G'day - Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think of this list in the comments! Would love to hear from you - especially if you own a VE/WM or a G8! Cheers!!
Being a Ford man at heart and having owned an FG MKII XR6T, it’s my opinion that my VE Calais V8 is an overall better car. Not quite as rapid but the power delivery is more usable and it doesn’t matter if an FGT can out accelerate you (which, let’s be honest, how often are you finding yourself at the lights against an FGT) the aural brilliance of the V8 more than makes up for it! And yes! That three window trip computer is gold!
G'day Gary! The Calais did a lot right and I think you are spot on in saying they are a great overall package. The lazy V8 was great just putting around and on the highway, and the Holdens interior always felt a step above the Falcons. The Turbo barras were a no brainer when it came to performance though, could get em to go real quick with not a lot of money spent on them. But like you said, in the real world we aren't drag racing each other at every opportunity on the street hehe! Love that you are a fan of the trip computer! It was around since 88 in the VN Calais and survived 25 odd years till the end of the VE S11! I have since sold the car and upgraded big time, but still miss the trip computer layout haha! Cheers - thanks for watching and the comment Gary!
Glad RU-vid recommended this video to me! I own a 2008 VE Calais - also for 10 years now (bought in 2013). It had 72000km on the clock but now it has 224000km. We drive interstate or to country Vic/NSW quite often. 2 trips a year to Sydney to see the wife's family. My family is spread out from Bendigo to Echuca to Barmah to Deniliquin: funerals, weddings, birthdays you name it we go up for it. We have a family of 5 & when we got the car our eldest was 8 and the youngest was 1. The rear DVD player was perfect for those long trips in the first 5-6 years but it doesn't get used these days as the 2 eldest have their iPhones & the youngest has his iPad. Driving back from Sydney in July 2022 we had our eldest on her learners. I was in the front with her & around somewhere after Gundagai I started getting the nods so my wife jumped in the front & I sat in the back for the first time ever. I simply could not believe how much room I had behind the driver (my daughter is only 5'4") nor could I believe how comfortable the seat was. I went straight to sleep & was comfortable all the way to Wodonga where we stopped for petrol. The Calais has a sunroof which I use regularly. Fuel on long trips is excellent. Best we ever had was a 35 degree day driving back from Sydney. Filled up at Campbelltown & only stopped at Seymour because I was getting nervous. We still had 10ltrs in the tank! Wife did most of the driving that day which probably explains the better economy... We worked it out as being under 8l/100km with 5 people in the car & a fully loaded boot. By the way, we can fit lots - and I mean LOTS - in the boot when I take the time to do it properly. I don't have any of the issues with fit & finish as you do, nor do I have the bugs in the rear lights, even though I live in Berwick - in the country... #rolleyes... Nothing rattles in the car but the front seats have both broken on the sides & I had to used a screw to hold them in place. Car had shot suspension from previous owners (set way too soft for fast cornering) so I immediately picked up some SS suspension which is pretty good (now done over 150000km on them) but I would prefer to switch to coilovers so I can dial them in a little more. We have had to replace the radiator (top hose joint burst in Sydney one time), the hoses running over the top of the engine, serpentine belt & just last week the belt tensioner. The AC compressor is only working at 20% capacity at the moment so we have to get that done before we drive to Deni for Easter. Last Easter I finally put back on the original exhaust system it had when I bought it but the previous owner tried to sell off separately (She was dodgy and her husband got involved and made sure I got it). A full 3" system with DiFillipo headers (short). The car just GOES now but I use more petrol than I should as I tend to drive a "bit" heavy footed... just a "bit"... The only issue is at hwy speeds it can be a bit droney. Car is a fantastic cross country cruiser, but now it really kicks when coming down the on ramp from Clyde Rd onto the Monash. Recently the Hazard light button broke which can't be replaced so I'm looking at upgrading the centre console & stereo to a series 2 version (with the touch screen). I love the dashboard with the chrome rims. What else can I say? It's getting old now but we've gotten so much reliable driving out of it. It's comfortable, & fast when you need it. I can't replace it at any sensible price these days. Sorry for the long post. As you may well guess, I love my 2008 VE Calais. Oh, and it's deep blue - which is the best colour! 🤣
Nice mate! A motor and box tune really wakes these up! I never did mine but sometimes wish i did!! Hope you enjoy yours for years to come! Cheers for watching and the comment!
