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And just like that, Holden is no more. And while for a lot of us, that means little more than a lot of fond memories to process, it will mean a hell of a lot more to the people who have just put their hard-earned money into a new Holden Colorado, Commodore, Acadia, Equinox or Trax.

That's more than 45,000 of you in the past 12 months alone, and I reckon we can probably guess what you’re thinking: what on Earth do I do now?

So with Holden having now officially confirmed they will wind up operations in Australia, we’re going to do our very best to answer your most pressing questions for you.

When is Holden leaving?

Officially, Holden will be gone by 2021, and most staff will be let go from around the middle of the year. That said, the brand says vehicles will be sold here until the last is gone, and given the circumstances, that might take some time indeed.

Can I get a refund?

Short answer? No, you can’t. Your deal, and your finance arrangement, will still stand, despite Holden’s lending service being wound up along with the rest of the company.

Can I still service my car?

Holden tells us they will remain in Australia, at least from a car servicing and spare parts perspective, for “at least” the next 10 years, which means the 1.6 million Holden vehicles on Australian roads will have somewhere to get their car officially serviced for around a decade. After that, though, you’re on your own.

Read More: CONFIRMED: Holden exits Australia after 160 years

Will I still get free servicing?

Holden has committed to honouring whatever deal was in place when you bought your car, so if you plonked your hard-earned down recently, when Holden was offering seven-years of free servicing, you’ll still get it. Likewise with roadside assist or anything else you agreed to when you purchased your vehicle.

Is my car’s resale value damaged now?

That’s a difficult question to outright answer, but the truth is, it probably is. Would you rush to buy a second-hand car from a brand that has no support network in the country?

What happens to my warranty?

Holden has officially committed to honouring all warranties in Australia, so if you’ve just bought a new car, you can expect to get the same coverage you’d have gotten if Holden still existed in Australia.

Read More: What happens to the Holden Colorado dual-cab ute now?

Can I get recall issues fixed?

Like with your warranty and servicing, Holden will honour recall or safety issues as and when they arrive.

Where will I get my car serviced?

That remains more an unknown at this point. Holden dealers will now have to rebrand as authorised service outlets or close, so while the brand will honour servicing agreements and the like, essentially offering an after sales service for at least a decade, it’s footprint - as in where you have to go to get that service - will be significantly reduced.

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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