2 minute review: VE R8 (by a long-time Audi owner)

[KingClifton]

I picked up my VE R8 last Friday, trading in my Audi A4 1.8T for this beast. Evoke, auto, bog stock. Resisted the temptation to get the LS2 edit.

I've had 4 Audis previously, so picking the VE was a brave choice. Alternative was a GT Falcom or a 320i Sport.

People's reactions have ranged from "what the hell are you doing that for" to "smart move, the VE is a world-class car, I'm considering it as alternative to Subaru/BMW/Audi etc".

- It's got gobs of power, as I'd expected, but I didn't expect the engine to my soooo much better than the SS-V. It's happy to trundle along in 5th doing 1200rpm with a nice exhaust burble.

- The auto gets better as you get to learn how it works and how to work it.

- Fuel economy is still high (mid 14s) but this is the run-in period, and I'm told it won't settle down until at least 3000km (and until I stop giving it the boot). As I keep reminding people (and myself) fuel is one of the smaller running costs. Depreciation is the big killer, and I found myself losing massive dollars on Audis.

- Build quality is good, fit and finish is acceptable, and materials quality is also good. Only one thing has broken so far - the mini-box below the climate control. But on 3 Audi A4s, I had the similar things break.

- Sheer drivability is wonderful. It's almost as if I'm still driving the Audi, the overall "feel" of the car is that good. Yes, it does feel European. So their claim of E30 BMW 5-series as the benchmark isn't just marketing talk.

- Wheelspin in second gear...:)

- Launch control - great, but auto 'box doesn't upshift and engines bounces off rev limiter - mental note to use Sport for full-throttle takeoffs.

- Ride quality: sooooo much better than a European car, but still well controlled. I shouldn't have driven the GTS - that was even better.

- Ability to get from A to B with minimal fuss is brilliant, but it turns into a rocket when you want it.

- The little touches are good, and there aren't many things that the Audis had that this car doesn't have.


Things I'm finding a bit disappointing:

- No recessed grab handle to close the boot. I'm using the spoiler. The Audis (and even GF's Astra) have a recessed handle on the inside of the boot. Would that have cost so much, Holden?

- Can't hold down Unlock button on the flip key and open all the windows.

- Glovebox is small - takes owners manual, street directory and 2 CD wallets. That's it. Couldn't even fit a single DVD case in there.

- Trip Computer A & B don't have an average fuel consumption measurement. I need to get out the calculator and divide Fuel Used by Distance Travelled. In the Audi, Trip A reset itself after 2 hours of the engine being switched off. That was great for measuring single-journey stats.

So in other words, I have very few gripes and lots of praise for this car. I really do wish Holden all the best with this puppy.

[fordy68]

Thanks for the review. At the moment I am still making my mind up about whether to buy a low Km VZ R8 and spend some $ on it or go the new VE R8, so information like this is a real help with my decision. It seems the more the real world driving information that becomes available, the more it seems the VE is really a great drivers car even standard. I am still probably 6 months away from making the change so i look forward to more info to help with the decision. i am really impressed with the fact that i am hearing more and more that the VE is a really comfortable cruiser but can also be a rocket. Best of both worlds! Thanks again.

[Belzey]

- Fuel economy is still high (mid 14s) but this is the run-in period, and I'm told it won't settle down until at least 3000km (and until I stop giving it the boot).



Is that around town fuel consumption?? That is damn good LOL I must drive mine too hard sits on an average of 19 with the climate on best ever managed was about 16. And we are well past the 3000km run in period.

[blackbettyhsv]

them boots are a pain to close, what I do is 1 finger in boot latch that holds it shut pull down, then push on hsv badge to close, no prints on body work, good to hear some posatives from someone that has drove audi's, holden seem to be doing something almost right. but do yourself a big favor, stick a nice noisy exhaust on it, gotta V8 gotta hear it, glad youyre enjoying it

[`redoctober]

Is that around town fuel consumption?? That is damn good LOL I must drive mine too hard sits on an average of 19 with the climate on best ever managed was about 16. And we are well past the 3000km run in period.
Sheesh Kelly, Mrs. Lead foot!!

