We've heard the video links we refer to in the videos are not showing on mobile. In this case it was our review of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 7:10 Until we can work out why it's showing on desktop and not mobile, we will pin comment with the link here. Mercedes-Benz S-Class review- th-cam.com/video/MrU9fD7-m7Q/w-d-xo.html
lol you are a liar aren't you Australia did invent the ute with the Ford 1933 Ford ute coupe you showed, was designed by Australian Louis Brandt Ford Australia Aussie designed it. Earlier ute you claim was a pickup truck, ute is a one piece unibody car bed design, pickup is seperate bed cabin..
@@WayneKerr69420 Not bitching lil girl and was not a mistake it was bad journalism like a lot do in these videos. Some have no clue on true history and just spout BS misinformation.
We in Sunny South Africa have been fortunate enough to have had a limited run of these great vehicles, called Lumina here , from about 2005 to 2012 and they have already achieved collectors status here and are escalating in Price at about 15% per annum. I run a series 2 2006 6litre SS UTE in Diamond Black metallic with only 103,000 kms... on the clock which is factory stock except for a set of loud pipes and this is a real head turner over here. I fully endorse the comments of the tester. This is a highway cruiser par excellence and can easily see off many modern "sports" sedans and hot hatches in the stoplight grand prixs'.This is a vehicle from a time when life was a lot better than today and they will never make em like that again. I love my UTE.....
Totally agree with you. It's a stunning car, I own a sedan ssv V8, I luv this machine and it's very easy to fix, and if we'll maintained by or give it a regular service jeeerrrr it will be just live.
@@sizwenduduzow7139 Here in Aus, the SS has material seats, a basic stereo, basic speakers, and a basic gauge cluster. The SS-V has leather, nicer stereo with screen (can add reverse camera easily), MUCH better speakers and nicer gauge cluster.
over here in Oz, I have a HSV Maloo, 2014 model. I love my ute, as chucking about in it wearing shorty shorts and a cork hat with nothing else on and a slab of VB in the boot, accadacca coming from the speakers, I feel like the very embodiment of Australia. that"s a bloody excellent feeling.
The Commodore ute is the only modern ute where the body is cast as one piece. With any other manufacturer, they construct the tray separate and bolt it to the body leaving ugly gaps. Respect for the design.
One of many reasons I love the VE and even VF designs. It's just amazing to look at. I do like the Ford Falcon utes, especially the FG and FGX with the mustang looking grill. But the panel gap is just offputting
I always wanted a VE ute, but was out of my price range. Ended up with a SSZ ute that’s been my daily for 5 yrs. Got a few K’s on it, but she is mechanically great and still a real head turner 💜💜😊
Fantastic review mate. I thoroughly enjoyed it, Thankyou. I have a VE SS-V ute 2010 6sp manual and just ticked over 200,000km, daily driven and it still purrs nicely. Fuel usage around town is about 13-15/100, but on freeway is 8-10/100. Wifey has a VE SS Sportswagon 2009 Auto and about 210,000km, daily driven on short trips 15-20km/100, on freeway for weekend getaways, we see 8-12km/100 fully loaded. Both religiously serviced between 5-10,000km semi-synth virgin base, and the biggest issue we had is both had slight rear main seal leak. changed both and all good. There is a slight tick on startup which means the lifters are on their way out. All suspension is stock on both except for kings springs on my ute and aftermarket engine mounts. I Love'em.
As a life long Ford man i bought one of these a year ago ( SSV Redline ) after owning 2 XR8 utes i gotta say it is WAY better than the ford utes independent rear makes it handle like a dream mine has had a small fortune thrown at it bushes, coilovers the works. It is by far one of the best cars i have owned and compares not to badly with the Porsches or Mercedes ive owned in the handling department.
@@SkiRacingOz Holden utes are good for 500Kg from memory and how often do you put 1 tonne in the back of a ute even the dual cab owners get around towing trailers for that! I bought mine for two reasons i needed a ute to carry things and i wanted a "sports car" , the office of war and finance said i can only have one car so this is the best of both worlds without all the compromises !
@@RavenSL65 yes but if you put 500 kg in the fordit will handle it a lot better than the Holden and it’s a whole lot more economical and easier to get around with stuff in the tray than a trailer, I feel ford should have offered a coil irs version though and Holden a leaf spring offering just for more customisability
@@SkiRacingOz I think holden did offer a 1 tonne but not many sold as everyone was moving to dual cabs like the hilux and amarok, Being a ford man i wish ford would have offered an irs ute, but they never did and leaf springs dont handle well.
I own a white 2008 Pontiac G8 (Commodore VE) with only 77K miles (124Km). I use it as my every other day driver & I love it. It gets attention almost everywhere it goes, & I get offers to sell it several times a month. It is a shame Holden & Pontiac are gone! A G8 Ute sitting next to my G8 sedan was in the planning stages when Pontiac was cancelled. Saturn was another great brand in the United States that was cancelled the same time as Pontiac. Hello from Phoenix Arizona USA!🔥
A bit of trivia. A Chev v8 that was used to pump water here in...central Oz...arrived to our stores. It had laboured for, get this - 43000 hours. So imagine driving at say 1200-1500 rpm at more or less 100km/h, this engine had done time wise on a highway the equivalent of over 4 million kilometres. Now your mind will boggle. Not even the piston rings were changed. Change of oil every 300 hours, custom made multi stage air filtration system, some gaskets replacement, water pumps and pulleys. Major service 10,000 hours. The motor that replaced it? A Chev v8 from Mexico that cost $5.5k Brilliant 👏
I just bought a VE SS UTE with 108,000 km to add to my other SS’s. I am 57 & really enjoy it. It’s really simple if you want to have a spirited drive keep the steering wheel straight. My favourite model is the VZ SS which I also have, in my opinion it is the best looking Commodore ever. It’s LS1 engine with headers, OTR, sports exhaust & tune is amazing. My first V8 was a VP SS which I still own, it had its 30th Birthday this year. I have others but that will do for today.
Well played by the keeping them all and not jumping from one to another to another like I did.... stupidly (in hindsight). Should have put them all in a garage on the property and rotated instead.
I got VE SS ute end of last year such a beautiful ute just needs work but bought that way can build arghhh im jealous mate. I had VK SS and VP calais I sold before the big boom in pricing and only got $2K for VK and 3K for VP both worth over 20,000. Well VK SS actually around 40K😢 But love my VE SS V8 going to do full cams and exhaust, special custom leather interior and repaint & few other things. But big thing and saving for is hopefully next year get the harrop supercharger 😍🔥 Any recommendations when building VE Ute's? Anyone? Any thing I have to look out for or best places to buy & get parts or things to do. Let me know. Anyway good luck on your collection after done VE SS will look for VK again treasure hunting 😅
I love it when a reviewer of Commodores just straight up acknowledges that if its got 8cylinders it spends more time sideways than straight and narrow lol
This is the first time I have watched this channel and I found it honest and informative without dragging on about incidental crap. I thought it was great ...then when the bloopers came at the end - it got me unexpectedly - I haven't laughed that hard in ages! well done!