Haha excellent video. Got the same car but I replaced the cd player with a tv and the aircon with a tv. Changed the boot out with amps and subwoofers. Suspension out with anti comfort, bad ride hate my life suspension. Too dark tint and a giant L tattoo on my face. Haha Your video rocks, keep making like this and I have no doubt you'll get a play button
G'day mate! Love the comments - I use to have anti-comfort hate my life springs in my old VT! Never realised how bad they were until I put stock springs back in and pondered about the comfort I missed for all those years!! How do you like your aftermarket head unit compared to the stock one? Thanks for the support! I'd love to make more vids -will hopefully get a few more done this summer. Cheers mate and thanks for watching!
I'm with ya big time. I laughed watching. The worst is the gearbox to me. Your right when it's cold it's shit. It shifts slow as in manual mode. Rubbish transmission. Makes me say why oh why didn't I get a manual. My wrx is a manual. I've had mine for 3 year's and gone through 2 alternators, 2 batteries because of it. Engine mount's, radiator, all belts, left rear wheel bearing. Changed all window seal's including front window. They all crack. New rear light's as they start to leak. Still I love my car. I have noticed people in the last year starting to like looking at it. At light's, shopping centres etc. I think because they are not made any more and you just don't see V8 cars as much any more. Kid's love it. Anyway I could go on but talk soon my man, take care
G'day Damien! Ah mate sounds like you have gone through similar pain hehe! I forgot that the Calais had thrown a few AC belts in its time as well - Annoying, but an easy fix. These early autos really do leave a bit to be desired don't they! At least your Rexy is a cog swapper so you can use that to scratch that itch when you need it. Give it a few years and i reckon all these V8 Holdens will be worth a mint and only be driven on Sundays. Cheers mate and keep looking after your one! Marc
Got an '09 Calais-V just over a year ago, love it (1 previous owner, under 80,000ks on the clock). No door pockets on my one though, just cheap plastic tubs instead. Only minor annoyances with it are I'm always one generation behind on the stereo system tech. Every time I look for a mod or add-on for 2006-2013 VE's there's a lot of 'Compatible with every model....except VE Calais' which is incredibly frustrating when the parts look exactly the same and *should* fit. And the fact that the '09 Calais V8 (with the dreaded AFM) is quieter than your average Toddler's Pedal-Car, and is going to cost me a kidney to remedy. Cheers for the vid. Congrats on the sale :)
G'day Jusnzl - Cheers mate! Nice car you have there too with pretty low kms! When I was in the market for my one way back when, I purposely was looking at the 07/08s because they still had the L98 vs the L77 AND all those little interior things like door pockets and sliding console were removed for the later models! I mean how tight ar$3 is that from Holden!! Agree with the stereo as well - It was a shame that they cant be easily upgraded, and my goodness aren't exhausts expensive for the VEs compared to the VZs! If I had my time again with the car, Id do an OTR, tune and a cat back - which is exactly what the new owner was going to do! Hope yours gives you plenty of trouble free motoring and puts a smile on your dial for years to come. And when the smile wears off .... slap a blower on it! :) Cheers - Marc
I love watching your videos and it's always good to hear what a fellow Calais owner has to say about the car. I've got a 2010 Holden VE Calais with the 3.6L SIDI, it might not have that 6.0L L98 V8 but its pretty similar inside. Great videos and keep it up!
G'day Callum! Thanks mate - I've since moved on my Calais but will always look back at it fondly. I think your 2010 Calais had a few nicer interior tech updates didn't it? They are such good cars for our roads, super comfy and drove beautifully! Hope yours gives you plenty of comfy drama free motoring in years to come! Cheers - Marc
G'day Ben Thanks mate!! I hope your SSV has treated you well so far? It's just so hard to pick with these commodores isn't it - some of the best, tightest and quietest ones I have been in have had big Kms on them, but then you find some with less than 100km and they are ready to fall apart!
G'day mate! I know right! How the bloody hell do they end up in there? I have never seen a car that accommodates creepy crawlies as well as the VE commodore! Have you taken apart your tail lights and tried to shake em out?
The covers in your boot tuck under the seal , should also have a plastic clip on each corner under the window. Bugs in the rear brake cover hahaha I've got a couple, what I hate about mine is the heat that I can't stop coming from under the dash summer is a killer for me ..
G'day mate! Yeah i always tried to re position the covers under the boot seal but over time they just kept popping out. Even with those clips you speak of. My VS, VT and VZ all did this too! That heat being directed under the dash is a pain - they have a few gremlins in the HVAC system. Could be a few different issues - might be the blend door or could need a reset of the vents (re calibration).
