Holden Statesman

[Big_Richard]

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[goldacre]

Hi Patrick, happy St Pats day 

Sounds like you may be having a case of the seven year itch! familiarity breads contempt so to say with the Holden. We drive these out here in the wheatbelt and the first thing you will notice is the door and boot seals will not keep out the dust, it accumulates very readily on the inside sills and will not please the misses when she hops out the car to the Irish local pub in her favorite st Pats day dress 

Don't let the economy fool you, with just you and someone else in the car its great fuel economy but then hook on a tandem axle trailer with a grate ramp and it will chew more than my 450SEL doing warp factor 140. I find the w116 to use only a marginal increase in fuel when towing compared to these light weight economy engines.

Like i told my brother in law who likes winding me up for owning an old W116, '...show me your commodore after 29 years then we will talk', certainly shut him up that Christmas party 

Keep up the luvvin

J

[oscar]

'...show me your commodore after 29 years then we will talk',

  So true.  But you know what, I honestly want to see Aussie Holdens and Fords do well and improve themselves to match the competition coming from Euro marques and Japanese brands.    I think a VY SS Commodore was the last newest type of Holden I've been in and yeah sure it had a punch but I felt like it was just a car.  Nothing special. But I don't know too much about the new Holdens let alone the Statesman.  The Statesman really doesn't have a direct competitor now the Fairlanes are no longer produced but it makes me wonder if the Statesman's days are numbered with the increasing number of SUV type vehicles available.

I feel sorry for the current Falcon.  I was reading not long ago it's the best Ford have ever produced and the best local car ever produced but nobody was buying them with the global recession thingy. But they don't take into account durability and I don't believe in "car of the year" accolades anymore.  The Ford Territory was given that in 2004 when it debuted and we got one.  4 years later our Terri has had too many issues with suspension, ABS and a myriad of other little annoying quality control and electrical problems.  It's a good car when everything's working but a PITA when things go wrong when they shouldn't.  And the dust!  This beast is the same goldacre.  For a soft roader, you cannot drive on a dusty road with any windows open.  The vacuum created brings a huge amount of dust from the rear vents and  rear door.  I'd get another if only they'd address these issues. 

[Big_Richard]

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[koan]

that stuff I've done to it years ago when i bought it is starting to fail before I've even finished the car

I'm getting a bit of the same, a clunk here, a rattle there which is a touch discouraging but I won't lose the faith.

Crawling around under a Ford or Holden would be required after a lot less years.

koan

[oscar]

Me too koan.  It's funny, but I was explaining to a colleague at work who asked about the 350 and the fascination behind the w116 and all I could do was think about all the things I had to do to it still and yeah, little things I took care of a few years ago, albeit with less knowledge and skill, have come back to annoy me again.   Sometimes I wish I could send it away and have it back as new with only oil changes to worry about.   But it's smooth as and a joy to drive still.  I don't think a carrot could be dangled in front of me for a swap with a new car.  Well, within reason. (thinks of Italian V12s ). 

Put it this way, despite it's faults, it still makes me happy and If I had the choice between a Statesman and the 350 for a car to last me until oil reserves ran dry, I'd stay with the 350.  Serious.  I can understand where you're coming from Pat but I just hope you do get a chance to enjoy your work before you and it part company (if you ever do).  Should be a big day the day you and TJ roll out on the highway again.

[WGB]

Just work a bit harder and have both.

I love the mix of old and new cars but after a few years a Statesman will just be an old Statesman (and very cheap at that) while a 6.9 will always be timeless.

Bill

[zedster]

What does one of these look like? I think this one is a little older

Holden Statesman

[oscar]

What does one of these look like? I think this one is a little older

Holden Statesman

LOL, that's it. 

Aussie sedans and the longer wheel base luxury versions look pretty good IMO and they go well too, there's just quality issues is all that can't match some Euro and Jap marques.

[Big_Richard]

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[zedster]

From the link Patrick posted, picture 02, looks like the back end of a Mitsubishi Galant or a Chevy Malibu. Is Holden related to any other manufacturers?

[oscar]

Just part of the General Motors juggernaut.  It's funny you mention those other models.  Not that they're directly related in any way (or I don't think they are) but I remember a thread a long time ago discussing likenesses between brands of different eras.  Someone has an idea and it's copied over and over. When the MB CLS came out, I could swear  that new cars after that tried to capture the sleek look of that model.  But I'm biased.  Who's first with an idea, who knows.  Everything's becoming a fastback these days.  Sedans are becoming 4 door hatches.  Speaking of which, had a look at a friend's new Ford Mondeo XR5 today.  I have to admit I couldn't really fault it.  Just not a V8 is all

[koan]

Wasn't the Statesman exported and sold in the US as a Buick SUX9000 or something?

koan

[zedster]

Wasn't the Statesman exported and sold in the US as a Buick SUX9000 or something?

koan

You reminded me of the RoboCop 6000 SUX. LOL!!

6000 SUX