I've had my Atomic SSV 6M ute since new in Nov 2007. Can concur with you on all your comments. The noise in the driver's seat is a crack in the plastic sheet that forms the support for your torso. I've also replaced the windscreen rubber trims, scuttle vent cover, roof trims, both door trims (that wipe against the window), headlining, gear lever boot, tonneau cover and retrimmed the steering wheel. Repainted sail cover behind rear window due to clear coat failure. Headlights need refurb and front bar has sagged. Both cats replaced (they fell apart internally), clutch replaced under warranty at 18,000km, tailshaft centre bearing replaced 1 yr ago at 125,000km, windscreen washer reservoir replaced. Nearly all of these things are normal wear and tear replacements. I still love the car. I have installed a rear view camera because the rear vision is crap. It does have an appetite for tyres though (and no, I have never done a burnout in it). The car is otherwise stock as a rock. Just wish it had the extra trip computer windows that the Calais comes with. Even with all I've said, I love the car. That's why I've still got it after 14 and a half years.
Awesome review mate. I found a LHD Chevrolet Lumina SS (based on a VE SS), 2008 model 6sp manual with 15,000km on it. It hadn't moved since 2009 and it was a complete barn find here in Dubai. It still had the original tyres from 2008 on it. Put some 6 piston brembos on it, BC racing coilovers, HKS Oil Cooler, OTR intake, headers, straight piped exhaust and a tune on it. Also i did the interior in alcantara so it looks way better. I updated all the lights, screens and electronics to 2021 stuff so it runs so smooth now and is way more comfortable, while still being a really fun car to drive. So happy with it as my weekend car. Impossible to find manuals here so I'll be keeping this for quite some time.
I have a 2009 VE SS Sedan which I have owned for the past 8 years. It spends most of it's time locked in my back shed nowadays but I take it out for a run every few weeks. It has been a brilliant car and I love it to bits. It's a 6 speed auto which I swore I would never buy, but as soon as I drove it I was hooked. There's no way you will change gears as fast as this thing can. It was originally an unmarked NSW Highway Patrol car which worried me at first but it has never missed a beat. It has almost 180k on the clock and still drives like new.
Just bought a VE SSV 2009 ute and I so in love with it. Its clocked just over 200k but runs like a dream, changes the exhaust to make it sound just a little louder, racing brakes installed on the rear, few other tweaks. Fuel consumption on the highway then around town and you can almost see your fuel gauge go down when you give it a squirt. I dont mind being called a bogan as my ute is a pleasure to drive
Bought a 2017SSV Redline sedan brand new will have it forever, never to be sold just passed on to family. Also have a V6 1998 series 111 Statesman, bought it in 1999 when 10 months old, has never let me down, will keep it for good. AS A HOLDEN TRAGIC love Them, October 2017 was a very sad time for Holden Tragic's like me. Keep up the excellent reviews.
What a brilliant review, one of the best reviews I've seen and very thorough good job. I'm a Falcon man myself and own a FG XR6 Turbo and absolutely adore it and love it, lately I've grown a lot of appreciation for Commodores (especially VE and VF) they are great cars and as you stated these modern diesel utes etc are just so boring in comparison. I'd love to see a review on the FG Falcon.
Oh Callum thanks so bloody much. We might just have an XR6 Turbo ute review around the corner for you too! It's booked in and will hopefully go live in the next few weeks.
@@ReDriven To be honest I think you guys should review a Falcon sedan too, the seda IRS rear end is definitely more refined and better handling than a ute.
Loved the video. I bought my atomic green 2008 VE SS Sport wagon manual from the first owner in 2011 with 46000km on it. I now have 270,000km on it. Had exhaust and motor tastefully modified. Only normal wear and tear. Just recently upgraded to heavy duty clutch. I love cruising in this thing. My kids love it. It has become part of the family and we look after it. It's a keeper. It draws looks from teenagers. It's not a perfect car. But it has that Australian spirit within it. Especially when you put on an ACDC song. Love it.
I just bought one a week ago (March 2024), 2011 VE Series II with 71,900km's on the clock spotless all original condition Heron White with a genuine Holden hard-cover on it. Paid $33k for it but I figure that's reasonable maybe slightly high but I am happy with it. Still even has original exhaust system on it.
@@Gurp2yeah I do they think you want to race them or they want to show you how good their car is. I don’t bother with them I know there’s a lot cars faster than the SS these days
Ask the same question in 20 yrs, if you should have bought one? And the answer is yes. I’ve got a VF SS in the garage, and am glad to have one, and it’s the best part of my week, taking it out for a drive through the bends on the weekend.
2009 Ss ute, L98 manual. 370 000 k, was still running, vibration from exedy clutch so pulled it to rebuild. Only issue I've had was a leaking oil sender. My lifetime car!
I bought last year a series 2 2010 SS wagon with 212k on the clock- and I must agree it still drives and handles beautifully no matter the conditions. The power delivery as well, definitely lazy yet also surprising sometimes, especially when the passengers aren't ready for it 😉
I've got the 2012 SS Wagon, the only reason I got it over a XR6T is the fact it's a wagon. Such a dying breed of a car body type and I always love a wagon, just so damn practical
I own a ve ss commodore ute with 92 k on the clock , never misses a beat and goes like a rocket, i grew watching brocky win the mountain some 10 times and the holden commodore to me is always a winner
I owned a manual VZ Thunder . I loved my ute so much I was never going to sell it . Did something I've done maybe a thousand times and on a cold damp early morning ... wrote it off . I value my vehicles and wasn't being stupid but ... it's got buckets of power and not enough tyre on the rear . Makes me sad every day for missing it .
Love my VE ss ute, not a bogan but use it as a daily driver, getting a respectable 9.8 km per 100km on a recent trip from Brisbane , Melbourne, Adelaide and back. Love it so much fun to drive.
100%!! Also biased owning a VZ Senator, and also had a VY Clubsport before that. VY-VZ’s aren’t so chunky and oversized, and all models in the VE were high production numbers.
I had the SV6 wagon. Best car I’ve ever owned hands down! So much space in the back. My girl and I put a double mattress in ( easily) boards on the roof and went camping in it so much. And in my opinion the best looking front end of any car!
I hate commodores but love vs so much i have 2 5.0 litre utes and and a ss sedan. Lol. Was always a kingswood and torana with chev in em kinda guy. The vs looks the best out of all bommadores and after vs they became heavy turds with more things to go wrong. New com engine in vs well now thats alot of fun
2009 G8 owner w/90k ... Canadian Winter is hard on a vehicle so I garage it in winter. Problems w/ the V8's was not mentioned. Displacement on Demand IS a problem with these resulting in the hydraulic lifters that deactivate to get stuck and wear the followers on the cam lobes. This is a shame when you consider the LS motor was supposed to be near bulletproof. Would LOVE to buy a UTE but good quality copies of these are hitting near to $100k with import charges.
Had a 2008 VE SS series 1 manual sedan, absolutely loved it, It handled beautifully, Interior design could have been better for the billion holden spent developing it, on a drive to the south coast with 4 people in the car, aircon on, and in 6th gear, got 9.6 l/100 !!!
As a cameraman filming many car jobs I’ve had some great , and sometimes scary jobs ( such as being strapped in next to a Brock as he seemingly defied physics whipping around various circuits ). However, an occasion that really sticks in my mind is filming from a speeding camera vehicle as the Kelly brothers, in two of the first big block V8 Holden utes performed some jaw dropping power manoeuvres. When we got back to the base area all eight tyres were literal pouring smoke. The usually blase’ film crew were very, very impressed.
Dunno bout the ute but I have a 2011 series 2 VE SS Commodore sedan in Karma Blue, bought it full exhaust/intake 20 inch Simmons rims, lowered, perfect condition with 148000 Kay's (now haha) and I absolutely love it! Cam plans are coming, hopefully supercharger kit later and it's a lifer car that's for damn sure!
