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02/02/2009
By EWAN KENNEDY
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Though Holden is struggling on the overall sales scene in Australia its big Commodore is a star in the company’s firmament – continuing to lead the annual sales table.
That’s simply because the Commodore is very well suited to Australian driving conditions, as well as having the driving characteristics that Aussies just love. Commodore has a thoroughly deserved reputation for being able to stand up to the harsh extremes of bush roads. But also copes well with the heavy duty commuting that’s realistically a part of many Australians’ lives.
 The introduction of the VE series Commodore in August 2006 lifted the image of the brand, though not to the extent that Holden's management would have liked. Timing couldn’t have been worse as it coincided with the peak in petrol prices. That situation has totally altered in recent months and sales seem to be responding.
There aren't many VE Commodores on the used-car market yet, so we will concentrate on the models that preceded it.
These began almost a decade ago, in August 1997, with the VT series. An excellent car that sold well from day one due to its combination of styling, handling and overall toughness, the VT received a minor facelift and mechanical changes to become the VT Series II in June 1999.
Commodore VX of August 2000 saw another facelift, the VX Series II arrived just 12 months later. There weren’t a lot of appearance changes in the VX II, but there were big changes to the suspension, especially at the rear. These further improved the stability and handling and gave the Commodore a real sporting feel.
Holden introduced the VY Commodore in October 2002. This time around there were substantial styling changes to give it a sales credence as the boys at Holden prepared for the, still distant, VE Series. The VY was facelifted, this time to become the VY II in August 2003. Finally, the VZ arrived in September 2004.
The big news with the introduction of the VZ was a new six-cylinder engine. A forerunner to the unit fitted to the VE Commodore, it was an all-new, twin-cam V6 of 3.6 litres. This powerplant is sold in two formats, one with variable valve and intake timing for a greater spread of torque and improved power, the other a more basic unit. As fitted to the VZ, this engine is not as smooth or quiet as it should be.
 Most Commodores prior to the VZ range have a pushrod V6 engine of 3.8 litres. There's also a supercharged variant of this 3.8-litre, but it was never a real success because performance car buyers preferred to go for one of the V8 options. The supercharged six was discontinued in 2004.
There were two V8s in the pre-VZ Commodores; one an old Australian design of 5.0 litres, the other a Chevrolet unit adapted to Holden specifications with 5.7 litres. This Generation III Chev V8 is much better than the old Holden, so much so that resale value of the Holden 5.0-litre suffers in comparison. The Gen III with ‘only’ 5.7 litres was replaced by a Gen IV with 6.0 litres in January 2006, again as a teaser to the upcoming VE Series.
Almost all Commodores come with a four-speed automatic transmission. Five-speed manual gearboxes are on the crude side by today’s standards, so that they are rare. Manuals could be difficult to resell so unless you do a lot of country running or really enjoy that extra bit of control they are possibly best bypassed.
Ride comfort is very good, even on rough roads and this is a genuine five-seat car, though the traveller in the centre-rear seat may find foot space compromised by the transmission tunnel. Boot space is good in the sedan and excellent in the wagon due to the latter’s longer wheelbase.
The Commodore model range is large: Commodore Executive, Acclaim and Berlina. Strictly speaking the most expensive of the lot isn’t called a Commodore, simply a Calais. The latter has almost invariably belonged to a private buyer, while there's a real risk the lower cost variants may have begun their lives as company cars.
On the sporting side are the Commodore S and SS with firmer suspension, tauter steering, revamped seats and body kits. Not as hot as the HSV Commodores, these Holden models do provide a lot of driving pleasure at a moderate price.
Holden frequently does runs of special editions, the best value of these is arguably the oft-recurring Vacationer series.
 Commodores are easy cars to work on with plenty of access to most mechanical components. The good amateur mechanic can do most of their own repairs although it’s best to leave safety related items to professional mechanics. There are numerous electronic components that also require specialist knowledge and/or diagnostic equipment.
Spare parts prices are generally reasonably priced and we hear very complaints about availability from Holden’s widespread dealer network. A network that’s as prevalent in the bush as in the ‘burbs.
Insurance is pretty cheap for a car of this size and performance, though there can be a significant extra slug for the sportier models, especially if they have supercharged or V8 engines.
CAR BUYING TIP
With the market in a state of nervousness there are some real deals on offer for the bold buyer.
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