I purchased this car new from a Holden dealer in Sydney, Australia in March 2003. Being a van, it was purchased for business use. It is a German built vehicle, fully imported into Australia. It is the van version of the Holden Barina/Opel Corsa model.
Since purchase, the engine has never run smoothly. The idle is erratic and it has a huge flat spot between idle and redline. In other words, it is not in tune and is unpleasant to drive. Despite numerous visits to the dealer to update the software (being a new generation car, it is unable to be tuned in the good old way : adjusting the mixture in the carburettor, adjusting the valves etc.), but these visits prove fruitless and the car has NEVER run properly. Independent mechanics are unable to adjust the tune because Holden will not release the software to tune the engine to non GM-H mechanics. The car is currently doing about 25 MPG, which is unacceptable for a 1.6 litre engine.
In November 2004 the gear linkage broke, leaving me only 3rd, 4th & 5th gears. The linkage components from the firewall to the gearbox were made of plastic, yes, plastic. These were replaced under warranty with components made of metal, surely a tacit admission by General Motors-Holden that the original linkage components were sub standard. However, I was not compensated for the loss of a day's income, due to the fine print in the warranty conditions enabling Holden to avoid make such compensation.
December 2005, and the clutch slave cylinder failed, so I couldn't change gears. Back to the dealer, unfortunately, to have things repaired under warranty. Should have been a straightforward job. With any other dealer, it surely would have been. On the second day of this job, they called me to say that the clutch plate and pressure plate also needed replacement. Given that the clutch assembly was out of the car, it made sense to replace it now than in another few thousand k's. However, this stellar service department in this Authorised Holden Dealer had broken the steering column, the ignition lock and the brake light switch on the brake pedal during the job. They were unable to expalain how they managed to break the steering column while working on the clutch. The vehicle was returned after 4 days. They offered a loan vehicle for the 3rd day.
In April 2006, the rear shock absorbers failed (at 95,000k's). These were replaced under warranty, at the third visit to the dealer because they kept ordering the wrong parts. Three days after the shocks were replaced, one of the lower mounting bolts fell out, allowing the shock absorber to grind itself against the wheel while I found a spot on the freeway to pull over. After 3 phone calls to the dealer, they arranged a tray top truck to take the car to the nearest Holden dealer to have the problem fixed. They didn't replace the shock absorber, only the bolt. I'm still waiting for the shock to fail after the grinding against the wheel.
In May 2006, the entire braking system was replaced, not under warranty : front discs, rear drums, pads, shoes, slave cylinders and assorted retaining springs etc. Now, In June 2006, the retaining spring for one of the rear has broken, meaning that the brake shoe is loose inside the drum and once again I'm driving to the accompaniment of the Holden Combo Grind. And I also have only 3 operating brakes.
The factory-fitted Blaupunkt CD/radio has a terrific sound, but the controls don't respond to the first input, requiring me to press them over and over, causing an unsafe distraction while driving. Sometimes, the only way to get the radio to work is to eject the CD, even if the CD isn't playing. More "German quality."
If this vehicle is an example of German design and build quality, no wonder there are so many Toyotas, Mazdas, Hondas etc around.
If only Toyota made a van based on the Corolla.
I thought I would let you know now that their will be no more Combo's based on the Barina anymore as Holden have since once again changed their source of their Barinas to Daewoo from Korea. So If you must have a small European Work Van now Buy a Renault or Volkswagen.
16/09/2006
The Combo is a German Opel design manufactured in both portugal and spain sold in virtually every continent. In the near future the portugese factory will close and the Combo will continue to be built in spain. It seems Australia received mostly the Portugese made item, the same with the previous model Barina's or Corsa as it is known in europe.
Overall they are quite reliable particularly if you have them serviced correctly / regularly. Six months or 10,000km oil changes. 95 to 98 Octane fuel is best used.
Oh dear...