I have owned a completely factory spec 09 SSV and it was a magnificent ute. Sold it with 135k on it and wish i still had it as i upgraded to a VF which has far more tech in it but it just doesn't feel the same quality as the VE. The VF has just clocked up a 100k on it and now i have no idea of what to replace it with as i don't want a 4x4 diesel shit box.
I like the VF, in my opinion the VF sv6 was built alot better than the VE. I work on cars everyday as a car detailer, the quality of the VF feels so much better. But I still love a VE.
Legend!! Huge fan of the vf models and also senators 😍 never had a chance to drive one as I am from the states but if ever given the opportunity I would jump on it, great review.
I have purchased Two SSV sort wagons and transplanted and LSA block into one of them. Agreed Sportwagons are the best looking Wagon Holden produced. Still got a VE series 1 SV6 Ute as a daily and I love them.
2010 VE SS-V Ute, tuned with headers and exhaust Eats entire states for breakfast Average 11l/100k's Black with worn interior Beautifully maintained by 1 previous owner For a 6'6 Aussie bloke, it has to be the greatest thing ever...
I had the S2, thunder, loved it, came with all the SSV stuff like info 19” rims partial leather etc. just didn’t like the missing info screen they took out and put in vents! Couldn’t sell it back then for much better than half Pprice now would be worth a fair bit! Same as my VL Calais in immaculate cond, got peanuts for it.
Gotta love those v8's. Most of the cheaper ones have had the guts thrashed out of them. Not always a bargain, and the price of petrol is another consideration.
A common thing to go wrong on these types of LS engines is the plastic chain tensioners (depending) and the oil pressure check / relief valve on the oil pump. It’s a good idea to keep this engine (again depending on type) stocked with good fresh oil and to do it regularly probably a bit more then most. Reason being as this check valve is the first thing to get touched by the oil in the pan it can accumulate debris or get sticky from old oil - the filter is always after the oil pump. I’d also be running a good quality engine oil I guess cleaner to keep this valve good. If not it can result in low or even no oil pressure and that is a big flaw and a big hole in the old wallet.
I wish I had this Sick Ute! Sadly, I live in the US, so I don't have access to it nor the money to buy a modified left-hand drive version of it. But I do have the next best thing, a 1990 Chevy Caprice! Durable like an Aussie car mixed with a Russian Lady Riva!
I recently sold my early SSV sedan and probably the only complaint I had was the stock clutch. The slave cylinder is in the bell housing and so is the bleed valve. On the manual the slave overheats and the clutch pedal can stick. A replacement clutch (and remote bleed valve) would do wonders and allows you to breathe the engine a bit more with exhaust and intake and tune. It’s still a bit boaty but bang for buck there is nothing else out there that comes close. If I didn’t need the space and the cash to upgrade what was my family car, I’d have kept mine.
Had a similar scenario (needed some cash and upgrade to a family car at the time to carry Great Dane in rear - wagon), so sold the HQ Monaro LS coupe, and bought a Camry wagon at the time. I sure hope you don't end up regretting your decision and punch yourself in the head regularly like I have had to do from that stupid ars.e decision, ha :-) good luck though.
Proud to say the VE is my first car I've ever bought. V6 Berlina wagon, and it hasnt let me down (other than the power steering hose snapped once while on the roads). Handles well, looks amazing. Sadly (maybe due to the connotations that come with the car) someone decided to deliberately key my drivers side door and window while i went to the supermarket the other week though. Great review however, cheers
I had a similar thing. There was a nice XR6 in the parking lot, last row always has fewer cars. parked my sv6 couple spaces up from the xr6. went did my shopping, came out xr6 gone shopping trolley up against my car. couldn't believe it.
I’ve owned a couple of V6 Commodores since I started driving and whilst my 2010 Blue SV6 Ute will always be my favourite (mostly because it was the first car I bought on my own and 2019 represented a more optimistic time in my life) I have really started to love the 2011 manual SSV sedan I got last month. 165xxx on the clock and in poison ivy green it gets so many compliments, it does have a cat back system on it but other than that it’s completely stock and to be honest I would probably even prefer a stock exhaust system even though I’m not fussy about what it has now. Whilst it would be nice to preserve it and keep the kms low, I bought it to drive it and it’s not like mine is anything special, 24k is a lot of money but in the grand scheme of things it’s nothing when I surprisingly love these cars so much despite not being a real car person. I do admit I like the wagon and Ute versions more, but the nice wagons I saw available were out of my price range and with a German Shepherd plus partner to move around, I just figured the Ute wouldn’t be as practical. But regardless of body type all VE and VF commodores are awesome
The VE was nicknamed the Billion Dollar Car because that was what GM spent to develop them. City driving a 6-litre manual VE SS in a stop-start crawl will use about 21 litres of fuel per 100km. In a slow-moving traffic jam, your left leg gets a good workout pushing in the clutch pedal and holding it every time the line moves forward a car length. The motor can warm up a bit on a hot day if you don't leave a bit of distance between the car in front of you in stop-start traffic. My VE SS manual sedan is lowered. It goes through rear tires quick enough without doing burnouts etc. You can get away without putting in a rear camber kit if they are lowered, but it wears out the tires a bit quicker. Once the battery gets a bit old the electrics can go a bit funny. The engine warning light comes on and the fault code reader says one of the pistons is misfiring. Then there was something about the power not shutting off properly in the front BUS and draining the battery a few years ago. A new battery fixed most of these issues. The front door pillars can easily hide a pedestrian walking across the road when turning a corner. The meshing between the 2nd and 3rd gear in the manual can be a bit sticky. I've gone on a low-altitude flight from Perth to Brisbane for 2.5 days :-). It never missed a beat and the motors are really designed to run at around 120 kph if not a bit more. The VE SS on the open road is brilliant and effortless to drive long distances, although the standard seats aren't the best comfort-wise compared to the leather ones fitted in a Statesman. With Continental Max Contacts, it doesn't really matter too much if it is pouring rain, they sit well and stick to the bitumen, especially with some extra weight over the rear axle. The only thing to be careful of in the wet is dropping the clutch when changing up in the lower gears as the rear can want to step out a bit. Putting something weighty in the boot over the rear axle helps keep the back end stuck to the bitumen I have owned mine for 11 years. It has done around 185k on the clock. In that time, other than tires and brake pads, the only expenses have been for oil changes and an occasional service from a mechanic. The plugs and leads were changed at around 125k. They really are such a great car, especially for people who live in regional areas.
The VE I think was called (much much too big a call) " the billion dollar baby" I have owned a few Commodores. I bought a ZB 2 litre , 4 cyl petrol turbo. Its entry level ( LT) but it's perfect.. its a hatch too. Heaps of pop and torque 5 times better, and quicker, much quicker that the VE , and 1526 kg kerb weight about 140 kg lighter than VE .. thrashes it on pace, and leaves VE in it's wake on windey roads . Even has remote start for hot days to cool on hot days before getting in. Got it for $27880. with 5k on it. 9 speed whisper quiet transmission.. magnificent.. no discernible engine noise on and during acceleration.. at 112kph, it's quietly loping along at at an unbelievable 1400 rpm.. brilliant.. electric seat adjustable for driver.. a true pacy torquey great car. A true saloon
@@pragmatist165 Claiming your toy is 5 times quicker only proves you're full of shit. The test specs for a ZB 2-litre turbo are 191kw 350nm torque and 0 to 100 in a touch over 7 secs. The VE SS manual has 270kw and 530 nm of torque. The 140kg weight advantage means Jack.
