Holden Commodore News

A Bell Park single mother has been stranded after her secondhand car was repossessed because of a previous owner's debts – and because she failed to check the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) herself. Checking a VIN reveals if any money is still owing on the car, for which the buyer may be liable.Nicole Kirby wants to warn other car buyers to carry out their own VIN checks after she was shown a false one by a private seller in June. Ms Kirby said she saved for six months to buy the Holden Commodore for $3000 from a family who had advertised it on the Geelong Online Sales Facebook page."He showed me a title check on his phone, which said it was clear (of finance plans) and I thought it was all good. I did a roadworthy and transferred it into my name. Then three months later, the repossession guys are at my door," she said.Ms Kirby was told by them an amount of $3000 was owing on the car, and lawyers and police have since told her she cannot fight the repossession. She can launch a civil case against the sellers but she does not know their address to serve the legal documents."It may not sound like much but to a single parent on a pension ... I worked hard to save that," the mother of two said. "The repossession guy was really nice and gave me until the end of the week but I'm still going to be stranded. Public transport near me doesn't go to where I need to go. I could taxi to the shops but it will add up."Ms Kirby said she was concerned others could be stung by the scam, and on a much larger scale. "You can't take anyone's word no matter how trustworthy they seem," she said. "I haven't slept all week I've been so stressed. I've accepted the car's going but I would not want anyone to go through what I've been through."To check a car’s title with a VIN, visit the revs.com.au website for information on the Personal Property Securities Register. 

Holden's car factory should be sold to -- or create an alliance with -- a Chinese company, says the industry expert who drafted the controversial plan that forced Holden, Toyota and Nissan to share their locally-made cars in the 1980s.Dr Nicholas Gruen, an economic policy adviser to two Federal Government ministers and a former head of a Productivity Commission Inquiry also said if Australian car manufacturing were shut down it's "not a catastrophe, it's unfortunate”."At the moment there is no question that the money we are throwing at the (car) industry will simply buy us one more model cycle before they exit the back door like a waiter with their tip,"Dr Gruen told Radio 2GB's Money News show on Wednesday night.He suggested the Australian manufacturing facilities owned by Holden and Ford should be sold to or have an alliance formed with a Chinese company."When you look at the assets of Holden and Ford it's pretty clear they've actually got the wrong owners. The (manufacturing) assets themselves are actually quite valuable,"said Dr Gruen, who is now the CEO of Lateral Economics, a government-lobbying firm."Consider a Chinese company which doesn't have a lot of design capability, many of them can't design a complete car and have no large car even on the drawing boards, this is actually a very good fit for them."Dr Gruen said the Federal Government "should have been saying to the American companies 'we are not going to give you this kind of money unless you can come up with some credible joint venture structure or phased handover which convinces us that this isn't good money after bad'.”Holden declined to comment on Dr Gruen's proposal but it is widely accepted that exports to China are unviable because it has among the cheapest labour and construction costs in the world and General Motors already has a large manufacturing foothold there.It is also difficult to determine what use an Australian factory would be to a Chinese car company given the high local labour costs. Ford Australia also declined to comment but News Corp understands Ford has not lined up a Chinese buyer for its factories in Broadmeadows and Geelong, which will be up for sale by October 2016.When asked what would happen if the new Coalition Government -- which has pledged to cut $500 million from industry funding -- put restrictions on taxpayer assistance, Dr Gruen said: "There is no greater danger other than the danger of them leaving and that's not a catastrophe, it's unfortunate.”Dr Gruen said governments needed to attach more conditions to any future handouts.  "We've already committed to throwing a fair bit of money at this industry for good or for bad, how can we can think about doing it in the most constructive way possible?"said Dr Gruen.Despite being pledged $5.4 billion in taxpayer funding over 10 years the Australian car manufacturing industry is on the brink since Ford announced it would close its factories in October 2016.The parts supply base that typically manufactures components for all three local car makers will need to survive on the outputs of Holden and Toyota once Ford closes. It means the industry will likely need more taxpayer assistance to make fewer parts and vehicles while employing fewer people.The local car industry is being crippled because Australia has high labour costs and a strong currency compared to other car-making countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Low import tariffs, meanwhile, have helped foreign cars crush the sales dominance of the locally-made Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore.Dr Gruen was the architect of the Button Plan, named after the late Labor Senator John Button, the minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry from 1983 to 1993 having been appointed by Prime Minister Bob Hawke.To prepare the Australian car manufacturing industry for impending cuts to import tariffs the Button Plan forced Holden, Toyota and Nissan to share locally-made cars and rationalise the number of models made from 13 to six.The Button Plan, drafted in 1983, came into effect in 1984 and continued until 1997. Over the 13 years it saw Holden Commodores badged as Toyotas and Nissan Pulsars and Toyota Corollas badged as Holdens.The Toyota Camry also briefly was sold as a Holden Apollo and the Ford Falcon ute was sold as a Nissan. The Button Plan eventually died because car-buyers weren't fooled by the new badges and preferred the models from the original manufacturers.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Aussie motorsport heritage flexed its muscles last weekend with a spectacular show of local racing champions and their cars. Held at Sydney Motorsport Park, the ninth annual Australian Muscle Car Masters once again included a gathering of our most famous racing cars and drivers from the past half-century. This rolling history spanned several categories and eras of Australian motorsport, including Group N, S, A, and C, V8 Supercar, Formula 5000, plus a variety of current historic racers.  Notable examples included the 1986 Bathurst 1000-winning Grice/Bailey Chickadee Commodore, the 1992-winning Richards/Skaife Winfield Skyline GTR, and the Perkins/Ingall Castrol Commodore driven to victory in 1997.Legendary drivers in attendance included Allan Moffat, Fred Gibson, Harry Firth, John Goss, Leo Geoghegan, Jim and Steve Richards, Kevin Bartlett, Allan Grice and Neil Crompton.The highlight of the event was easily the ‘Bathurst Grid Spectacular’ held on the Sunday, where 60-odd previous Bathurst entries lined up on the grid for an hour of high-speed parade laps, and the variety of machinery and sounds proved that Australian motorsport runs far deeper than just Ford and Holden-badged racers.There were hundreds of classic road cars also on display, plus nearly 30 individual races held over the two days.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

