HSV Problems

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used 1997-2000 HSV Clubsport VT/VT II.

It might have been born to work, but the humble Aussie ute has evolved into a much more sophisticated car that is now used more for recreational pursuits than it is for slogging it out on the job site.  Vehicles like the HSV Maloo are the ultimate expression of this new-age ute possessing a level of performance, safety and refinement never imagined by the original ute's creators in their wildest dreams.Gone are the days when utes were uncomfortable, evil handling and sometimes downright dangerous; today's utes do everything just as well as their sedan siblings.  They're so good, in fact, that Holden even describes its Ute as a two- door sports car. If that were true the HSV Maloo would have an even greater claim to that moniker.Model WatchWhile the ute began life as a humble working class vehicle it has over the years become something of a cult car with true-blue Aussies of all ages.  It's no longer just a working class vehicle; all sorts of people use it in all manner of activities.Holden and Ford long ago recognised the trend to the ute as a recreational vehicle and have both moved to satisfy the demand with a series of stylish sports models aimed more at out-of-hours pursuits than those on the job site.  To put this into some sort of perspective Holden said when releasing the VE ute that some 70 per cent of all VE Holden utes sold were the sportier models, the SS and SV6.It's a reality that today's ute is more likely to carry sports or camping gear than it is bricks, timber and tools.  If the Holden ute set the bar for sports utes higher, the HSV Maloo took the concept to an even loftier performance plain again.Like all HSV models the Maloo builds on the Holden ute with a unique set of body front and rear parts, along with a unique hard tonneau cover, that give it its own distinct muscular look without cutting into the basic Holden body structure.It's a craft HSV has perfected over more than 20 years of building hotter Holdens and the result is that the Maloo looks as tough as nails.  Matching the muscular look is the Maloo's musclebound 6.0-litre LS2 V8 engine that turns out a whopping 307 kW at 6000 revs and 550 Nm at 5100 revs.Two rugged gearboxes are offered to Maloo buyers. One is a six-manual 'box, the other a six-speed auto that channels the V8's muscle to the rear wheels.  With all that grunt under the bonnet HSV was wise to ensure the chassis was up to the task of handling it, and with independent suspension front and rear, sports shocks, monster brakes, and huge 19- inch wheels and tyres, it is more than capable to taming the beast.But while the Maloo has the credentials needed for a place on the performance car grid it doesn't lack anything in refinement either.  Inside the cabin the driver and passenger have leather sports seats, steering wheel, and dials, and well as a full array of features like air, cruise, power windows and mirrors, automatic wipers, as well as rear parking sensors to ensure those special bumpers don't get scratched.In The ShopGenerally the Maloo is a tough and reliable unit, the issues it can have are the same that an equivalent Holden ute might also have.  The LS2 V8 engine appears to give little trouble, same goes for the transmissions and diff.Look for signs of abuse, the Maloo will stand up to hard driving, but like all cars won't cope well with abusive driving.  Check for a service record to ensure oil changes have been carried out as recommended.In A CrashThe E Series Maloo is fitted with a comprehensive array of safety gear, including dual front airbags, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes, traction control, and brake assist with brake-force distribution.At The PumpThe E Series Maloo is no fuel miser and the fuel consumption achieved is heavily dependent on the weight of the driver's right foot.  HSV claimed an average fuel consumption of 14.9 L/100 km.Anyone put off by the Maloo's high fuel consumption might want to think about fitting a dual-fuel vapour-injection system, which has the potential to almost halve the running costs based on the current pricing of unleaded and LPG.  Vapour-injection systems are configured to use unleaded petrol to the start the engine and for the first few seconds of warm-up before automatically switching over to gas.That way they start quickly and run smoothly while the engine comes up to its running temperature.  Once it has switched over to LPG gas is used almost exclusively, and the system only switches back to unleaded if the demand for fuel exceeds the LPG system's capacity to supply. That means there is no loss of performance.A dual-fuel Maloo will run just as hard as one running on petrol, but the running cost will be much lower. Look ForHead-turning looksBlistering performanceCar-like handlingLimited load carrying capacityThirsty for fuelGood candidate for LPGThe Bottom LineHSV's hot ute looks the goods, goes hard, and doesn't have to be expensive to run.Rating80/100