Nice vid bro! Very Dave Hughes-esk haha. In 2015 I purchased a Calais V International 6.0 in silver. Owned it for about 18 months from 117k to 143k. The International got the factory satnav which was cool as it also gave directions on the dash centre screen but of course it was 2007 GM maps. Not really worth the hassle. The 60th Anniversary model got the sunroof as standard but missed out on the sunglasses holder which was in the same spot as the controls. I preferred the sunglasses holder. I miss that car all the time. Mainly the V8 haha but you have also reminded me of the few reasons why I disliked the car. I replaced the boot catch, side indicators, gear surround plastics, etc. Similar GM quality issues. I own a VS Calais II now and will never sell it. Calais life forever 🤙🏼
G'day mate! Sorry I thought I replied to you here! Ah I don't mind a bit of vintage Hughesy - I suppose I raged on pretty good when talking about the stuff that pissed me off on that car! Ahh nice those internationals were fully loaded - Although yeah the sat nav would have been a bit of a gimmick but the sun roof would have been nice, albeit at the expense of the sunnies holder. As a daily car yeah these things had their shortcomings but I reckon in years to come they will be collectable - especially in V8 form. Now..that VSII you have, I hope its a 5L? I really liked the series 2s - they got the nicer wheels, smaller two tone treatment and the fog lights - that would make for a really nice cruiser!! Very nice mate!! Thanks for watching and for the comment! Cheers!
@@MeatballGarage Unfortunatley it’s just the standard 3.8. A one owner car before me and only 150k km I couldn’t pass it up haha. I love it all the same. Yeah I love the little design changes it got over the series 1. 🤙🏼
Great video! I don't have a Holden (BA Falcon 177km) but he I think I have a Wednesday build. Alternator. Transmission, air conditioning.... Diff Bushes.... Everything is all original. Love your videos. Great watching!
G'day Paul! Thanks for the kind words mate - glad you are enjoying my vids! Haha a Wednesday car - sounds like it to have that many kms without any of the normal 'Falcon' failures on that platform! Or, are you just really really REALLY gentle on your car? What's your secret? I really hope my new car is a Wednesday car...if something goes wrong on that, i'll have to sell the house! (at least it will make for a good video...) Cheers - Marc
@@MeatballGarage I wish there was a secret! Bought it with 95k on it in August 2011 and instantly fell in love with the big girl!! I got an SVI LPG System in 2013 and apart from that, lifted rear springs and a Fairmont ICC she's all standard! Clean oil every 6 months, filters and coolant change every 3 years. I am gentle on it. Helps rear diffs flogging out for sure! but clean BA's re hard to find now in food condition as well. Is not a performance car so yeah, just take my time and try to avoid any dramas! She's no garage Queen.... Gets used on road trips and country roads.... But can definitely recommend Meguiar's Supr Degreaser for chassis / wheel well and engine cleaning 👍
Nice mate! The VFs were such a step up from the VEs - I hope you got yours before all Holden V8 values went nuts! Thanks for watching and cheers for the comment!
@@MeatballGarage got a bit lucky, because the prices were up I got a good payout when my V6 Calais was written off. Wanted an LS3 Calais but couldn't justify paying $15000 more
I have the 2011 3.6 v6 calais. It has been faultless and mine is fitted with a sunroof which I rearly use. Other than a few sets of tyres and one abs sensor mine has had no faults. About to replace my brake rotors and pads for the first time. Best car that I have ever owned. I have previously owned a BMW convertible that I called my BM trouble u as it was always in the shop for silly repairs. Thinking about an Audi etron gt rs electric car when I have to finally part with my beloved Calais. ❤
G'day Robert! Mate that is a very trouble free ownership tenure you have had with your Calais - well done! Being a series 2 I'd hope a lot of the bugs and quality issues had been ironed out - which on yours seems to be the way! How many Kms on it? Agree - heard so many horror stories with BMWs - no wonder you moved it on! That Audi Etron GT RS look AMAZING and would be a huge step up from the VE - here is hoping you get one mate!! Thanks for watching and for the comment Robert! Cheers - Marc
Omg I have a 2012 Calais V, everything you spoke about is bang on, one more thing to add to it tho, is that the parking sensors automatically turn themselves off and I need to turn them back on every time I park !!
