I had a VT Holden Commodore and it was nothing but trouble. Poor build quality the engine was basically rubbish, give me a Ford Falcon with a Barra engine anyday
Hi from Sydney, at almost 69 yrs of age now, I have only bought 2 new cars in my lifetime for myself. A 1980 series 1 WB Holden Statesman Caprice in deep metallic Claret with Ivory leather seats and dark chocolate brown carpet, was sent to HDT for a Brock makeover just one of eighteen series 1 WB's to receive this treatment in December 1980 it was $43138 new total price, plus state duty & rego, not cheap, but you got a hell of a lot of car for the cash. At 22months old it was stolen, cops got the thieves, but car had been stripped &sold as parts , even the body shell itself. So I ordered another one paint offerings had changed, so my 1982 version is in Venetian red metallic paint with Caramel leather seats, matching carpet and Statesman color keyed rubber floor mats, I still own it, it still drives like and looks like new and has just cracked 190,000k's. I reckon that the WB Caprices were possibly the most luxurious cars Holden ever made and, in the Caprice, its four-person front & rear bucket seats were made by Scheele in Germany, no matter where you look this car was pure quality, built to last, for decades not just a few years. Before this second new car was built and delivered, I bought what I thought would be a temporary fill in as a bit of a novelty purchase. So go back a few years when Holden quit building CKD kit US GM cars at GMH Pagewood in Sydney and introduced the HK Brougham although truly more opulent than a RHD Chev Belair or Impala , or a Pontiac Laurentian or Parisienne the buying public did not see this and kept away, So GMH-A decided to remedy this by selecting just 2 US GM cars to import as fully CKD KITS (IE in pieces parts to be built as factory RHD cars and no import tax on spare parts) for the upcoming new chassis & bodies for the 6 years from 1971 to '76. The 2 models selected were the '71-'73 Buick Riviera and the '71-'74 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. From July '74 the new Aussie "mini-Cadillac" would be available, the HJ Statesman Caprice. I bought a'74 Cadillac in Sept' 1982, I still own that black paint and mustard/tan interior, then 10yrs later found, then bought another one this time a '72 model in white paint and "green ice" interior, I still own that one as well. These two cars were massively re-engineered and re-designed by Holden for Australian use with their own unique Aussie glovebox and service manuals. Also I own two RHD Ford Aust Homebush, Sydney built 1970's Lincoln Continentals, a '79 4 door Collectors Series Town car & a 1973 mk4 Continental Coupe 2 door both of these two cars are also way different to US home market cars & I am only second owner all four and they are all the top of the range cars as well. Later in life running a large company I bought dozens of Commodore wagons, then due to the VL and its dreadful Datsun engine, I swapped to Falcon EB2 V8's instead, them later again to Falcon AU vct's 6cyls then BA & BF Barra 6 cyl's. RE Aussie built quality, my Aussie built RHD black '74 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham now has 706,000 klms on its almost 8.3 litre 501 cube engine, and it's been me in my 42yrs ownership that has added 604,000 of the 706,000 klms to it, like my 190,000 klm, 1982 WB Statesman Caprice both of these have been flawless and having owned the big Holden Caprice since new in '82 it never needed any warranty work either when new, and has merely had basic servicing at correct mileage , and, NOTHING has failed, NOTHING, When I could no longer buy R12 air cond gas I had "statey" converted to R134 gas, same with the other 4 big cars.
You could tell where this was going as soon as shaft and shiny head was spoken. 🙄 Holden either had an excellent "handle" on ergonomics our had a sex mad maniac on the team.
Before anyone says it... all scenes in this video were filmed before the government started recommending and enforcing against all non-essential travel. Like the rest of you, I'm self-isolating at home for the good of the country. I hope you enjoyed the video!
MotoringBox technically you are working as it is your job. So essentially you can differ a cop sooking at you. Your job is a media content advisory position. That would shut their boxes and would waste their time in the courts.
The reality is we all have to do what it takes to keep the community safe, especially the elderly and vulnerable. It will all settle in time and we will be able to get back to our normal lives.
Happy Easter guys! This is the first Holden I've owned, so apologies in advance if I got anything wrong in the video. What do you think of the VT, or do you have any questions? Let me know below!
Happy Easter to you too mate. Keep plugging away with the channel it's only a matter of time before you get a large sub increase and become one of the major players! In the future hope we have a true home grown version of Top Gear with maybe yourself Marty & Moog, and other like minded youtubers producing.
@Michaels Carport It's not a car I would have bought normally - it's all for TH-cam. Same thing could be said about the AU, I would have never considered one. But they're both great.
it really shows how different the vt commodore is from the vz series as almost everything you complained about...minus the steering wheel controls were fixed, my holden VZE manual ute is a very clean car i've owned, personally the gen 3 holdens (VT,VX,VY,VZ) has the best bang for your buck for commodores for the range, as mine example being the 190kw alloytec still runs very quietly and smoothly after 220,000kms of it's life and for being 6'1, the commodore fits me better than the falcons of the 90's/00's
When you pulled that fuel flap off the car I actually flinched in my chair. Wow, that was rather dramatic. Your videos just keep getting better and better, both in the writing and the production. That could easily have been broadcast on tv, such was the quality. I really enjoyed it and thank you so much for showcasing our cars and their story to the world. You capture the cars and their story really well. That ending... I think I am going to go and spend some time with the Redline VF in the garage. I'm feeling rather sad now for what we have lost.
Thanks so much Daniel. I don't think I'll ever get a TV offer, but anyway to me TV just means more restrictions. I'd have to censor swear words, allow for ad breaks and also pay more to licence the music. Glad to hear you enjoyed the video though, treasure your car - it's the last great thing we built here.
@@MotoringBoxTV there is a repair wedge you can buy on ebay ... broke my 18 yr old VXii fuel flap the other day... bought this wedge and glued it into place ... job done.... great review , after driving VL onward commodores for work I am hooked on Commodores.... looking to buy a Walkinshaw V8 sportwagon from a friend. my last commodore ... sniff
Grew up with Commos, we had the VT series 1 which at the time was something revolutionary. Probably one of the few Asian family that had and loved the Commos. Kept it till the VY & VZ came out then had to move to Asia to start work. Still am a Holden fan till this day and occasionally back cruising around with the Gen-F. Awesome video with a touching end! A lost to an Australian Icon no doubt. Greetings from Jakarta, Indonesia.
@@jasonblanch8769 It's "Every Song" by Gamma Skies. I have a playlist on Spotify which I'll try to keep updated with tracks I've used: open.spotify.com/playlist/7706JcJujXHmnTDLGNEWld?si=6BqtCfIJS-OIf_C_5JbJ5w
I do not even remember the last time I've commented a video on TH-cam. But mate, I've been waiting for years for your channel. I just love Australian cars, especially te late 90's and early 00's. With the VT and the AU having a special place in my heart since i was a kid. My first encounter with Australian cars was when i was a little kid in primary school and my parents got me the NFS Hot Pursuit 2, very soon my two favourites were the TS50 and the Monaro. What you may not expect though, is that I am from Poland. A country where most of fhe car guys do not even know that there were any cars made down under. Not me though. I truly thank you for what you do because I finally have a chance for an in depth look on this cars. So for the only fine data i could get were some forums, wimipedia or Australian customers back when I worked at Enterprise Car-Rental when I was studying. They were always completely shocked that I take interest in aussie cars. I always loved big sedans, this year i finally bought the dream car I've been wanting to own since junior high. A 530i E39. However, I'm sure that if I only had the chance, my dream garage wpuld be full of VT's, VY's, VZ's, AU's, BA's ad BF's. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much for the comment Maciek - that was really interesting to hear about your fascination with our cars! I played HP2 back in the day too, great game. If you ever have the chance to come out here for a trip (once travel restrictions are over) you should definitely do so!
I tried to cut out all of the useless or bits which I felt were a waste of time. I do worry the length of the video will scare some people off, so thanks for sticking around.
