a11ym's Vauxhall Monaro VXR LS2
Discussion
OK, here goes – please be gentle, it’s my first time starting a Readers’ Cars discussion 
Inspired by the contributions made by other PHers in sharing the tales of their car ownership, I’m trying to reciprocate by sharing mine. I’ve enjoyed reading other’s stories and very grateful to those who’ve taken the time to provide entertaining reading. No promises that mine will be as exciting as most others (in fact, I can promise it won’t!), but I’ll try my best to make this worth a quick read.
So, where to start?
TL:DR Summary: Man buys V8. Loves it. It’s not financially ruined him (yet).
Without further ado, my 2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR:
Before I start on mine, a little background to the Monaro in general. I think most PHers know what they are, but for a brief overview and history Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Monaro#Third_... does a decent job. Built by Holden in Australia, the 1st-generation Monaro appeared in the late-60s followed by the 2nd-gen arriving in the 70s. There was then a 20+ year gap until the early-2000s and the 3rd (and final) generation Monaro appeared in Australia. Someone at Vauxhall evidently took a liking to them and approx. 800 were officially shipped over and sold via UK Vauxhall dealers from 2004-2007.
The UK got 4* main variants:
CV8: 5.7 litre LS1, 329bhp/333ps, 343lbft, big boot, single-sided exhaust, plain bonnet. 240 brought to the UK
VXR: 5.7 litre LS1, 379bhp/382ps, 376lbft, big boot, single-sided exhaust, plain bonnet, bumpers/skirts etc. 62 brought to the UK
CV8 ‘facelift’: 5.7 litre LS1, 349bhp/354ps, 369lbft, small boot, dual-sided exhausts (single pipe each side), bonnet vents. 142 brought to the UK.
VXR ‘facelift’: 6.0 litre LS2, 397bhp/404ps, 390lbft, small boot, dual-sided exhausts, bonnet vents, bumpers/skirts etc. 356 brought to the UK.
(* excluding the VXR500 limited edition which was a facelift VXR with a Harrop supercharger installed onto the LS2 engine by Vauxhall dealer Greens in conjunction with tuners Wortec, producing (as you’ve guessed) 500bhp as standard.)
All UK models were built in 2004 and 2005 although the very last were registered on 07 plates which makes it difficult to determine the variant from date first registered alone.
My Monaro
Mine’s a 2005 ‘small boot’ facelift VXR, the most common variant. So-called ‘small boot’ because GM relocated the fuel tank from underneath to inside the boot to satisfy American crash testing, allowing GM to sell it as the Pontiac GTO in the States. Downside is the boot is comically small in relation to the overall vehicle size. Relocation of fuel tank also made it easier for the dual-sided exhaust on the later models, but due to the number with non-standard exhausts it’s impossible to use exhaust setup as an indication of model. Mine got the 6.0 LS2 rather than the 5.7 LS1 in the other variants, although all are lovely big V8s so it doesn’t really matter, especially as few cars remain standard. As a bonus, being a pre-March 2006 car mine benefits from the lower VED compared to the later registered cars.
So, why did I buy a Monaro?
My previous car was a 2012 R56 MINI Cooper S. Yep, really. Obviously very similar to the Monaro… So why swap into something so different? Basically, three reasons: 1) why not; 2) I'd always wanted a 'proper' V8; and 3) I needed a bigger car for my growing family. Obviously, a Monaro was the only answer.
Not entirely sure how Monaros first appeared on my radar. Haven't seen the oft-mentioned Top Gear clips so it wasn't that, so was probably evo's longtermer Monaros in 2005/06 that got my attention: proper engine, unusual, and realistically attainable for me - although still beyond my reach at that time.
My days of 2-seaters had ended when kids arrived 7 years ago, and options for a v8-engined, family-friendly car I could use as a daily/family car were limited. Nothing within budget appealed at the time, so I sensibly bought an e90 330i for family duties but only after considering several V8s during my search. The 330i went after a few years as family life left no opportunity to enjoy it for fun (I get my thrills elsewhere on a mountainbike). I accepted my temporary fate and used our campervan as my sole vehicle.