G’day Steven! Ha there you go - glad a lot of this rings true for your car mate (well the good bits anyway). Is yours a 6 or an 8? I reckon before the Covid tax on all Aussie stuff - a Calais was such a good value car compared to a euro, you just missed out on a few creature comfort’s and the fit and finish. The parking sensors is a new one! Mine use to play up too come to think of it, they’d go AWOL for a bit then just come back! Is there an option in the customisation settings in the trip computer that puts em on automatically?? Cheers for watching 👍👍 Marc
Haahaha, i totally agre mate, after owning this ve hsv e1 r8 maloo I fully agree, I've done a radiator 4 caps,heater hoses ,radiator hoses, waterpump, alternator, & the harmonic balancer & an extra pulley to stop ac belt throwing, an idler pulley, serpentine belt, windscreen rubbers both sides, & same with interior quality woefull, my 6 stacker is jammed with a beep beep error msg everytime i turn the radio on, lol, apart from the clutch sticking to the floor as well (due to duel mass flywheel I'm led to beleive, & a bitch to bleed or flush clutch fluid coz it goes black after 6 months , a remote bleeder line will help, i put pedders coilovers & a vcm otr , rear mufflers are aftermarket but the rest is all stock, I'd love to work it a bit ,cam etc , but I've had my head full of fixing these damn issues, i love driving it, now it's reliable but coz it hasn't been I'm wondering have i fixed it or was that rnd 1 lol Cheers mate good viewing , oh another thing when bleeding rad with a funnel/bleeder thing, do ya put the cap on as soon as the thermo opens, is the trapped air out by the time it opens, i let it go 5 mins after it opened & damn thing boiled over , redid it & put the cap on after it opened & fluid whirlpooling , then when cool topped it up. The damn thing has been filling the overflow but not sucking back to rad, cap was the prob , never overheats , just had a full recovery bottle & heaps out of the rad, so I'm hoping I've got it this time, Should i drive with heater on for a drive & see .....or should it theoretically be ok now lol, damn gm
Cheers Rob! Hopefully you can pick one up before values skyrocket any further! I remember that VF Clubby on your channel a while ago - it would be worth more now than when it was new!
G8 gt in California. I wish i had those side miror lights and heated side mirror. Other than that its been fine 140k miles bought it at 64k. No issies other than 1 alternator failure at 100k my rear diff blowing up after doing a burn out. Heads cam e85 420hp
Nice Devin! It doesn't take much to get decent power out of those LS power plants. I never understood why some features were only for the US and some for Australia - GM decision making.. Sounds like you have had a pretty good run in your car reliability wise too - especially if you are punishing it enough to break diffs 😁😁!!! Cheers mate!!
ive got a ve omega 2010, i havent had an issue with the panels, and im had it for nearly 3 years. but the boot lining with the taillights, honestly doesn't bother me. as long as i can still fit stuff in, and put up those parts to fit things in, but i havent much many issues was, only had it misfire a few times when driving but seems to fix its elf. ive had my chains done, might have a minor oil leak, and ive had other minor stuff done, but nothing major lols
Nice mate - I think fit and finish issues will always be a GM/Ford issue on these models and be a mixed bag too - some cars are solid where as others are loosey goosey! Sounds like yours is going pretty strong - hopefully it keeps treating you right! Cheers and thanks for watching
Basically the benefits boil down to low upfront cost, huge space and V8 power. As much as I’d love V8 power for that price, I couldn’t deal with the mechanical issues and subpar build quality
G'day Y K! Mate I think you have nailed it! They were great value for what they were compared to the euros. Excellent space and power, but you have to put up with cheaper materials and worse build quality. The values of these Aussie V8 sedans are going through the roof, driven by nostalgia and no more local manufacturing. So i don't even know if they are good value for what they are any more.. Thanks for watching and the comment mate! Marc
@@MeatballGarage That's very true! The V8 engines are on the way out UNFORTUNATELY. It's weird because what is the alternative for V8 sedans? Mercedes? Yet I hear those have countless electronic issues and build quality issues of their own. Is there such thing as a relatively affordable V8 sedan that actually holds up as well as a Toyota/Honda etc?
@@HULKHOGAN1 spot on mate, not much else out there in the way of V8 sedans aside from the euros, and they all have their (sometimes VERY costly) faults as well! I think consumers preference for SUVs over sedans will kill them off further in years to come. What have you drive yourself mate?
