Holden Commodore Problems

Clearly not all cars use oil, and perhaps yours being used on mostly country trips might suggest usage is a factor. It could also come down to the way a car is run-in when new. Running-in is important and can have a dramatic effect on things like oil consumption, and today we don't pay too much attention to running-in a new engine as we did in earlier times. Good to hear of your experience.

The Holden V6 clearly has a problem with the timing chain, and like you I don't think it should have to be replaced, certainly not at such a low kay reading. I believe you should at least have a claim against Holden to cover part of the cost of replacing the chain. Go back to your dealer, and if necessary Holden as well, and press your claim.

We haven't had any reports of water leakage on this model, which suggest there isn't a widespread problem. You don't say if the car has been involved in a crash, as sometimes water leaks can be a problem caused by poor panel fitment when a car has been repaired. Other than that check all the seals, doors, windows, air vents etc.

It's hard to suggest what might be wrong without seeing the car, so I suggest the best thing is to have an LPG specialist look at it. Give the people at Impco a call on 03 8788 1000 and ask them to check the car for you.

I would guess that by specifying the fuel the mechanic is eliminating fuel as a potential cause, so I would go along with him while he attempts to isolate the cause of the problem. As it doesn't show-up on the diagnostics it's hard to track down, so give the mechanic some space to get to work on it, but keep the pressure up. At the end of it it's likely to be a faulty sensor or maybe a faulty coil pack.

That it starts fine when it's cold and enriched, but not when it's warmed up and not getting any extra fuel suggests it could be a fuelling issue. Have a mechanic check the fuel pressure; it might not be getting enough fuel on hot restarts.

Hopefully you will receive the attention you need to fix the oil consumption problem. It's good to hear of a satisfactory outcome.

It's always a good idea to read the fine print so you know what it and what isn't included in the servicing schedule. I would expect that the brake fluid would be changed as a regular part of the servicing and shouldn't be an extra cost. Doing the power steering fluid is being over-serviced. Draining the transmission oil and replacing it isn't hugely expensive, but changing the oil, which includes draining the torque convertor, is more expensive and amounts pretty much to a full service. It's still worth doing and 100,000 km is probably a suitable point in time to do it. As for your diff noise, you could try asking your dealer people to go for a ride with you to assess it. Changing the diff oil can help quieten the noise.

We haven't had any other reports of this issue, but we have seen reports of the radiator failing. The plastic fitting in the radiator breaks away and you need a new radiator. The problem seems to occur when the car has done around 70,000 to 80,000km. I would be pressing the dealer and Holden for a replacement radiator.

Without driving your car it's hard to make a comment, but I would suggest you find other cars of the same specification and drive them. That way you'll know if it is "normal". You could also take it to a transmission specialist for an independent assessment.