The one Commodore on my mind all the time, the one I am constantly on carsales for is a VT. I won't settle for anything less than a 5 litre, made in my year 1998. That distinctive, full width, factory smoked rear has always been iconic for me, as well as being the last wholey Australian made V8 Holden. On top of all that, it's probably the car of my faintest, most distant memory of any car ever from my mum having said she had one. Loved your video through and through man! I really want to find one now
I think old cars like these mean very little to us unless we have some memories or experiences from the past which we associate with them. It's the nostalgia, and looking through rose coloured glasses I think they say. So whilst I quite liked the VT, to me personally it didn't mean much. I bought it only because they were such popular cars in their time, but that's about it.
Dude, this got me pretty emotional .. we have a silver vt acclaim here in the family and it's a great car, thanks for making this tribute video it was really great to watch.
Feels like I am on a Australian TH-cam tour in lockdown! Watching all the old Videos of Mighty Car Mods, Benny's Custom Works and now you uploaded a video. Stay safe dude! Love from Bangladesh🇧🇩
Shoutout to McGrath Holden Liverpool hahaha The nostalgia when I used to drive past the dealership on the Hume Highway back in the day looking at the LS1 VTs on display. Wouldn't be surprised your Calais would have been one I saw on the floor or out in the yard
Wow, emotional and nostalgic. I guess one creates the other. If you rocked up to school in one of these as a kid it was like the gates of heaven had opened. (Well for us car geeks it was)
Easily the best car review I've seen. There was no point where I was even slightly disinterested. The review and history was so in depth yet so concise and to the point. And so well put together, the camera work, editing and narration were excellent. It truly had everything. You almost had me in tears in the closing scene. Tears... from a car review. how absurd, yet brilliant. You've more than earned my subscription from this one video. I hope this channel grows and becomes very popular, as the production value is outstanding, and the views and subscriber numbers should be way higher. And I know you'll never tell us, but I really hope you smoked that xr6 from the next red light
Thanks mate, really glad to hear you enjoyed it! I am trying to do something a bit different to the usual weekly/daily car vlog videos that you usually see here, but TH-cam isn't necessarily rewarding me for doing so. If anything, what I'm doing seems to go against everything their algorithms like - so the videos get recommended less and growth is slower. A bit of a shame, but I am keeping optimistic and believe I'll get there one day. Thanks again for the subscription and have a good one.
great video mate up until the ls motor issues i was a foreman at a holden dealership on the out skirts of sydney for over 13 years from vp commodore till the ve the pistons were replaced due to piston slap due to piston being to short in construction hense the teflon coating of revised pistons there was no piston to bore clearance issues and very rare to have 1 burn oil and there was no dedicated gen 3 engine builder only hsv had a dedicated mechanic all the engines we built and there was quite a few around 4 or 5 a week all through 99 till 2001 we never had a issue of parts the engines were never bored and a lot of the time we would leave the block in the car and drop the k frame to save time all in all they were an awesome car when you look at warranty issues we had with vt /vx and vy were very minor compared to later cars all you really have to do is see how many are still on the road and crazy milage people are getting out of them.still great video mate. cheers Brian.
clicked on this and noticed that it was 40 minutes long, thought "no way im going to make it through that". so glad you put the fuel cap back on. great film mate.
@@MotoringBoxTV honestly, it was a pleasure. You made a review of a VT Commodore interesting and entertaining, a VT Commodore! Imagine the views you would get if you did an XF S Pack Ute. It'd be off the chart.
Wow well worth the watch, I was a little sceptical about it when I saw the length. Sean, camera work is getting better. Closest thing straya has to savage geese
@@MotoringBoxTV never be afraid to post a long video if you've got something to say. The wonders of TH-cam mean it's possible to watch part a video and come back later, and if you're making good content (which you are) people will come back to it. I honestly thought the video was about half an hour long when I watched it, had to check to see what Tom was on about!
I owned a series 1 vt hsv clubsports.. with the Australian 5L and 5 speed manual getrag gearbox.. it had a super short first gear with a super long second and third.. l bought the car new.. then they were offering a seat and suspension package with the HSV Clubsports.. leather coulson seat and trimmings with the GTS suspension..l decided to go for it.. so glad l did.. loved every second l was in it.. It's probably in car heaven now .. l wish I still had it .
What an epic little film! I was truly sucked into every minute of it. I do mourn the loss of such an iconic Aussie brand, but I certainly cannot wait for another one of these style of videos. Cheers mate!
This is possibly one of the most accurate summaries of any car I have seen on TH-cam. Brilliant job and well put together. BTW, just get some std springs and retro fit them. From memory the weight differences between the 3 available engines was that close that they ran the same spring through all of the VT2.
Still driving my VT SS with 360,000km on the clock. Great car, very easy to maintain. Be sure to replace your sump and valve cover gaskets if you're getting oil leaks. Keep a spare power steering cooler. Keep a spare heater valve. Don't use K&N filter.
Such a great review. I have owned 7 VL Commodores, a VN and a VX. I bought my VT HBD Berlina LS1 5 years ago. Have never regretted it. Will keep it forever. In my opinion the best Commodore model they made , although in my opinion, the VL had better handling, the VT has style and power to burn. Love these old Holdens.
I'm sure some (or even most) would watch the first 5 mins of this video and move on, but even suprising myself I stayed for the full 50 minutes. And boy I'm glad I did! I have never appreciated the VT as much as I do now, mostly thanks to the countless examples out there which have been thrashed to buggary or left to rust in backyards. So I really do want to thankyou for the time and effort you put into this video, it will stay in my YT library for a long time to come. Now time to watch your other videos on this car and the Fairlane. Now that I've got myself a white VT 'S', I plan to keep it in tip-top condition. And perhaps no lowered suspension haha ;) Thx mate
I still own my 1998 VT executive Wagon. So far has been the best and most reliable car I have ever owned and has 490000 on the clock with original engine and transmission. You mentioned in your video that the executive had limited features. Mine is an executive with 7 seats, air-conditioning, automatic transmission, abs, traction control and cruise control only thing it didn't come with was ash tray and cigarette lighter. Apparently that was optional extra for $500. The VT just doesn't run over things it eats them. Rose gardens, kangaroos, foxes, white posts and a prop-shaft on a highway. The only issue I have is the stabilizer link pins snapping, a common problem. The car is very well engineered and not bad to work on. It is a very under appreciated car, that some people don't deserve.
Owned a VL as 1st car, then a Ford convert, still love for Holdens. These videos you post are pulling on the heart strings of nostalgia more then ever at this difficult time. Well done for effort, truly appreciated.
As much as I love my VT Calais, something was missed at 28:37 ..... No mention that the 12v "cigarette lighter" socket is buried way down in there (under the stereo, and even further under the little lidded compartment, which I do like)...... But it the most awkward spot to reach..... Trying to plug my phone adapter down in the is painful..... And lol, If you actually had a car type cigarette lighter down in there, good luck!!!! EDIT: Yes Covid has messed us up, and before that, it was sad that we didn't have Holden in the country anymore.... In my life, I have owned a CM Valiant, 3x Holden VK (2 original Calais, one in between was an executive that I converted to a Calais)..... Kept all the same parts through the entire builds though. Sold the last one cheap :/ I won't be selling this VT Calais.... Atleast not cheap..... Last of its kind, and that's sad :/
What a professional and well researched clip. Thankyou for doing this for us. For an independent youtuber you have done a better job than what a commercial outlet could do with a budget. I watch all of your uploads but I have to say this is your finest. I own a 1 owner CV8 series 1 so this is very relevant to me. You bring in the emotions of a owning an Australian car. You should start doing reviews of your subscribers aussie cars. Maybe become the next Doug De Muro. Well done. I wish you the best of luck with yor channel. Thankyou.
I'm a Holden guy, have owned a Calais and Currently own An HSV R8. I have always liked Ford's, not enough to buy one, but more a respect thing since we wouldn't have what we do if there wasn't the competition. I am coming around the the AU styling, the XR6/8 do look killer, that dashboard though...... Not a fan..