@@andrewsmith8729 I was always meaning the VE six cyl. making that clear.. and yes it eats up the ve on road.. kerb weight here matters a lot .. handing just for starters ...
Hey Bro, Good vid. I own several Holdens including a VE. Awesome cars. Stick to the road like shit to a blanket. All of them. Love them all. Anyway my brother has just imported a written off one and is restoring it. SS Ute that is. Good investment. Good money here in NZ too. He aint selling her though. Fantastic Vehicles. All of them.
My son owns a 2005 MALOO in mint condition with every factory option and has been offered twice what he paid for it . This is also the case for his Kingsford ute which is a highly modified example of the marque . People smarter than me are already buying clean stock versions of any model Holden ute and storing them as an investment . Look at the prices being achieved for two door Monaro's and Toranas .
I've got a 2010 ss ute with 140k on the clock. All I've had to do is lifters and timing chain. It's copped a bit of abuse and the clutch and diff are still minty.
The DoD or displacement on demand systems are prone to failure as are the lifters if regular oil changes are not done...but the sound of an LS is glorious to be sure
They sound glorious only up until they hit the rev limiter. Then they sound like absolute shit. So, when doing a burnout in an LS and it starts slapping the limiter, either shift up a gear or learn throttle control.
my 2010 ssv started ticking at 20,000km, only does it for about 3-5 seconds on cold start once every 3-10 starts, still sounds like shit when it does it though, currently at 60,000km and still does it. pretty much a standard feature on the L77 engine.
@@maximumnoise78 My 2010 SS is the same. lifter turned and chopped cam at 31k, got a new engine fitted then started ticking on startup around 70k (40k on new engine) still does it now it's on 93k.
@@maximumnoise78 My VE SS-V Ute has an L77 engine with 250k on the clock...and never rattled or missed a beat. i do service it every 10k though and only use Penrite oil with added zinc. As a mechanic, the only ones that seem to give trouble, are the ones that get valve bounced, aren't regularly serviced and when they are serviced, someone uses shit oil...
Had a VE Redline Ute (with basic Walkinshaw kit) since new in 2012. They’re the best! That owner must’ve had seat/steering wheel covers though, mine with less than 100k kms doesn’t look that good. This videos inspired a re-trim for Xmas 🎅😂
The window rubbers that you can replace have nothing to do with windscreen water leaks. Its the urethane ( that you cant see ) that is bonded to the panel, stops water entry. Ex GMH / Water test.
One of my favourite episodes. Really want a V8 commodore one day, either an SS or base VT- VZ with a V8 (I miss my VT exec). As you said man, shame we don't have any V8 utes anymore, not like the commodores or falcons. Next best bet might be to convert a base V6 model.
As an American, I'm incredibly jealous. I remember being in high school when Pontiac released the G8 and then the news of the wagon and Ute versions... And then GM screwed us over and canceled Pontiac. Then my hopes were reawakened when they brought the commodore over again as the Chevy SS and I thought maybe the Ute will be reborn as the El Camino but nope. Maybe one day I'll be able to import one of these V8 babies
The only thing I can say for potential buyers is; get a pre-purchase inspection with at least a compression test... Knowing multiple Holden ute owners who thrash them even when the engine is cold, I'd say there are more than a few lemons out there
Findind a used commodore with a V8 that hasn't been thrashed is like searching for a needle in a haystack, biggest red-flag is most have been re-fitted with original loose fitting plastics inside and out to look un-molested.
my favourite commodore is the one I have: the 2014 HSV Maloo, which was worth every bloody cent, simply because, "I just want one." that and it's fun to mess with foreghners by driving around with no shirt on in a cork hat and shorties in a ute, because it's funny.
We've heard the video links we refer to in the videos are not showing on mobile. In this case it was our review of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 7:10
Until we can work out why it's showing on desktop and not mobile, we will pin comment with the link here. Mercedes-Benz S-Class review- th-cam.com/video/MrU9fD7-m7Q/w-d-xo.html
lol you are a liar aren't you Australia did invent the ute with the Ford 1933 Ford ute coupe you showed, was designed by Australian Louis Brandt Ford Australia Aussie designed it.
Earlier ute you claim was a pickup truck, ute is a one piece unibody car bed design, pickup is seperate bed cabin..
@@nedkelly9688 quit bitching it was a mistake
@@WayneKerr69420 Not bitching lil girl and was not a mistake it was bad journalism like a lot do in these videos.
Some have no clue on true history and just spout BS misinformation.
We in Sunny South Africa have been fortunate enough to have had a limited run of these great vehicles, called Lumina here , from about 2005 to 2012 and they have already achieved collectors status here and are escalating in Price at about 15% per annum. I run a series 2 2006 6litre SS UTE in Diamond Black metallic with only 103,000 kms... on the clock which is factory stock except for a set of loud pipes and this is a real head turner over here. I fully endorse the comments of the tester. This is a highway cruiser par excellence and can easily see off many modern "sports" sedans and hot hatches in the stoplight grand prixs'.This is a vehicle from a time when life was a lot better than today and they will never make em like that again. I love my UTE.....
Totally agree with you.
It's a stunning car, I own a sedan ssv V8, I luv this machine and it's very easy to fix, and if we'll maintained by or give it a regular service jeeerrrr it will be just live.
Hi Herman I'm also from South Africa, I'm planning on getting a Lumina what's the difference between the Lumina SS and the Lumina SSV.
@@sizwenduduzow7139 Here in Aus, the SS has material seats, a basic stereo, basic speakers, and a basic gauge cluster. The SS-V has leather, nicer stereo with screen (can add reverse camera easily), MUCH better speakers and nicer gauge cluster.
now I know why us Aussies luv youse... ha so you reckon its a Sunny SA ha ha ha... Good day mate and God bless
over here in Oz, I have a HSV Maloo, 2014 model. I love my ute, as chucking about in it wearing shorty shorts and a cork hat with nothing else on and a slab of VB in the boot, accadacca coming from the speakers, I feel like the very embodiment of Australia. that"s a bloody excellent feeling.
The Commodore ute is the only modern ute where the body is cast as one piece. With any other manufacturer, they construct the tray separate and bolt it to the body leaving ugly gaps. Respect for the design.
One of many reasons I love the VE and even VF designs. It's just amazing to look at. I do like the Ford Falcon utes, especially the FG and FGX with the mustang looking grill. But the panel gap is just offputting
Cast,interesting?
The design wasn’t Holden’s 😂😂😂😂 the commodore wasn’t even Australian 😂😂😂😂
@@Bertholemu Yes it was?
@@Bertholemuso who designed Holden Ute? Opel? GMC? Settle down, you are not the next up-and -coming Jeremy Clarkson 😂
I always wanted a VE ute, but was out of my price range. Ended up with a SSZ ute that’s been my daily for 5 yrs. Got a few K’s on it, but she is mechanically great and still a real head turner 💜💜😊
Fantastic review mate. I thoroughly enjoyed it, Thankyou.
I have a VE SS-V ute 2010 6sp manual and just ticked over 200,000km, daily driven and it still purrs nicely. Fuel usage around town is about 13-15/100, but on freeway is 8-10/100.
Wifey has a VE SS Sportswagon 2009 Auto and about 210,000km, daily driven on short trips 15-20km/100, on freeway for weekend getaways, we see 8-12km/100 fully loaded.
