Holden SSV Ute
Discussion
After 6 months with a VXR8, my wife decided that she preferred the looks of the Maloo, owned by one of the owners of Monkfish Performance. Two years later, and we started looking for one, looked at importing one and also looked at getting one by the official route - but I just couldn't make the figures add up to what we considered value for money.
The new GTS was launched earlier this year, and looking at the cost of it in Oz, compared with the Maloo, I reckoned we could just about stretch to one. Unfortunately, after three months of asking for a price, Vauxhall didn't value the Maloo in the same way, and still wanted £50k for the new model. Not happening.
Luckily it didn't, as the Holden Ute that we have ended up with fits much better into our finances.
Here's the ute as it was when we got it.
It has just been away for a service, and to have new front brakes fitted (a hybrid Wortec 6 pot kit), and now also has a hard lid fitted.
I must thank Monkfish for their flexibility in fitting the lid. It was in Australia last Thursday, and fitted to our truck on Friday afternoon, ready for me to collect it on Saturday morning.
I'll get some better pictures when I get time, and update this as we make little modifications.
Keep an eye out for us in the South East.
The new GTS was launched earlier this year, and looking at the cost of it in Oz, compared with the Maloo, I reckoned we could just about stretch to one. Unfortunately, after three months of asking for a price, Vauxhall didn't value the Maloo in the same way, and still wanted £50k for the new model. Not happening.
Luckily it didn't, as the Holden Ute that we have ended up with fits much better into our finances.
Here's the ute as it was when we got it.
It has just been away for a service, and to have new front brakes fitted (a hybrid Wortec 6 pot kit), and now also has a hard lid fitted.
I must thank Monkfish for their flexibility in fitting the lid. It was in Australia last Thursday, and fitted to our truck on Friday afternoon, ready for me to collect it on Saturday morning.
I'll get some better pictures when I get time, and update this as we make little modifications.
Keep an eye out for us in the South East.
Dr G said:
Good car 
Thanks. 
Eski1991 said:
Feel free to message me when you want to sell it.
Give us a chance to enjoy it!We did message those who asked about our VXR8, when we sold it, so I'll try to remember you when the time comes.
As for the ute, we were lucky. It didn't get advertised - we found it by word of mouth, and agreed the deal when we saw it the day after it was first discussed as for sale.
Me and the Mrs discussed at length the possibility of emigrating to Oz a year or so ago (her sister lives in Mosman, Sydney).
We've been lucky enough to have gone over a few times recently and each time i'm there I fall more and more in love with these things.
I had my own one picked out - an SS-V in black that was for sale down the road from their house.
Unfortunately the emigration is off for various reasons...so I now need to work out how to get one of these over here
I haven't even been in one but they just appeal to me on many many levels.
Lovely motor mate.
We've been lucky enough to have gone over a few times recently and each time i'm there I fall more and more in love with these things.
I had my own one picked out - an SS-V in black that was for sale down the road from their house.
Unfortunately the emigration is off for various reasons...so I now need to work out how to get one of these over here
I haven't even been in one but they just appeal to me on many many levels.
Lovely motor mate.
AmiableChimp said:
Me and the Mrs discussed at length the possibility of emigrating to Oz a year or so ago (her sister lives in Mosman, Sydney).
We've been lucky enough to have gone over a few times recently and each time i'm there I fall more and more in love with these things.
I had my own one picked out - an SS-V in black that was for sale down the road from their house.
Unfortunately the emigration is off for various reasons...so I now need to work out how to get one of these over here
I haven't even been in one but they just appeal to me on many many levels.
Lovely motor mate.
Thanks. Getting them here is the easy part. Type approving a RHD vehicle is a PITA (and expensive). If you're interested, there is a black VE in the UK, that may have been recently sold, or it may still be for sale with a user called Raving (Gary) on these forums. If you're serious, then I can dig out his number for you.We've been lucky enough to have gone over a few times recently and each time i'm there I fall more and more in love with these things.
I had my own one picked out - an SS-V in black that was for sale down the road from their house.
Unfortunately the emigration is off for various reasons...so I now need to work out how to get one of these over here
I haven't even been in one but they just appeal to me on many many levels.
Lovely motor mate.
If you're tempted by the advertised silver VZ in Bath, make sure you HPI check it.
They are cool cars, ok Utes. How do you like the handling? For a big car I reckon they handle very well. They are like a semi-practical 2 door sports car. They could do with lowering but trying to find the elusive ride and handling medium can be tricky.
What brakes did you fit under the wheels? They look like painted SSV wheels. The SSV wheels are very sensative to big brakes for some reason. Ie you normally need to change to a different wheel to fit bigger brakes under them. For example over there the 19 inch VXR8 wheel should be able to take the Redline Brembos used on the SSV redline and Pontiac GXP. I do have some monobloc Harrops under some 18 inch SS wheels.....They are very close though.
Mine is identical externally and internally to yours but a little older so it has the L98 6 litre without the AFM on it. My other car does have the same engine with AFM.