Chris do yourself a favour and get a VZ, if you can stretch the extra cash. Much more sorted car in a thousand tiny ways, and the 6 litre feels properly good to drive... Almost as good as a turbo barra :p
I was 18 when the vt came out. My cousin was working at fishermen's bend prior to the vt launch and I got to drive one prior to it. My dad had a vc, vk, vn, vp and vx. I owned a vx. Maybe some may hate it but I loved the shudder of the commo as it took off and that was just the 6cyl. Was considering purchasing a vf prior to gm saying they would pull the plug on Holden. I haven't had anything good to say about Holden for a long time and honestly out of 20 people I know, only 3 own a commodore, but gm should take an absolute brutal beating by Australians for destroying a car company which was once a great company. I hope gm never returns to Australia. They destroy whatever they touch. Its almost as if they spent millions of dollars after the vf to make Holden fail.
Seriously great content on this channel, quite refreshing to see original stuff whereas most car TH-camrs are just doing the whole “buy exotics” gig. Never got these cars here in the USA but love watching stuff like this! Keep it up mate!
Well ihave a comment about gm' engines if you don't mind. I do like the video first off. The GEN III GM V8 and all its platforms in America starting in 1997 and mooving through 2014 all had cold running piston go bore rattle when cold. I personally have had a 5.3 and a 3 6.0' both in lq4 amd lq9 flavors. All had the piston noises and all have made well over 230k MILES with the noise and all without oil consumption or mechanical failure. They are the greatest V8 IMO. Unless something different was done for AU markets I would say take your foot out of it when it's cold and let it warm up for a minute or two when it's cold outside.
Brilliant video mate, usually if I saw a review run for 50 minutes I wouldn't even bother but every one of yours has been fantastic. Keep up the great work and thank you for your channel!
Loved this :) I'm a life long Ford guy but after a leg injury (I'm 6'4") I bought a VZ LS1 Calais for the legroom and I love it, I'm healed and should have sold it on... but I just haven't.
Well done mate, its easy to see how much work went into this, i reckon you got the ingredients just right, production quality, drone footage, transitions and effects, music, technical facts, humour, personal opinions, nostalgia even a tear jerker at the end it had everything. If i really had to nit pick it would have been good if during the model run down you also included the VT Ute, Wagon and maybe even touched on the Statesman and Caprice considering all of these were built on a stretched or long wheel base VT Commodore chassis. Also would have been icing on the cake to include a little bit of the VT Commodores racing heritage as they absolutely dominated back in the day. You know you've done a ripper job when you've got Hardened Aussie Ford Fans tearing up over the demise of their long time arch rival. You have a lot to be proud of mate well done.
I have been trying to teach myself to reach for the centre console for window controls since last buying a 2003 Holden Statesman last August. No success yet. Another quality video with a star studded cast. Looking forward to your next one already. Thank you and Happy Easter to you and to those whom you hold dear.
You'll never get there, or if you do, you'll be reaching for the centre console in other cars which have them on the door. That and also the steering wheel buttons are the worst parts about jumping between the VT and the AU!
@@MotoringBoxTV Between a Territory (door) and TL ES Msgna (console) I now get it wrong in both vehicles. Console is the cheaper solution for the manufacturers due to the additional cost of the extra wires to reach the driver's and front passenger's doors, as well as an extra switch module.
You epically executed a masterpiece over a semi mediocre car, which probably now has a lot more respect as a result of your video. Well done mate, great job! I loved every minute.
Sometimes I think we need to challenge our opinions about some of these old cars. The fact we churned this thing out in. 1997 is pretty amazing I think.
This is probably one of the most well produced car videos by an Australian TH-camr to date.. awesome video and can tell alot of effort was put into it.
I've been cleaning up and restoring my VT2 SS for the last couple of years and share many of your thoughts about the car. Thanks for making this wonderful homage to a great make and model. If you're ever in Melbourne the beers are on me.
Mate, firstly Happy Easter and secondly; another top job with the editing and production. Awesome work again! I felt like adding the comment ‘Fix the fuel door’ in the style of Jake Blues telling Elwood to fix the cigarette lighter, but then I got to the end of the video : ) Keep up the good work, keep that car looking clean and stay safe. All this madness will settle in time.
In my opinion this is the best Aussie motoring video you've made yet. All your content is great but the attention to detail and cinematography in this one is a cut above. The compositing effects for the model ranges was outstanding, I can't imagine how much work that took to get right. Your "When I put the shaft in my hand, it feels entirely natural as if I've been doing it for years" bit made me die laughing and your retrospective on the death of Holden brought a tear to my eye. Please carry on with this fantastic work!
Hits right in the feels :( We still have our VX which my parents bought new. They are incredibly well designed family cars - and no new sedans are equally practical, enjoyable and affordable. I hope his next review is the Territory.
@@MotoringBoxTV Its a bit like Twitch... I have friends who plugged away with 5 viewers for years and all of a sudden in 2 weeks they had an average of 1200 viewers -_- Just keep going :) your talents are appreciated!
That's what I'm wondering too. Been watching since the day he uploaded his Fairlane review, and the quality here is fucking out of this world, especially for someone who still works a day job. I can't wait to see this channel explode, Sean really deserves it. Ps. next time you're in Adelaide, I've got a nice G6E for you to review haha
Yup. Had a VT wagon for some years until the radiator split and the engine seized. After cooling down she still ran enough for me to get home. An excellent, but by today's standards, basic vehicle. Replaced it with a 2017 ex-cop VF2 wagon. Now we're talking!
I thought I'd commented on this already.. But yeah well done mate, of all the car reviews you've done this might be the best. That end cinematic did hit me in the nostalgic feels, all I could think of is when as a kid my parents got our VY wagon in I think 2007 or 8. Such simpler times, we drove to Queensland in that car. Had it until I think 2017 or 18 so yeah 10 years pretty much. It's not until you see something like this or drive past their old factories that you realise we really lost something that made us unique, and that is sad. Ford or Holden what does it really matter at this point, they were both good cars and both big losses to our economy when they left. And yeah I'm with you on that one, Holden to me died in 2017. Though I must admit, it is sad to see what was once a standalone Holden dealer now selling caravans to get by.
Used to own a VY wagon... That thing was awesome and was very reliable... The next owner trashed it since it's not registered anymore😔 Oh and the fuel cap stayed on...
The old man purchased a 2000 VT Calais with the 5.7L V8 when i was 12. It had the Holden By Design front, rear and side sport skirts, the VT SS rear spoiler and leather seats. It was truly Australia's best built vehicle at the time and what made it even better, it was built 30mins down the road in Adelaide. The spiritual home of Holden This video just bought back fond memories of this car growing up
To be fair, the VT essentially continued through to the VX and in a more severe facelift into the VY. VZ with the Alloytec was the first super-major change beyond sheet-metal.
@@MotoringBoxTV I'd take my 07 VZ, the last of the VZ commodore made, over a VT shaping, I had a VT and hatred it, I love my 07 VZ this car I was told by Holden is the car to keep
For a ford guy you are to be commended for an objective review of the VT. I don't think I would have been as charitable given my allegiances are buried deep within the red corner. The VT you have is a great example of the model.
Man. Awesome car. Awesome video. Makes me feel sad that Holdens gone though. I've got one of the last Aussie built Cruzes and yeah its no VT commodore but it's am awesome car in my eyes and it'll be looked after.
What many Aussies might not know - Calais is a miserable grey port town in the least fashionable part of France. Fortunately this car is so good it rises above the dodgy name 👍
I’ve just bought a mint VX S pack and also own a one owner 5 Litre AU Fairlane and a VL that’s been in the family since new, like you these days appreciate the cars regardless of make. Absolutely fantastic video, I’ve only caught it in August 2021, just gone into yet another lockdown, great to watch tonight, keep it together everyone and keep cruising when we can!! 👌
You didn’t mention the VTs spare wheel cover in the boot. It is made from a composite material with a moulded hook to hold it up so you can use 2 hands to get the spare wheel out. It’s design was copied off the Audi of the time.
Loved this car from new since 1999. My Berlina with FE2 suspension still going strong with 335,000km on clock. Handles beautifully and starts first time everytime. Loved your presentation. Have upgraded to WK 5.7lt Statesman which now has 275,000km.
