So how do you open the boot mister?

[eliot]

Just got back from the motorshow, me and a few others all wanted to see how big the boot was on the VXR - we all spent ages trying to figure out - eventually someone wonder over and said "its in the glove box"...And no wonder they dont want you to look in there.
Nice motor and comfy seats though.

[Well_Fans]

you can thank America for that boot - they insisted that the fuel tank be moved into the bootspace from its original position meaning all 05 onwards models have a boot you'd be lucky to get one set of golf clubs in. My 04 plate on the other hand can take 3 maybe 4 sets at a push. Damn shame they ruined the usability of the car for the sake of some bloody American legislation. Should have continued the original format for the rest of us.

[eliot]

where was the original tank ? - could it not be moved back? (even if it required a custom tank making)

[caspy]

The original tank was behind rear axle under boot floor. Holden needed to make a number of changes to market the car in the US. If they hadnt of sold it there they would have killed it 2 years early and we would never of had any more than the original batch. Best of a bad situation really.

[splatspeed]

ok so why does my 04 model have objects jadda jaddda jadda

in the passenger mirror if not for the US market?????

[hsv_rulz]

The LHS mirror being curved and having 'objects appear....' written on it, is an Oz reqmnt. Not allowed to have distorted mirror on drivers side - Oz regs.

[raggyman]

From what I heard, and don't know the truth. I initially thought the fuel tank was moved for saftey reasons, but heard from a couple of people at holden the only reason why they moved it was so that they could run dual exhaust, and that was it... yeah, the way the boot closes is crazy, and has been exactly that way since the VN, (1988)...

[GSI_Daz]

Once you have opened the glove box you might as well put your stuff in there - it is probably bigger than the boot

[decromin]

Yes, the tank was moved to meed US crash regs, tho there have been no reports of tank related problems in the 20 odd years the Commodore has been built like that in Aus.

Yes, the boot hinges were a pain - these have been replaced on the VE with a new type of hinge that does not impede into the boot in any way.

The VE also has had the tank relocated under the rear seat, so full sized boot, and full duals are now being used.

The original reason the boot release was in the glovebox was so you could lock the glovebox, and give the dealer key to a garage, without worrying that someone would get into the boot. Once the imobilisers became more prevalent, the dealer key disappeared, but the boot release button stayed where it was.

[eliot]

My motor (range rover based) has an US spec chassis. Consider that the fuel tank is totally circled in at least 4 x 4 " of chassis rails and rear cross member, the yanks didn't consider that enough and required an extra thick section be added to the top of the rear rails, making it more like 4" wide and 7" thick.