Holden Problems

There were two engines in the 2012 VE Calais Series 2. One was a 3.6-litre V6 Alloytec SIDI, the other a 6.0-litre Gen IV L76 V8.

There have been problems with the HVAC system in the VF, and it's not just a noisy minority. Holden issued a service bulletin (13-SU-02) in 2103 for a software update for the VAC control module, but the jury is out on whether it really did fix the problem.

Given that the warranty is going to expire in the coming year I would press your dealer to fix the problems that are causing you concern. They appear to have fixed the leaking radiator, but the air-conditioning and gearbox issues should be fixed. If the dealer cannot, or is unwilling to fix them escalate the problem by talking directly to Holden's customer service.

It depends on whether you want a hatch, sedan or wagon and what variant you are interested in. You can find all of these options in our pricing guide.

It all depends on the condition. If it were in good condition, with good brakes and tyres, and not requiring any major work it would be worth $1500 to $2500.

It sounds like it's not running as it should, and is perhaps in need of a tune-up.

Regular 91-octane unleaded is the specified fuel for your car, but you could also run it on E10 ethanol or Premium unleaded as well.

The problem with the timing chain is well documented, and would have come to your attention had you researched that model before you bought it. It's not a safety issue, hence no recall, but Holden did revise the timing chain in an attempt to fix it. Call Holden directly and lodge your complaint, but I doubt that you would have any success on a car that is now seven years old.

There are a lot of sealers and glues used in today's cars, so what you've got is common. You haven't been sold a bodged-up car.

Do not buy a Cruze, or buy a European brand. They will prove costly. It's best to go for the cars that are well proven over many years. The Lancer is a good one, but so too is the Toyota Yaris or Corolla, Suzuki Swift, Mazda2 or 3, or Mitsubishi Colt.