Sensible dad car - too boring:
...and drove this instead - at least it was interesting!
After another couple of years I'd had enough of that and bought the aforementioned MINI in 2016 as a cheap way back into a fun car. But I still longed for a V8.
This is what my Monaro replaced:
Fast-forward to mid-2018 and my 'hand was forced' by my kids outgrowing the MINI. I considered bigger, sensible replacements - the sort of thing a sensible(ish) dad with a nod towards driving enjoyment typically drives. Looked at everything from an M135i or Golf GTI to more random things like a mk1 Focus RS (really enjoyed it on a test drive). But I still needed to scratch my V8 itch. Life's too short to drive a boring car! How many more times was I going to let the chance pass me by, especially with the way the future's looking for cars like this? Brave pill swallowed (a whole tub of them), big boy pants pulled on, and I started looking.
I thought about other 4-seat V8s – mainly Audi S4 and S5s – but the potential bork factor scared me! I’m not hugely hands-on with the mechanical bits, so anything simple, i.e. with less to go wrong, appealed more. Plus folk say a simple car suits a simple owner
. Hopefully I’ve made a low-risk choice with my Monaro.
November 2018: The Search
After several months of researching, thinking, and finally doing the man maths, I spotted a Monaro that appealed and made contact. It wasn’t perfect: age-related stone chips at the front and some scratches above the front number plate, but mechanically great. Pre-sale inspection highlighted surface rust on the underside but chassis legs, etc all good. Exhaust tips in a very sorry state. But overall a great place to start from. Things escalated quickly and a deal was provisionally struck to part-ex the MINI. This was new territory for me (buying from a dealer) having bought and sold almost all my previous cars privately. Car wasn’t known to any of the Monaro groups I’d joined but I was comfortable judging by the information and photos from the seller. Worried that as soon as I saw the car I’d become incapable of rational thought, I arranged an independent inspection of the car which reported nothing untoward. Especially helpful with it being a 3.5hr journey from home.
December 2018: "What the hell is that?"
^ That was my dad's response when I rolled up to collect the kids after collecting my Monaro
Collection day involved a 3hr+ drive south from Stirling(ish) to County Durham to view and collect. Took the scenic route via the A68 through the Borders rather than the more obvious A1 or M74 options. MINI 34.0mpg on the way there; Monaro 26.6mpg on the way back – I’m not doing it right. To be fair conditions were soaking wet, close to freezing, and foggy, and the next most powerful car I’ve driven before this was my 258bhp 330i so I wasn’t exactly pushing on. Lots of unplanned wiper action too – I’m sure I’ll get used to the column stalks being the opposite way round (not driven anything similar with them this way round before).
Collection day:
All great. 5 days later I parked it up for an extended holiday in (ironically the Monaro’s home country) Australia with family, and didn’t see it again until after Christmas…
January 2019: Honeymoon Period
Back home after leaving my new-to-me Monaro parked on the drive for almost 4 weeks during a Scottish winter. Parked outside rather than garaged as we’d sold our nice, modern house with heated garage, and were waiting on entry to our ‘new’ 140+ year old doer-upper. Moving house is obviously also the perfect time to swap a modern turn-key-and-drive car for an older, potentially temperamental big V8… Anyway, ye of little faith it started no problem – why wouldn’t it?!
Jan 2019 - temporary home between house purchases (no garage
)
Very little happened for the next few weeks as we finally got the keys and moved house late-January during which the Monaro was sidelined. The only addition I made during this time was blind spot mirrors on my rear view mirrors. These mirrors always scream out ‘driving school car’ or ‘scary driver’ when I see them on another vehicle, but the Monaro’s mirrors are truly shocking: tiny and the magnification effect of the lenses gives a very poor view behind you. Mine are angled downwards for a view of the rear wheels for reverse-parking though, not as a substitute for over-the-shoulder checking when manoeuvring.