Both religiously serviced between 5-10,000km semi-synth virgin base, and the biggest issue we had is both had slight rear main seal leak. changed both and all good. There is a slight tick on startup which means the lifters are on their way out. All suspension is stock on both except for kings springs on my ute and aftermarket engine mounts. I Love'em.
As a life long Ford man i bought one of these a year ago ( SSV Redline ) after owning 2 XR8 utes i gotta say it is WAY better than the ford utes independent rear makes it handle like a dream mine has had a small fortune thrown at it bushes, coilovers the works. It is by far one of the best cars i have owned and compares not to badly with the Porsches or Mercedes ive owned in the handling department.
Yeah but the fords having leaf springs and live axel in the rear mean they have a one tonne payload, the Holdens are utes yet they can’t carry shit
@@SkiRacingOz Holden utes are good for 500Kg from memory and how often do you put 1 tonne in the back of a ute even the dual cab owners get around towing trailers for that! I bought mine for two reasons i needed a ute to carry things and i wanted a "sports car" , the office of war and finance said i can only have one car so this is the best of both worlds without all the compromises !
@@RavenSL65 yes but if you put 500 kg in the fordit will handle it a lot better than the Holden and it’s a whole lot more economical and easier to get around with stuff in the tray than a trailer, I feel ford should have offered a coil irs version though and Holden a leaf spring offering just for more customisability
@@SkiRacingOz I think holden did offer a 1 tonne but not many sold as everyone was moving to dual cabs like the hilux and amarok, Being a ford man i wish ford would have offered an irs ute, but they never did and leaf springs dont handle well.
@@SkiRacingOz Nobody buying these vehicles these days care too much about that.
I own a white 2008 Pontiac G8 (Commodore VE) with only 77K miles (124Km). I use it as my every other day driver & I love it. It gets attention almost everywhere it goes, & I get offers to sell it several times a month. It is a shame Holden & Pontiac are gone! A G8 Ute sitting next to my G8 sedan was in the planning stages when Pontiac was cancelled. Saturn was another great brand in the United States that was cancelled the same time as Pontiac.
Hello from Phoenix Arizona USA!🔥
just bought an 07 VE SS Ute 6 speed manual L98 atomic green bone stock immaculate condition 135k kms such a nice car to drive
A bit of trivia. A Chev v8 that was used to pump water here in...central Oz...arrived to our stores. It had laboured for, get this - 43000 hours.
So imagine driving at say 1200-1500 rpm at more or less 100km/h, this engine had done time wise on a highway the equivalent of over 4 million kilometres.
Now your mind will boggle. Not even the piston rings were changed.
Change of oil every 300 hours, custom made multi stage air filtration system, some gaskets replacement, water pumps and pulleys. Major service 10,000 hours.
The motor that replaced it? A Chev v8 from Mexico that cost $5.5k
Brilliant 👏
Just bought one this weekend. 110k kms bone stock with the 6spd. No regrets
Huge congrats mate. - AK
How much was it bro? And please share the specs
I agree mate just got one last Monday 2009 ss ute bone stock, 100,000km absolutely love it
I have a 2010 VE SSV sedan, have owned it for 11 of its near 12 years and love it as much as I always have. Can't go wrong with these cars 💖
I just bought a VE SS UTE with 108,000 km to add to my other SS’s. I am 57 & really enjoy it. It’s really simple if you want to have a spirited drive keep the steering wheel straight. My favourite model is the VZ SS which I also have, in my opinion it is the best looking Commodore ever. It’s LS1 engine with headers, OTR, sports exhaust & tune is amazing. My first V8 was a VP SS which I still own, it had its 30th Birthday this year. I have others but that will do for today.
Man what are your other ss's besides the vp, vz and the new ve ss ute? I love em as much as you do
So
@@aussiegruber86 bit cut there matey?
Well played by the keeping them all and not jumping from one to another to another like I did.... stupidly (in hindsight). Should have put them all in a garage on the property and rotated instead.
I got VE SS ute end of last year such a beautiful ute just needs work but bought that way can build arghhh im jealous mate. I had VK SS and VP calais I sold before the big boom in pricing and only got $2K for VK and 3K for VP both worth over 20,000. Well VK SS actually around 40K😢
But love my VE SS V8 going to do full cams and exhaust, special custom leather interior and repaint & few other things. But big thing and saving for is hopefully next year get the harrop supercharger 😍🔥
Any recommendations when building VE Ute's? Anyone? Any thing I have to look out for or best places to buy & get parts or things to do. Let me know.
Anyway good luck on your collection after done VE SS will look for VK again treasure hunting 😅
i got one 6 years ago never had a bit of trouble with it and its still going strong ,love my purple ve ss
Awesome mate.
I have one, 79000kms , no mods except HSV wheels installed by GMH with compliance plate. Love it. I finally got one
I love it when a reviewer of Commodores just straight up acknowledges that if its got 8cylinders it spends more time sideways than straight and narrow lol
This is the first time I have watched this channel and I found it honest and informative without dragging on about incidental crap.
I thought it was great ...then when the bloopers came at the end - it got me unexpectedly - I haven't laughed that hard in ages! well done!
My VZ SS ute is in very good condition.LS1 with 250000 on it. Daily drive for years now. Solid unit.
I remember watching the top gear boys throwing one of these around their track in the UK, and they absolutely loved it,
Clarkson famously summed it up by saying if you want a fun, reliable GM product? He said go to Australia & buy a Holden…
Will always have a soft spot for the V8 ute, despite it's image. Great review.
This channel definitely deserves more subscribers!! Very practical videos mate.
Ah thanks so much Farhan. - AK
I've had my Atomic SSV 6M ute since new in Nov 2007. Can concur with you on all your comments. The noise in the driver's seat is a crack in the plastic sheet that forms the support for your torso. I've also replaced the windscreen rubber trims, scuttle vent cover, roof trims, both door trims (that wipe against the window), headlining, gear lever boot, tonneau cover and retrimmed the steering wheel. Repainted sail cover behind rear window due to clear coat failure. Headlights need refurb and front bar has sagged. Both cats replaced (they fell apart internally), clutch replaced under warranty at 18,000km, tailshaft centre bearing replaced 1 yr ago at 125,000km, windscreen washer reservoir replaced. Nearly all of these things are normal wear and tear replacements. I still love the car. I have installed a rear view camera because the rear vision is crap. It does have an appetite for tyres though (and no, I have never done a burnout in it). The car is otherwise stock as a rock. Just wish it had the extra trip computer windows that the Calais comes with. Even with all I've said, I love the car. That's why I've still got it after 14 and a half years.
The Early VE's did have some quality issues which were mostly fixed on the later ones...
Awesome review mate. I found a LHD Chevrolet Lumina SS (based on a VE SS), 2008 model 6sp manual with 15,000km on it. It hadn't moved since 2009 and it was a complete barn find here in Dubai. It still had the original tyres from 2008 on it.
Put some 6 piston brembos on it, BC racing coilovers, HKS Oil Cooler, OTR intake, headers, straight piped exhaust and a tune on it. Also i did the interior in alcantara so it looks way better. I updated all the lights, screens and electronics to 2021 stuff so it runs so smooth now and is way more comfortable, while still being a really fun car to drive.
So happy with it as my weekend car. Impossible to find manuals here so I'll be keeping this for quite some time.
Thanks so much Brendan. - AK
Do a video on it dude I'd love to see it!
@@tonyv5202 hey mate not really my thing, but you can see it on my Instagram its just under my name.
