Holden Vectra 2006 Problems

You don't need to do anything if you tighten the studs correctly.  Tell them to check their wrench and then have them tighten the studs to the correct torque while you watch.

Clean the throttle body and check the throttle position sensor.

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

YOUR friends are getting what you would expect, so yours is way off the mark. Persist with the dealer. There is something wrong. If the dealer won't help out, go to Holden directly and ask for help.

You’re right; the reports on the Vectra are mixed, for good reasons. It was a good car to drive, but it also had some issues that sometimes made the ownership experience less than pleasant. Look for oil and cooling system leaks, particularly pay attention to water leaks around the rear of the engine that could be from the heat exchanger. Timing belt wear was a real issue, the belts need to be changed every 60,000 km or four years, which makes it expensive, and not changing can lead to very expensive engine damage in the event the belt breaks. On top of that the crank angle sensors are prone to failure, and the electrical system tended to be troublesome. The asking price is about the middle of the range, so it’s on the money in that respect.

As I often write in this column tracing intermittent or odd problems can be difficult, and mechanics today are trained to replace parts rather than spend hours searching for the cause, often without finding it. Finding a mechanic who is keen enough to dig deeper into a problem is a blessing.

MANY cars have chains instead of belts, and carmakers seem to be returning to chains after many years during which they preferred belts. Belts were introduced because they cost less than chains. They are also quieter than a chain, which can be quite noisy as it wears. As to why it isn't mentioned in road test reports, I can only say it is a little too technical for most readers. They are more interested in how a car performs when put to the test. It is the sort of detail the buyer should check before settling on a new car.

You need to remove the timing cover on the engine, remove the old belt and fit the new one, it’s not terribly difficult. Costwise I would expect to be around $400-$600.

The guys at the LPG Warehouse have just fitted an EMER vapour-injection system to a similar car to yours and it’s working a treat for the owner. In that installation they used a toroidal LPG tank and removed the spare wheel; the owner was happy to keep his boot space and use a puncture repair kit should he encounter a flat tyre. They can also use a smaller cylindrical LPG tank if you wanted to retain your spare. Contact the LPG Warehouse on 03 9770 2287 for more info.