February 2019: Rust…
Of course I couldn’t switch off from thoughts about the car (“I own a V8 woooohooooo!!!!”) while getting settled in our new home. I’d put enough aside to reasonably ensure any nasty surprises could be covered, and also to cover the first job I deemed essential: underseal. It seems GM didn’t tick the ‘underseal’ box on the options list when importing Monaros, and as a result they can be incredibly rusty underneath. Mine had a good amount of surface rust but thankfully known potential problem areas such as the chassis legs were fine. As I planned to use mine in all conditions, I settled on full antirust treatment and Dinitrol application from a localish company (Preserve & Protect) with a good rep on the Scottish PH sub-forum. It took a few days and came back looking a lot better underneath.
I've heard of safe driving but this is ridiculous...
Before:
After:
Around this time it also developed a knock from the front suspension. Easily sorted with new top mounts and bearings, the originals being a known weak point, so I went for heavier duty Pedders replacements.
Old top mounts sitting proud due to knackered rubber:
OK, I think I’ve written more than enough for now. Life settled down in the new house and I got on with enjoying my Monaro. I’ll continue this later but feel free to ask anything you want about the car and I’ll answer what I can.
-a11ym
Inspired by the contributions made by other PHers in sharing the tales of their car ownership, I’m trying to reciprocate by sharing mine. I’ve enjoyed reading other’s stories and very grateful to those who’ve taken the time to provide entertaining reading. No promises that mine will be as exciting as most others (in fact, I can promise it won’t!), but I’ll try my best to make this worth a quick read.
So, where to start?
TL:DR Summary: Man buys V8. Loves it. It’s not financially ruined him (yet).
Without further ado, my 2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR:
Before I start on mine, a little background to the Monaro in general. I think most PHers know what they are, but for a brief overview and history Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Monaro#Third_... does a decent job. Built by Holden in Australia, the 1st-generation Monaro appeared in the late-60s followed by the 2nd-gen arriving in the 70s. There was then a 20+ year gap until the early-2000s and the 3rd (and final) generation Monaro appeared in Australia. Someone at Vauxhall evidently took a liking to them and approx. 800 were officially shipped over and sold via UK Vauxhall dealers from 2004-2007.
The UK got 4* main variants:
CV8: 5.7 litre LS1, 329bhp/333ps, 343lbft, big boot, single-sided exhaust, plain bonnet. 240 brought to the UK
VXR: 5.7 litre LS1, 379bhp/382ps, 376lbft, big boot, single-sided exhaust, plain bonnet, bumpers/skirts etc. 62 brought to the UK
CV8 ‘facelift’: 5.7 litre LS1, 349bhp/354ps, 369lbft, small boot, dual-sided exhausts (single pipe each side), bonnet vents. 142 brought to the UK.
VXR ‘facelift’: 6.0 litre LS2, 397bhp/404ps, 390lbft, small boot, dual-sided exhausts, bonnet vents, bumpers/skirts etc. 356 brought to the UK.
(* excluding the VXR500 limited edition which was a facelift VXR with a Harrop supercharger installed onto the LS2 engine by Vauxhall dealer Greens in conjunction with tuners Wortec, producing (as you’ve guessed) 500bhp as standard.)
All UK models were built in 2004 and 2005 although the very last were registered on 07 plates which makes it difficult to determine the variant from date first registered alone.
My Monaro
Mine’s a 2005 ‘small boot’ facelift VXR, the most common variant. So-called ‘small boot’ because GM relocated the fuel tank from underneath to inside the boot to satisfy American crash testing, allowing GM to sell it as the Pontiac GTO in the States. Downside is the boot is comically small in relation to the overall vehicle size. Relocation of fuel tank also made it easier for the dual-sided exhaust on the later models, but due to the number with non-standard exhausts it’s impossible to use exhaust setup as an indication of model. Mine got the 6.0 LS2 rather than the 5.7 LS1 in the other variants, although all are lovely big V8s so it doesn’t really matter, especially as few cars remain standard. As a bonus, being a pre-March 2006 car mine benefits from the lower VED compared to the later registered cars.
So, why did I buy a Monaro?
My previous car was a 2012 R56 MINI Cooper S. Yep, really. Obviously very similar to the Monaro… So why swap into something so different? Basically, three reasons: 1) why not; 2) I'd always wanted a 'proper' V8; and 3) I needed a bigger car for my growing family. Obviously, a Monaro was the only answer.
