Holden Commodore 2000 Problems

THE wear is caused by a change in toe-in as the rear wheels move up and down. Holden altered the suspension in VY to fix the problem, but the best solution on your model is to fit the kit. Pedders charge $440 to supply and fit it, and I would recommend it to extend the life of your tyres.

I HAVEN'T heard of the worry you have, Tim, but I'd doubt very much that it's a bearing problem at that mileage. I would be looking at the clutch rather than the gearbox, but I would recommend you seek the help of a Holden specialist. Happy to hear you aren't having any problem with your Gen III V8. Not all Gen IIIs exhibit the problem. It's really only a relatively small number of the total sold that have the piston rattle and excessive oil consumption.

YOU don't say whether your daughter was injured. If she wasn't, the car's body and the seat belts did their job and there was no need for the airbags to deploy. Seat belts are the first line of protection and the airbags are deployed only in a severe crash. Your daughter was travelling at the local speed limit before the crash. I'll assume that's 50km/h. She probably braked immediately before hitting the stationary 4WD, so the speed of impact was less than, say, 40km/h. The energy involved should easily have been absorbed by the car's body and the seat belts. Had the airbags deployed, the damage to the car from the airbags inflating would have been more extensive.

NO PROBLEM running the ECOTEC engine on LPG. The problem is more likely getting it done. Installers are run off their feet with demand and there's a shortage of LPG tanks. System suppliers are quoting up to 20 weeks' wait.

I LIKE the more sporty two-door Prelude, but can understand the practical appeal of the Commodore. Both will have high odometer readings, so you will need to choose carefully, particularly in the case of the Honda, which is more inclined to suffer if not well serviced.

I WOULDN'T do it. You'll only turn it into a bitzer and destroy its resale value. Holden sells few manual Commodores because people prefer autos. But manuals do exist, so look for one.

Holden calibrated the Gen III to run on regular unleaded, so you are paying for a marginal increase in performance and fuel consumption, at best in the order of 2-3 per cent. The best way to check the value of running Pulp is to do a consumption test with both fuels. That way you will know the real benefits, or otherwise, in your own actual driving conditions.

YOU need to do a few checks to confirm your concerns. I wouldn't take any notice of what other people may or may not get -- who knows what they are doing? For a start, fill your tank and do a proper fuel-consumption test. Your Commodore should return about 11.5 litres/100km on average around the city and 6.8 litres/100km on the highway. That way you will have a better idea of what your car is doing and whether you have a problem. You should also make sure there isn't a problem filling the tank.

THE problem is related to Holden's independent rear suspension. A compromise set-up, it goes through some pretty severe geometry changes as the wheel moves up and down. Lowering the suspension may have made the problem worse. The wear is more severe on high-performance cars, which tend to be driven harder. Pedders has a camber and toe change kit that will help the problem. It takes about half a day to fit and adjust and costs about $380.

IT'S great to hear that you are not having any oil consumption issues with your Gen III V8 Commodore. There is no great risk in fitting a chip providing you consult an expert and buy a recognised chip. Give Peter Schweighofer a call at Swift Automotive in Dandenong and he'll be able to advise you on the best gear to use.