Advice on buying a 2nd hand Caprice

[chrism697]

Hello guys,

I am looking for a little bit of advice
I am after a 2007 or later V6 caprice hopefully with around 80,000kms on the clock!
I have had a little bit of look on carsales and it looks like I could get what I am after for somewhere around 30-32k. Which sounds great, it's certainly a lot of car for the money!
One question I do have though is regarding the auctions, I have heard differing reports on how worthwhile they are. Some people have said they are really cheap, whilst others have said they really aren't worth it

Anyone care to guess how much a vehicle like what I mention would go for?

Thanks in advance for the help,
Chris

P.s I live in Melbourne

[jono0309]

Sorry this may not be what your after, but I have seen some V6 caprices go through a lot of fuel as they dont have much power and you are constantly revving it. Have you looked at a V8? It may cost you the same or maybe a bit more in the initial cost but it would make driving the thing damn easier!
They also might be as common as HC's, etc use them!

[chrism697]

Sorry this may not be what your after, but I have seen some V6 caprices go through a lot of fuel as they dont have much power and you are constantly revving it. Have you looked at a V8? It may cost you the same or maybe a bit more in the initial cost but it would make driving the thing damn easier!
They also might be as common as HC's, etc use them!
Thanks Jono
To be honest I have considered that and am thinking I might go for an eight
I have heard that with such a heavy car the V6 is underpowered

I'll take a drive of both and see what they feel like

Thanks for the advice

[Drewie]

My nephew just bought a 2007 V6 Caprice privately for $30k, had 44,000km on it, he seems to think it is ok power wise, I haven't driven it yet so can't comment on the power. His wife is the main daily driver and for her I guess the power is not an issue. He is very impressed with the comfort and features the car has.

[jono0309]

I'll be honest with you Chrism. I have owned the 195kw SV6 for 2 years now, 5 speed auto. Its a great car but its pretty dead, its smooth and gear changes are pretty good but its gutless. I go to overtake sometimes, put my foot down and feels very "lacking".
People vary as to what they "need" or "want" but I think if you want a car that big, its need a big engine. The Sv6 is not as heavy as the caprice.

The fuel economy on the V6s are pretty poor aswell, so getting the eight won't make THAT much of a difference but its a completely different ball game when you drive the thing daily!

Test drive both and if you want it to have a bit of poke, I am 99% sure you will get the 8 banger. Even better sponsors on here will tune the gearbox and engine, and you will have more power, better fuel economy and you will laugh at the fact you even considered a six.

:)

[feistl]

For what its worth (which probably isnt much in this case...) my dad bought a WHII Super6 statesman back in 2005. We find the fuel usage is normally around 14L/100km when driven softly... A mate who has a WH Series 1 V8 normally gets around 15/100km but drives a bit harder. We actually think in the real world the V8 would almost be the same fuel usage...

So yeah, dont be put off a V8 because of fuel usage because betime you add in insurance, rego, depreciation, repairs, servicing etc the fuel usage will difference will be minimal.

Of course a V8 Caprice on LiLPG would be perfect....

[jono0309]

For what its worth (which probably isnt much in this case...) my dad bought a WHII Super6 statesman back in 2005. We find the fuel usage is normally around 14L/100km when driven softly... A mate who has a WH Series 1 V8 normally gets around 15/100km but drives a bit harder. We actually think in the real world the V8 would almost be the same fuel usage...

So yeah, dont be put off a V8 because of fuel usage because betime you add in insurance, rego, depreciation, repairs, servicing etc the fuel usage will difference will be minimal.

Of course a V8 Caprice on LiLPG would be perfect....

+1, seems to be the case now as the sixs are not fuel efficient at all, the SIDI (MY10/2010 models) are a bit better but nothing drastic.
Plus the V8s have a 6 speed gearbox, much much better. Again, with a gearbox tune, people say they are great.

[whitels1ss]

Yeah...another vote for the V8!
The V8 completes the Caprice package and just makes the car near perfect. ;)
I think if you settle for a 6 you might sometimes regret it!

[SilverVH]

32K you could sneak yourself in to a higher km clubby or gts.

LS2's go forever and ever and ever... ;)

[CLUBRED]

P.s I live in Melbourne

Don't constrain your search to just Melbourne, for the price of a cheap airfare and a road trip you might grab yourself a better result (later model, 8, prefered colour etc). Any issues with early models are well documented throughout the forum.

[zorro]

Don't constrain your search to just Melbourne, for the price of a cheap airfare and a road trip you might grab yourself a better result (later model, 8, prefered colour etc). Any issues with early models are well documented throughout the forum.

