VE HSV Clubsport R8 vs VF2 SS-V Redline

VE HSV Clubsport R8 vs VF2 SS-V Redline

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Discussion

A44RON

Original Poster:

492 posts

97 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
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Hi all,

Been looking at some V8 goodness options over the last few weeks and these are getting within budget - 2009-2011 VE HSV Clubsport R8 or 2015-2016 Commodore VF2 SSV... Which would you go for/makes the better car?

I prefer the styling and interior updates of the VF2 Commodore and from what I've read it's the car the Commodore should have been all along and updated thoroughly. But the VE HSV is an... HSV... and all the benefits that come with that.

Over to you, Holden experts beer

Bibbs

3,733 posts

211 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Having owned a first revision HSV GTS and being a member of the local Commodore club.

I personally prefer the outside of the first series HSV VE before they went all LED lights, but the inside of the VF is so much nicer.
A Commodore L98 is a better base for modding than the LS2 too.

Out of those two, I'd go for the VF, purely as the better interior is where you'll be sat. And it's a big improvement.

StefanVXR8

3,603 posts

199 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Yeah, I'm with Bibbs, I'd go for the VF2.

I've owned two HSV's (VXR8's), both VE's one an LS2 and a supercharged LS3, a VE SSV L98 and had no issues with any of them. I've also sat and been in a couple of VF's and the interior is a big improvement.

If they were still making the VF2 now, I'd have considered one as well as the 300 SRT I've just bought, though to be fair the 300 would have won based on the noise and the tech levels...

smile

Stef

Jader1973

4,002 posts

201 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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VF2.

For a start it is newer, you might find one that came with 5 year warranty from factory, and it wasn't messed about with by HSV.

Plus the VF2 sounds fantastic stock and will put a huge grin on your face every time you put your foot down.

motomk

2,153 posts

245 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Way bias here to.....VF2!
Yes, HSVs look nice and go well and you have earmarked the LS3 versions, but the non mechanical parts ie the HSV parts are very $$$ and getting rare.
Admittedly the VF2 is now 2 years removed from being built but parts are still ok for them.
Redline is a good choice as it has all the mechanical stuff on it. They can be tuned up as much as a tuned up HSV VE LS3 anyway if you want to go down that path. They are 304kw and the VE LS3 HSV 317kw.
MY16 redline has Chrome around the windows, MY17 is black around the windows.

A44RON

Original Poster:

492 posts

97 months

Sunday 1st December 2019
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Thanks for your superior knowledge all, that's great beer

The more I look at a VF2 SS-V, the more I want

A44RON

Original Poster:

492 posts

97 months

Thursday 3rd September 2020
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What are your thoughts on VF2 SS-V manual vs auto?

I viewed a couple on the weekend at a dealership here - both autos - and the salesman was saying the auto 'box in the VF2 is good and more sophisticated/quicker than the manual SS-V(?)

Is that salesman b.s. or truth in that?

Obviously I'd love a manual, but they do command a significant premium over the auto and are much harder to find... if the auto 'box is decent then I would be happy with one of those

Cheers

Jader1973

4,002 posts

201 months

Friday 4th September 2020
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I only ever drove one manual 6.2 and I scared myself a couple of times when booting it and changing 1 to 2 - the back end sidestepped on me during the upshift...in the dry.

A quick google suggest 0 to 100 is 4.9s for the manual (driven by someone who doesn’t care if they kill the clutch / box) vs 5.0 for the AT. The AT will be quicker to shift in real life. Simply putting your foot flat to the floor when the lights go green and letting the computers do the work is great fun: they pause for a fraction of a second while they figure out what is going on, the back squats, the tyres grip and it roars off like a wild animal.

They have held their value very well, and there aren’t many about.