The year is 1979 and I'm driving in a giant Falcon cavalcade through the streets of Melbourne, with a police escort and every junction blocked as if I was part of a Presidential motorcade. The XD Falcon is the biggest news in the country, even though the giant family fighter is being launched at a time when the world is downsizing its wheels in the wake of global energy crises and Holden has a bright new star with its first Commodore. Ford Australia is on the front foot and the Blue Oval's global boss and family patriach Henry Ford II has landed in Melbourne to put his personal stamp on the XD and talk about his company's aggressive plans for the future. Now it's Tuesday, this week, and I'm one of 850 invited guests at a $4 million Ford function in Sydney billed as 'Go Further - Vision for Australia'. It's a vision without the Falcon and this time the fly-in heroes are Ford's three amigos - global president Alan Mullaly,  chief operating officer Mark Fields and marketing boss Jim Farley. They're all talking big about a future for Ford in Australia with lots of new cars, lots of fresh thinking, and a new focus on customer relationships. Each takes the spotlight to introduce the new models, including the Transit vans and the mid-sized Mondeo that must do a much better job against the Toyota Camry in the mid-sized class. But there are no real answers to a range of questions, including the future of Ford Performance Vehicles and V8 Supercars racing, and no deviation from the prepared message that's been tailored to bring cheers and clapping from Ford employees and dealers. When Carsguide asks about the real future for the Falcon, from the planned facelift in 2014 through to the end of production in 2016, Alan Mullaly is short and not-so sweet. "That's the plan," he says. The Falcon and Territory die soon and Ford is switching to a fully imported lineup, from the baby Fiesta ST to the Mustang as the halo car. The Everest is the real hero, because the seven-seater SUV has been designed and developed in Australia, even though it will be built in Thailand. There is plenty of razzle-dazzle, including a mocked-up "showroom of the future", but no chance to drive any of the promises and no talk about the people in Melbourne who will lose their jobs. As I walk away from the 'Go Further' event I can see what Ford Australia is planning, and the commitment to its new future. But I'm also asking what would be happening in 2013 if the same cash and confidence and commitment that gave us the XD Falcon in 1979 had been applied by savvy management and smart salespeople in the days between then and now. Twitter @paulwardgover

If Pontiac brand had survived, we would have seen the Holden Commodore underpinning a rip-roaring GTO.  The plan was let slip in a column by Bob Lutz, a former senior exec at GM who was head of global product development at the time."We actually had a full-size clay model of what would have been the next GTO. It was essentially a two-door, four-passenger coupe that used the same architecture as the Pontiac G8 sedan," Lutz says in the Road & Track column.That architecture, of course, was the VE Commodore, which Holden developed into the G8 for Pontiac -- just before the brand died in the GFC slump.Following that, the G8 resurfaced here in Australia in the form of the  VE Commodore SS V-Series Special Edition sedan, wagon and ute -- unveiled at the 2009 Deni Ute Muster -- and featuring the Pontiac front fascia and other cosmetic touches.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

