Ford or Holden - any other thoughts???
Discussion
Hi guys and girls,
All's looking good for our family move to OZ next year - so of course, its time to start thinking about which car to get!!!
Got to be a saloon, it really should have a V8, be an auto, and I'll have budgeted to spend about $35,000. So I guess this would put me in a new-ish car?
It will be a daily driver, with the family on board - so an HSV or FPV special may not really fit the bill? Too extreme / expensive?
I've got my heart swt on a locally built car - so Ford or Holden. But what else is on offer? What are the trends down under - do these two still dominate the average driveway?
What would you go for? All comments most welcome!
Cheers
All's looking good for our family move to OZ next year - so of course, its time to start thinking about which car to get!!!
Got to be a saloon, it really should have a V8, be an auto, and I'll have budgeted to spend about $35,000. So I guess this would put me in a new-ish car?
It will be a daily driver, with the family on board - so an HSV or FPV special may not really fit the bill? Too extreme / expensive?
I've got my heart swt on a locally built car - so Ford or Holden. But what else is on offer? What are the trends down under - do these two still dominate the average driveway?
What would you go for? All comments most welcome!
Cheers
Often hard to get to get an objective answer on this from most Aussie car lovers! We either have red (holden) blood or blue (Ford or ALIEN) blood! Obvious by name, car history & comment, which side of the fence I sit on!! Prob good idea to get hold of recent copies of Wheels or MOTOR magazine from Oz or easier still, look on auto web sites for honest reviews - RACV & NMRA are two well respected Aussie motoring bodies that are sure to offer some good reviews, also drive.com.au or carpoint.com.au are two pretty substantial automotive web sites.
From the Holden stable the SSV8 is prob the best value V8 around right now & like Vauxhalls & Fords over here, dont buy a brand new one, get 6-12 months old - still lots of warranty & around 20% cheaper due fast depreciation on these models (50% in 3 years is typical). Trying to be as objective as possible, the drivetrain in the new VE range of Holden V8's is pretty whizz bang and prob 2-3 years more advanced than the current Ford Falcon range - by the time you go though, Ford may well of released somthing new so the swing goes the other way as well. If you dont mind front drive and non V8, the locally produced Toyota's & Mistsi'sare pretty well regarded as well. Good luck!
From the Holden stable the SSV8 is prob the best value V8 around right now & like Vauxhalls & Fords over here, dont buy a brand new one, get 6-12 months old - still lots of warranty & around 20% cheaper due fast depreciation on these models (50% in 3 years is typical). Trying to be as objective as possible, the drivetrain in the new VE range of Holden V8's is pretty whizz bang and prob 2-3 years more advanced than the current Ford Falcon range - by the time you go though, Ford may well of released somthing new so the swing goes the other way as well. If you dont mind front drive and non V8, the locally produced Toyota's & Mistsi'sare pretty well regarded as well. Good luck!
Don't ignore the Ford XR6 Turbo.
My son inlaw had one of these, untill recently, & rechipped, it blew off both the V8s.
He has just changed to a Holden SS V8, which, although a little slower off the mark, he finds a better package.
The 3 diffs, & 2 autos the Ford went through on warranty, in 18 months may have effected his thinking.
Of course the Holden has not had time, yet, to give much trouble.
My son inlaw had one of these, untill recently, & rechipped, it blew off both the V8s.
He has just changed to a Holden SS V8, which, although a little slower off the mark, he finds a better package.
The 3 diffs, & 2 autos the Ford went through on warranty, in 18 months may have effected his thinking.
Of course the Holden has not had time, yet, to give much trouble.
Thanks for your inputs guys - missus keeps telling me I have more important things to worry about, rather than what car to buy... But I keep telling her; day 1 rent house, day 2 buy car... Got to keep the focus!
HSV, thanks for those websites, very helpful. XR6 Turbo has been part of my research and I have heard some great things. But for my first car I feel like experiencing the full-fat aussie V8! Just for that fantastic noise!
Over here in the UK, I have never owned a V8 as they are the preserve of top-end Beemers, Jags and Mercs
When backpacking in '96 I bought a '76 Falcon XC 4.1 (white, mag wheels, green leather, three in the tree auto, aircon), got it serviced and toured the whole country, which included an epic trip from Cairns to Perth and then back to Sydney! - I loved that car!
But my searches at the moment keep bringing me back to the Holden Commodore SV8 VZ - $35k looks like getting me into an 05 model. I'm really being drawn to these. I'm not 100% sure of all the specs and different models though. Also, is petrol still cheap over there?
Anyone got any thoughts on these? As always, all your thoughts and opinions are really very welcome.
By the way, that Clubby looks great!
Cheers
HSV, thanks for those websites, very helpful. XR6 Turbo has been part of my research and I have heard some great things. But for my first car I feel like experiencing the full-fat aussie V8! Just for that fantastic noise!
Over here in the UK, I have never owned a V8 as they are the preserve of top-end Beemers, Jags and Mercs When backpacking in '96 I bought a '76 Falcon XC 4.1 (white, mag wheels, green leather, three in the tree auto, aircon), got it serviced and toured the whole country, which included an epic trip from Cairns to Perth and then back to Sydney! - I loved that car!
But my searches at the moment keep bringing me back to the Holden Commodore SV8 VZ - $35k looks like getting me into an 05 model. I'm really being drawn to these. I'm not 100% sure of all the specs and different models though. Also, is petrol still cheap over there?
Anyone got any thoughts on these? As always, all your thoughts and opinions are really very welcome.
By the way, that Clubby looks great!
Cheers
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