2 Months of Monaro ownership and it's all over
Discussion
Had the Monaro for nearly 2 months now so have decided to trade it in.
Why is that some of you may ask???
Well, the car is OK but it just doesn't do it for me
It's too heavy and sluggish and I feel that the 5.7L engine is not taken full advantage of....
Was a pleasant 2 months but I am going back to proper performance cars for a while
Bye bye......
Why is that some of you may ask???
Well, the car is OK but it just doesn't do it for me
It's too heavy and sluggish and I feel that the 5.7L engine is not taken full advantage of....
Was a pleasant 2 months but I am going back to proper performance cars for a while
Bye bye......
If the weight of four seats is blunting your use of the 5.7 maybe you need to order an Elfin.
www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20008
www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/conceptcar?modelid=20008
caspy said:
Have u asked about the sluggish throttle ? 05 car ?
Surely remedy is cheaper than dumping car so soon after buying.
>> Edited by caspy on Thursday 5th May 13:10
Yes it was an 05 car. I don't know about the sluggish throttle but there are a few other design faults that have been overlooked !!!!!!!!
caspy said:
Dont be shy, any feedback is listened to, good or bad. What are u changing it for ?
Ok, yes the Monaro is on the surface a great car, good looks, lovely interior, great sounding engine...
After a short while you begin to notice small things such as the engine breather pipe situated 1mm above a belt in the engine which will invariably catch on it and shred it to pieces (as it did on mine in the first week)...
The standard Monaro IS underpowered for a 5.7L car.
There is a certain stigma about driving a Vauxhall (yes, we all know it's a Holden) but on the front and back are whacking big Vauxhall badges
Vauxhall in this country are perceived as a cheapo mass car producing company who make awful cars!
I just couldn't get excited whilst driving the Monaro, it all felt a bit lazy..
Please don't see all this as a panning as they are nice cars but just not for me.
Interesting comments.
I think u were unfortunate in going for an 05 car in its infancy. But u paid your money, u take your choice. Never nice to lose one from the fold so to speak, but, if not comfortable with purchase can understand. Have u sold it or traded it in? And what are u looking at buying now?
I think u were unfortunate in going for an 05 car in its infancy. But u paid your money, u take your choice. Never nice to lose one from the fold so to speak, but, if not comfortable with purchase can understand. Have u sold it or traded it in? And what are u looking at buying now?
Sorry the Monaro is not for you. I have always thought of these cars as great allrounders, they are GT cars with the capacity to carry 4 people + luggage (In particular the 5.7) in comfort at high speed. With varying degrees of mods. they can outhandle many rivals & so called sporting cars. In a straight line there are still not too many cars that can beat my HSV to 100mph (10.0 secs) or to 150mph for that matter.
But they are not lightweight sportcars & will never feel like one, despite being remarkably agile for there size & weight.
Sounds to me that you required a more focused performance car & I hope that you find it. Good luck.
P.S You are not alone someone in Bath had a silver VXR for a short time, which appears to have been swapped for a A3 3.2 Quattro.
But they are not lightweight sportcars & will never feel like one, despite being remarkably agile for there size & weight.
Sounds to me that you required a more focused performance car & I hope that you find it. Good luck.
P.S You are not alone someone in Bath had a silver VXR for a short time, which appears to have been swapped for a A3 3.2 Quattro.
Horses for courses, I guess.
Conversely, I got rid of an EVO 340 to get a Monaro, firstly the 333 bhp model and now the 404 bhp version.
It was my second EVO and I would not totally rule out another, because of it's well-known strengths, (I will probably get a low-mileage FQ400 at some stage for a bit of fun) but there are many areas in which I am very happy I made the switch.
The EVO interior looks as though it was plucked from a 1975 Ford Cortina, the engine always sounded to me as though it was on the edge of a heart-attack, (unsurprising with 172 bhp per litre really)
and the ride quality, even with small wheels, was poor. The standard kit was measly for a car costing £33K and the styling was very Vectra-plus-bodykits, whereas the Monaro VXR 6.0 looks, rides and feels far more polished and has a much better specification and interior, as well as being far more easy-going, even though it will do 180 mph and cruise at 160 mph, as proved in EVO magazine this month.
I put it this way to a friend in London with an Aston Martin DB9.
I have virtually the same performance and comfort as he, more space inside, but for forgoing the badge and some more class, I have saved £80,000. (The £35K I paid, from the £115K he had to fork out.)
It's a bargain.
Conversely, I got rid of an EVO 340 to get a Monaro, firstly the 333 bhp model and now the 404 bhp version.
It was my second EVO and I would not totally rule out another, because of it's well-known strengths, (I will probably get a low-mileage FQ400 at some stage for a bit of fun) but there are many areas in which I am very happy I made the switch.
