Decisions Decisions

[Philip-b4n61]

Hi I have been lurking on your excellent forum for ages now and as I have just sold my classic Mustang,I am in a position to look for a suitable replacement and the Monaro seems to be a good choice. I have had experience of ownership of modern U.S. muscle cars the last one being a 5.0 Mustang.
There seems to a nice choice available at present and I would very much appreciate your input an advice on what you think. Would prefer a low tax bracket 6.0
Regards
Philip

[Lincsls1]

Hi and welcome.
Firstly you need to test drive one if possible to see if they are your flavour after all.
IMO, although they can be daily drives I feel they are much nicer as a 2nd car/weekend/hobby. They are big heavy cars, the clutch is quite manly too. Daily in heavy traffic would soon bore.
They are reliable and simple beasts, mechanicals are easy to source and even easier to upgrade! Body trims and such are harder to source, many bits obsolete now.
Brakes across the board are adequate at best. Recommend AP upgrade, its spot on!
Fuel consumption is excellent in relatives terms. Drive it nice and its mid 20's, long runs see 30. Range 300-400miles.
I compare this against my old 4.6v8 ford - shocking by comparison and slow with it.

As an ex-owner of a 6.0vxr and now the owner of a 5.7vxr - I can assure you there is bugger all performance difference.
The CV8 might be different, but the 5.7 is just a map away from 6.0vxr levels, because the CV8 5.7 stock map leaves so much on the table. The 6.0vxr has nothing much left standard without upgrades.
Don't disregard a nice CV8. After owning both VXRs, I now wonder if the more subtle lines of the CV8 might be more handsome. If one is available with some decent mods already done (APs/exhaust/quick-rack etc.) then I'd certainly take a look. A couple of choice mods and a CV8 is 'better' than a stock VXR just without the aggressive body kit!
Buy on condition, please don't get too hung up on mileage! Many do. When I looked both times, mileage didn't reflect condition.
Ownership type did. Rust isn't a huge concern, haven't seen a rusty shell yet, but the undersides need a good check especially at the front legs, pipe and fuel lines. All fixable though.
All 04 cars have big boot - bonus.
All 05 cars small boot - bummer..
All UK Monaros are either 2004 or 2005, despite the registration plate.
If you plan to mod your car, maybe best to buy one that's already have several £thou already spent on choice upgrades, many already have and it doesn't particularly inflate purchase prices.
Good luck.

[vxr2010]

i have a big boot cv8 and it’s a great car to have and drive , it’s got a feeling of old school muscle car to it so it’s got character v a lot of modern cars , fuel and brake lines rusting can be an issue but quite a few owners have resolved it , a modded cv8 went on ebay for i think 8k £ , so all the expensive part was done by some one else , standard brakes are crap so ap is a good move , check for rust but not normally an issue , a lot of owners care for their cars so often well looked after , i even managed 35mpg on a long run , exhaust is a vital lol mod , the single exhaust cv8 sounds the best , i also have a more modern maloo based on the vxr8 a very good car but monaro even though it’s a bit slower is my preferred drive of both of them , have a look at the faq section on here , performance wise a mustang is very similar to a monaro

[vxr2010]

what area are you based in there maybe a nearby owner ?

[Philip-b4n61]

Thanks for the reply,s (very informative) I am in the Dover area.If any are for sale or thinking of selling with all the necessary mods done in the forum community please let me know

[Lincsls1]

I'd be looking at this one, its got AP's (£2.5k) and at least a cat back exhaust (~£7-900). If its as excellent as it looks, could be worth a small haggle. Cheaper tax bracket and large boot.
Could be an excellent starting point to mod from or just enjoy and cherish a near bog standard car. The brakes and exhaust really were necessary!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Vauxhall-Monaro-5-...

This one looks tidy and v low miles. MOT history shows didn't move for 2.5 years, not always a good thing though. Small boot.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Monaro-5-7-V8-...

Then there's this wild card, the rarest Monaro. The 5.7VXR with 477bhp! Reads well, has about £4-5k of engine mods. That ain't passing an emissions test though with that cam! Needs a nice MOT man. And I'd be well using the 'make an offer' function. Got forum history too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Monaro-5-7-lit...

Still have to say, my preference is that black one, assuming its as nice as it claims and looks in the pictures. Some how seems the most honest.

[RipGMH]

Lincsls1 said:

I'd be looking at this one, its got AP's (£2.5k) and at least a cat back exhaust (~£7-900). If its as excellent as it looks, could be worth a small haggle. Cheaper tax bracket and large boot.
Could be an excellent starting point to mod from or just enjoy and cherish a near bog standard car. The brakes and exhaust really were necessary!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Vauxhall-Monaro-5-...

This one looks tidy and v low miles. MOT history shows didn't move for 2.5 years, not always a good thing though. Small boot.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Monaro-5-7-V8-...

Then there's this wild card, the rarest Monaro. The 5.7VXR with 477bhp! Reads well, has about £4-5k of engine mods. That ain't passing an emissions test though with that cam! Needs a nice MOT man. And I'd be well using the 'make an offer' function. Got forum history too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Monaro-5-7-lit...

