Holden Commodore Problems

HSV produced 500 SS Group A versions of the Commodore in 1991 to homologate it for racing, i.e., Bathurst. It sounds like one of those, maybe built after the introduction of the VP in September 1991.

The Storm was a marketing package based on the SV6 and came with specific badging, front fog lamps, and sat nav.

You’re buying a used car, it’s not new, so you have to expect some wear-and-tear issues. The older the car, the greater the wear-and-tear, and the more likely it is to have suffered mechanical failures or even a crash. That means you have to thoroughly check the car before purchase, and you have to rely on the honesty of the vendor. If the car has had clutch problems it should be recorded in the service book. It’s the same with the others you’re looking at, check them thoroughly, and if you’re uncertain have an expert check them for you. Of the three others you are considering I would avoid the Passat as a potential money pit, and go for the i40 in preference to the Commodore.

Yes, there’s no reason to be concerned about buying a Commodore of that age and kilometres.

First, pull the radiator overflow hose out of the side of the coolant reservoir fill neck and turn the steering wheel to the hard left to get room to get tools in. Laying on the ground undo the two screws on the front of the reservoir and screw on the frame rail, and you can then remove the reservoir.

You’ll be waiting quite a number of years for the value to climb to any degree, so if you’re selling it it’s probably best to get out of it now. But if you like it why not keep it and enjoy it? But if you do, keep it for those special days and don’t drive it daily.

Remember though, you have to keep it in pristine condition and well maintained, so don’t park it and forget about it.

There’s clearly no point in talking sense to you, your head is in a complete muddle. You want a fix for your mid-life crisis, yet you talk about resale value, warranty, fixed-price servicing and boring stuff like that. You need to think about what it is you want from your “sporty-ish” car, do you want a performance car that will be thrilling to drive, or are you a park-and-poser and just want to look good when you stop at the café for a latte. The VW Golf GTi is a thrill-a-minute hot hatch; you like the i30N, and both would be good buys. Buy the Lux if you decide on the i30N. You could also think about a BMW M3, or an older Porsche Boxster. I wouldn’t suggest a Commodore SS or a Falcon XR6T ute, they’re a bit boring.

Yes, the VE Commodore is a sound car and with just 155,000 km on the clock there should be plenty of life left in it. The value ranges from $8000 to $9500.

A Holden dealer, or an auto electrician should be able to sort it out for you.