The EVO interior looks as though it was plucked from a 1975 Ford Cortina, the engine always sounded to me as though it was on the edge of a heart-attack, (unsurprising with 172 bhp per litre really)
and the ride quality, even with small wheels, was poor. The standard kit was measly for a car costing £33K and the styling was very Vectra-plus-bodykits, whereas the Monaro VXR 6.0 looks, rides and feels far more polished and has a much better specification and interior, as well as being far more easy-going, even though it will do 180 mph and cruise at 160 mph, as proved in EVO magazine this month.
I put it this way to a friend in London with an Aston Martin DB9.
I have virtually the same performance and comfort as he, more space inside, but for forgoing the badge and some more class, I have saved £80,000. (The £35K I paid, from the £115K he had to fork out.)
It's a bargain.
VXR SIX said:
I put it this way to a friend in London with an Aston Martin DB9.
I have virtually the same performance and comfort as he, more space inside, but for forgoing the badge and some more class, I have saved £80,000. (The £35K I paid, from the £115K he had to fork out.)
You can't compare a Vauxhall to an Aston !!!
Never in a million years...
Your right it is horses for courses, if I had the space & the money, I would have a FQ340 or 400 as well as my other cars. I love manic, high reving, turbo 4 pot madness, but find it to wearing & uncomfortable for every day use.
My love for big capacity,low reving, lazy & torquey American V8's is just that much stronger though!
My love for big capacity,low reving, lazy & torquey American V8's is just that much stronger though!
R-Jay said:
I put it this way to a friend in London with an Aston Martin DB9.
I have virtually the same performance and comfort as he, more space inside, but for forgoing the badge and some more class, I have saved £80,000. (The £35K I paid, from the £115K he had to fork out.)
You can't compare a Vauxhall to an Aston !!!
Never in a million years...
For what it actually provides as a road car...YES you can !
Remember that the engine in the DB9 is basically two ST220 Mondeo engines and the switchgear is not that clever either.
I have driven the Aston and it is great, but my car does almost everything the DB9 does, at a fraction of the cost.
Yes, you CAN compare them, actually. You put far too much importance on a badge, quite clearly.......
A57 HSV said:
Your right it is horses for courses, if I had the space & the money, I would have a FQ340 or 400 as well as my other cars. I love manic, high reving, turbo 4 pot madness, but find it to wearing & uncomfortable for every day use.
My love for big capacity,low reving, lazy & torquey American V8's is just that much stronger though!
Agree. Likewise.
You can compare comfort and performance with any car. Some cars such as Astons have a certain aura about them, which any GM car is unlikely to ever have. VXRSIX knows this & refers to it as badge / class.
Interestingly, I parked my HSV in London last week & when I returned there was a DB7 behind it. Had a coffee with a mate sitting in the window of the adjacent Starbucks. None of the passersby seemed to notice the DB7, but plenty of people stopped to stare & even photo the HSV(despite it being filthy). Not as classy or well made as the DB7(maybe!) but much rarer in London!
>> Edited by A57 HSV on Thursday 5th May 16:06
Interestingly, I parked my HSV in London last week & when I returned there was a DB7 behind it. Had a coffee with a mate sitting in the window of the adjacent Starbucks. None of the passersby seemed to notice the DB7, but plenty of people stopped to stare & even photo the HSV(despite it being filthy). Not as classy or well made as the DB7(maybe!) but much rarer in London!
>> Edited by A57 HSV on Thursday 5th May 16:06
I got back to the car today in Matlock Bath, to find two guys using their camera 'phones to take piccies of the 6.0.
They were in different cars, one a VW Golf GTI (2005) and the other was running a new-ish Nissan 350Z.
They both loved it.
A guy with an EVO 320 (tuned to 345bhp), a stone mason from Sutton on Ashfield as it turns out, went straight for his camera yesterday. He seemed to be keen, too.
They were in different cars, one a VW Golf GTI (2005) and the other was running a new-ish Nissan 350Z.
They both loved it.
A guy with an EVO 320 (tuned to 345bhp), a stone mason from Sutton on Ashfield as it turns out, went straight for his camera yesterday. He seemed to be keen, too.
For what it's worth, I think the Monaro has real character and is totally capable for people wanting space / power - this has just been highlighted by the latest issue of Evo. FYI I have ordered an Elise 111R over the Vauxhall VXR mainly because it is more focussed and I prefer the looks. If I'm honest though, a part of me is glad of the Lotus badge rather than Vauxhall - as a kid I loved the Lotus Esprit but I cannot remember wanting a Cavalier or something similar! The main reason is that up until recently (Astra / Monaro / VXR) their cars have been pretty poor in terms of quality and image. However, back in the old days of the Nova SR / Cavalier SRi they were noted for producing decent engines and capable handling. I think Vauxhall are coming back to form which is great news and cars like the Monaro / new Astra / updated Vectra all help.
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