Thanks mate, enjoyed this right up till the outro track, perfect choice to instigate some feels. I've similar adoration for my VZ Commodore & subsequently no matter how much I try to move into a modern vehicle, I can't part with it. Weird Ipswich trivia time! Awarded world's most liveable mid size city 2007 The final growth corridor in the Great South East, Ecco Ripley which is set to double the population over the mid term. Home to the master planned Springfield development. Ipswich has fallen victim to its own success/sprawl, wherein each suburb has its own retail districts, shopping without leaving your suburb has seen the CBD lose its hoards of shoppers to newer, closer facilities. Ipswich's original name was Limestone, the great buildings of Brisbane were quarried from the hills of Limestone. The oldest provincial city in QLD boasts an impressive land area compared to other SEQ districts. Despite the reputation, Ipswich's crime is low, people for the most part genuine & what you see is what you get. A blue collar city from its birth, Ipswich has lost its identity recently as the jobs were outscored. That said, the architecture, rich history, many green spaces & striking places of beauty are complimented by close proximity to the major highways, making Ipswich rather central to the rest of SEQ. Thanks again for the content. Hope to see you around.
ah yes a sedan with a corvette engine over here in canada we had stuff like that too such as the chevy caprice b body [the 90s version] and impala ss based on the caprice oh and the buick roadmaster the caprice and roadmaster also had the lt1 corvette engine in wagon form too!
Emet Playz I like the whale body B body cars. It was a huge leap in styling and amenity over the previous. Were yours assembled in Canada like earlier ones?
The production value, time, and effort you put into your videos are amazing and so well done. I have started to educate my daughter on cars and your videos are fantastic mate. "Which means this, is Bara's old man".
Though this makes me appreciate my VT more also, at the same time got the urge to go outside and kick off my fuel door.... yknow, blend in with the crowd.
@@bigsohc It's kind of funny, because Holden finished the inside area around the fuel cap in such a beautifully neat way. If you pop the fuel door on an AU Falcon, there's just a pipe with a cap sitting there, and dark void space all around it. It looks terrible in comparison, but luckily the fuel doors were metal.
@@MotoringBoxTV unfortunately I don't personally have an AU to compare it to, only an EL but I'm sure it's much the same. You Were dead on saying there should be no more brand rivalry anymore however.
While I know you are mainly focused on Ford and Holden's large Aussie car offerings, I'd love to see a retrospective video on the Mitsubishi Magna - which in arguably was about as Australian as the Commodore was (content wise) and had an interesting life and product cycle all the way from TM to the last of the TW series and into the short lived 380 - with a particular "hot" model that gave even the HSV XU6 and AU XR8 a run for their money. Great video on the VT - keep up the great work!
Those Ralliarts were cool. We had a bunch of them at the rental car company i worked at around 2001 or whenever it was. They had some serious torque steer. The AWD Magna and Verada’s were a highly underrated car too.
@@MotoringBoxTV That was a roller coaster! From the engine reveal, to the fuel filler flap, to bagging out Ipswich haha. I was not expecting to catch a case of the feels at the end :(
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I had a VT Holden Commodore and it was nothing but trouble. Poor build quality the engine was basically rubbish, give me a Ford Falcon with a Barra engine anyday
Hi from Sydney, at almost 69 yrs of age now, I have only bought 2 new cars in my lifetime for myself. A 1980 series 1 WB Holden Statesman Caprice in deep metallic Claret with Ivory leather seats and dark chocolate brown carpet, was sent to HDT for a Brock makeover just one of eighteen series 1 WB's to receive this treatment in December 1980 it was $43138 new total price, plus state duty & rego, not cheap, but you got a hell of a lot of car for the cash. At 22months old it was stolen, cops got the thieves, but car had been stripped &sold as parts , even the body shell itself. So I ordered another one paint offerings had changed, so my 1982 version is in Venetian red metallic paint with Caramel leather seats, matching carpet and Statesman color keyed rubber floor mats, I still own it, it still drives like and looks like new and has just cracked 190,000k's. I reckon that the WB Caprices were possibly the most luxurious cars Holden ever made and, in the Caprice, its four-person front & rear bucket seats were made by Scheele in Germany, no matter where you look this car was pure quality, built to last, for decades not just a few years.
Before this second new car was built and delivered, I bought what I thought would be a temporary fill in as a bit of a novelty purchase. So go back a few years when Holden quit building CKD kit US GM cars at GMH Pagewood in Sydney and introduced the HK Brougham although truly more opulent than a RHD Chev Belair or Impala , or a Pontiac Laurentian or Parisienne the buying public did not see this and kept away, So GMH-A decided to remedy this by selecting just 2 US GM cars to import as fully CKD KITS (IE in pieces parts to be built as factory RHD cars and no import tax on spare parts) for the upcoming new chassis & bodies for the 6 years from 1971 to '76. The 2 models selected were the '71-'73 Buick Riviera and the '71-'74 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. From July '74 the new Aussie "mini-Cadillac" would be available, the HJ Statesman Caprice. I bought a'74 Cadillac in Sept' 1982, I still own that black paint and mustard/tan interior, then 10yrs later found, then bought another one this time a '72 model in white paint and "green ice" interior, I still own that one as well. These two cars were massively re-engineered and re-designed by Holden for Australian use with their own unique Aussie glovebox and service manuals. Also I own two RHD Ford Aust Homebush, Sydney built 1970's Lincoln Continentals, a '79 4 door Collectors Series Town car & a 1973 mk4 Continental Coupe 2 door both of these two cars are also way different to US home market cars & I am only second owner all four and they are all the top of the range cars as well.
Later in life running a large company I bought dozens of Commodore wagons, then due to the VL and its dreadful Datsun engine, I swapped to Falcon EB2 V8's instead, them later again to Falcon AU vct's 6cyls then BA & BF Barra 6 cyl's.
RE Aussie built quality, my Aussie built RHD black '74 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham now has 706,000 klms on its almost 8.3 litre 501 cube engine, and it's been me in my 42yrs ownership that has added 604,000 of the 706,000 klms to it, like my 190,000 klm, 1982 WB Statesman Caprice both of these have been flawless and having owned the big Holden Caprice since new in '82 it never needed any warranty work either when new, and has merely had basic servicing at correct mileage , and, NOTHING has failed, NOTHING, When I could no longer buy R12 air cond gas I had "statey" converted to R134 gas, same with the other 4 big cars.
"When I put the shaft in my hand, it feels entirely natural, as if I've been doing it for years" I SPAT MY BEER OUT OVER THIS!!!
Lmao !!!!
so funny, I had to stop the video to read the comments, 10/10 on delivery
Holden really nailed the design of it for sure.
You could tell where this was going as soon as shaft and shiny head was spoken. 🙄
Holden either had an excellent "handle" on ergonomics our had a sex mad maniac on the team.
I wish the leather around the head of my shaft was more worn. If it meant it had had many hands on it.
Before anyone says it... all scenes in this video were filmed before the government started recommending and enforcing against all non-essential travel. Like the rest of you, I'm self-isolating at home for the good of the country. I hope you enjoyed the video!
In all fairness my videos are filmed in super isolated areas anyway!
While you’ve got some time off, let’s get some stickers going! I’ll take a heap in chrome!
Hahaha but as the PM says if you have a job you are essential... and your videos are essential viewing for car enthusiasts...
MotoringBox technically you are working as it is your job. So essentially you can differ a cop sooking at you. Your job is a media content advisory position. That would shut their boxes and would waste their time in the courts.
The reality is we all have to do what it takes to keep the community safe, especially the elderly and vulnerable. It will all settle in time and we will be able to get back to our normal lives.
the VT might have out sold the AU 2-1 but i bet you that no VT EVER was sold with an option for its it's own table to put your KFC on!
True that!
@@voltare2amstereo yup, it's in the video!
@@voltare2amstereo a bit dangerous to drive from the rear seat lol
And in 50 years time there will be more Au’s on the road than Vt’s. No hate for Holden though
@@mills3375 . Yeah because you can only change the ignition switch so many times before you set fire to your car
Happy Easter guys! This is the first Holden I've owned, so apologies in advance if I got anything wrong in the video. What do you think of the VT, or do you have any questions? Let me know below!