Yes and no, if you fly somewhere and look at a lemon you will be inclined to make positives of its shortfalls and by it rather than walk away.

If you do travel try and look at a few cars, make a weekend of it so you arent rushed or obliged to buy something you will regret

[CLUBRED]

Or have them inspected by a mutual workshop, motoring authority, or forum member etc before travelling. In QLD it's illegal to advertise a car without a safety certificate for example, so either people don't know this or there's a reason they haven't done it.

"Has to go!" - http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?Cr=2&R=11068348&keywords=&trecs=33&__sid=132D89D3308D&__Ns=pCar_PriceSort_Decimal|1||pCar_RankSort_Int32 |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&__Qpb=1&__Nne=15&SearchAction=N&seot=1&__N=834 1216 1246 1247 1252 1282 4294965608 4294965857 415 4294766524&silo=1011

[whitels1ss]

Yes and no, if you fly somewhere and look at a lemon you will be inclined to make positives of its shortfalls and by it rather than walk away.

If you do travel try and look at a few cars, make a weekend of it so you arent rushed or obliged to buy something you will regret

Very wise advice.:goodjob:

[charlie15]

I'd go v8 as well. Also, head down to Manheim fowles in altona. I bought an s2000 dead cheap and my dad just bought a mini. Heaps of govt cars which may mean heaps of statesmans and caprices.

[lowhsv]

2 weeks ago a car yard in melb had a 2007 v8 caprice with 44000kms on it and 4 tv screens for sale for 34000 drive away. it was snapped up quick

[Seshoo]

Another vote for a V8. Similar petrol consumption (depending how you drive it :nyuk:) and the power is there when you want it.

[chrism697]

Thanks for the advice guys,
Ill have a drive of both but it sounds like the 8 is the go!

[csv rulz]

The best method is test drive both and see which one you would prefer, people on this forum would convince you that a v8 would be needed even if the car was a Nissan micra. Lol

[wally01]

people on this forum would convince you that a v8 would be needed even if the car was a Nissan micra. Lol[/QUOTE]

don't they have one :p

[Carby]

Had a VE SV6 195KW for 5 years the car was great. Felt perfectly balanced, with very confident handling. Power wise it was not left behind but certainly it is not like a V8. Compared to the SS we traded it in on, it was around low 11s and the V8 is around mid 13s for fuel usage, so in real terms the V8 costs about $14.00 a week more in fuel (based on our 20,000k's per year). I'm looking at putting it on LPG now, as having 2 V8's with the recent fuel hikes is is starting to hurt!

If the Caprice is just going to be driven around normally, I think the extra grunt of the V8 is just a waste of resouces. If you want to hoon it a bit then nothing beats the V8 - (but hooning in a Caprice??).

[Xenon]

If you want to hoon it a bit then nothing beats the V8 - (but hooning in a Caprice??).

What of it? :p

[fatas]

i would love another long wheel base car our old 5.7l wh was a very very noice car to drive in and i miss the room the calais v 6.0l is good but a 2 or 3 year old barge v8 would be nicer i think :love::thumbsup:

[CLUBRED]

I love stealth, where I used to work, a guy in the building opposite us had a WM Caprice with Pentagons, I never really took that much notice of it until one day he wound it out - little bugger had a the unmistakable charger whine, but just idling around you wouldn't have a clue.

[dazzrael]

What of it? :p

+1!

The long wheelbase needs the extra poke I think, My LS1 WH gets 12-13L100KM around town, driven 90km daily and never misses a beat, I dont think a 6 will give much better fuel consumption than that in such a big car. Get the 6LT mate, at least test drive one, I have and have wanted a WM ever since.....

[lowhsv]

i dont like the v6 autos, they never no what gear to stay in its terrible... lol and when you put ya foot down, ya wait for it, then the motors reving high, then the car starts moving ever so slightly faster... lol delayed feeling

[daztheclipper]

If you are set on a WM my suggestion is test drive both the V6 and V8. Once you have driven both you will realize that at 1900kg without passengers the WM is one car that needs the 6 litre as the V6 especially at lower speeds struggles to get it moving. Around town and short 60km round trips to work my WM on average gets 550kms per tank, pure highway driving has seen 890kms on one tank. The A6 and V8 just seem rite for the barges. :)


Sent via IPhone
Daz

[CLUBRED]

i dont like the v6 autos, they never no what gear to stay in its terrible... lol and when you put ya foot down, ya wait for it, then the motors reving high, then the car starts moving ever so slightly faster... lol delayed feeling

This is the reason mine almost lives in sports mode, you don't get any of that really.

