RE: Vauxhall VXR8: You Know You Want To
Discussion
I wouldn't even look at a German saloon with these about, the M5 with beat it around the nurburgring by a few seconds, I do not care. A big stupid American V8 hooked up to a big stupid manual gearbox with a big stupid drivetrain attached on to that. No electric wizards to get in the way, just a simple fun car to enjoy. If I could afford a 3rd car as a motorway cruiser it would be one of these, I would almost consider trading the TVR in for one if I ever develop a bad back! xD
Edited by MixFi on Thursday 3rd August 21:15
I had one of these with an X-pipe and the 'Supercar' back box system fitted. It sounded brutal but never really felt that fast given how much the thing weighed.
Electrics were not the best either, rear light clusters played up, gauges sometimes didn't work either. It's also enormous and doesn't fit to well in most car park spaces.
It was a comfy place to sit for short and long runs though. Spare parts are also pricey, new rear light clusters are 1k plus.
Would I have another, no I'd probably go for the M5.
Electrics were not the best either, rear light clusters played up, gauges sometimes didn't work either. It's also enormous and doesn't fit to well in most car park spaces.
It was a comfy place to sit for short and long runs though. Spare parts are also pricey, new rear light clusters are 1k plus.
Would I have another, no I'd probably go for the M5.
Went to Elite to buy an HSV to replace my TVR. James had an early VXR8 for the same price as the Monaro VXR I ended-up buying; I prefer the looks of the bodykitted Monaro (a bit Marmite I know) and I'd always wanted one.
Hoofing great V8, more performance than my Chimaera 4.0, slow, clunky box (the Ripshifter mod improves this greatly), marginal brakes. The car is enormous for a coupe, but does shrink around you with experience on the road. The steering rack is quite slow, and the wheel is from a Routemaster bus, but it had quite a well-resolved chassis and honking out of corners at full-throttle with the back squatted down and that tremendous LS2 racket never got stale.
Sold it only because it wasn't really suitable for trackdays. Tyres at £800+ a set, 1670kg and ££££ for discs and pads put paid to that.
Mine was already debadged when I bought it. Every time I took it out you could see people staring thinking "What is that?"
Hoofing great V8, more performance than my Chimaera 4.0, slow, clunky box (the Ripshifter mod improves this greatly), marginal brakes. The car is enormous for a coupe, but does shrink around you with experience on the road. The steering rack is quite slow, and the wheel is from a Routemaster bus, but it had quite a well-resolved chassis and honking out of corners at full-throttle with the back squatted down and that tremendous LS2 racket never got stale.
Sold it only because it wasn't really suitable for trackdays. Tyres at £800+ a set, 1670kg and ££££ for discs and pads put paid to that.
Mine was already debadged when I bought it. Every time I took it out you could see people staring thinking "What is that?"
monty158 said:
Somewhat missing the point there mate...
Difference is, the Corsa was designed to be a Vauxhall, these were not
Vauxhall drowning under a world of grey rubbish cars, originally imported 300 Monaros to use as a halo car, all have Holden VIN plates, even under the Griffin grill badge is the outline of the lion ready to put a Holden badge back on, I know as I'm on my second one now
P.s, I ran my local Vauxhall dealership yesterday for an Oil Filter and they couldn't help me, I think they'd probably stock them for Corsas and Insignias though
No I was quite clear on the point, both sets of cars are imported, neither manufactured nor designed in the UKDifference is, the Corsa was designed to be a Vauxhall, these were not
Vauxhall drowning under a world of grey rubbish cars, originally imported 300 Monaros to use as a halo car, all have Holden VIN plates, even under the Griffin grill badge is the outline of the lion ready to put a Holden badge back on, I know as I'm on my second one now
P.s, I ran my local Vauxhall dealership yesterday for an Oil Filter and they couldn't help me, I think they'd probably stock them for Corsas and Insignias though
And under all the Astra's GTC is an Opel Z outline - but guess what Vauxhall gets beaten up on here regardless of what it does or what products it puts out.
Below examples of when they got it right for the enthusiast imho -
The Lotus Carlton
Nova Sport
Astra GTE 16v
Vectra ST200 (only 38 made)
R8OMG said:
Prices have been appreciating on these over the last few years
I sold my LS3 VXR8 in 2012 for 15k as I needed the money for a house. I hoped I could buy another one a few years later for half the price - but no, prices have held firm or indeed gone up.I ended up buying a BMW 750 to get my V8 fix for a third of what these still sell for.
