RE: Vauxhall Monaro: Spotted
Discussion
Nickyboy said:
Been thinking about one for a while now, what are they like living with every day? I know day to day running is going to be expensive, what about long motorway cruises?
any particular weak spots?
I've had my '04 vy Monaro cv8 for almost 6 years now, and used it as a daily for 3 years. It's a big, comfy gt with a very flexible engine, so it's great for daily use.any particular weak spots?
Running costs have been pretty low in my experience. Servicing is cheap, parts are cheap (on the cv8 in particular), tax pre march 06 is cheap, and insurance is really inexpensive for the performance. The early vy cv8 does about 1600-1700rpm at 70mph, so it's even decent on fuel on a run (low to mid 30s). Long distance comfort is good, and the seats are like armchairs.
Weak spots: rust (though most owners have added additional underseal), and gearbox spigot bearing (cheap part to replace, but it's a gearbox out job). There is a Monaro buying guide in the hsv and Monaro sub forum.
The owner's club side of things is great, and it's nice knowing that these are enthusiast cars in the UK, so most are looked after well.
Longest I've ever owned a car, just over nine years, and I have to say I miss the old girl. Every drive was an event.
Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
V88Dicky said:
Longest I've ever owned a car, just over nine years, and I have to say I miss the old girl. Every drive was an event.
Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
Go on, come back to the fold.....they are never going to get any cheaper now!Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
As was said in a couple of movies ....she's the last of the V8s.....a piece of history
Quite prophetic really.
mfp4073 said:
V88Dicky said:
Longest I've ever owned a car, just over nine years, and I have to say I miss the old girl. Every drive was an event.
Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
Go on, come back to the fold.....they are never going to get any cheaper now!Jump in, turn the key.... < whirr whirr bang! blub blub blub blub blub blub > car shaking from side to side
It was a pleasure to own, and very reliable. An oil sender switch (£50) in 9 years makes other cars I've had blush.
It had soul by the bucketload, something I haven't particularly found in any other car.
Maybe one day again......
As was said in a couple of movies ....she's the last of the V8s.....a piece of history
Quite prophetic really.
But you never know
V88Dicky said:
The later VZ models (bonnet vents, exhaust either side etc) had a slightly higher output over the earlier models. 354hp and 369lb/ft iirc.
They're not actually that big either, certainly smaller than my XKR. That thing barely fits in my garage!
When I had my first one I thought it was huge, but I was surprised when I bought my second that it was actually smaller in both directions than my mk3 Mondeo estateThey're not actually that big either, certainly smaller than my XKR. That thing barely fits in my garage!
JMF894 said:
Was out for a walk with the old folks the other day and whilst waiting to cross the A143 one of these shot past whilst overtaking something else. I remarked to dad how quiet and disappointing it sounded given what it was.
Exhaust is all it takes https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=htvTzFx2zuUwormus said:
Here’s mine
Quite highly modified, making just over 800hp. Owned it since new and don’t think I’ll ever sell it unless somebody makes an offer I cannot refuse. Amazing the positive attention it receives and everyone in a German car seems to want to race it. Not very successfully!
Looking at previous photographs and reading the spec of your car I wonder if that is the ultimate example of what a Monaro should be?.......it should star in some kind of road movie!Quite highly modified, making just over 800hp. Owned it since new and don’t think I’ll ever sell it unless somebody makes an offer I cannot refuse. Amazing the positive attention it receives and everyone in a German car seems to want to race it. Not very successfully!
mfp4073 said:
Looking at previous photographs and reading the spec of your car I wonder if that is the ultimate example of what a Monaro should be?.......it should star in some kind of road movie!
Thanks, it’s taken a lot of effort to get it this far. Here are a few more photos for those who are interested. 
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 22 October 09:37
Some gorgeous, supremely well cared for examples on this thread.
Mine, erm, isn't one of them.
It gets fixed when it breaks, just about gets an annual oil change, rarely gets washed, lives outside all year round, sometimes going weeks without getting used and has bodywork that is steadily turning to oxide.
Despite this lack of attention, it has never let me down and has provided much entertainment visiting some pretty remote parts of the UK. I suspect the mechanical parts will still be going strong long after the body has ceased to exist!!
Mine, erm, isn't one of them.
It gets fixed when it breaks, just about gets an annual oil change, rarely gets washed, lives outside all year round, sometimes going weeks without getting used and has bodywork that is steadily turning to oxide.
Despite this lack of attention, it has never let me down and has provided much entertainment visiting some pretty remote parts of the UK. I suspect the mechanical parts will still be going strong long after the body has ceased to exist!!
99t said:
Some gorgeous, supremely well cared for examples on this thread.
Mine, erm, isn't one of them.
It gets fixed when it breaks, just about gets an annual oil change, rarely gets washed, lives outside all year round, sometimes going weeks without getting used and has bodywork that is steadily turning to oxide.
Despite this lack of attention, it has never let me down and has provided much entertainment visiting some pretty remote parts of the UK. I suspect the mechanical parts will still be going strong long after the body has ceased to exist!!
It's horses for courses really, I don't use my car as much as I should and it lives in a garage most of the time.Mine, erm, isn't one of them.
It gets fixed when it breaks, just about gets an annual oil change, rarely gets washed, lives outside all year round, sometimes going weeks without getting used and has bodywork that is steadily turning to oxide.
Despite this lack of attention, it has never let me down and has provided much entertainment visiting some pretty remote parts of the UK. I suspect the mechanical parts will still be going strong long after the body has ceased to exist!!
Mine also gets serviced on time without fail, In fact it's over serviced really, and I hate getting it dirty. But that's just me.
It doesn't have to be a factory fresh super mint example, just clean serviced and ready to go.
The thing is now that the Holden factories have closed down these iconic cars should be looked after. Monaros will never come this way again.
mfp4073 said:
It's horses for courses really, I don't use my car as much as I should and it lives in a garage most of the time.
Mine also gets serviced on time without fail, In fact it's over serviced really, and I hate getting it dirty. But that's just me.
It doesn't have to be a factory fresh super mint example, just clean serviced and ready to go.
The thing is now that the Holden factories have closed down these iconic cars should be looked after. Monaros will never come this way again.
And it makes you wonder how long GM continue making parts for them. They are already 13 years old.Mine also gets serviced on time without fail, In fact it's over serviced really, and I hate getting it dirty. But that's just me.
It doesn't have to be a factory fresh super mint example, just clean serviced and ready to go.
The thing is now that the Holden factories have closed down these iconic cars should be looked after. Monaros will never come this way again.
wormus said:
And it makes you wonder how long GM continue making parts for them. They are already 13 years old.
Yes I know, I've been thinking about this for some time, but what can you do. I believe mechanical parts that are shared with other models will be in decent supply for sometime yet.However, specific Monaro parts will have been out of production for a number of years already.
I suppose those parts that are still in the supply chain will be running low by now.
I think around 55000 Monaros were built in total? So it will depend if that is enough of a business case for some companies to re manufacture parts in the future...but who can tell at the moment.
Drive them, but don't bend them...........
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