Still have to say, my preference is that black one, assuming its as nice as it claims and looks in the pictures. Some how seems the most honest.

For me out of that list it’s the modded VXR all the way. Looks well kept and was sale for £14kish last year.

Black car would have been better if a facelift.

OP - as others have said be patient, a few well loved cars coming on far sale now. As others have said buy on condition with the mods, or not, that you want. Definitely agree that you want to get APs, exhaust, new radiator (stock known to corrode). Bonus is upgraded clutch and quick rate (test by doing lock to lock, 2.5turns is a quickrack)

[jet_noise]

Previous owner(?) of the red VXR post here.
And he refers to the one before that "Mark".
Comments on emissions fun

[ARAF]

Lincsls1 said:

Then there's this wild card, the rarest Monaro. The 5.7VXR with 477bhp! Reads well, has about £4-5k of engine mods. That ain't passing an emissions test though with that cam! Needs a nice MOT man. And I'd be well using the 'make an offer' function. Got forum history too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Monaro-5-7-lit...

Still have to say, my preference is that black one, assuming its as nice as it claims and looks in the pictures. Some how seems the most honest.

That car was accident damaged a total loss, quite a few years ago. The damage wasn't extensive but it's naughty of the seller not to mention it (from what I could see).

Edited by ARAF on Friday 12th June 16:20

[jet_noise]

ARAF said:

That car was a total loss, quite a few years ago. The damage wasn't extensive but it's naughty of the seller not to mention it (from what I could see).

Fixed with gaffa tape. Superficial damage only I'd say
Parts availability/cost is the killer.

[ARAF]

jet_noise said:

ARAF said:

That car was accident damaged a total loss, quite a few years ago. The damage wasn't extensive but it's naughty of the seller not to mention it (from what I could see).

Fixed with gaffa tape. Superficial damage only I'd say
Parts availability/cost is the killer.

Yes, sadly too many were written off at a time when parts were (relatively) plentiful though expensive and time consuming to get.

I've kept the pictures (from 2013 IIRC) as the car is on the register (so that should be reflected in the price). The damage was insignificant though, pointing towards a car which is otherwise good.

I wish it still had the original bonnet though.

Edited by ARAF on Friday 12th June 16:21

[Lincsls1]

The online MOT checker is quite useful in some respects. Obviously it wouldn't tell you anything about the car above, but I have had a look at the MOT history of some other Monaro for sale and I remember one listing signs of damage to subframe and sills. That was another insurance write off, not declared in the advert. A bit naughty, but I think most people are bright enough to do certain online checks now.

The bonnet on that 5.7VXR is easy to swap back to a plain bonnet. Bet the breakers have got a few now.

Edited by Lincsls1 on Friday 12th June 13:49

[V8fan]

It comes up as HPI clear, so not a total loss, untrue.

Unsurprising that a 16 year old high performance car has had a bump really, but I wasn't aware of it.

[ARAF]

V8fan said:

It comes up as HPI clear, so not a total loss, untrue.

Unsurprising that a 16 year old high performance car has had a bump really, but I wasn't aware of it.

Thanks for putting us right. I'm not sure I could find my information again but I vaguely remember the conversation. Maybe it was bought as accident damaged and I got the wrong end of the stick.

I will amend my first post accordingly.

[dazvxr]

This monaro is now sat in my garage, hpi check came back clear, had a good look round, no sign of any bent/straightened out metal, thankfully saw this picture before buying/viewing to point at where to look. Anyhow she goes n drives well ;-)

[Lincsls1]

dazvxr said:

This monaro is now sat in my garage, hpi check came back clear, had a good look round, no sign of any bent/straightened out metal, thankfully saw this picture before buying/viewing to point at where to look. Anyhow she goes n drives well ;-)

Welcome to the club! You have the best variant I see! Like me.
Glad its all worked out well.
How does the engine perform? Its got a pretty large cam in it IIRC.

[dazvxr]

She goes well, very well compared to my previous 350z, not driven any other monaros but have to becareful setting off not to stall, but once over 1700ish rpm, it just pulls n pulls, idle is like no V8 I've ever heard, it's just angry. Did around 26mpg coming home over 150miles, so on motorway not alot worse than my van at 70(ish).
Big boot and cabin is a nice place to be, car is immaculate inside and out. Just got to keep it that way.

[dazvxr]

Well first that went well, rugby training with my lad this morning, another parent said and I quote 'I haven't seen a Vauxhall Calibra in years' said no neither have I.........

[mfp4073]

Youre not alone, last year two guys who were old enough to know better called my car a Calibra and yesterday a guy said to me, "that's a nice Mustang

[bonesxu1]

I was paying for petrol and the guy behind the counter said is that your black Volvo thing? I just and said yes, I was lost for words. My Ute was the only vehicle on the forecourt, I just thought what a knob. I suppose not everyone is into cars.