Unbiased opinions please.

[Vxr Darren]

I'm looking to buy my VXR in the next month or 2 (Once the current car is paid off) Problem is that i'd prefer the 6.0 vXR for obviously better power and a longer warranty BUT. I'v just got back from the dealer after looking at a 55 plater and am astonished at how much smaller the boot is compared to the 04 5.7 i looked at a month or so ago. If i decided to go for a 5.7 version would i miss the power that much? I mean is the void that great between the 2 cars. I understand that owners of the 5.7 will say great buy one and the owners of the 6.0 will say forget the boot just go for it, so some unbiased opinions please people. i know that the fuel tank was moved so thats the reason for the pathetic boot space its just that the Monaro ticks all the boxes for my family (wife and 2 kids) Also how tuneable are the 2? It wont be standard for long. Thanks in advance

Darren

[Twin Turbo]

Best advise will be to drive both and see for yourself. There won't be a massive performance difference.

I guess it really depends how big a boot you need. As for space in the car, I'm amazed how big it is. I sat in the back of Mose's car yesterday, and even at 6ft, I had no leg or headroom problems. The rear buckets are very comfy too. I was quite comfy in there for a couple of hours

I'll be (hopefully) getting a 6 litre VXR next year and it'll be used as a toy, so the small boot won't be a problem, we've got a Zafira to cart my daughter and her bits and pieces in on a daily basis.

Tuning? You'll find plenty of threads on here. You'll want a cat back exhaust as a minimum if you want to hear that V8, even better get headers too. You'll need a remap on this. Once you're bored with that, you can slap a supercharger on it (BO55 VXR is getting his done very soon).

Oh, and black ones are the fastest (here we go again).

[stigcv8]

all i can say (as a lowly 330 5.7 owner) is you wont miss owt, seriously the 330 is f-ing fast, I reckon my license will last a month

I got the 04 (on an 05 plate) as the practical nature of the boot is superb. Yesterday I had to get 4 new tyres, 2 that were on were virtually new so I kept them, both fit in the boot.

[stevieturbo]

With some mild tuning, any differences between the 2 engines, will be long gone.

The boot however, is something you can not make bigger on the 6.0 cars. At least not as easily as you can gain power.

[Vxr Darren]

Cheers people. I'v just watched the Top gear video clip on the Vauxhall website again. They seemed very happy with the 5.7 vXR i particularly liked the part when Jeremy Clarkson says "It puts me in mind of a 1990s Aston Martin with that same infinite power" Problem is you can never really put a car through its paces on a test drive, unless you want the salesman to think you're either a moron or a car thief.

Darren

[GSI_Daz]

I'd echo what has been said before. There isn't anything on the 6.0 VXR that you couldn't have on a 5.7. Sure it has better brakes, suspension, wheels etc but these can all be changed.

The situation is changing lately but there tends to be more options for tuning the LS1 5.7 than the LS2 6.0.

If the boot is that important to you then go for the 5.7

I think you will find this unbiased as I am a 6.0 owner

[Vxr Darren]

Deffinately unbiased so thanks. Problem is i'v always prefered the original vXR alloys over the multi spoke looking new ones. Decisions, decisions

Darren

[hainser]

If you need space, buy a field. IMO you can't beat the all round 'sexy looks' of the VXR; so if boot space doesn't matter then there is only one option. (In silver of course)

[ringram]

Power differences are negligible, especially with a little bit of tuning.
04 VXR gets my vote of the lot. 6L VXR is better set up all round for baseline except for boot.
04 is best platform for mods as LS1 parts are best value compared with the later stuff due to the volume of LS1 vehicles since '98.

Edited by ringram on Sunday 8th October 17:10

[Well_Fans]

I'd be tempted to buy a 5.7 cv8 and then upgrade it. You'll get a good condition one with <20k miles for 16-17k, maybe less the way things are. That way you'll get the big boot and full leather interior instead of the half alcantara that came with the 5.7VXR. Then take 2k and give it to LSV to fit a set of AP brakes, 1.5-2k to any dealer on here and get an exhaust and header package with a tune, 1.3k to Monkfish and have the suspension done and if you're really keen go give LSV another 3k to slap a supercharger on and you'll have a 500bhp+ car that will be loads faster, stick to the road better and stop faster than any VXR and all for <25k What you won't have though are the binnacles in the centre of the dash,19" wheels or the body panels - vents in bonnet, front spoiler etc.

[Vxr Darren]

These replys REALLY are helping. The full leather on the new vXR is another let down for me. I have full leather Recaros in the current car and to be honest find them a pain. In hot weather i cant wear shorts and drive and although there heated, in the winter there really cold for the first couple of miles. The alacantra leather is a much more sports centred mix IMO. At the moment my head is saying buy a late 04 or early 05 vXR and just fit a bonnet from the later Monaro for the looks. I was just worried really that the difference in performance would be that great with the 6.0. Brakes springs and bushes can all be sorted fairly cheaply really.

Darren

[AM04ARO]

Most people prefer the car they have bought, hence the CV8 owners say that is best and VXR the same.

I was looking at upgrading to a VXR but the boot space totally put me off as I am the holiday transport for the wife and child. The differences between CV8 and VXR and all the mods on offer for both suggest to me that the price premium for a VXR to a CV8 disappears as you end up ugrading all the parts the VXR has anyway (and the VXR brakes are nowhere near AP Racing quality etc etc).

Main difference if you intend to go the mod route is how it looks and I do like the VXR look but also like the understatement of the standard looking CV8.

[Twin Turbo]

Didn't someone on here look at upgrading to the newer bonnet with the scoops? Seem to remember is was a shed load of money.

[Well_Fans]

its around 900-1000 iirc supplied and painted. think its around 500-600 unpainted.

[Vxr Darren]

Unless i find a back end write off and get my bodyshop to spray it for me

[ringram]

PM Caspy, he can probably sort you one out.

[Dan_S V8]

If you want to tune for infinite power I would go for an 04 CV8 and do the lot. If you want a really rare, good all round car get the 04 VXR 5.7. If you want a really good car that can be honed into an all round supercar beating, muscle munching GT car I would suggest the 6.0l VXR. The boot is a pain but why not just buy a POS rover (like us) for peanuts as use for transporting dogs/family/luggage and save the monaro the mileage and fuel costs?

[monkfish1]

I think you are talking yourself into an 04 VXR!!!!

[V8 EOL]

I have driven both a 04 and 05 VXR back to back. Both were black so I had chosen the fastest colour.

I couldn’t notice the difference in power or torque. Both are really fast in standard trim. Before you can blink an eye you are doing 130 and still accelerating hard.

One moderate difference was the difference in engine note. The 05 had a smother and burbling sounding engine noise, while the 04 sounds growler and ruff (both in standard trim).

Some motoring journalists comment about the 05’s centre of gravity being higher and the weight transfer while cornering hard (due to the high mounting of the fuel tank).

IMHO a 04 is preferable to a 05 because:
- Alloy wheels
- Boot
- Lack of nostrils (I don’t really like them)
- Alcantara (on VXR model)
- Rarity

Above all though, I would go for a VXR of either year (if you can afford it). The value of the standard upgrades is worth the extra you would pay on the sticker price. If only it came in blue...

[VXR_Daz]

V8 EOL said:

IMHO a 04 is preferable to a 05 because:
- Alloy wheels
- Boot
- Lack of nostrils (I don’t really like them)
- Alcantara (on VXR model)
- Rarity

A lot of that is personal choice though. I prefer the wheels, interior and nostils on the 05.

The 04 is rarer (is that a word?) than the 05 but the 05 is hardly common