Happy Easter to you too mate. Keep plugging away with the channel it's only a matter of time before you get a large sub increase and become one of the major players! In the future hope we have a true home grown version of Top Gear with maybe yourself Marty & Moog, and other like minded youtubers producing.
my first was a vx1 calais v8 fe2, great taste
Thanks mate!
@Michaels Carport It's not a car I would have bought normally - it's all for TH-cam. Same thing could be said about the AU, I would have never considered one. But they're both great.
it really shows how different the vt commodore is from the vz series as almost everything you complained about...minus the steering wheel controls were fixed, my holden VZE manual ute is a very clean car i've owned, personally the gen 3 holdens (VT,VX,VY,VZ) has the best bang for your buck for commodores for the range, as mine example being the 190kw alloytec still runs very quietly and smoothly after 220,000kms of it's life and for being 6'1, the commodore fits me better than the falcons of the 90's/00's
When you pulled that fuel flap off the car I actually flinched in my chair. Wow, that was rather dramatic. Your videos just keep getting better and better, both in the writing and the production. That could easily have been broadcast on tv, such was the quality. I really enjoyed it and thank you so much for showcasing our cars and their story to the world. You capture the cars and their story really well. That ending... I think I am going to go and spend some time with the Redline VF in the garage. I'm feeling rather sad now for what we have lost.
Thanks so much Daniel. I don't think I'll ever get a TV offer, but anyway to me TV just means more restrictions. I'd have to censor swear words, allow for ad breaks and also pay more to licence the music. Glad to hear you enjoyed the video though, treasure your car - it's the last great thing we built here.
@@MotoringBoxTV there is a repair wedge you can buy on ebay ... broke my 18 yr old VXii fuel flap the other day... bought this wedge and glued it into place ... job done.... great review , after driving VL onward commodores for work I am hooked on Commodores.... looking to buy a Walkinshaw V8 sportwagon from a friend. my last commodore ... sniff
I couldn't believe he broke it on purpose 😂😂😂😂 near fell off my chair I laughed so hard!
@@Rollin8.0 I keep rewatching it! It's the funniest thing I've ever seen 🤣
I still got my fuel flap and I have 40,760 on the clock.
The wait was worth it. Well done. No other youtuber could make a review like that. I hope you keep on going and keep on making amazing videos.
Thanks mate, that's awfully nice of you. Hope you enjoyed it and stay safe.
Grew up with Commos, we had the VT series 1 which at the time was something revolutionary. Probably one of the few Asian family that had and loved the Commos. Kept it till the VY & VZ came out then had to move to Asia to start work. Still am a Holden fan till this day and occasionally back cruising around with the Gen-F. Awesome video with a touching end! A lost to an Australian Icon no doubt.
Greetings from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Thanks for the comment!
The closing montage really hit me in the feels, the sunset and that song - the loss of local manufacture and finally Holden.... 😢
Sorry I got a bit carried away with it, but I was very happy with how it turned out.
Could someone please tell me the name of the song or the artist playing at the end of the video?
@@jasonblanch8769 It's "Every Song" by Gamma Skies. I have a playlist on Spotify which I'll try to keep updated with tracks I've used: open.spotify.com/playlist/7706JcJujXHmnTDLGNEWld?si=6BqtCfIJS-OIf_C_5JbJ5w
MotoringBox thank you! 😊
@@MotoringBoxTV Thanks. Great review btw!
This is quality mate. Much needed viewing during these tough times. Regards from Sydney!
Enjoy mate, glad to help.
I almost cried at the end, and I’m not even Australian. I really hope that Holden and the Aussie commodore can somehow comeback.
I do not even remember the last time I've commented a video on TH-cam. But mate, I've been waiting for years for your channel. I just love Australian cars, especially te late 90's and early 00's. With the VT and the AU having a special place in my heart since i was a kid. My first encounter with Australian cars was when i was a little kid in primary school and my parents got me the NFS Hot Pursuit 2, very soon my two favourites were the TS50 and the Monaro. What you may not expect though, is that I am from Poland. A country where most of fhe car guys do not even know that there were any cars made down under. Not me though. I truly thank you for what you do because I finally have a chance for an in depth look on this cars. So for the only fine data i could get were some forums, wimipedia or Australian customers back when I worked at Enterprise Car-Rental when I was studying. They were always completely shocked that I take interest in aussie cars. I always loved big sedans, this year i finally bought the dream car I've been wanting to own since junior high. A 530i E39. However, I'm sure that if I only had the chance, my dream garage wpuld be full of VT's, VY's, VZ's, AU's, BA's ad BF's. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much for the comment Maciek - that was really interesting to hear about your fascination with our cars! I played HP2 back in the day too, great game. If you ever have the chance to come out here for a trip (once travel restrictions are over) you should definitely do so!
Maciek, if you keep an eye on Hubnut, there's at least two more Australian vehicles coming...
It honestly confuses me how this video is basically 50 minutes long, but isn't boring - despite featuring one of the most common vehicles.
I tried to cut out all of the useless or bits which I felt were a waste of time. I do worry the length of the video will scare some people off, so thanks for sticking around.
It was fantastic! Sean is a great story teller that keeps you captivated the whole way through.. It's a unique gift for sure...
The one Commodore on my mind all the time, the one I am constantly on carsales for is a VT. I won't settle for anything less than a 5 litre, made in my year 1998.
That distinctive, full width, factory smoked rear has always been iconic for me, as well as being the last wholey Australian made V8 Holden.
On top of all that, it's probably the car of my faintest, most distant memory of any car ever from my mum having said she had one.
Loved your video through and through man! I really want to find one now
I think old cars like these mean very little to us unless we have some memories or experiences from the past which we associate with them. It's the nostalgia, and looking through rose coloured glasses I think they say.
So whilst I quite liked the VT, to me personally it didn't mean much. I bought it only because they were such popular cars in their time, but that's about it.
Dude, this got me pretty emotional .. we have a silver vt acclaim here in the family and it's a great car, thanks for making this tribute video it was really great to watch.
Thanks so much for the comment - really glad you enjoyed the video.
Feels like I am on a Australian TH-cam tour in lockdown! Watching all the old Videos of Mighty Car Mods, Benny's Custom Works and now you uploaded a video. Stay safe dude! Love from Bangladesh🇧🇩
Thanks for watching, and G'Day from Australia!
Try checking out "The Skid Factory"
I think you'll enjoy it.
@@paspax I know them - Al used to work on my car back when he was at AM Auto.
What an awesome homage to a classic piece of Aussie history. Beautifully shot and put together, especially the outro. Love your work.
Thanks a lot mate. Stay safe.
Shoutout to McGrath Holden Liverpool hahaha The nostalgia when I used to drive past the dealership on the Hume Highway back in the day looking at the LS1 VTs on display. Wouldn't be surprised your Calais would have been one I saw on the floor or out in the yard
Wow, emotional and nostalgic. I guess one creates the other. If you rocked up to school in one of these as a kid it was like the gates of heaven had opened. (Well for us car geeks it was)
Yes I found filming and editing this one to be quite emotional, which I didn't really expect. Hope you enjoyed it mate.
Easily the best car review I've seen. There was no point where I was even slightly disinterested. The review and history was so in depth yet so concise and to the point. And so well put together, the camera work, editing and narration were excellent. It truly had everything. You almost had me in tears in the closing scene. Tears... from a car review. how absurd, yet brilliant. You've more than earned my subscription from this one video. I hope this channel grows and becomes very popular, as the production value is outstanding, and the views and subscriber numbers should be way higher. And I know you'll never tell us, but I really hope you smoked that xr6 from the next red light
Thanks mate, really glad to hear you enjoyed it! I am trying to do something a bit different to the usual weekly/daily car vlog videos that you usually see here, but TH-cam isn't necessarily rewarding me for doing so. If anything, what I'm doing seems to go against everything their algorithms like - so the videos get recommended less and growth is slower. A bit of a shame, but I am keeping optimistic and believe I'll get there one day. Thanks again for the subscription and have a good one.
great video mate up until the ls motor issues i was a foreman at a holden dealership on the out skirts of sydney for over 13 years from vp commodore till the ve the pistons were replaced due to piston slap due to piston being to short in construction hense the teflon coating of revised pistons there was no piston to bore clearance issues and very rare to have 1 burn oil and there was no dedicated gen 3 engine builder only hsv had a dedicated mechanic all the engines we built and there was quite a few around 4 or 5 a week all through 99 till 2001 we never had a issue of parts the engines were never bored and a lot of the time we would leave the block in the car and drop the k frame to save time all in all they were an awesome car when you look at warranty issues we had with vt /vx and vy were very minor compared to later cars all you really have to do is see how many are still on the road and crazy milage people are getting out of them.still great video mate.
cheers Brian.