I owned a E39 540 - before the VXR8, the quality of the bm was far better - but the vx was the best car I l've had so far. Goes fast and had decent brakes and great engine.
Just be aware that being from Oz there's little or no rust prevention underneath and anyone buying one should have a good look underneath.
speedtwelve said:
Went to Elite to buy an HSV to replace my TVR. James had an early VXR8 for the same price as the Monaro VXR I ended-up buying; I prefer the looks of the bodykitted Monaro (a bit Marmite I know) and I'd always wanted one.
Hoofing great V8, more performance than my Chimaera 4.0, slow, clunky box (the Ripshifter mod improves this greatly), marginal brakes. The car is enormous for a coupe, but does shrink around you with experience on the road. The steering rack is quite slow, and the wheel is from a Routemaster bus, but it had quite a well-resolved chassis and honking out of corners at full-throttle with the back squatted down and that tremendous LS2 racket never got stale.
Sold it only because it wasn't really suitable for trackdays. Tyres at £800+ a set, 1670kg and ££££ for discs and pads put paid to that.
Mine was already debadged when I bought it. Every time I took it out you could see people staring thinking "What is that?"
Nice! More gratuitous pictures of the wrong, but arguably better looking car. Here's mine:Hoofing great V8, more performance than my Chimaera 4.0, slow, clunky box (the Ripshifter mod improves this greatly), marginal brakes. The car is enormous for a coupe, but does shrink around you with experience on the road. The steering rack is quite slow, and the wheel is from a Routemaster bus, but it had quite a well-resolved chassis and honking out of corners at full-throttle with the back squatted down and that tremendous LS2 racket never got stale.
Sold it only because it wasn't really suitable for trackdays. Tyres at £800+ a set, 1670kg and ££££ for discs and pads put paid to that.
Mine was already debadged when I bought it. Every time I took it out you could see people staring thinking "What is that?"
It does have VXR8 wheels, gearbox and an LSA engine though so sort of counts.
skinnyman said:
Fun cars.
I paid £16.5k a few months ago for the later 6.2 model, manual, with £2k's worth of 20" HSV alloys.
Some of the dealers on AutoTrader are dreaming though imo, some have been for sale for upwards of 6mths. If you want one, get on the HSV Facebook group, much more realistic prices.
Would be helpful if you could be more specific re the Facebook page as there are severalI paid £16.5k a few months ago for the later 6.2 model, manual, with £2k's worth of 20" HSV alloys.
Some of the dealers on AutoTrader are dreaming though imo, some have been for sale for upwards of 6mths. If you want one, get on the HSV Facebook group, much more realistic prices.
IanJ9375 said:
monty158 said:
Somewhat missing the point there mate...
Difference is, the Corsa was designed to be a Vauxhall, these were not
Vauxhall drowning under a world of grey rubbish cars, originally imported 300 Monaros to use as a halo car, all have Holden VIN plates, even under the Griffin grill badge is the outline of the lion ready to put a Holden badge back on, I know as I'm on my second one now
P.s, I ran my local Vauxhall dealership yesterday for an Oil Filter and they couldn't help me, I think they'd probably stock them for Corsas and Insignias though
No I was quite clear on the point, both sets of cars are imported, neither manufactured nor designed in the UKDifference is, the Corsa was designed to be a Vauxhall, these were not
Vauxhall drowning under a world of grey rubbish cars, originally imported 300 Monaros to use as a halo car, all have Holden VIN plates, even under the Griffin grill badge is the outline of the lion ready to put a Holden badge back on, I know as I'm on my second one now
P.s, I ran my local Vauxhall dealership yesterday for an Oil Filter and they couldn't help me, I think they'd probably stock them for Corsas and Insignias though
And under all the Astra's GTC is an Opel Z outline - but guess what Vauxhall gets beaten up on here regardless of what it does or what products it puts out.
Below examples of when they got it right for the enthusiast imho -
The Lotus Carlton
Nova Sport
Astra GTE 16v
Vectra ST200 (only 38 made)
The Monaro was only imported to help launch the VXR brand, when it was designed back in 1998/99 no one ever imagined it would be sold in the UK.
The Insignia on the other hand was designed knowing it would replace the Vectra.
Not that any of that matters anyway. I couldn't care less what badge it has stuck on it.
They are wonderful machines.