A pre-loved workhorse joins the upper ranks in the protection stakes. It's getting harder to buy an unsafe car, even a used one. The latest Safe Picks survey includes, for the first time, a light-commercial -- the VE Commodore Ute.Yet its VE sedan counterpart scores only four stars due to the late inclusion of standard side airbags in the entry-level models during the early stages of the VE's life cycle.Ford's BA/BF Falcon and the VY/VZ Commodore scored similarly to the VE, but the FG Falcon scored the full five stars and a Safe Pick rating. Safe Picks, the work of road safety researchers and motoring organisations nationally, details more than 200 used vehicles between two and 17 years old.The top performers are listed as Safe Picks, which means occupants and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists are afforded the greatest protection.The ratings are calculated by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) using data from more than 5.5 million vehicles involved in police-reported crashes between 1996-2011.RAA spokesman Mark Borlace says the medium car segment has the most Safe Pick choices -- 13 vehicles are rated excellent for driver protection in a crash.Six of these also received the Safe Pick rating. Six small cars scored the Safe Pick rating, including the Adelaide-built Holden Cruze, as well as a growing number of light commercial vehicles.Top used cars (Five stars and Safe Pick)SMALL: Holden Cruze JG/JH 2009-11MEDIUM: BMW 3 Series 2005-11UTES: Holden Commodore Ute VE 2007-11LARGE CARS: BMW 5 Series E39 1996-2003COMPACT SUVs: Mitsubishi Outlander/Peugeot 4007 2006-11MEDIUM SUVs: Holden Captiva CG 2006-11LARGE SUVs: BMW X5 2001-08PEOPLE-MOVERS: Honda Odyssey 2004-09 

“Being able to control the car when you are a bit sideways means you can have a bit of fun.” Craig Lowndes hurtles into the corner, his wheels spit rubber and his brakes scream.Lowndes' Red Bull Racing Australia Commodore bites and then barks, the weight of his full frontal corner attack sending the rear end into a slide. The crowd screams as the rubber burns and the Channel 7 commentary team work themselves into a frenzy.“Oh that's great,” V8 legend Mark Skaife says. “That's what we love to see. That is the typical Lowndes' style.” Craig Lowndes, OAM, has been described as wild, loose and aggressive. His four-wheel drifting has become his trademark and he has the most talked-about driving style in Australia.But just what is the five times Bathurst champion's style? And how does he do it? Ahead of today's final two races in Ipswich, we sat down with the motor sport legend to find out if he is really on the ragged edge, almost out of control. “It is all about carrying mid-corner speed for me,” Lowndes said.“If people want to talk about my style, that is what it is. I love carrying entry speed and corner speed. That works for me when the tyre is good, but when it degrades I get a bit of understeer, I can't carry the mid-corner grip, and that's when you see the slides and stuff everyone loves.” Lowndes claims he is not wild. Everything he does in his race car is calm and calculated.“I don't mind a car moving around a little bit,” Lowndes said. “It is just something I have gotten used to over the years and I am not concerned when it does slide a bit. It is just something I have always done and I don't do it on purpose.” Lowndes is not laying rubber on purpose, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like it. “Being able to control the car when you are a bit sideways means you can have a bit of fun,” Lowndes said.“I don't mind it a bit.” Lowndes' trademark style comes from his open wheel pedigree. He cut his teeth in go-karts before moving to Formula Ford. Lowndes was on the cusp of a Formula One drive before running out of cash to fund his European dream. “My driving style comes from my open wheel background,” Lowndes said.“It is more about mid-corner speed and that is how I drive. It has helped at times and it has also hindered.” Lowndes revealed the biggest challenge of his career was moving to the Dunlop tyre after spending years on the mid-corner friendly Bridgestone. “That was tough when Dunlop came in as the control tyre. I had to learn to drive to the tyre. Before that, on the Bridgestone, it suited my style with the mid-corner speed and grip. “The Dunlop was more about braking and accelerating. That was a huge change in my style and approach to racing.” Lowndes hates speaking about retirement. He is 39 and he is not thinking about the end because he feels like he is in the best form of his career. And it all comes down to style.“The ‘Car of the Future’ suits my style,” Lowndes said. “Car of the future has allowed me to have more mid corner speed, to get my style back. Drivers that come from an open wheeler background appreciate that more.” 

