Vauxhall Monaro | PH Auction Block
A modern classic muscle car, loved by a PHer for 15 years and still just 50,000 miles old...
It can be hard to remember how enthusiast-focused Vauxhall was around the turn of the century. Yes, it was a reasonably long time ago, but the change in attitude has been pretty stark. Here, after all, was a manufacturer winning touring car title after touring car title, helping out little Lotus and creating its own brilliant roadster in the process, plus making mad hot hatches to go alongside. Vauxhall could always be counted on to do something fun. Now not so much - not at all, really. And that's a shame. Even allowing for more straitened times, there’s a conspicuous lack of anything interesting that’s Griffin-badged.
The crowning glory of that early 2000s golden era was arguably the Monaro. So successful was Vauxhall’s importation of the Holden coupe that the UK ended up with Aussie V8s on sale for well over a decade: the four-door VXR8 took the place of the coupe in 2008, and remained on sale across two generations until 2017. Though both inevitably became more expensive and more complex over time, the innate appeal never wavered very much: there was a big V8 upfront, a standard manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive and a robust Antipodean sense of humour to the whole thing. The Vauxhall-badged Holdens guaranteed a good time, for relatively little money as well - it’s little wonder they are still so loved.
The Monaro kicked off the revolution in 2004, offering a 5.7-litre V8 and 330hp for £30k. Persuasive, right? This black example will have been one of the very first in the country, registered in Essex in June 2004. What a sight (and sound) it must have made among the Corsas, Astras and Vectras. What a time it was, too, for relatively affordable, interesting fast cars: the Impreza and Evo, the Clio V6, the Nissan 350Z and BMW Z4 Coupe would all have been similar money.
Having changed hands a couple of times in the following years, this Monaro was bought by its current owner in 2008. About which time they joined PH, because what better car community to be part of when you’ve bought a Holden? In the 15 years or so since, the big V8 has been used, enjoyed and cherished, benefitting from some useful upgrades - a Wortec performance pack, uprated clutch and Ripshifter kit - along the way. It’s still showing just 51,000 miles.
Furthermore, while Monaros were never renowned (or purchased) for their ambience and perceived quality, this one has stood up to 20 years of use well. Inside and out looks good without being so perfect you’d be scared to use it; some effort expended on a bit of polishing would work wonders. They’re fundamentally quite simple (if heavy) old beasts, too, so running a Monaro shouldn’t be disastrously expensive. This one would probably benefit from a service and freshening up for 2024, given its last service was in 2020. But it’s hardly like the LS1 is a high-maintenance V8.
Perhaps best of all, Monaros remain affordable, just like they always were. As some interesting cars of the era have skyrocketed in value (see E46 M3, the aforementioned Clio and the Honda S2000), so the Monaro has only crept up: the PH Buying Guide (from 2021) suggested 5.7s were from £9k, and this one is guided at £11-12,000. Which doesn’t seem very much for the experience on offer. Be nice to keep it in the PH family, too.
It will be interesting to see what this car finally goes for.
I also wonder who would really be in the market for this type of car in 2024, the world is certainly a different place to what it was in 2004.
Judging by the pictures the future owner will need to budget for a full service, and some serious paint rectification and detailing, not to mention the probability of a few Monaro repairs.
Still it could be a great car for the right owner who appreciates what it really is.
As someone once said….”She’s the last of the V8’s”
They looked a bit of a bargain to me when they came out, but at the time I was getting a car allowance and doing business miles which I would have been subsidising with a V8.
With ICE cars stopping in 2030 I can't see values dropping for cars like this - get one while you still can. And it's probably ULEZ compliant!
They looked a bit of a bargain to me when they came out, but at the time I was getting a car allowance and doing business miles which I would have been subsidising with a V8.
With ICE cars stopping in 2030 I can't see values dropping for cars like this - get one while you still can. And it's probably ULEZ compliant!
To give you some idea as to how low that asking price is, I could probably reimport it back into Straya and make money - early manual 5.7s are advertised starting at AU$30k. An ‘04 manual starts around $35k - which is about £18k - and prices don’t seem to be going down much any more.
On a run it matches my civic type R with easy as the early ones are so long gears, it happily sees well into the 30s on the motorway
my real world average is around 19mpg.. easily see it in single digits.. all depends how you drive it
As for parts, i so far (touch wood) have not had an issue find any parts i need
On the exhaust front, I like the single exit as mean I have the big boot
When originally looking i wanted the full fat VXR bodykitted one, not i have an early one as i wanted the colour more than the kit, after over a year with it, i much prefer the simple old school muscle car feel/look of the pain body
Anyway jumping on the band wagon... here's mine
To give you some idea as to how low that asking price is, I could probably reimport it back into Straya and make money - early manual 5.7s are advertised starting at AU$30k. An ‘04 manual starts around $35k - which is about £18k - and prices don’t seem to be going down much any more.
These have been a bargain for a long time over here, this one has the larger boot being an 04 which is good but it is really at the tippy top of the market for a Monaro as it's right on VXR money and I can't see it worth going for the stock one over one of those (condition dependent of course).
On a run it matches my civic type R with easy as the early ones are so long gears, it happily sees well into the 30s on the motorway
my real world average is around 19mpg.. easily see it in single digits.. all depends how you drive it
As for parts, i so far (touch wood) have not had an issue find any parts i need
On the exhaust front, I like the single exit as mean I have the big boot
When originally looking i wanted the full fat VXR bodykitted one, not i have an early one as i wanted the colour more than the kit, after over a year with it, i much prefer the simple old school muscle car feel/look of the pain body
Anyway jumping on the band wagon... here's mine
Quite a full set of Monkfish enhancements.Traded for a CLS63 in 2016 to a dealer in Yately who immediately sold on to the dealer who specialises/d in Monaros and posts/ed here IIRC
I actually really like the interior design on these, too.
I've never been it one, but it looks like it'd make for a fairly comfy GT car.
There are never many on sale to choose from at any one time - a shame as every time I've been in the market for a new car over the last decade, its a model I'll always look for but generally be disappointed by what's on offer at the time.
In 2019 I did buy a Mustang GT, which is probably the better car - which you'd expect having been developed over a decade later, but I can't help but think a Monaro would have felt like more of a muscle car than the Mustang did...
I'd take a red, blue or yellow over a more "corporate" colour like black or silver.
It really is a shame that cars like this don't exist anymore.
The new S650 Mustang is all that's left, but at roughly £60k it doesn't seem anywhere nearly as good value as Monaros did upon release...
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