Thanks for the comment! The bits I talked about were researched from various articles around on the internet, so I was only going by what I read.
clicked on this and noticed that it was 40 minutes long, thought "no way im going to make it through that".
so glad you put the fuel cap back on. great film mate.
Thanks for taking the time!
@@MotoringBoxTV honestly, it was a pleasure. You made a review of a VT Commodore interesting and entertaining, a VT Commodore! Imagine the views you would get if you did an XF S Pack Ute. It'd be off the chart.
@@scottlampe70 I do want an XF, maybe a GL Wagon on hubcaps.
@@MotoringBoxTV make sure it's an s pack, got the digital dash. Good luck finding one though.
Scott it's a TH-cam video, not naughty time with Scarlett Johanson!
As a vt S pack owner, it brings warmth to my heart to see people still talking about these amazing cars
Wow well worth the watch, I was a little sceptical about it when I saw the length. Sean, camera work is getting better. Closest thing straya has to savage geese
I was hoping the length didn't scare people off, I don't believe there was any wasted time in it. We've all got tons of time right now anyway!
@@MotoringBoxTV never be afraid to post a long video if you've got something to say.
The wonders of TH-cam mean it's possible to watch part a video and come back later, and if you're making good content (which you are) people will come back to it.
I honestly thought the video was about half an hour long when I watched it, had to check to see what Tom was on about!
I love the length.......the video 🤨😬
I owned a series 1 vt hsv clubsports.. with the Australian 5L and 5 speed manual getrag gearbox.. it had a super short first gear with a super long second and third.. l bought the car new.. then they were offering a seat and suspension package with the HSV Clubsports.. leather coulson seat and trimmings with the GTS suspension..l decided to go for it.. so glad l did.. loved every second l was in it..
It's probably in car heaven now .. l wish I still had it .
What an epic little film! I was truly sucked into every minute of it. I do mourn the loss of such an iconic Aussie brand, but I certainly cannot wait for another one of these style of videos. Cheers mate!
Thanks mate!
Damn, that 360° camera really made that driving scene stand out. I can't imagine the amount of work laid down in making this video. Well done, Sir!
It's a wonderful camera, it really let's you do some amazing things of you have the time, and also the storage space for the massive files.
This is possibly one of the most accurate summaries of any car I have seen on TH-cam. Brilliant job and well put together. BTW, just get some std springs and retro fit them. From memory the weight differences between the 3 available engines was that close that they ran the same spring through all of the VT2.
Thanks for watching mate and glad you enjoyed it. I may put the suspension back to stock - we'll see.
Still driving my VT SS with 360,000km on the clock. Great car, very easy to maintain. Be sure to replace your sump and valve cover gaskets if you're getting oil leaks. Keep a spare power steering cooler. Keep a spare heater valve. Don't use K&N filter.
No leaks or obvious problems at the moment, so I'm going to leave it a alone!
Such a great review. I have owned 7 VL Commodores, a VN and a VX. I bought my VT HBD Berlina LS1 5 years ago. Have never regretted it. Will keep it forever. In my opinion the best Commodore model they made , although in my opinion, the VL had better handling, the VT has style and power to burn. Love these old Holdens.
I'm sure some (or even most) would watch the first 5 mins of this video and move on, but even suprising myself I stayed for the full 50 minutes. And boy I'm glad I did! I have never appreciated the VT as much as I do now, mostly thanks to the countless examples out there which have been thrashed to buggary or left to rust in backyards. So I really do want to thankyou for the time and effort you put into this video, it will stay in my YT library for a long time to come. Now time to watch your other videos on this car and the Fairlane. Now that I've got myself a white VT 'S', I plan to keep it in tip-top condition. And perhaps no lowered suspension haha ;) Thx mate
Just purchased a VT || berlina wagon with 98k’s on it. Drives better then most new cars I’ve driven 🤘🏻💪🏼
Nice!! Low kms too.
"What makes this car tick" Gudgeon pin rattle.
So that's what it was.
Super impressed with the quality of the review. You deserve a lot more subscribers!
Thanks mate, let's hope so.
I still own my 1998 VT executive Wagon. So far has been the best and most reliable car I have ever owned and has 490000 on the clock with original engine and transmission. You mentioned in your video that the executive had limited features. Mine is an executive with 7 seats, air-conditioning, automatic transmission, abs, traction control and cruise control only thing it didn't come with was ash tray and cigarette lighter. Apparently that was optional extra for $500. The VT just doesn't run over things it eats them. Rose gardens, kangaroos, foxes, white posts and a prop-shaft on a highway. The only issue I have is the stabilizer link pins snapping, a common problem. The car is very well engineered and not bad to work on. It is a very under appreciated car, that some people don't deserve.
Owned a VL as 1st car, then a Ford convert, still love for Holdens. These videos you post are pulling on the heart strings of nostalgia more then ever at this difficult time. Well done for effort, truly appreciated.
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching.
You have no idea, how long I've been waiting for this video!
Enjoy it mate. Hope you're having a great day.
Excellent work mate, I can't imagine the amount of time and effort spent to make this.
A metric shitload!
wow man, i am thoroughly impressed. This was such a delight to watch and your skills are very impressive.
Thanks mate! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the kind words.
As much as I love my VT Calais, something was missed at 28:37 .....
No mention that the 12v "cigarette lighter" socket is buried way down in there (under the stereo, and even further under the little lidded compartment, which I do like)......
But it the most awkward spot to reach..... Trying to plug my phone adapter down in the is painful..... And lol, If you actually had a car type cigarette lighter down in there, good luck!!!!
EDIT: Yes Covid has messed us up, and before that, it was sad that we didn't have Holden in the country anymore....
In my life, I have owned a CM Valiant, 3x Holden VK (2 original Calais, one in between was an executive that I converted to a Calais)..... Kept all the same parts through the entire builds though. Sold the last one cheap :/
I won't be selling this VT Calais.... Atleast not cheap.....
Last of its kind, and that's sad :/
What a professional and well researched clip. Thankyou for doing this for us. For an independent youtuber you have done a better job than what a commercial outlet could do with a budget. I watch all of your uploads but I have to say this is your finest. I own a 1 owner CV8 series 1 so this is very relevant to me. You bring in the emotions of a owning an Australian car. You should start doing reviews of your subscribers aussie cars. Maybe become the next Doug De Muro. Well done. I wish you the best of luck with yor channel. Thankyou.
Thank you for 50 minutes of Aussie motoring goodness, Sean.
No worries mate!
That was epic mate well done.. I’m a ford guy and I’m starting to like more and more holdens as the years go by and now I can add a vt to the list..
I'm a Ford guy too, but the VT is a great car!
I'm a Holden guy, have owned a Calais and Currently own An HSV R8.
I have always liked Ford's, not enough to buy one, but more a respect thing since we wouldn't have what we do if there wasn't the competition.
I am coming around the the AU styling, the XR6/8 do look killer, that dashboard though...... Not a fan..
@@leeperkins84 I think the high-spec dash's in the Fairmont/Fairlanes look much better.
Chris do yourself a favour and get a VZ, if you can stretch the extra cash. Much more sorted car in a thousand tiny ways, and the 6 litre feels properly good to drive... Almost as good as a turbo barra :p
I was 18 when the vt came out. My cousin was working at fishermen's bend prior to the vt launch and I got to drive one prior to it. My dad had a vc, vk, vn, vp and vx. I owned a vx. Maybe some may hate it but I loved the shudder of the commo as it took off and that was just the 6cyl. Was considering purchasing a vf prior to gm saying they would pull the plug on Holden. I haven't had anything good to say about Holden for a long time and honestly out of 20 people I know, only 3 own a commodore, but gm should take an absolute brutal beating by Australians for destroying a car company which was once a great company. I hope gm never returns to Australia. They destroy whatever they touch. Its almost as if they spent millions of dollars after the vf to make Holden fail.