Stand-by for a short-term price war as car dealers panic sell to clear orders cancelled due to the Rudd Government’s controversial changes to Fringe Benefits Tax rules.“Thousands of cars here or on their way here have had their orders cancelled or postponed because of the sudden changes to FBT," said Richard Dudley, the CEO of the Australian Automobile Dealers Association.“There will be an initial glut of new cars but what happens depends on the outcome of the election. The government is not prepared to move on its FBT decision whereas the opposition says they will abolish the changes."As Ford Australia confirmed it is considering cutting production of the Falcon sedan and Territory SUV, its arch rival Holden issued an urgent bulletin to dealers offering new discounts across most of its model range.“Due to the uncertainty created by the recent announcement on FBT … Holden is offering an additional bonus over and above the current retail incentives”, the confidential bulletin obtained by News Corp said.All new Holdens except the Commodore have an extra $1000 slashed from their prices while the Colorado 4WD has an extra $2000 discount. It means the cheapest car in the Holden range, the Barina Spark, can be bought for $12,990 drive-away.Toyota is understood to be preparing to clear up to 1000 Camrys over the next two months because it is unable to cut production at short notice. The last time Toyota had to quit Camrys, prices dipped to $27,990 drive-away, about $5000 off RRP.Ford, which will end production in Australia in 2016, has foreshadowed further cutbacks. “We can confirm we are looking at what mean for our August production,” said Ford spokeswoman Sinead Phipps.Ford Australia has also put an immediate halt on its employee company-car program. “We’re not calling cars back, but we’re not issuing any new ones at this stage.”Manufacturers have stopped most company-car deliveries to their own staff because the new rules will increase their FBT bills by more than $50 million -- an estimated $20 million each for Toyota and Holden and about $15 million for Ford which has a smaller fleet.The car industry is yet to accurately measure the impact of the FBT changes on new-car sales because the data is compiled on the last day of the month.“It is too early to determine the impact of the FBT on sales after just 10 days, but we will likely see a slowdown in the next two months,” said Tony Weber, the chief executive of the Federal Chamber Automotive Industries. “Long term, if the FBT changes are not reversed, we expect to see a reduction in new-car sales of at least 10 per cent.”Industry estimates say a 10 per cent drop in new-car sales would wipe $1.3 billion in GST revenue a year. When the Rudd Government announced the changes to company car tax rules it forecast a contribution of $1.8 billion towards the axing of the carbon tax.State governments would also miss out on an estimated $100 million in stamp duty revenue from new-car sales and about $50 million in registration fees each year.Luxury car buyers will also be able to grab a bargain. BMW took out advertisements in daily press during the week advising customers against novated leasing because under the new circumstances “a novated lease may no longer be the most suitable way” to buy a new car.Mercedes-Benz is understood to have a surplus of about 400 of its most affordable sedan, the C-Class, which is Australia’s second-biggest selling medium-sized car after the Toyota Camry.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

My first real job was working Saturday mornings for Big Bruno at the Caltex service station in Campbelltown, on the western outskirts of Sydney. Each week my shift began with cleaning the toilets, always a good way to ensure you don't get too uppity.But the reason I am reminded of those early days plying the pumps is the flood of recent emails from people who have oil trouble. Holden V6s apparently lose their lubricant on a regular basis, and a couple of Volkswagen owners report cars that have emptied their sumps.That's nasty stuff on both fronts, and we're trying to track back to the source of the Commodore complaints, but it gets me thinking. How can anyone let their oil drop to a critical level? Or rely entirely on a bright red warning light that only fires when the engine is heading to Defcon 4?It's because no-one does even the most basic mechanical checks these days. The vast majority of new-car owners believe a 15,000-kilometre service interval means they don't have to do anything between trips to the dealership. Fettling is all about mechanics and the workshop, not them and their local petrol station.Yet every year I read Goodyear safety statistics that say more than 70 per cent of the country's tyres are dangerously under-inflated, with more and more people also reporting their oily horror stories to Carsguide. Back in the day, a trip to the bowsers meant a trip to the service station.My job each Saturday was to clean the windscreens, check the radiators and windscreen-washer levels, dip the oil, pump the tyres and fill the tanks. There is no-one to do that at a 21st century Caltex, where price is far more important than service or a smile, so the jobs don't get done. And that's how oil - or no oil - becomes a problem. I'm not defending engines that need investigation, but everyone has some duty of care when it comes to their car.It's not hard to find the dipstick - these days most have a bright yellow handle - and pumping air into the tyres is easy. A drink of water for the washers means it's far easier to sweep bugs away instead of smearing them across the screen. We're only talking about five minutes, every couple of fills. It's not hard. I know, because I did it for years, and I still do it today.It can actually be a bit of fun, poking around to discover what's happening under the bonnet and how to ensure a car runs as well as it can. If you're reading this and wondering what the fuss is about, remember that even a low-maintenance modern car is still a complicated beast.We're well past the days when the safety net for every trip included a fan belt, spare fuses, a litre of Castrol's finest and some water, but no car can run forever without a bit of help. Remember the old line about “an apple a day”? Well, in the case of your car, it could be as simple as "a dip and a squirt" to keep the mechanic at bay.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

The SSV Ute’s 8:19:47 lap was faster than any other utility, pick up, or commercial vehicle – ever.Watch the Holden VF Ute vs The Nurburgring -- Part 1: The MachineWatch the Holden VF Ute vs The Nurburgring -- Part 2: The DriverWatch the Holden VF Ute vs The Nurburgring – record lap