The spectacular demise of Peter Brock's HDT Special Vehicles in the wake of his infamous bust-up with Holden left a gaping chasm in the performance car market that was never going to be left unfilled for long. Brock had shown for all to see that there was a demand for cars that had a little more performance and panache than the regular production models could offer.His retuned and restyled Commodores instantly struck a chord with local go-fast fanatics and they sold like hot cakes. Having backed Brock for many years Holden too was aware of the demand and quickly found another partner, Tom Walkinshaw, to work with on a new venture, Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).The HSV Clubsport has been the mainstay of the HSV range over the years and remains so today. In the late 1990's the Clubsport was based on the popular and highly successful VT Commodore. It's now an affordable performance car on the used car market, an attractive choice for someone wanting a nice weekend driver with a touch of distinction.Peter Brock's formula for building his special cars wasn't new; Brock himself admitted he got the idea from people like the famous American racer Carroll Shelby who built hot Mustangs for Ford in the US in the 1960s. If the idea wasn't new, it was certainly simple. Brock took regular production models from the Holden production line and took them to a whole new level by modifying the things that could easily be changed without having to resort to major surgery.When Tom Walkinshaw picked up the Holden brief he really just took up where Brock left off, albeit without the Brock signature that made the HD/T Special Vehicles cars so special. Like Brock before him, Walkinshaw changed the appearance of the production Commodore by adding a bolt-on body kit, usually made up of fibreglass or plastic front and rear bumpers, a rear boot lid spoiler, side skirts, and special badging. Special alloy wheels completed the picture.Inside it boasted sports seats, special dials, cruise, CD sound with six speakers, as well as power windows and mirrors, and a trip computer. Mechanically it had uprated springs, shocks absorbers and sway bars, along with larger brakes and special HSV alloy wheels with low profile tyres.Under the bonnet the VT Clubsport had a 5.0-litre Holden V8, the last model to get the local V8, and with some special tuning from HSV the output was pushed up to 195 kW at 5200 revs and 530 Nm at 3600 revs. The transmission choices were a four-speed auto or a five-speed manual 'box, both of which were beefed-up to cope with the extra engine grunt.When the VT II upgrade arrived in 2000 a 5.7-litre Gen III V8 had replaced the old Holden engine, and a six-speed manual had replaced the five-speed gearbox. At its peak the 5.7-litre engine delivered 250 kW at 5600 revs and 473 Nm at 4000 revs.Buying a Clubsport requires a little more diligence than is needed when buying an ordinary Commodore. Pay attention to the details, that's what determines the value of a car. For starters it's important to make sure it is a real HSV Clubsport and not a clone made up to look like one. Check for an HSV build plate, but even that isn't an ironclad guarantee that a car is genuine. A phone call to HSV is worthwhile to help verify a car's credentials.It's also important to check that all the unique HSV features are still on the car, a sure way to devalue a special car like the Clubsport is to fit regular Commodore or aftermarket parts when the genuine HSV parts break or wear out. It can be helpful to have someone knowledgeable in HSV models cast an eye over a car before purchase. An HSV club is a good point to start for info and assistance in buying a car.Once you've established the car is real carefully check it for signs of a hard life. Clubsports are often driven hard, so take careful note of transmission noises, clutch operation, and diff clunks and noises.The VT/VT II was renowned for heavy rear tyre wear, so look for worn tyres, and take particular note of any uneven wear across the tyre tread. The wear is a function of the independent suspension, and is made worse by towing. Kits are available from suspension specialists like Pedders to correct the problem, and it's worth fitting them to get more life out of the expensive tyres.The Gen III V8 was also renowned for its high oil consumption and rattles. Holden developed fixes for problem engines, so that should have been sorted out, but take note anyway.Solid body construction made for a good foundation for crashworthiness, which was boosted by a driver's airbag. Unfortunately there wasn't an airbag for the front seat passenger. It also boasted a good level of active safety with a sound chassis backed up by standard ABS antiskid brakes and traction control.HSV owners were not normally too fussed about fuel economy, performance was their priority, so they weren't too alarmed to find a VT/VT II Clubsport would do 13-16 L/100 km on average.AuthenticitySigns of hard drivingSports looksHigh performanceSharp handlingThirsty V8Potential collectability.A potential future classic Aussie musclecar that can be driven daily now.