Not entirely sure how Monaros first appeared on my radar. Haven't seen the oft-mentioned Top Gear clips so it wasn't that, so was probably evo's longtermer Monaros in 2005/06 that got my attention: proper engine, unusual, and realistically attainable for me - although still beyond my reach at that time.
My days of 2-seaters had ended when kids arrived 7 years ago, and options for a v8-engined, family-friendly car I could use as a daily/family car were limited. Nothing within budget appealed at the time, so I sensibly bought an e90 330i for family duties but only after considering several V8s during my search. The 330i went after a few years as family life left no opportunity to enjoy it for fun (I get my thrills elsewhere on a mountainbike). I accepted my temporary fate and used our campervan as my sole vehicle.
Sensible dad car - too boring:
...and drove this instead - at least it was interesting!
After another couple of years I'd had enough of that and bought the aforementioned MINI in 2016 as a cheap way back into a fun car. But I still longed for a V8.
This is what my Monaro replaced:
Fast-forward to mid-2018 and my 'hand was forced' by my kids outgrowing the MINI. I considered bigger, sensible replacements - the sort of thing a sensible(ish) dad with a nod towards driving enjoyment typically drives. Looked at everything from an M135i or Golf GTI to more random things like a mk1 Focus RS (really enjoyed it on a test drive). But I still needed to scratch my V8 itch. Life's too short to drive a boring car! How many more times was I going to let the chance pass me by, especially with the way the future's looking for cars like this? Brave pill swallowed (a whole tub of them), big boy pants pulled on, and I started looking.
I thought about other 4-seat V8s – mainly Audi S4 and S5s – but the potential bork factor scared me! I’m not hugely hands-on with the mechanical bits, so anything simple, i.e. with less to go wrong, appealed more. Plus folk say a simple car suits a simple owner
. Hopefully I’ve made a low-risk choice with my Monaro.November 2018: The Search
After several months of researching, thinking, and finally doing the man maths, I spotted a Monaro that appealed and made contact. It wasn’t perfect: age-related stone chips at the front and some scratches above the front number plate, but mechanically great. Pre-sale inspection highlighted surface rust on the underside but chassis legs, etc all good. Exhaust tips in a very sorry state. But overall a great place to start from. Things escalated quickly and a deal was provisionally struck to part-ex the MINI. This was new territory for me (buying from a dealer) having bought and sold almost all my previous cars privately. Car wasn’t known to any of the Monaro groups I’d joined but I was comfortable judging by the information and photos from the seller. Worried that as soon as I saw the car I’d become incapable of rational thought, I arranged an independent inspection of the car which reported nothing untoward. Especially helpful with it being a 3.5hr journey from home.
December 2018: "What the hell is that?"
^ That was my dad's response when I rolled up to collect the kids after collecting my Monaro
Collection day involved a 3hr+ drive south from Stirling(ish) to County Durham to view and collect. Took the scenic route via the A68 through the Borders rather than the more obvious A1 or M74 options. MINI 34.0mpg on the way there; Monaro 26.6mpg on the way back – I’m not doing it right. To be fair conditions were soaking wet, close to freezing, and foggy, and the next most powerful car I’ve driven before this was my 258bhp 330i so I wasn’t exactly pushing on. Lots of unplanned wiper action too – I’m sure I’ll get used to the column stalks being the opposite way round (not driven anything similar with them this way round before).
Collection day:
All great. 5 days later I parked it up for an extended holiday in (ironically the Monaro’s home country) Australia with family, and didn’t see it again until after Christmas…
January 2019: Honeymoon Period
Back home after leaving my new-to-me Monaro parked on the drive for almost 4 weeks during a Scottish winter. Parked outside rather than garaged as we’d sold our nice, modern house with heated garage, and were waiting on entry to our ‘new’ 140+ year old doer-upper. Moving house is obviously also the perfect time to swap a modern turn-key-and-drive car for an older, potentially temperamental big V8… Anyway, ye of little faith it started no problem – why wouldn’t it?!
