2001 Holden Utility VU 3.8 Ecotec V6 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

The world class work Ute

Faults:

Noticed a rattle in the front end at 49000 km. It was found to be a worn stabilizer bar and was replaced at the 50000 km service.

General Comments:

The seats are very comfortable on long trips.

The air con is the best out of any car I have ever been in.

Magnificent fuel economy from the cast iron overhead valve engine which first appeared in the 1988 VN Commodore.

Hasn't used a drop of oil.

Handles extremely well for an Aussie car, even with it's standard Bridgestone RE88 tyres.

The automatic transmission is fairly good, but changes when you least expect it to.

At 110 km/h in 4th gear, the engine is doing only 1900 RPM, which explains why the trip computer reads 800 km to empty when the tank is full.

If the whole Commodore range is anything like my ute, it's not hard to work out why Commodore has been Australia's best selling car every month since September 1997, except for September 2003, where it was beaten by the Ford BA Falcon.

The VR ute I had before my VU never had any problems in the 112000 kilometres I had it, so for my next car, I wouldn't consider anything, but a Holden Commodore.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th January, 2004

10th Sep 2006, 15:32

Definitely agree with this review - I also own a VY SS Dec 03' model and have been very happy with it to date. I have taken the thing across the Nullabor from Sydney and the beast performed extremely well. I have 19" rims on mine and a warning for all SS owners is to ensure that the wheel alignment is spot on. The car is particularly sensitive to mislalignement which can result in your expensive tread being chewed to shreds - I should know. TCS should definitely be standard on these models, as should xenon lamps - the basic yellow type are OK, but long haul drives at night can become problematic - its really to say that the blue spectrum light vs yellow offers an outstanding difference in visibility. Larger rim size and lower tyre wall improve stability markedly, however the car is remarkably stable to begin with:).

PMC.

2001 Holden Utility VU SS 5.7L Gen III from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

An absolute dream

Faults:

I had an oil consumption problem with the ute when I first got it. The problem was found to be a faulty oil pump, which was rectified by Holden under warranty. That is the only major problem I have had with the ute.

General Comments:

The ute I own is a dream. I cannot fault it in any way. I have had some aftermarket parts added to it to increase performance, which have added to the cars power, acceleration, engine repsonse, and have greatly improved the fuel economy. All parts are supplied by SS Inductions, and fitted by Parramatta Exhaust Centre. The ute is now fast, handles well, and I get at least 500kms from a tank, in city driving. The mods were about 3 grand all up, and I highly recommend having them done. SS Inductions parts are all recognised by Holden, and does not affect your warranty at all.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st June, 2003

23rd Sep 2007, 03:37

500 km on one tank! Do you live in a one road city? I wouldn't be able to believe a V6 could do that, let alone a V8.

2001 Holden Utility VU 3.8 V6 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Not a vehicle for comfort - purely commercial

Faults:

Hand brake is worn.

General Comments:

Uncomfortable seats, they dig into your back.

Huge bulky dash, therefore little cabin room.

Very poor visibility, difficult to judge distances etc.

Horrible steering wheel.

Heavy steering.

Goes really well.

Good fuel economy.

When you plant your foot, it takes a moment for the motor to respond.

Gear changes have a funny feel.

Seats don't flip forward - you have to wind them forward to store luggage behind them.

Nice and quiet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st September, 2001