Best cars in the world ,I have the sedan and the Ute , love them . Not for sale! South Africa
I have a 2009 VE SS Sedan which I have owned for the past 8 years. It spends most of it's time locked in my back shed nowadays but I take it out for a run every few weeks. It has been a brilliant car and I love it to bits. It's a 6 speed auto which I swore I would never buy, but as soon as I drove it I was hooked. There's no way you will change gears as fast as this thing can. It was originally an unmarked NSW Highway Patrol car which worried me at first but it has never missed a beat. It has almost 180k on the clock and still drives like new.
Just bought a VE SSV 2009 ute and I so in love with it. Its clocked just over 200k but runs like a dream, changes the exhaust to make it sound just a little louder, racing brakes installed on the rear, few other tweaks. Fuel consumption on the highway then around town and you can almost see your fuel gauge go down when you give it a squirt. I dont mind being called a bogan as my ute is a pleasure to drive
Bought a 2017SSV Redline sedan brand new will have it forever, never to be sold just passed on to family. Also have a V6 1998 series 111 Statesman, bought it in 1999 when 10 months old, has never let me down, will keep it for good. AS A HOLDEN TRAGIC love Them, October 2017 was a very sad time for Holden Tragic's like me. Keep up the excellent reviews.
Cheers mate. - AK
What a brilliant review, one of the best reviews I've seen and very thorough good job.
I'm a Falcon man myself and own a FG XR6 Turbo and absolutely adore it and love it, lately I've grown a lot of appreciation for Commodores (especially VE and VF) they are great cars and as you stated these modern diesel utes etc are just so boring in comparison.
I'd love to see a review on the FG Falcon.
Oh Callum thanks so bloody much.
We might just have an XR6 Turbo ute review around the corner for you too! It's booked in and will hopefully go live in the next few weeks.
@@ReDriven To be honest I think you guys should review a Falcon sedan too, the seda IRS rear end is definitely more refined and better handling than a ute.
I’m Ford man too and have 2011 XR6 non turbo ,but still very quick car.
@@ReDriven so howd ya go with that FG review? Id love to see the FG xr8 ute review.. clearly the direct opponent to this VE SS ute.
Loved the video. I bought my atomic green 2008 VE SS Sport wagon manual from the first owner in 2011 with 46000km on it. I now have 270,000km on it. Had exhaust and motor tastefully modified. Only normal wear and tear. Just recently upgraded to heavy duty clutch. I love cruising in this thing. My kids love it. It has become part of the family and we look after it. It's a keeper. It draws looks from teenagers. It's not a perfect car. But it has that Australian spirit within it. Especially when you put on an ACDC song. Love it.
I just bought one a week ago (March 2024), 2011 VE Series II with 71,900km's on the clock spotless all original condition Heron White with a genuine Holden hard-cover on it. Paid $33k for it but I figure that's reasonable maybe slightly high but I am happy with it. Still even has original exhaust system on it.
Nothing comes close to the Falcon XR 6 Turbo,
@@Alladin-n5j your entitled to your opinion, but as long as their Aussie built
Do you often get tailgated or random people wanting to race you when driving the VE?
@@Gurp2yeah I do they think you want to race them or they want to show you how good their car is. I don’t bother with them I know there’s a lot cars faster than the SS these days
nothing beats a crewman s
Ask the same question in 20 yrs, if you should have bought one? And the answer is yes. I’ve got a VF SS in the garage, and am glad to have one, and it’s the best part of my week, taking it out for a drive through the bends on the weekend.
2009 Ss ute, L98 manual.
370 000 k, was still running, vibration from exedy clutch so pulled it to rebuild. Only issue I've had was a leaking oil sender.
My lifetime car!
These ve’s are bulletproof, service them every 5,000km and they will never die
I bought last year a series 2 2010 SS wagon with 212k on the clock- and I must agree it still drives and handles beautifully no matter the conditions. The power delivery as well, definitely lazy yet also surprising sometimes, especially when the passengers aren't ready for it 😉
I've got the 2012 SS Wagon, the only reason I got it over a XR6T is the fact it's a wagon. Such a dying breed of a car body type and I always love a wagon, just so damn practical
The wagon may be a dying breed, but the ute is officially extinct. I’ll keep mine on the road for as long as I can.
I love the VE commodore! It was and still is my favourite generation. I am currently fixing a black Holden Calais V-Series 3.6 from 2007.
I own a ve ss commodore ute with 92 k on the clock , never misses a beat and goes like a rocket, i grew watching brocky win the mountain some 10 times and the holden commodore to me is always a winner
9 mate, settle down!
@falconmclenny7284 no settling down mate now the chevs are beating them
I got myself a ve ss thunder ute at the beginning of 2020 with high kms 175000 for 13k and it still drives so Smooth and I love it
That was a good price holy fuck
@@josephsultana5953 I was Lucky for sure
I owned a manual VZ Thunder . I loved my ute so much I was never going to sell it . Did something I've done maybe a thousand times and on a cold damp early morning ... wrote it off . I value my vehicles and wasn't being stupid but ... it's got buckets of power and not enough tyre on the rear . Makes me sad every day for missing it .
You can service them no issues, unreal torque/ power and reliability for days/ absolute Icon and I’d have 100 of these before anything else.
Love my VE ss ute, not a bogan but use it as a daily driver, getting a respectable 9.8 km per 100km on a recent trip from Brisbane , Melbourne, Adelaide and back. Love it so much fun to drive.
Never was a big fan of the VE, but I’m a bit biased due to owning a VZ SSZ, always preferred vy-vz
Never sell that VZ SSV mate! Or if you do, call me first! - AK
That makes 2 of us
100%!! Also biased owning a VZ Senator, and also had a VY Clubsport before that. VY-VZ’s aren’t so chunky and oversized, and all models in the VE were high production numbers.
Vz vy are the best commodores hands down
vzs are lighter and look way more aggressive
I had the SV6 wagon. Best car I’ve ever owned hands down! So much space in the back. My girl and I put a double mattress in ( easily) boards on the roof and went camping in it so much. And in my opinion the best looking front end of any car!
I’m lucky to have the VE HSV HOLDEN MALOO. BIIIG LS3. It’s a beast. Sooo much power.
Those are so rare, and highly collectible now; LSA engine just like in my ZL1, innit mate?
Vs is my personal favorite Commodore model, however I do appreciate all models of Commodore
I hate commodores but love vs so much i have 2 5.0 litre utes and and a ss sedan. Lol. Was always a kingswood and torana with chev in em kinda guy. The vs looks the best out of all bommadores and after vs they became heavy turds with more things to go wrong. New com engine in vs well now thats alot of fun
2009 G8 owner w/90k ... Canadian Winter is hard on a vehicle so I garage it in winter. Problems w/ the V8's was not mentioned. Displacement on Demand IS a problem with these resulting in the hydraulic lifters that deactivate to get stuck and wear the followers on the cam lobes. This is a shame when you consider the LS motor was supposed to be near bulletproof.
Would LOVE to buy a UTE but good quality copies of these are hitting near to $100k with import charges.
1:22 In Brazilian case, this car (was called Chevolet Omega and) came just with V6 and automatic transmission
Just bought a 2006 ve ss sedan. Great condition. Love it!
