Servicing Costs are they right??

[gibo993]

Now in the last year I have sold my beloved M5 (e39) and something made me buy a Porsche 996, I have regretted it ever since. I was seriously thinking about replacing it with another M5, then I saw a black VXR and I'm now hooked.

I was paying a small fortune quite happily to keep the M5 going and I expected the same costs for the VXR but all I seem to scrape up is MPG over 20 and servicing costs that I would consider cheap for my 1961 Landie !!

Can someone please confirm the cost of an average real world service and MPG

all being well I will be in touch with Greens very soon to find a newish VXR...
then I'll start saving for the mods I have always hankered after a supercharger, it just sounds much better than a turbo in both mythical terms and real world scream!!

Another point do these beasts come with a warranty (must do sub 3 years old) and is it an extendable jobbie, if so is it less than BMWs 1000+

Cheers
Gibo993

[N66 HSV]

I've got a bog standard 2004 CV8, had 1 10,000 mile service @ Motorbodies Luton which cost me just over £160.
On short journeys, to & from work I get about 16/gallon , but as soon as you get on the clear motorway 25mpg no problem

[mackie1]

It'll be waaaay cheaper to run than an M5 or 996. I also get roughly 16/25mpg. On a long run recently I got about 28mpg which is great.

I'm not sure about extendable warranty. I think it's in the works and I'd imagine it'd be more like £300 than £1000+ but that's just a guess.

Edited by mackie1 on Thursday 2nd November 16:54

[gibo993]

I'm just amazed that these cars get such good write ups, seem so cheap (relatively) to run and yet still they find them hard to sell??

[mackie1]

I guess most people just seem them as a curiosity. Maybe they get put off by the engine size thinking they'll be horrendous on fuel (not much worse than a turbo hot hatch really), almost certainly people get put off by the badge, but it's got more in common with a Corvette than a Vectra. I guess it is and always will be a niche car in the UK. We've never really been a nation of V8 muscle cars whereas in the States or Oz a Camaro or Monaro is as common as a Focus.
I like the rarity factor and hopefully that'll keep prices at a reasonable level for a few years yet. I beleive Vauxhall are going to offer the new Commodore SS-V and HSV GTS in the near future which should keep focus on the top of the Vauxhall range and stop the 'ro from being forgotten. I'd love a VE series as a replacement for the Monaro in a few years.

[V8 EOL]

I have an 04 VXR completely standard (5.7L LS1)

20,000 service = £200 (every 10,000). No cambelt to change... ever... I recommend you get servicing done at Monkfish or a *good* vauxhall dealer (Greens). Dont take it to your local dealer, they will think it is a van!

Brake pads (all 4 corners) = £200 fitted with Monkfish's special new excellent performance pads that prevent brake fade problems with standard setup.

Tyres = £180 a corner. Expect 12,000 miles out of the rears.

MPG = If you dont do short trips (< 5 miles) and are not always in town then between 21-24mpg. The more motorway (queue-less traffic) the higher you will get. I use Tesco Super 99RON. With 95RON expect lower numbers.

All prices are worst case, shopping around might get it cheaper.

[caspy]

If you give Jeff a call at Greens, we offer fixed price servicing but am away and cant remember. Think a 10k is £149 inc vat. He will confirm.

[marcevo1]

21 to 24 mpg on a 70 mile round trip commute - majority on the m56.

in town - 15mpg - in the hills 10mpg :-)

servicing unbelievably cheap - filter £4 - then oil!

i came from the porsche 993 3.8 route - not the cheapest of cars to service - certainly wouldnt be able to afford to use it as a commuter as the hsv is.

hsv gts with charger is fantastic - but traction in the wet is woeful! not 911 like but wont snap as easily

[Demolition Man]

I had a Landrover Defender TD5 before getting the VXR - £600 for its last service... that's 12 tanks of Monaro petrol - well worth the swap

(although the VXR doesn't bump up curbs as well )

Edited by Demolition Man on Thursday 2nd November 19:58

[zadumbreion]

I get 27mpg on the motorway - at 70 / 80.... that's with a supercharger and 586bhp...

[monkfish1]

In know i do it myself, but servicing really is very cheap releative to most modern cars. Fuel economy averages in the low 20's (well, until i fitted a turbo!) and no reliability problems. I did tighten up the power steering clips once though

[gibo993]

Wow!! that is quite amazing,
Right all I have to do now is find the right car, thinking of a VXR with the performance pac, then wait until next year and sneak the supercharger on with out the wife knowing!!

With servicing costs that low no wonder you all spend so much on mods!!
It sounds like there are no real issues with the engines the only problem seems to be flakey paint on the door handles

Anybody want a Porsche 996 Cab??

[The Jackel]

In a word NO (lol)

[Le Sarthe]

Had 50,000 service recently which is a big one - still under £400 which good value in my books.

Running costs (fuel apart) these are brilliant motors - as for the LS1 as Jay Leno put it talking about his corvette - you can service it with a hammer!

[BigNige]

N66 HSV said:

I've got a bog standard 2004 CV8, had 1 10,000 mile service @ Motorbodies Luton which cost me just over £160.
On short journeys, to & from work I get about 16/gallon , but as soon as you get on the clear motorway 25mpg no problem

What he said about servicing & mpg...all day long.

[Raggyman]

gibo993 said:

Wow!! that is quite amazing,
Right all I have to do now is find the right car, thinking of a VXR with the performance pac, then wait until next year and sneak the supercharger on with out the wife knowing!!

Just put away money every service, and she won't notice. Although might be hard to explain the sudden increase in power.

Definitely recommend getting one, they are a great piece of kit, and well it is a Holden afterall, so reliability is awesome.