Seriously great content on this channel, quite refreshing to see original stuff whereas most car TH-camrs are just doing the whole “buy exotics” gig. Never got these cars here in the USA but love watching stuff like this! Keep it up mate!
Much appreciated! Even with a bigger budget you'd probably still find me messing about with the same sort of cars.
Well ihave a comment about gm' engines if you don't mind. I do like the video first off. The GEN III GM V8 and all its platforms in America starting in 1997 and mooving through 2014 all had cold running piston go bore rattle when cold. I personally have had a 5.3 and a 3 6.0' both in lq4 amd lq9 flavors. All had the piston noises and all have made well over 230k MILES with the noise and all without oil consumption or mechanical failure. They are the greatest V8 IMO. Unless something different was done for AU markets I would say take your foot out of it when it's cold and let it warm up for a minute or two when it's cold outside.
Brilliant video mate, usually if I saw a review run for 50 minutes I wouldn't even bother but every one of yours has been fantastic. Keep up the great work and thank you for your channel!
Thanks for sticking around, I do fear the runtime is scaring some people off.
Loved this :) I'm a life long Ford guy but after a leg injury (I'm 6'4") I bought a VZ LS1 Calais for the legroom and I love it, I'm healed and should have sold it on... but I just haven't.
They have a great driving position, especially for taller people - I can see why you haven't sold it yet!
Well done mate, its easy to see how much work went into this, i reckon you got the ingredients just right, production quality, drone footage, transitions and effects, music, technical facts, humour, personal opinions, nostalgia even a tear jerker at the end it had everything. If i really had to nit pick it would have been good if during the model run down you also included the VT Ute, Wagon and maybe even touched on the Statesman and Caprice considering all of these were built on a stretched or long wheel base VT Commodore chassis. Also would have been icing on the cake to include a little bit of the VT Commodores racing heritage as they absolutely dominated back in the day. You know you've done a ripper job when you've got Hardened Aussie Ford Fans tearing up over the demise of their long time arch rival.
You have a lot to be proud of mate well done.
I own a VT SS , after nearly 10 years it's still an absolute pleasure to drive, really enjoyed your review mate!
Thanks! 👍
I have been trying to teach myself to reach for the centre console for window controls since last buying a 2003 Holden Statesman last August. No success yet.
Another quality video with a star studded cast. Looking forward to your next one already. Thank you and Happy Easter to you and to those whom you hold dear.
You'll never get there, or if you do, you'll be reaching for the centre console in other cars which have them on the door. That and also the steering wheel buttons are the worst parts about jumping between the VT and the AU!
@@MotoringBoxTV Between a Territory (door) and TL ES Msgna (console) I now get it wrong in both vehicles. Console is the cheaper solution for the manufacturers due to the additional cost of the extra wires to reach the driver's and front passenger's doors, as well as an extra switch module.
That ending hit me right in the feels
Glad to hear that mate.
You epically executed a masterpiece over a semi mediocre car, which probably now has a lot more respect as a result of your video. Well done mate, great job! I loved every minute.
Sometimes I think we need to challenge our opinions about some of these old cars. The fact we churned this thing out in. 1997 is pretty amazing I think.
This is probably one of the most well produced car videos by an Australian TH-camr to date.. awesome video and can tell alot of effort was put into it.
I've been cleaning up and restoring my VT2 SS for the last couple of years and share many of your thoughts about the car. Thanks for making this wonderful homage to a great make and model. If you're ever in Melbourne the beers are on me.
Nice, your SS will be a future classic for sure. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video.
This was very nerdy and niche, I'm into it
Yup, I'm a car nerd.
@@MotoringBoxTV As am I bud, nice to see such a tidy tasteful calais by the way.
Mate, firstly Happy Easter and secondly; another top job with the editing and production. Awesome work again!
I felt like adding the comment ‘Fix the fuel door’ in the style of Jake Blues telling Elwood to fix the cigarette lighter, but then I got to the end of the video : )
Keep up the good work, keep that car looking clean and stay safe. All this madness will settle in time.
Thanks a lot mate and Happy Easter to you too. Glad you enjoyed the video.
In my opinion this is the best Aussie motoring video you've made yet. All your content is great but the attention to detail and cinematography in this one is a cut above. The compositing effects for the model ranges was outstanding, I can't imagine how much work that took to get right. Your "When I put the shaft in my hand, it feels entirely natural as if I've been doing it for years" bit made me die laughing and your retrospective on the death of Holden brought a tear to my eye. Please carry on with this fantastic work!
Thanks so much for spending the time and glad to hear you enjoyed it mate.
What a great film - informative, humorous and rather nicely produced. MotoringBox is fast becoming my favourite TH-cam channel. Greetings from the UK!
Thanks Josh, hope you're all doing okay over there. Stay safe.
Hits right in the feels :(
We still have our VX which my parents bought new. They are incredibly well designed family cars - and no new sedans are equally practical, enjoyable and affordable.
I hope his next review is the Territory.
Thanks mate! With the Territory, it's on the list.
How do you not have hundreds and thousands of subs.... Amazing quality content! Keep it up!
Hopefully one day. What I do doesn't ever seem to rate very highly with TH-cam's algorithm.
@@MotoringBoxTV Its a bit like Twitch... I have friends who plugged away with 5 viewers for years and all of a sudden in 2 weeks they had an average of 1200 viewers -_-
Just keep going :) your talents are appreciated!
That's what I'm wondering too. Been watching since the day he uploaded his Fairlane review, and the quality here is fucking out of this world, especially for someone who still works a day job. I can't wait to see this channel explode, Sean really deserves it. Ps. next time you're in Adelaide, I've got a nice G6E for you to review haha
Absolutely BRILLIANT mate. One of the best TH-cam videos I’ve ever seen. You are a legend! Happy Easter 🐣 and take care.
High praise - thank you so much that means a lot. Hope it made your day and have a Happy Easter too.
Yup. Had a VT wagon for some years until the radiator split and the engine seized. After cooling down she still ran enough for me to get home. An excellent, but by today's standards, basic vehicle.
Replaced it with a 2017 ex-cop VF2 wagon. Now we're talking!
Nice, enjoy it!
You are not a car reviewer, you are great story teller and cinematographer. Awesome work!
Thanks a lot mate!
Beautiful, I own Holden Caprice 2002, a very big lover
Nice choice, they're beautiful cars.
STATESMAN
@@HoldenStraya Yes and also Caprice👍🏻
You're spot on about the springs. I'm in a constant love-hate relationship with mine.
I'm too old for them I think. The car does look fantastic lowered though.
I love this channel so much! Hey from Canada! ✌
G'Day from Australia, and thanks for the comment!
I thought I'd commented on this already.. But yeah well done mate, of all the car reviews you've done this might be the best. That end cinematic did hit me in the nostalgic feels, all I could think of is when as a kid my parents got our VY wagon in I think 2007 or 8. Such simpler times, we drove to Queensland in that car. Had it until I think 2017 or 18 so yeah 10 years pretty much. It's not until you see something like this or drive past their old factories that you realise we really lost something that made us unique, and that is sad. Ford or Holden what does it really matter at this point, they were both good cars and both big losses to our economy when they left. And yeah I'm with you on that one, Holden to me died in 2017. Though I must admit, it is sad to see what was once a standalone Holden dealer now selling caravans to get by.
Used to own a VY wagon... That thing was awesome and was very reliable... The next owner trashed it since it's not registered anymore😔
Oh and the fuel cap stayed on...
The old man purchased a 2000 VT Calais with the 5.7L V8 when i was 12. It had the Holden By Design front, rear and side sport skirts, the VT SS rear spoiler and leather seats. It was truly Australia's best built vehicle at the time and what made it even better, it was built 30mins down the road in Adelaide. The spiritual home of Holden
This video just bought back fond memories of this car growing up
farout mate you never fail to make a great video. terrific job mate keep safe.