Had a 2008 VE SS series 1 manual sedan, absolutely loved it, It handled beautifully, Interior design could have been better for the billion holden spent developing it, on a drive to the south coast with 4 people in the car, aircon on, and in 6th gear, got 9.6 l/100 !!!
loved my ve ssv redline .... so much fun on the twisting range headed down the coast
Picked up a 2014 Commodore VF Redline 34,000 KM....Love it and was around the 40K
WTF? A redline at that price? Unfkn believeable….😮
As a cameraman filming many car jobs I’ve had some great , and sometimes scary jobs ( such as being strapped in next to a Brock as he seemingly defied physics whipping around various circuits ). However, an occasion that really sticks in my mind is filming from a speeding camera vehicle as the Kelly brothers, in two of the first big block V8 Holden utes performed some jaw dropping power manoeuvres. When we got back to the base area all eight tyres were literal pouring smoke. The usually blase’ film crew were very, very impressed.
This channel is great, I was just watching a more recent video and though great if you had done the VE and here it is! Awesome.
Dunno bout the ute but I have a 2011 series 2 VE SS Commodore sedan in Karma Blue, bought it full exhaust/intake 20 inch Simmons rims, lowered, perfect condition with 148000 Kay's (now haha) and I absolutely love it!
Cam plans are coming, hopefully supercharger kit later and it's a lifer car that's for damn sure!
I have owned a completely factory spec 09 SSV and it was a magnificent ute. Sold it with 135k on it and wish i still had it as i upgraded to a VF which has far more tech in it but it just doesn't feel the same quality as the VE. The VF has just clocked up a 100k on it and now i have no idea of what to replace it with as i don't want a 4x4 diesel shit box.
I like the VF, in my opinion the VF sv6 was built alot better than the VE. I work on cars everyday as a car detailer, the quality of the VF feels so much better. But I still love a VE.
😂😂excellent review, gave me a good laugh. I’ve got a stock 2010 SSV black Ute, absolutely love it don’t think I could ever part with it.
Cheers so much Kevo
Yep, I've got a black 6sp ssv g8 pack 1 of 500. Like a sports car that you can put stuff in. 👌
Legend!! Huge fan of the vf models and also senators 😍 never had a chance to drive one as I am from the states but if ever given the opportunity I would jump on it, great review.
I have purchased Two SSV sort wagons and transplanted and LSA block into one of them. Agreed Sportwagons are the best looking Wagon Holden produced. Still got a VE series 1 SV6 Ute as a daily and I love them.
Mate, this is brilliant! The LSA SSV must be incredible. - AK
The back seat review was fantastic
2010 VE SS-V Ute, tuned with headers and exhaust
Eats entire states for breakfast
Average 11l/100k's
Black with worn interior
Beautifully maintained by 1 previous owner
For a 6'6 Aussie bloke, it has to be the greatest thing ever...
I own a 2012 ve ss ute with 225,000km runs awesome and never had an issue
Haha i love the subtle poke at the owners of these things...i was waiting for it tbh.
You mean bogans? Are those like the U.S. hillbillies or rednecks?
just bought myself an '08 sv6 sedan with HSVi options, beautiful sting red colour code with HSVi black racing stripes
VE series 2 for sure is my fav, VF headlights ruined it
I had the S2, thunder, loved it, came with all the SSV stuff like info 19” rims partial leather etc. just didn’t like the missing info screen they took out and put in vents! Couldn’t sell it back then for much better than half Pprice now would be worth a fair bit! Same as my VL Calais in immaculate cond, got peanuts for it.
Gotta love those v8's. Most of the cheaper ones have had the guts thrashed out of them.
Not always a bargain, and the price of petrol is another consideration.
Do love a V8 great review keep up the good work.
...have had my cosmo metallic stock 6spd manual vyss from new...getting a little rugged looking but still goes like the clappers...awesome things...
A common thing to go wrong on these types of LS engines is the plastic chain tensioners (depending) and the oil pressure check / relief valve on the oil pump. It’s a good idea to keep this engine (again depending on type) stocked with good fresh oil and to do it regularly probably a bit more then most. Reason being as this check valve is the first thing to get touched by the oil in the pan it can accumulate debris or get sticky from old oil - the filter is always after the oil pump. I’d also be running a good quality engine oil I guess cleaner to keep this valve good.
If not it can result in low or even no oil pressure and that is a big flaw and a big hole in the old wallet.
I wish I had this Sick Ute! Sadly, I live in the US, so I don't have access to it nor the money to buy a modified left-hand drive version of it. But I do have the next best thing, a 1990 Chevy Caprice! Durable like an Aussie car mixed with a Russian Lady Riva!
I had a 2008 ve SS sport wagon manual. Best car ever.
I recently sold my early SSV sedan and probably the only complaint I had was the stock clutch. The slave cylinder is in the bell housing and so is the bleed valve. On the manual the slave overheats and the clutch pedal can stick.
A replacement clutch (and remote bleed valve) would do wonders and allows you to breathe the engine a bit more with exhaust and intake and tune.
It’s still a bit boaty but bang for buck there is nothing else out there that comes close. If I didn’t need the space and the cash to upgrade what was my family car, I’d have kept mine.
Had a similar scenario (needed some cash and upgrade to a family car at the time to carry Great Dane in rear - wagon), so sold the HQ Monaro LS coupe, and bought a Camry wagon at the time.
I sure hope you don't end up regretting your decision and punch yourself in the head regularly like I have had to do from that stupid ars.e decision, ha :-) good luck though.
Proud to say the VE is my first car I've ever bought. V6 Berlina wagon, and it hasnt let me down (other than the power steering hose snapped once while on the roads). Handles well, looks amazing.
Sadly (maybe due to the connotations that come with the car) someone decided to deliberately key my drivers side door and window while i went to the supermarket the other week though.
Great review however,
cheers
It's bullshit people do that Devon. - AK
I had a similar thing.
There was a nice XR6 in the parking lot, last row always has fewer cars. parked my sv6 couple spaces up from the xr6. went did my shopping, came out xr6 gone shopping trolley up against my car. couldn't believe it.
mate those bloopers were blooddy hilarious XD XD, love the content, cheers.
The lifters go on the early 6L (06-08) and the later AFM or DOD lifters are prone to fail too. For both solutions you replace the lifters
I’ve owned a couple of V6 Commodores since I started driving and whilst my 2010 Blue SV6 Ute will always be my favourite (mostly because it was the first car I bought on my own and 2019 represented a more optimistic time in my life) I have really started to love the 2011 manual SSV sedan I got last month. 165xxx on the clock and in poison ivy green it gets so many compliments, it does have a cat back system on it but other than that it’s completely stock and to be honest I would probably even prefer a stock exhaust system even though I’m not fussy about what it has now. Whilst it would be nice to preserve it and keep the kms low, I bought it to drive it and it’s not like mine is anything special, 24k is a lot of money but in the grand scheme of things it’s nothing when I surprisingly love these cars so much despite not being a real car person. I do admit I like the wagon and Ute versions more, but the nice wagons I saw available were out of my price range and with a German Shepherd plus partner to move around, I just figured the Ute wouldn’t be as practical. But regardless of body type all VE and VF commodores are awesome
The VE was nicknamed the Billion Dollar Car because that was what GM spent to develop them.
City driving a 6-litre manual VE SS in a stop-start crawl will use about 21 litres of fuel per 100km. In a slow-moving traffic jam, your left leg gets a good workout pushing in the clutch pedal and holding it every time the line moves forward a car length. The motor can warm up a bit on a hot day if you don't leave a bit of distance between the car in front of you in stop-start traffic.