[mickeyVX350]

I have the V6 in my Adventra - similar weight. I can't say that it is a slug.

I think that if you go from the 8 to the 6 constantly, the 6 is going to feel artificially slow. I jump in the Calais - and it feels like a rocket.

I drive the 6 every day, across the state and have NEVER been wanting for power. I just did a round trip in a 4 cylinder... now there is a slug!

[Troutman]

G'day mate,

I bought mine earlier this year from an auction place near Dandenong and have had no regrets. I hear the V6 model performs acceptably but haven't driven one.

These models seem to have more issues than the older cars, but I did want the safety features and even a MY06 WL had neither ESP nor curtain 'bags which today is expected on even the cheapest cars.

I have had a few minor issues like steering wheel shake on the highway (intermittent), braking shudder, front suspension rattle and a slightly rough idle. All of these are relatively cheap to fix and the effort is well worth i considering the solidity of the rest of the package.

As we speak some of the issues are being looked at by the workshop that did my mafless tune. FWIW the car did 13.89 with just the tune at Heathcote.

[daztheclipper]

G'day mate,

I bought mine earlier this year from an auction place near Dandenong and have had no regrets. I hear the V6 model performs acceptably but haven't driven one.

These models seem to have more issues than the older cars, but I did want the safety features and even a MY06 WL had neither ESP nor curtain 'bags which today is expected on even the cheapest cars.

I have had a few minor issues like steering wheel shake on the highway (intermittent), braking shudder, front suspension rattle and a slightly rough idle. All of these are relatively cheap to fix and the effort is well worth i considering the solidity of the rest of the package.

As we speak some of the issues are being looked at by the workshop that did my mafless tune. FWIW the car did 13.89 with just the tune at Heathcote.

That's a pretty good time for a tune only bud. :) I pulled a 13.50 with tune, difilippo catback and Ramjet.


Sent via IPhone
Daz

[Swordie]

I hired a WM V6 for three days from Sydney to Bathurst and back. It had plenty of power. Coming off Forests Elbow to the first hill on the Conrod Straight it was accelerating quite hard and with good speed. The main difference I felt between it and the Ecotec is it would rev allot harder where the Ecotec gets flat. The 3.6 had nice sound when revving hard.

I wouldn't be put off by the six.

[Swordie]

Here's some pictures of the 6cyl WM I took to Bathurst.

I'd recommend going there to anybody who loves the race.




Quite good economy for a large car

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee487/otherstuff1/Bathurst%20in%20a%20Statesman/DSC07653-2.jpg


At night on top of the mountain.

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee487/otherstuff1/Bathurst%20in%20a%20Statesman/DSC07468.jpg


In town

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee487/otherstuff1/Bathurst%20in%20a%20Statesman/DSC07648.jpg

Camping grounds on top of the track

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee487/otherstuff1/Bathurst%20in%20a%20Statesman/DSC07650-2.jpg

[Troutman]

Nice pics. The top model in the Middle East is called the Chevrolet Caprice Royale and looks very similar to the WM Holden Statesman including the smaller wheels.

Regarding the V6 vs. V8 thing, one comment to make is that with the series II it makes a big difference. The V8 version is called Caprice V and has a more upmarket set of features including 3-zone climate control and rear DVD player that with the series I was also fitted to the V6 model.

Another piece of useless trivia. The V8 engine is cheaper to make than the V6, presumably because it's Mexican rather than Australian. As a result, the V8 Chevrolet Caprice PPV (US cop spec) not only costs the same $32k-ish as the V6, but the V8 even includes a standard LSD for that money.

[jono0309]

As said previously by others and my OP, With long wheel base, minimal difference in fuel consumption and a heavy car, a V8 is the way to go, I own the the SV6 so for me, its still pretty boring, its got good handling, safety, what not but the motor is pretty uninspiring. As said before by troutman, the V8s are even cheaper to make, possibly even cheaper to maintain, easier to find parts for, etc and probably cheaper to run if you LPG it.

I've seen/heard of some pretty fast, fuel efficient LPG L98's in the Caprice's and the like.
I would only consider the six if you wanted it for a Hire car or similiar but for a daily car you want something you will enjoy to drive and in this case, the minimal, if any, price difference between the two engine choices would be quickly forgotten, because for an extra $15 a week on fuel extra, who really cares, its a 6L vs a 3.6L!