Jan 2019 - temporary home between house purchases (no garage
)Very little happened for the next few weeks as we finally got the keys and moved house late-January during which the Monaro was sidelined. The only addition I made during this time was blind spot mirrors on my rear view mirrors. These mirrors always scream out ‘driving school car’ or ‘scary driver’ when I see them on another vehicle, but the Monaro’s mirrors are truly shocking: tiny and the magnification effect of the lenses gives a very poor view behind you. Mine are angled downwards for a view of the rear wheels for reverse-parking though, not as a substitute for over-the-shoulder checking when manoeuvring.
February 2019: Rust…
Of course I couldn’t switch off from thoughts about the car (“I own a V8 woooohooooo!!!!”) while getting settled in our new home. I’d put enough aside to reasonably ensure any nasty surprises could be covered, and also to cover the first job I deemed essential: underseal. It seems GM didn’t tick the ‘underseal’ box on the options list when importing Monaros, and as a result they can be incredibly rusty underneath. Mine had a good amount of surface rust but thankfully known potential problem areas such as the chassis legs were fine. As I planned to use mine in all conditions, I settled on full antirust treatment and Dinitrol application from a localish company (Preserve & Protect) with a good rep on the Scottish PH sub-forum. It took a few days and came back looking a lot better underneath.
I've heard of safe driving but this is ridiculous...
Before:
After:
Around this time it also developed a knock from the front suspension. Easily sorted with new top mounts and bearings, the originals being a known weak point, so I went for heavier duty Pedders replacements.
Old top mounts sitting proud due to knackered rubber:
OK, I think I’ve written more than enough for now. Life settled down in the new house and I got on with enjoying my Monaro. I’ll continue this later but feel free to ask anything you want about the car and I’ll answer what I can.
-a11ym
Beautiful, it’s a car I’d always wanted, especially after going to Australia in 2012 and hearing all the V8 Holdens out there.
I’m not sure I would buy one now, I have a BMW 4.4L V8 E64, it’s also loud, thirsty, expensive, heavy, all that, but has quenched my desire for now.
A Holden Ute... now that might be a different proposition
I can only see your Monaro appreciating in price now, I could be wrong but they’re relatively rare still.
I’m not sure I would buy one now, I have a BMW 4.4L V8 E64, it’s also loud, thirsty, expensive, heavy, all that, but has quenched my desire for now.
A Holden Ute... now that might be a different proposition
I can only see your Monaro appreciating in price now, I could be wrong but they’re relatively rare still.
RenPug said:
Love it. I really miss my Monaro, didn't want to sell it but needs must at the time. Still keep looking in the classifieds regularly for another. Hope you enjoy it.
Oh I'm enjoying it for sure. Unless circumstances at work change, I can't see any reason for me to sell in the foreseeable.Macron said:
Excellent write up!
Thanks MattyB_ said:
Awesome, I loved my VXR8 with the same engine. It was everything a car shouldn't be - large, noisy, thirsty and with a stupidly large engine.
You'll never get tired of repeating to people how big the engine is. 6 litres? Six?? Yes, 6!
Yeah, even muggles (non-car people) at work have raised an eyebrow when I reply when queried about engine size. I enjoy it You'll never get tired of repeating to people how big the engine is. 6 litres? Six?? Yes, 6!
neutral 3 said:
An acquaintance had one. We put it up on the ramp a few years back and it too was really starting to rot, so an underside inspection and Waxoyl etc is essential on these.
Agree - absolutely essential. Mine'll be used throughout Scottish winters so needs as much protection as possible. Place that did my Dinitrol offer free yearly checks and will top it up if necessary. Cliff J said:
Beautiful, it’s a car I’d always wanted, especially after going to Australia in 2012 and hearing all the V8 Holdens out there.
I’m not sure I would buy one now, I have a BMW 4.4L V8 E64, it’s also loud, thirsty, expensive, heavy, all that, but has quenched my desire for now.
A Holden Ute... now that might be a different proposition
I can only see your Monaro appreciating in price now, I could be wrong but they’re relatively rare still.
Coincidentally e60 545i/550i's were one I looked at before I bought my e90 330i. And yes, I used the 'less depreciation will offset the running costs' approach in justifying the Monaro I’m not sure I would buy one now, I have a BMW 4.4L V8 E64, it’s also loud, thirsty, expensive, heavy, all that, but has quenched my desire for now.