My refusal to buy another Holden (I owned a '95 SB Corsa GSi and an '02 Astra SRi) also has to do with a complete lack of service and attention in all my past dealings with their dealership network. However, I'm sorry to see that I'm not the only one to have met with such terrible and frustrating 'inconsistencies'.
The only thing each dealership really excels in is creating uniquely original reasons for what's gone wrong and why they're never to blame... then never really correcting the problem anyway.
One dealership advised me that the 'air-conditioner in the vehicle is working perfectly'... despite air-con never having been fitted?
Buy a 'real' German van (Volkswagen Caravelle, Mercedes Vito) or some of the offerings by Peugeot or Citroen and be done with it!
At least then you'll no longer have to deal with Holden 'expertise'!
I recently bought a '02 Holden Combo thinking it would be a valuable resource to work out of in the soft landscaping industry. I find that I have to really push the accelerator to the metal to get the car up hills, for reasonable speed. The pedal is really heavy to drive, feels like I'm driving a small truck! Can anyone confirm with me if this is normal for these vehicles, or do I have a dud? It has 103000k's, serviced every 10k k's. What else do I need to know?
Recently I walked into holden looking to buy a new Combo within 5 minutes a very young salesman? stands half an arms lenth from my front raving away at me and in the next two minutes it's a full blown arguement?
Holden dealerships and service centres are just painful to deal with. Good luck getting most warranty work done as it seems they won't admit any fault. Buy a Toyota and you won't have ANY warranty issues.
While your holden vehicle is in getting serviced or your back again getting more warranty work done you may as well sit in the customer lounge with some pliers and pull a tooth out, It would hurt less.
Approximetely 1 year ago I purchased a Brand New Holden Combo on advice from a work colleague. So to cut a long story short I purchased one from a 'Prominent western suburbs Holden dealer' in Melbourne for usage for my business as I am a alarm technician. Two days after I recieved the car I noticed what would eventually turn out to be one of three major nightmares. Firstly I noticed the cars driving was out of alignment, turned out I was not imagining it. I took the car to a approved Holden wheel alignment shop and low and behold my suspicions were right. The alignment was out by 6 Degrees. Next issue I had and still have to this very day is exhaust fumes which make there way in from the rear cabin when drivers window slightly down or when I have the air-con on, on the re-circulate mode. I have takin the vehicle to the original dealer 4 times and yes it was a waste of time. Infact not only did the service department not know what was going on, the didn't know how to fix the problem. One time I took it there one of the 'head' service managers idea of fixing the issue was to stick some double sided tape to the underside of the rubbers on the rear barn doors. I only noticed this the next day when yes the tape stated peeling off. After long and fruitless talks with Holden head office in Melbourne, they suggested I take the car to a different dealer. In the mean time lets not stray away from the third issue the car mysteriously produced according to Holden. The Air-conditioning when on for lengthy period of time makes a ear piercing whistle and the pipes in the engine bay vibrate in sync with the noise which comes on and off simultainiously. When I told holden of this issue which occurred from day dot they told me to take the car to holden which I did on the previous 4 visits and according to the service manager the problem 'Didn't Exist'. So back to the story when I had to take it to a different dealer. Well I did that twice yes two times which if your good at maths a total of six visits. And no the three problems still occur. And Holden Customer Service, well lets just say that they have have wiped there hands clean. Mind you this is on top of me complaining to them with migraines caused from the sulphuric fumes coming from the rear of the cabin and visiting doctors for this and still not a care in the world. Countless visits to holden, time off work dozens of phone calls, still nothing. Because the air con didn't whistle when the vehicle was in there work shop on a hoist with the engine on idle (where clearly I told them it only happens whilst driving for lengthy period of time) they ruled out any fault. The fumes were clearly noticeable by one of the service technicians when he and I went for a drive, but after the car spending 3 days at the dealer and panel shop still no solution has been reached to fix the leak. SO after this testimonial you still are contemplating on buyin a Holden think again because in the small chance you might get a faultless car, theres still three things you have to think about. 1. is theres a huge chance your buying a lemon. 2. You can argue with holden till your blue in the face and 3. its still a crap piece of junk. why. because it wears a holden badge.
