2002 Holden Statesman - What to look for?

[richard300]

With 1 week to go, before i fly out to South Australia (Have 189 Visa's) i am short listing cars to look at....

The budget for my car is $5000 (ideally)
I have just noticed this car on Gumtree:

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/old-reynella/cars-v...

Looks like my kind of thing - Old barge with lots of toys and handsome (in its own way). But i know little about them?
I know it has 250K on the odometer - but then, everything seems to have 250K on the odometer!!

Is this a belt or chain driven engine?
What kind of image does a car like this have in AU? I only ask, as i was originally looking at VT Commodores in SS specification, but i had lots of feedback, that its the Ozzy version of a chav'd up Citroen Saxo?

[ezakimak]

early Holden V6 engines look to be timing chain onto a cam in the v of the block, driving push rods.

later ones appear to be double over head cams and also have a chain.

I've never owned either, but driven lots of both.

[motomk]

That one looks ok. They are a bit agricultural, ie they are not Japanese, but they should be reliable. I think I have mentioned before parts are nice easy to get hold of and they are not too difficult to work on as the are just a LWB Commodore. That one isn't on gas so I suspect it hasn't been to the airport too many times as a taxi-limo. They are big cars so not easy to park in the city, ok on fuel but a smaller car would be more economical.
Steering wheel looks a bit worn and the aerial has been to Pisa but not the end of the world.

[Coatesy351]

It's just a long wheelbase version of a vt commodore everything in the previous thread about vt ss commodores applies to statesman and caprice.

[papahet]

motomk said:

the aerial has been to Pisa but not the end of the world.

I don't think there is a single VT era Commodore that has a functioning or straight aerial...anyone that has owned a VT knows that sound of an aerial extending / retracting followed by half a second of the sound of plastic gears stripping teeth.

[XB70]

richard300 said:

With 1 week to go, before i fly out to South Australia (Have 189 Visa's) i am short listing cars to look at....

The budget for my car is $5000 (ideally)
I have just noticed this car on Gumtree:

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/old-reynella/cars-v...

Looks like my kind of thing - Old barge with lots of toys and handsome (in its own way). But i know little about them?
I know it has 250K on the odometer - but then, everything seems to have 250K on the odometer!!

Is this a belt or chain driven engine?
What kind of image does a car like this have in AU? I only ask, as i was originally looking at VT Commodores in SS specification, but i had lots of feedback, that its the Ozzy version of a chav'd up Citroen Saxo?

For $5000 you would get an excellent example of a Toyota Avalon. They were (unfairly) slated by the press at release because not RWD (gasp!) but are excellent, roomy and reliable cars and very cheap to maintain. V6 too so performance is fine for ambling around the city and surrounds. Massive boot too. Get the Grande and you get leather, sunroof etc.