£50k for a Maloo?? Gulp. The new ones can be had for AUD$58k, ok not the R8 version ($70k for that) and they don't have the same engine as the GTS. I looked at one the other day...could be a disastrous mistake. (for my bank account!)
What brakes did you fit under the wheels? They look like painted SSV wheels. The SSV wheels are very sensative to big brakes for some reason. Ie you normally need to change to a different wheel to fit bigger brakes under them. For example over there the 19 inch VXR8 wheel should be able to take the Redline Brembos used on the SSV redline and Pontiac GXP. I do have some monobloc Harrops under some 18 inch SS wheels.....They are very close though.
Mine is identical externally and internally to yours but a little older so it has the L98 6 litre without the AFM on it. My other car does have the same engine with AFM.
£50k for a Maloo?? Gulp. The new ones can be had for AUD$58k, ok not the R8 version ($70k for that) and they don't have the same engine as the GTS. I looked at one the other day...could be a disastrous mistake. (for my bank account!)
Edited by motomk on Thursday 12th December 05:19
ARAF said:
Thanks. Getting them here is the easy part. Type approving a RHD vehicle is a PITA (and expensive). If you're interested, there is a black VE in the UK, that may have been recently sold, or it may still be for sale with a user called Raving (Gary) on these forums. If you're serious, then I can dig out his number for you.
If you're tempted by the advertised silver VZ in Bath, make sure you HPI check it.
Appreciate this, but a new house purchase this year negates any real spend on cars for the timebeing If you're tempted by the advertised silver VZ in Bath, make sure you HPI check it.
I'm confined to playing virtual Autotrader for now...
motomk said:
They are cool cars, ok Utes. How do you like the handling? For a big car I reckon they handle very well. They are like a semi-practical 2 door sports car. They could do with lowering but trying to find the elusive ride and handling medium can be tricky.
What brakes did you fit under the wheels? They look like painted SSV wheels. The SSV wheels are very sensative to big brakes for some reason. Ie you normally need to change to a different wheel to fit bigger brakes under them. For example over there the 19 inch VXR8 wheel should be able to take the Redline Brembos used on the SSV redline and Pontiac GXP. I do have some monobloc Harrops under some 18 inch SS wheels.....They are very close though.
Mine is identical externally and internally to yours but a little older so it has the L98 6 litre without the AFM on it. My other car does have the same engine with AFM.
£50k for a Maloo?? Gulp. The new ones can be had for AUD$58k, ok not the R8 version ($70k for that) and they don't have the same engine as the GTS. I looked at one the other day...could be a disastrous mistake. (for my bank account!)
We haven't found a problem with the handling at all yet, but then we haven't tried throwing it around yet. It feels similar to the VXR8 we had, though maybe a little harder at the rear.What brakes did you fit under the wheels? They look like painted SSV wheels. The SSV wheels are very sensative to big brakes for some reason. Ie you normally need to change to a different wheel to fit bigger brakes under them. For example over there the 19 inch VXR8 wheel should be able to take the Redline Brembos used on the SSV redline and Pontiac GXP. I do have some monobloc Harrops under some 18 inch SS wheels.....They are very close though.
Mine is identical externally and internally to yours but a little older so it has the L98 6 litre without the AFM on it. My other car does have the same engine with AFM.
£50k for a Maloo?? Gulp. The new ones can be had for AUD$58k, ok not the R8 version ($70k for that) and they don't have the same engine as the GTS. I looked at one the other day...could be a disastrous mistake. (for my bank account!)
Yes, the wheels are partially painted SSV wheels at present. The brakes (Wortec 6 pot) fit fine underneath them, but knowing there could be a problem I sent a spare pair of wheels that I knew fitted over the VXR8/Clubby R8 brakes with the car, when I had them fitted. Not needed though.
gareth66 said:
I was at 'the fish' getting my car remapped when your ute was having its brakes fitted...looked awesome ...I'm having Wortecs fitted front and rear on my 'ro tomoro : )
Knowing the lead time for them, at least I don't have to say 'sorry' for persuading you to get the brakes. I don't know if yours are bedded in yet, but on the road they are pretty impressive. 
Don't worry too much about the vibration at first. It only took us a few miles of normal driving across the MK roundabouts to bed them in. What colour are yours?Dave, thanks. I thought it was no one posting?
ARAF said:
Knowing the lead time for them, at least I don't have to say 'sorry' for persuading you to get the brakes. I don't know if yours are bedded in yet, but on the road they are pretty impressive. Don't worry too much about the vibration at first. It only took us a few miles of normal driving across the MK roundabouts to bed them in. What colour are yours?
Dave, thanks. I thought it was no one posting?
I' ordered them in titanium with yellow writing as I thought it would show up well through dark graphite wheels ...I ordered the front set six weeks ago then went on Wortecs website and found out they were doing rears as well so I asked Roger at 'the fish' to order them as well ....I'm fitting them tomoro with my mechanic ....unwrapping them out of the boxes they came in was like an early Xmas day Don't worry too much about the vibration at first. It only took us a few miles of normal driving across the MK roundabouts to bed them in. What colour are yours?Dave, thanks. I thought it was no one posting?
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff