Holden Commodore Problems

It won't be the sway bar, but it could be a wheel bearing. The best course of action is to have a mechanic assess it for you and replace the bearing if necessary.

Worn timing chains are quite common on the V6 engine in the Commodore. A change was made to the pitch of the chain, but the jury is out about the effectiveness of the change. In any case have the mechanic fit the updated chains when the makes the replacement. It is a costly repair according to our trade contacts, but we’re told $4000 is very high.

Holden hasn't announced a final date for the closure of the Elizabeth plant in South Australia. All it has said to date is that production of the Commodore will cease towards the end of 2017.

If you want the V8 then you should have it. The economy will be good enough on highway work but remember it will suck fuel down on short trips or if you uncork the performance away from the traffic lights.

No, we haven't had this reported to us before, and being so random it's unlikely to be a common problem for Commodore owners. It sounds like a computer glitch, perhaps a faulty signal from a sender, or a poor connection. Unfortunately, until it happens regularly your mechanic will have trouble finding the cause.

If you are not sure about the van you're buying then back out of the deal while you have the chance. The next time you decide on a van have it checked by a mechanic.

It's a different situation as the FJ is a global model but you should probably move even more quickly as Toyota Australia will have to confirm soon on its final orders. FJ owners generally have made an emotional choice so it's unlikely the used-car values will be dropping soon.

The VE sounds like a good car that's been well looked after and would be a good car for a growing family such as yours. I will assume it's a V6, in which case the main thing to be concerned about is wear to the camshaft timing chains. They're a known problem and cost $2000 or so to replace if they do wear. You can tell if they're worn as the engine runs poorly because the cam timing is thrown out. Other than that the VE is quite sound.

Years ago when you owned your Torana it was considered something of a performance car, as the Clubsport, SSV and Calais are today, but there are many other ways of getting your driving thrills today without having to go for a V8. Some of the hot hatches now available would give you all the thrills, and more, than the big-bangers of old. Take a test drive in a VW Golf GTi or one of the fast Ford Focuses and I'm sure you'd rethink your choice. All the cars you mention, the Clubsport, SSV and Calais are good cars with plenty of grunt, the V8 sound, and the comfort of a big car. For mine though I'd be going for a hot hatch.

There are some limited-edition cars in the pipeline and I'd go for one of those with the special equipment. But keep in touch with a friendly dealer and don't delay, as they are likely to sell out and — as we've seen with the rundown of Falcon production — the factory numbers have to be set early.