Haha there you go - Nice to know we are in good company ey Beau! I moved my Calais on last year after 10 years - was a great car (well apart from the bits I didn't like in this list haha!) How long have you had yours for? Any major dramas with it? Thanks for watching mate and glad you enjoyed the video 👍
Gday Meatball, funny vid. I have the VE V6 3.0L SIDI Sportwagon, and i dont like how the timing chain rattles. I do like how it tows bunnings courtesy trailers though :-) Congrats on getting rid of (err.. selling) yours.. :-)
G'day mate - Glad you enjoyed the vid hehe! Yeah I have heard some horror stories with those Alloytec V6 timing chains - hope yours keeps going strong! How many kms have you done in yours? I loved towing in my Calais - I moved and help move mates towing those massive bunnings trailers too! The VE is such a good platform for it! Thanks mate - so far no regrets on moving mine on - I wonder when the values are going to calm down..
@@MeatballGarage 270Kkms, they all go apparently but really its just like any other car with timing belt replacements etc.. and sounds just like my old Misty Sigma with its chain rattle from 1970's :-) Time is coming to move onto ELECTRIC! ;-) Tesla time.. Would i get $70k for my ol' commy if i upsell the nostalgia?
I have a 09 G8 GT. With 118k miles, my tranny is acting up, I'm on my 4th radiator, and my rear main leaks. Other than that it's been pretty reliable and I'll keep it till the wheels fall off
Nice David!! Radiators are super common on these - However this was my first Holden not to do one (...it went through water pumps like hot cakes thought)!! Hopefully the tranny is an easy fix and you can keep putting miles on it (and those wheels don't fall off for a while)! Cheers mate!
The seat belt chime is my no. 1 annoyance. I never put my seatbelt on before I start a car so I get it every time..... But apart from that it's awesome (VE SSV manual ute). Daily is a VS V6 ute so other issues are insignificant.
G'day Roger! Hehe glad to see someone else out there hates that bloody chime! Fairdinkum - how many people actually get in, buckle up THEN fire up ready to pull away straight away? Mate that cog swapper ute of yours will be quite desirable in years to come very nice! Does the immobiliser on your VS play up? I got caught out a few times with my old one...bloody things! Cheers for watching and the comment mate! Marc
@@MeatballGarage XY is originally 6 cylinder public works car with XD 351 black block and C4 transplanted before I purchased a long time ago. Had bog job GT paint that covered rust. Done sills, torque box lower rear quarters etc. In primer. Starting paint soon. I'm a DIY nut but realise it takes three times as long when you have to figure it out from scratch.
@@rogerveal1336 Sounds fantastic! I have heard body shops demand drug money these days to work on old Aussie iron, so although it might take you a while doing it yourself - you will learn a thing or two and save a heap of folding in the process!! Well done for cracking in yourself - will be amazing once its finished knowing your own blood, sweat, tears, and swearing went into the build!!
G'day Shane - Evoke is a great colour - I looked at a few Evoke VE GTS before i bought this and they looked killer! DVD screen could be DOA. Have you had a look at your fuses? Do you get any other display on the screen when you start it up?
Have a problem with no air con in a wm statesman 2008 ls2 system fully gassed up still cantt find fault with no aircon thopught bout many things any tips would be gr8 as an easy fix
G'day John - Not sure mate. From time to time my AC button wouldn't kick on the compressor - but a simple on and off would fix it. I reckon an an auto elec/air con joint would diagnose the problem pretty quickly - could be a fuse..or could be your compressor! Hope it's a pretty straight forward issue mate! Cheers - Marc
G'day Andrew - It was more a comment on that no matter how much you pussy footed this thing, it was going to suck juice either way. 23L around town? What are you driving? That's up there with my dirty ol 351 Clevo! Cheers!
Not a FN clue but the roof CD player is cool. The engine stuff blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah nope not a clue. It's not a Prius, as you can't have everything..
Haha! As much as the Prius is an inferior vehicle (in all respects…no matter location or proximity to Gold Camrys) their existence on this planet does make me feel a tiny bit better about having a shed full of V8s!
@@MeatballGarage Well G'day mate , To state a fact about how Holden got its name is the reason Holden is JUST Holden together and this vid proves it again ... Catchya..
G'day John! I think it's one of those passive features that manufactures add in so it helps the car achieve a 5 star rating by ANCAP. You are prob right though - i wonder what other GM cars in the States it came in first before Holden took it. The car has been sold for nearly 12 months...and i still hate that bloody noise!!! Cheers! Marc
Hey mate, i was lucky to get my hands on a ve calais v international with the L98 and that one came with the sunroof but it doesn't have the sunnies compartment 😢
Nice Dion!! I remember those Internationals - fully kitted out with sat nav/sun roof (did they have different wheels too?). Shame about the sunnies holder, it’s super useful and one of the things i really miss since selling the car too! How is your Calais going? How many kms - any major issues with it? Cheers for watching and sharing a comment too Dion!