Think wisely after all were theres a holden dealer, youll most proberbly find a Volkswagen dealer around the corner. So you know where I'll be going next time.
Regards Terry.
I know this thread is a little old, but I've just had exactly the same gear linkage issue with a 2003 Barina.
The (PLASTIC!!!) ball and socket joint on the gear selector linkage inside the engine bay had become brittle and loose, thus the shifter didn't have the torque to put the gearbox into 1st or 2nd gear. (I understand this is a common problem with the Barina/Combo)
The brake issue also occurred, requiring a $1000 refit for the 2 front brakes, Holden had the car for 3 days.
The steering knuckle at the bottom of the shaft had scrubbed out after 2 years of driving, leaving about 20 degrees of "Dead Stick" in the wheel and eventually threw out the alignment. $900 fixed the problem.
Recently (2007) the spark-pack in the engine bay became intermittent causing misfiring. After holden had tested the pack and given it the "All Clear" (even though they were told that the problem would only develop when the engine was under load) the problem resurfaced only 2 days later. Eventually (and $500 later) the problem was rectified, thanks to a non-Holden authorised mechanic.
Eventually I stopped dealing with the Holden dealers directly, because of the appalling service/quality.
I had always been a supporter for Holden, but after the service we've experienced, I'm sad to say, it's the end of the line for me.
I don't recommend anybody purchase these particular models, after about 4 years, as these problems will begin to surface.
Sorry Holden, but enough is enough!!!
Hi guys I'm having the same trouble with holden trying to find my over heating problems A few weeks ago we had a warm day in perth 39 and my 2003 combo xc Said it's to hot So I pulled over and let it cool down Then jumped on the frreway and had no problems So I thought might have just been a one off thing HA HA So now we are at xmas time and the weather is starting to get warm every day Same thing over heating So I take it to holden and they do a so called diag on it and take it around the block for a drive to see if it over heats and you guess it The dam car runs like a dream so they tell me Any way I'm still not happy with holden So I take it to natrad and they put a new core in the radiator and Yep taken it for a run seems OK So off I go thinking great Get home no problem Sweet they fixed it The very next day A public holiday I jump in the combo and get on the free way About 45 km down the road it starts to over heat again So I ring natrad and they say it must be your thermostat But you will neeed holden to do that we don't have the special tools to replace it So once again I go to holden and they replace the thermostat $377 buck later They say its all fixed Once again I get on the freeway and it over heats again Now I'm ticked Therm fan is working with out a prob
So once again its in holden And yes I get the same old call from holden We cannot find a problem its not over heating Well if you take it for a run down the road and not around the block you would see Not happy jan
So I would say don't by a combo
Just to let you know no water in the oil I guess that is one good thing at this stage.
Hi. I'm the one who gave the original review. Since then (it's now Jan '08) the handbrake cable has broken. Holden don't supply them - more 1st class Holden customer support - so I had to have one made up from the ends of the broken original. The blinkers don't self cancel so I have to keep checking them. They don't make a noise any more either so it's easy to leave them on. I had the timing belt changed at the right mileage, the battery had to be disconnected to do this. Fair enough. But since then the radio doesn't work any more and, of course, there's a CD in it which I can't eject. The driver's window doesn't go down any more. The SECOND steering column moves in & out about 3 cm. Very reassuring. I now refer to the vehicle as the USB Combo : Utter Sh*t Box. If anyone from Holden reads this and would like to contact me, let me know via this page. I don't hold out much hope of that, though.
I bought a 2004 holden combo in 2005
I get it serviced at dealer which costs
at 100 000 km I had the brakes replaced, mechanic could not buy discs and just machined the old ones
at 180 000 km my clutch went
I am trying to find out what clutch kit to buy
clones have internal or external slave cylinders
trying to buy generic kit?
All my right had blinker lights are out
any help appreciated.
Re my last comments on holden combo 2004 models
oh also my gear linkage brike when the car was about 6 months old.
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