29th Jan 2016, 23:30
I would love to know what you are paying for this as I have one that I would like to sell. 2003 Combo, 62,000 on the clock. Use it for a shopping trolley as I am retired since 2008.
Jan
14th Jan 2018, 22:11
I have a 2004 Z16SE Combo, or Vauxhall; this model is an English import. It has the same problems as you guys. I have spent a ton of money keeping this thing on the road. The air con has manufacturing issues; they leak, it is a well known fact; many have told me including a Holden dealer; they advised to just replace it (that was the van, not the air con) because of the high cost to repair.
The ignition module will set you back over $1000 on this model, but they are repairable for less than half this price by an auto sparky with the right test equipment.
The timing belts break almost on the dot at 80,000, and working on the water pump requires half the car to be disassembled, and is a real nightmare to remove; I even bought the special tool, but ended up using a big bar and an even bigger hammer.
Now I'm dealing with the clutch pedal; the plastic clip holding the cable has broken, and I'm trying to get a 5th mortgage to have that repaired; advice, don't touch them.
I have been a Holden man all my life, I have bought most of their models and loved them; now the culture is a lotto win for the company if something small goes wrong with a Combo, as most dealers I have been to don't have a clue and or don't really want to work on them, as they are very time consuming, just with a minor problem.
Mine went in for a factory recall because the airbags just went off at random; it came back with a warning light on in the dash, service department didn't know what it was for, 3 trips and $135 each time as they claimed it was unrelated, but they claimed the engine would seize if I didn't get fixed. But I've been driving it for 18 months, so when it finally dies, it goes out for the verge collection.
1st Apr 2012, 21:20
Yes, it will make it around Australia. All you have to do is tow it on a trailer with a more reliable vehicle, like a MAZDA; buy one, and you will be amazed at the reliability. I have run Mazda's for the last 22 years, and had very good service from the suppliers (I'm a mechanic by trade, so I know what's good and what's bad).
Combo's are crap, they have virtually no steering lock, i.e. the turning circle is terrible; takes two shots to get into a parking bay, the indicators do not always cancel, and the trip triggers for the same are not adjustable.
You will have problems with the aircon. My boss runs a small fleet of 5 Combos. One day he stopped outside our workshop, opened the driver's door, and both the hinge pins had dropped out into the lower part of the hinge assembly. The result was as the door swung open, it fell off the van. Yeah, nice one Holden.
If you need to replace a fuse, be careful; in some of the owners hand books, it give you a number for the cigar lighter fuse, but there isn't a fuse in that slot in the fuse box (very conFUSED).
It just goes on and on; went to get an engine oil filter from our local Holden dealer the other day, stood at the counter for 10 minutes, one joker in an office on the phone, and no one serving on the trade counter. Got annoyed, and went to Super Cheap Autos, and was served in one minute, and back to the workshop.
Do yourself a BIG favor mate, buy a Mazda Bongo if you only need a small van.
Good luck, Robbie.