Thanks Will, glad you liked it mate.
Great vid, brought back memories of my beautiful silver VX Commodore Lumina series 1. 👍
Thanks for watching!
To be fair, the VT essentially continued through to the VX and in a more severe facelift into the VY. VZ with the Alloytec was the first super-major change beyond sheet-metal.
I think the VT was the best looking out of all of them, I've never warmed to the VY/VZ styling.
Too bad the alloytec was a shitty engine!
@@MotoringBoxTV I think the vy/vz stying was the best styling and will be more collectible in the future
@@MotoringBoxTV I'd take my 07 VZ, the last of the VZ commodore made, over a VT shaping, I had a VT and hatred it, I love my 07 VZ this car I was told by Holden is the car to keep
What a great video. I look forward to your channel growing, the wait was worth it. You deserve a lot more subscribers
Thanks Shane! Let's hope it keeps growing.
For a ford guy you are to be commended for an objective review of the VT. I don't think I would have been as charitable given my allegiances are buried deep within the red corner.
The VT you have is a great example of the model.
Thanks mate! I do prefer Fords but I'm not really biased against Holdens.
Man. Awesome car. Awesome video. Makes me feel sad that Holdens gone though. I've got one of the last Aussie built Cruzes and yeah its no VT commodore but it's am awesome car in my eyes and it'll be looked after.
Hey, it was still built here and kept Aussies employed - good on you and look after it.
What many Aussies might not know - Calais is a miserable grey port town in the least fashionable part of France. Fortunately this car is so good it rises above the dodgy name 👍
I always thought it was funny that they named it after one of the ugliest towns in France.
The v6 was a great motor own 2 both over 500 000 kms and still going strong love em
@Tone. Or the Citroen Ipswich...?
man ripped off his fuel flap for the e-clout.
unmatched 10/10 content
Couldn't miss the opportunity.
I’ve just bought a mint VX S pack and also own a one owner 5 Litre AU Fairlane and a VL that’s been in the family since new, like you these days appreciate the cars regardless of make. Absolutely fantastic video, I’ve only caught it in August 2021, just gone into yet another lockdown, great to watch tonight, keep it together everyone and keep cruising when we can!! 👌
You didn’t mention the VTs spare wheel cover in the boot. It is made from a composite material with a moulded hook to hold it up so you can use 2 hands to get the spare wheel out. It’s design was copied off the Audi of the time.
So just like KFC, do you regret you purchase 5 minutes afterwards?
No regrets here, with either!
That was a spectacular comparison.
Except 5 minutes is about 3 years
That drive & talk was an interesting way to review the car, haven't seen it before, but it actually worked really well.
Thanks mate, I thought so too!
My 2010 VE has the exact same issue with the rear armrest. Just commodore things...
They probably used the same hinge!
Loved this car from new since 1999. My Berlina with FE2 suspension still going strong with 335,000km on clock. Handles beautifully and starts first time everytime. Loved your presentation. Have upgraded to WK 5.7lt Statesman which now has 275,000km.
Thanks mate, enjoyed this right up till the outro track, perfect choice to instigate some feels.
I've similar adoration for my VZ Commodore & subsequently no matter how much I try to move into a modern vehicle, I can't part with it.
Weird Ipswich trivia time!
Awarded world's most liveable mid size city 2007
The final growth corridor in the Great South East, Ecco Ripley which is set to double the population over the mid term.
Home to the master planned Springfield development.
Ipswich has fallen victim to its own success/sprawl, wherein each suburb has its own retail districts, shopping without leaving your suburb has seen the CBD lose its hoards of shoppers to newer, closer facilities.
Ipswich's original name was Limestone, the great buildings of Brisbane were quarried from the hills of Limestone.
The oldest provincial city in QLD boasts an impressive land area compared to other SEQ districts.
Despite the reputation, Ipswich's crime is low, people for the most part genuine & what you see is what you get.
A blue collar city from its birth, Ipswich has lost its identity recently as the jobs were outscored.
That said, the architecture, rich history, many green spaces & striking places of beauty are complimented by close proximity to the major highways, making Ipswich rather central to the rest of SEQ.
Thanks again for the content. Hope to see you around.
Still looks good 23 years later!
Yup I think so too. Thanks for the comment!
It's indeed a sad year in Australia and now GM is pulling out.😞
Not wrong...
The car I wanted when I was in year 11 was a VL Calais 5lt ended up with a 202 HJ kings wood
Hey, the HJ is still a great option!
Then you won at life.
The Kingswood would be worth some coin now. I had one too - Persian tan colour
I come back to watch the end of this video every now and then. It's so well done.
Thanks mate!
@@MotoringBoxTV Still coming back to give it a re-watch 👍
Top notch mate!
ah yes a sedan with a corvette engine over here in canada we had stuff like that too such as the chevy caprice b body [the 90s version] and impala ss based on the caprice oh and the buick roadmaster the caprice and roadmaster also had the lt1 corvette engine in wagon form too!
oh yeah i can't forget about the vf commodore that was sold here: the chevy ss
It's a good combination!
Emet Playz I like the whale body B body cars. It was a huge leap in styling and amenity over the previous. Were yours assembled in Canada like earlier ones?
@@jamesfrench7299 i don't know i'll have a look and reply back when i find out
nope they were built in texas and michigan in the us
This is one of the best videos I have ever watched on TH-cam. Legendary review
Thanks a lot mate!
A fitting tribute to fine car and it's maker.
Long Live Holden.
Glad you liked it mate.
The production value, time, and effort you put into your videos are amazing and so well done. I have started to educate my daughter on cars and your videos are fantastic mate.
"Which means this, is Bara's old man".
Thanks mate. That line was one of my favourites.
The quality of your videos is top notch Champ, not to mention your given ability to present like a pro, almost criminally underated !
Thanks mate, I try.
13.2 l/100k is actually very good for a 5.7l petrol v8
Yeah not bad - not as thirsty as I expected.
Though this makes me appreciate my VT more also, at the same time got the urge to go outside and kick off my fuel door.... yknow, blend in with the crowd.
I reckon pushing it with your finger would just about do it!
@@MotoringBoxTV true, only holding back as I'm not sure if it's a defect or not
@@bigsohc It's kind of funny, because Holden finished the inside area around the fuel cap in such a beautifully neat way. If you pop the fuel door on an AU Falcon, there's just a pipe with a cap sitting there, and dark void space all around it. It looks terrible in comparison, but luckily the fuel doors were metal.
@@MotoringBoxTV unfortunately I don't personally have an AU to compare it to, only an EL but I'm sure it's much the same. You Were dead on saying there should be no more brand rivalry anymore however.
@@bigsohc No, for the AU, someone decided a metal panel between the fuel filler neck and the body was superfluous. Which it is, but it looks crap.
While I know you are mainly focused on Ford and Holden's large Aussie car offerings, I'd love to see a retrospective video on the Mitsubishi Magna - which in arguably was about as Australian as the Commodore was (content wise) and had an interesting life and product cycle all the way from TM to the last of the TW series and into the short lived 380 - with a particular "hot" model that gave even the HSV XU6 and AU XR8 a run for their money.
Great video on the VT - keep up the great work!
I want a Ralliart Magna!
Those Ralliarts were cool. We had a bunch of them at the rental car company i worked at around 2001 or whenever it was. They had some serious torque steer. The AWD Magna and Verada’s were a highly underrated car too.
Great video. So good to see a high quality feature length video presented by an Aussie about Aussie cars. So refreshing after years of Top Gear et al.
Glad you enjoyed it!
A feature length film on a Saturday night to go with my self-isolation curry!! I can't wait to watch this. Thank you so much.
Hope you have an awesome night David!
@@MotoringBoxTV That was a roller coaster! From the engine reveal, to the fuel filler flap, to bagging out Ipswich haha. I was not expecting to catch a case of the feels at the end :(
The KFC model analogy is perfect
I always associate KFC with my AU, but hey it still worked well with the VT.