If capped priced servicing sounds like cheating, modern car design is just too damned homogenous to your eyes, then some left-field classics might get the blood pumping.Trawling the darkened depths of the Carsguide website found some interesting old - and some not so old “time” machines on the market.For the price of a mid-spec four-cylinder small car there are vehicles on the market that stand well apart from the shopping-trolley crowd.As beefy Brits go this is one of the beefiest - the Jensen Interceptor was a four-seater grand-tourer with a Chrysler V8 under its elongated snout.Only a handful - in global terms - were built in the UK during the 1960s and 1970s, and some made it to Australia, so the chances of seeing one driving the other way are minimal.The rounded rump was a distinctive look for the Jensen and it also had the distinction of being the first all-wheel drive sports coupe.Glass's Guide says the rear-wheel and four-wheel drive models were available here from 1970 through until 1976 (when imports ceased) in the 6.2-litre and 7.2-litre forms, hooked up to a three-speed automatic and priced at a little over $22,000 when they were new - Holden had the HQ Monaro on offer around the same time and its retail price ranged from $3800 for the 4.2-litre V8 manual to just under $5000 for the 5.8-litre three-speed automatic model - nowadays, mint versions of the latter can fetch upwards of $60,000.De Tomaso is one of those interesting Italian brands - born in 1959, it was involved in motorsport (including a brief and nasty stint in F1) as well as owning brands like Bugatti and Ducati.It went into liquidation in 2004 and was briefly back in business before controversy again had the brand in trouble and it was up for sale in 2012 - it keeps threatening a 21st century revival.The two-door Longchamp was born from the same chassis and drivetrain as the Deauville four-door, using a 243kW/440Nm 5.8-litre Ford Cleveland V8 that also powered the more svelte Pantera.A top speed of well over 200km/h and an opulent interior were among the car's highlights, but given its $65,000 new pricetag it want to have plenty.A total of 409 Longchamps were built (395 coupes and 14 spiders) until 1989, with only a couple per year built during the final years.One for the locals - while many remember the much-be-spoilered Walkinshaw VL SS Group A (with a 180kW/380Nm five-litre V8 and priced at $45,000) that kicked off the Brit's relationship with Holden Special Vehicles.The red VL SS Group A was the last Commodore produced by Peter Brock's Holden Dealer Team - Holden's relationship with Brock went sour in 1987 after Brock and his crew came up with a device known as an “Energy Polariser” and fitted it, as well as other features not tested by Holden.There was a little less hoopla when the VN version popped up in 1990, sporting a $68,950 asking price in the showrooms, it packed a 210kW/400Nm five-litre V8 hooked up to a six-speed ZF gearbox (borrowed from the Chev Corvette), weighed in about 200kg heavier but was draped in less-polarising (if you'll pardon the Brock pun) bodykit styling.Track versions of the car were reportedly quicker in a straight line but not as good on the bends as the VL's bodykit actually worked, providing downforce.The VN was the final Group A, part of the era of Australian production-based touring car racing that was slaughtered by the all-conquering Nissan GT-R.The build-run never made it to the planned 500, with 302 seeing the light of day, based on a Berlina but fitted with a Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, velour interior trim, sports seats and instruments, Bilstein dampers, a limited slip diff and a Mongoose remote control alarm.1970 Jensen Interceptor coupePrice: $24,990Engine: 7.2-litre V8Transmission: 3-speed autoThirst: 20L/100kmOdometer: 78,547kmThe big Jensen coupe was rare and expensive car when it was new - it sold new for just over $22,000 but was hand-built and had airconditioning, alloy wheels and power windows. At the time it was more than double the cost of a V12 E-Type Jag and at least four times the price of an HQ Monaro. Such is the profile of the odd British beast, it was even featured as a classic car in the Gran Turismo 4 game.Phone: 02 9119 54021983 De Tomaso Longchamp 2+2Price: $30,000Engine: 5.8-litre V8Transmission: 4-spd autoOdometer: 23,000km The Italian luxo-coupe with a muscular Aussie heart - the engines were sourced for the car from Australia when the US sources for the beefy V8 dried up, and Australia supplied the engines until V8 production ceased in the late 1980s. Hooked up to a four-speed auto, the Longchamp has air conditioning, power steering, power windows,remote central locking, cruise control among its leather-trimmed interior - when new it sold for $65,000, which was about the same money being asked for a Mercedes-Benz 380 SE V8 sedan.Phone: 07 3188 05441990 HSV VN Commodore SS Group APrice: $58,990Engine: 5-litre V8Transmission: 6-speed manualOdometer: 152,364kmThirst: 16l/100kmNot as famous as the VL but a genuine Aussie musclecar nonetheless, the HSV VN SS Group A popped up with a six-speed manual (a vague but strong gearbox borrowed from the Corvette) as well as upgraded brakes and bodykit. Capable of a sprint to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds and a 14.5-second quarter-mile, this example is number 83 of a planned 500-car build run, but the economy brought it to a halt at 302. The VN Group A SS came with air conditioning, a Mongoose alarm, 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, central locking, a limited slip diff and a chunky Momo leather steering wheel.Phone: 02 9119 5606