off my decision to buy an HSV! Good on you. And as for Jan T? Well she no longer works for Ford.

HSV - best thing I ever bought. 3000km and not one problem. It's a shame one can't say the same about an FPV.

The hsv zr8 is great,i have had a few problems, The car needed a wheel alignment as it it steered to the left.The doors also don't close properly, I got that all fixed and the car runs really good. People think that the vz r8 is big old thing and it is lazy well its not its brand new,you sit tall and upright in car, the hsv has commodore drivery, I would think being a special vehicle it would be much better to a commodore, but overall the r8 is more fun then the Ford gtp and looks better. great ls2 engine.

I've got a vz r8 maloo it has been on two oil consumption tests, using 80% of its oil in a 10,oookm period. Hsv have finally come too terms with fixn it. Over sized piston and rings will b fitted so I hope it doesn't have anymore problems has any one else had this I know mine isn't the only one.

Picked up my Maloo R8 about 3 weeks ago, had an SV89 a few years back and have been driving HQ's and HZ one tonners around since getting rid of the SV.

Such a pleasure to be back in a HSV, it does everything and then some in every department the power is just right, the fuel is a OK I've been getting 15L/100km around town, I have to get air bags fitted to mine as I chewed out a set of tyres towing for 3000kms.

There also seems to be some axle tramp when you get stuck into it, I am told there are Harrop diffs that can be put in.

All in all a TOP Car, will defiantly consider getting another one...