I test drove a BMW M3 competition pack and a c63 amg coupe mercedes but opted instead for a VXR8 Bathurst auto. I found the M3 a bit dull to be honest but on a short test drive it wasn't probably a fair assessment. The Mercedes was stunning but with 2 small children the amazing interior wouldn't have stayed amazing for long.
The deciding factor was to own something more unique and bold as brass that gives you a sense of occasion. I live in the north west so there is a huge amount of German cars here so it was nice to own something the locals knew nothing about. The only reason I ended up selling the car is due to the auto box which was especially awful in 3rd gear. I would consider buying another one but it would have to be a manual version next time around.
The deciding factor was to own something more unique and bold as brass that gives you a sense of occasion. I live in the north west so there is a huge amount of German cars here so it was nice to own something the locals knew nothing about. The only reason I ended up selling the car is due to the auto box which was especially awful in 3rd gear. I would consider buying another one but it would have to be a manual version next time around.
vanish said:
The only reason I ended up selling the car is due to the auto box which was especially awful in 3rd gear. I would consider buying another one but it would have to be a manual version next time around.
Did you have the gearbox remapped? Apparently this makes them much livelier.Owning something LS powered like a VXR8 is very high up on my bucket list, but I personally just cannot get over the prices.
Don't get me wrong, they aren't expensive, but considering what else you can get for the money, they aren't cheap either.
I think in Aus and to a lesser extent, the US, it seems these kind of car thrive because they is usually a noticeable premium on non domestic stuff when new, and they are more abundant on the used market. In the UK, where the Vauxhall is the rarity as people have pointed out, VXR8s are broadly speaking the same price as similar age/mileage XFRs/63 AMGs/M5/ISFs, and when in that sort of company, a VXR8 doesn't sound quite as "Big, comfy, loud, silly".
It'll be interesting to see if a similar trend happens with the new mustang.
Don't get me wrong, they aren't expensive, but considering what else you can get for the money, they aren't cheap either.
I think in Aus and to a lesser extent, the US, it seems these kind of car thrive because they is usually a noticeable premium on non domestic stuff when new, and they are more abundant on the used market. In the UK, where the Vauxhall is the rarity as people have pointed out, VXR8s are broadly speaking the same price as similar age/mileage XFRs/63 AMGs/M5/ISFs, and when in that sort of company, a VXR8 doesn't sound quite as "Big, comfy, loud, silly".
It'll be interesting to see if a similar trend happens with the new mustang.
Edited by 279 on Sunday 6th August 17:27
279 said:
It'll be interesting to see if a similar trend happens with the new mustang.
As an Holden owner, I'm biased but I think the Mustang is a bit ubiquitous to have the same appeal long term. According to this https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&... , there are only 617 Monaros in the country and 497 VXR8s. They aren't making any more either which is a shame.Compared to 4,983 Mustang GT & Ecoboost. The Mustang is a better car, no doubt and I do like the look of them. Every time I see one however, I expect Burt Reynolds to get out of it.
wormus said:
279 said:
It'll be interesting to see if a similar trend happens with the new mustang.
As an Holden owner, I'm biased but I think the Mustang is a bit ubiquitous to have the same appeal long term. According to this https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&... , there are only 617 Monaros in the country and 497 VXR8s. They aren't making any more either which is a shame.Compared to 4,983 Mustang GT & Ecoboost. The Mustang is a better car, no doubt and I do like the look of them. Every time I see one however, I expect Burt Reynolds to get out of it.
Ford designed it knowing that it would be sold in Europe. The formula has been changed.
Top Gear Rory put it best, I don't want a Mustang my mum would drive.
Muscle cars are a bit of a pain to live with. They aren't sophisticated, it's part of the charm.
The new Mustang is "too good" and "too nice".
No doubt a great car but it just doesn't appeal to me.
wormus said:
The Mustang is a better car, no doubt and I do like the look of them. Every time I see one however, I expect Burt Reynolds to get out of it.
That might be a bit like Dick Van Dyke's accent, I'm afraid. 
Burt Reynolds will get out of the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. It is Steve McQueen who will step out of the Mustang. All irrelevant and plastic fantastic, I know, but there we are.
Not to worry. When he reviewed the new C6 Z06 Corvette, Jeremy Clarkson wrote that Chevrolet put an eagle on Corvette bonnets.
No such Corvette was ever produced.
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Below: Pontiac Firebird, Trans-Am. Like in "Smokey and the Bandit."
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