My VE SS manual sedan is lowered. It goes through rear tires quick enough without doing burnouts etc. You can get away without putting in a rear camber kit if they are lowered, but it wears out the tires a bit quicker.
Once the battery gets a bit old the electrics can go a bit funny. The engine warning light comes on and the fault code reader says one of the pistons is misfiring. Then there was something about the power not shutting off properly in the front BUS and draining the battery a few years ago. A new battery fixed most of these issues.
The front door pillars can easily hide a pedestrian walking across the road when turning a corner.
The meshing between the 2nd and 3rd gear in the manual can be a bit sticky.
I've gone on a low-altitude flight from Perth to Brisbane for 2.5 days :-). It never missed a beat and the motors are really designed to run at around 120 kph if not a bit more. The VE SS on the open road is brilliant and effortless to drive long distances, although the standard seats aren't the best comfort-wise compared to the leather ones fitted in a Statesman.
With Continental Max Contacts, it doesn't really matter too much if it is pouring rain, they sit well and stick to the bitumen, especially with some extra weight over the rear axle. The only thing to be careful of in the wet is dropping the clutch when changing up in the lower gears as the rear can want to step out a bit. Putting something weighty in the boot over the rear axle helps keep the back end stuck to the bitumen
I have owned mine for 11 years. It has done around 185k on the clock. In that time, other than tires and brake pads, the only expenses have been for oil changes and an occasional service from a mechanic. The plugs and leads were changed at around 125k.
They really are such a great car, especially for people who live in regional areas.
Brilliant comment mate, exactly what we love to see on here.
Thanks so much for taking the time out to write this. - AK
The VE I think was called (much much too big a call) " the billion dollar baby" I have owned a few Commodores. I bought a ZB 2 litre , 4 cyl petrol turbo. Its entry level ( LT) but it's perfect.. its a hatch too. Heaps of pop and torque 5 times better, and quicker, much quicker that the VE , and 1526 kg kerb weight about 140 kg lighter than VE .. thrashes it on pace, and leaves VE in it's wake on windey roads . Even has remote start for hot days to cool on hot days before getting in. Got it for $27880. with 5k on it. 9 speed whisper quiet transmission.. magnificent.. no discernible engine noise on and during acceleration.. at 112kph, it's quietly loping along at at an unbelievable 1400 rpm.. brilliant.. electric seat adjustable for driver.. a true pacy torquey great car. A true saloon
@@pragmatist165 Claiming your toy is 5 times quicker only proves you're full of shit.
The test specs for a ZB 2-litre turbo are 191kw 350nm torque and 0 to 100 in a touch over 7 secs.
The VE SS manual has 270kw and 530 nm of torque. The 140kg weight advantage means Jack.
@@andrewsmith8729 ve 6 cylinder, not v8 , goodness gracious me ..
@@andrewsmith8729 I was always meaning the VE six cyl. making that clear.. and yes it eats up the ve on road.. kerb weight here matters a lot .. handing just for starters ...
Yes I like them V.E SSs . As a matter of fact I just bought one last week. 2009 V.E SS sedan 👊🏽😎
Hey Bro, Good vid. I own several Holdens including a VE. Awesome cars. Stick to the road like shit to a blanket. All of them. Love them all. Anyway my brother has just imported a written off one and is restoring it. SS Ute that is. Good investment. Good money here in NZ too. He aint selling her though. Fantastic Vehicles. All of them.
Managed to get my 08 calais wagon before Holden pulled the pin, 190,000 kays, 6 litre, 7 and a half grand 👌
Bought a brand new ve ss sedan has 210 000 ks now tows fits kids 6sp man fun reliable great car.
My son owns a 2005 MALOO in mint condition with every factory option and has been offered twice what he paid for it . This is also the case for his Kingsford ute which is a highly modified example of the marque . People smarter than me are already buying clean stock versions of any model Holden ute and storing them as an investment . Look at the prices being achieved for two door Monaro's and Toranas .
I've got a 2010 ss ute with 140k on the clock. All I've had to do is lifters and timing chain. It's copped a bit of abuse and the clutch and diff are still minty.
The DoD or displacement on demand systems are prone to failure as are the lifters if regular oil changes are not done...but the sound of an LS is glorious to be sure
They sound glorious only up until they hit the rev limiter. Then they sound like absolute shit.
So, when doing a burnout in an LS and it starts slapping the limiter, either shift up a gear or learn throttle control.
my 2010 ssv started ticking at 20,000km, only does it for about 3-5 seconds on cold start once every 3-10 starts, still sounds like shit when it does it though, currently at 60,000km and still does it. pretty much a standard feature on the L77 engine.
@@maximumnoise78 My 2010 SS is the same. lifter turned and chopped cam at 31k, got a new engine fitted then started ticking on startup around 70k (40k on new engine) still does it now it's on 93k.
@@maximumnoise78
My VE SS-V Ute has an L77 engine with 250k on the clock...and never rattled or missed a beat.
i do service it every 10k though and only use Penrite oil with added zinc.
As a mechanic, the only ones that seem to give trouble, are the ones that get valve bounced, aren't regularly serviced
and when they are serviced, someone uses shit oil...
Just bought a VE SSV 2011 Ute with 139 thousand, it immaculate condition
VF SS for sure 👍
great review. I'm about to put mine (2013 SSV Redline) into storage. 🙂
❤ This is great.Would love to see a video of you looking at the holden vectra
Great video
Awesome information and realistic expectation
Had a VE Redline Ute (with basic Walkinshaw kit) since new in 2012. They’re the best!
That owner must’ve had seat/steering wheel covers though, mine with less than 100k kms doesn’t look that good.
This videos inspired a re-trim for Xmas 🎅😂
I was impressed with the squish!
The window rubbers that you can replace have nothing to do with windscreen water leaks. Its the urethane ( that you cant see ) that is bonded to the panel, stops water entry. Ex GMH / Water test.
One of my favourite episodes. Really want a V8 commodore one day, either an SS or base VT- VZ with a V8 (I miss my VT exec). As you said man, shame we don't have any V8 utes anymore, not like the commodores or falcons. Next best bet might be to convert a base V6 model.
Love the review and love my VE ute💖
LS LOVES a cam.
As an American, I'm incredibly jealous. I remember being in high school when Pontiac released the G8 and then the news of the wagon and Ute versions... And then GM screwed us over and canceled Pontiac. Then my hopes were reawakened when they brought the commodore over again as the Chevy SS and I thought maybe the Ute will be reborn as the El Camino but nope. Maybe one day I'll be able to import one of these V8 babies
The only thing I can say for potential buyers is; get a pre-purchase inspection with at least a compression test... Knowing multiple Holden ute owners who thrash them even when the engine is cold, I'd say there are more than a few lemons out there
Findind a used commodore with a V8 that hasn't been thrashed is like searching for a needle in a haystack, biggest red-flag is most have been re-fitted with original loose fitting plastics inside and out to look un-molested.
I've got a VZ Crewman SSZ 5.7 V8 & I love it Aussie muscle
I drove my last Holden ute the V6 model for 250.000 Kms fast and comfortable
my favourite commodore is the one I have: the 2014 HSV Maloo, which was worth every bloody cent, simply because, "I just want one." that and it's fun to mess with foreghners by driving around with no shirt on in a cork hat and shorties in a ute, because it's funny.
future classic I reckon, great review and amazing scenery - where were you shooting?
100% mate! We shot this at the beautiful Fernbank Farm near Wyong Creek on the NSW Central Coast. - AK
Future? Nah already is.
Best bang for buck weapon ever made