A Holden Ute... now that might be a different proposition
I can only see your Monaro appreciating in price now, I could be wrong but they’re relatively rare still.
Veeayt said:
Great car, love it. I wish you all the best with it, but something tells me it isn't what SWMBO expects as a family car
Mrs a11y_m knows me well enough by now. Her dad's still won't speak to me about the Monaro though as he didn't (and still doesn't) approve. Of the Monaro that is. Not me. Well, maybe could be both...RenPug said:
Love it. I really miss my Monaro, didn't want to sell it but needs must at the time. Still keep looking in the classifieds regularly for another. Hope you enjoy it.
I recognise your username -it was me who came up and bought your one... ended up keeping it for about 3 years which was a lot for me. Only things it cost me were tyres, discs and a MAF. It ended up in Scotland when I sold it. Enjoyed it, was a real event and wasn’t even bad mpg on a run. KM56HKL are you here?!rix said:
RenPug said:
Love it. I really miss my Monaro, didn't want to sell it but needs must at the time. Still keep looking in the classifieds regularly for another. Hope you enjoy it.
I recognise your username -it was me who came up and bought your one... ended up keeping it for about 3 years which was a lot for me. Only things it cost me were tyres, discs and a MAF. It ended up in Scotland when I sold it. Enjoyed it, was a real event and wasn’t even bad mpg on a run. KM56HKL are you here?!haggishunter said:
Looking good Ally. Saw it a couple of months ago.
Thanks . It’s Alan, used to have the flying yellow banana (Ibiza Cupra), isn’t it?Mr Tidy said:
Fantastic choice of car for family transport, and a great write-up. 
Cheers. It’s got 4 seats and (looks like it has) a big boot – perfect for family (it's a topic I'll cover in a future update: living with a Monaro as a family car)marksx said:
Cracking thread, cracking car. I've had 3. Been bitten badly by the last two, bit I'd still have another if finances allowed.
Oh dear, doesn’t sound like good/reliable experiences Ph1listine said:
Was so tempted by one of these, great purchase and this is the definition of depreciation-proof! Bet it's easy to get sideways as well?
Sideways? I wouldn’t know…. 
SlowStig said:
Monaro looks awesome, wish I had got one myself when they were still cheap(ish)...
Values were lower a few years back and I regret not buying one then, hopefully they’ll continue to rise although I’m happily hoping they’ll at least suffer little or no depreciation. In fact, I’m relying on it not depreciating too much so I can justify the running costs SlowStig said:
I nearly had a stroke when I saw your E90 though, I had a white 330d which went off to its next owner up in central Scotland!
Ha, definitely not the same one! I was perhaps a bit harsh in my comments about my 330i: it was fantastic for what I needed at the time: manual, nice toys, practical, reliable (barring the DSC ECU failing on the way home from hospital with my firstborn…) and – after I’d added the M Performance exhaust – sounded great. Bought it from a BCA 50 miles from home and only had one key. By lucky coincidence the previous registered owner lived only 2 miles from me. Dropped by the address, knocked on door, I see woman in hallway ending a phone call to answer the door. Gives me a strange look: “that’s my ex-husband’s old car, I’m just off the phone to him – do you want a word?” She called him back, handed the phone over and I had a good chat about the car. He’d never got around to changing registered address despite separating years previously and moving to Aberdeen 150 miles away. Even better, he’d dropped the 2nd key into the Aberdeen BMW dealer where he’d traded it in a few weeks previous (and who’d subsequently sent it to auction). Called the dealer and they posted the key out to me. Result.AndrewGP said:
Brilliant write up and a superb car, truly a dying breed now. Great job on getting the under seal done too!
Looking forward to more updates
Thanks. The dying breed aspect was one of the things that helped me finally take action and buy one: we’ll not see their like again. And yes, underseal. The temptation to spend the money immediately on an exhaust was strong, but I managed to resist and did the sensible thing first. The folks at Preserve & Protect in Johnstone did a brilliant job of it.Looking forward to more updates
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