[Marco]

- No recessed grab handle to close the boot. I'm using the spoiler. The Audis (and even GF's Astra) have a recessed handle on the inside of the boot. Would that have cost so much, Holden?

- Can't hold down Unlock button on the flip key and open all the windows.


I'm with you on those two - I've been using the number plate recess to pull the bootlid down, but that leaves fingerprints every time I do it.

On my old Astra, you could hold the key in the lock to close the windows, which I don't think you can do on the VE. But on Dad's Vectra, you can hold down the lock or unlock button to lower/raise the windows, and I'm disappointed that Holden didn't borrow this feature from Opel for the VE.

But, like you, I love everything else about my VE :)

[KingClifton]

Is that around town fuel consumption?? That is damn good LOL I must drive mine too hard sits on an average of 19 with the climate on best ever managed was about 16. And we are well past the 3000km run in period.

I live about 40km from the CBD (in Gawler for those of you who know Adelaide) and so my driving is what you'd call semi-urban or "combined" cycle. That 40km consists of about 20% highway cruising, 40% arterial road cruising, and 40% peak-hour urban (non-CBD) traffic. My old Audi used <8L/100km in that traffic.

I've read other posts where similar combined cycle driving yields <12L/100km which is what I'll be aiming for.

But stop-start CBD driving can see the fuel gauge drop before your eyes. I'll need to rethink my strategy of driving around the block 5 times to find a free park.

[chillicatqld]

If you think 14 is bad then dont hope for it to get any better!

Oh and you can always screw on one of those silver cupboard handles that I see many "old folk" opting to do to their cars to open the boot..... :)

[Senator05]

I'd have to agree with all of your comments KingClifton. I've owned a number of Audi's (S4's, A4T) and the VE does ride and drive very similarly. I bought the GTS without a drive, but did drive the R8. The VE, particularly my GTS, drives like a car much smaller in size. Holden and HSV have done a great job with this car. I've only ever owned one car more than 3 years, the S4, albeit with a fair bit of work done to it, but I see the GTS being the second one I'll keep long distance.

I have to agree wirth BlackbettyHSV and say, get the exhaust done. You know you want to hear that there's a V8 under the bonnet. If you ever want to compare Audi/HSV notes, just drop me a PM.

[Dacious]

- Can't hold down Unlock button on the flip key and open all the windows.



You can program the BCU to unlock all doors at one touch.

[niko]

- Trip Computer A & B don't have an average fuel consumption measurement. I need to get out the calculator and divide Fuel Used by Distance Travelled. In the Audi, Trip A reset itself after 2 hours of the engine being switched off. That was great for measuring single-journey stats.



my old mans merc has this, must be a euro thing lol

[Holden Man]

How many Audi's have you now wasted at the lights (private roads/driveway of course!)

[gmeup]

hi no offence friend but haven lived in Eurpoe myself, audi's are not considered good cars in Europe if you drive one in Europe people think of you as if you are driving a Daewoo.

My mate bought a 2006 a4 1.8t and its a not a good car. rides like crap.

Of course a Ve will blow it away have fun with it.

[KingClifton]

I think 5-10 years ago Audi was definitely a Tier 2 brand, but they have actually risen up the ranks and are now considered (in the UK at least) more exclusive than BMW.

Audi's strength in recent times has been peerless build quality - the last compact executive sedan still made in Germany - but their weakness has been ride quality, suspension and handling. Given that both BMW and MB have upped their quality again, Audi no longer have this USP.

The latest 3-series craps all over the current A4 range for interior design, quality, features, engineering and ride quality. Its external styling is a bit strange, though, but it grows on you.

Haven't smoked anyone off the lights yet - I got over those days when I had my 3.0 V6 A4 rocketship (4 years ago I'd beat SSs and the odd Rex at the lights).

[EXCESSV]

hi no offence friend but haven lived in Eurpoe myself, audi's are not considered good cars in Europe if you drive one in Europe people think of you as if you are driving a Daewoo.

My mate bought a 2006 a4 1.8t and its a not a good car. rides like crap.

Of course a Ve will blow it away have fun with it.

u r joking arent you?

Audi is like a Daewoo??
Come on mate your starting to sound like an idiot. Audi are one of the top cars in Europe.
and ofcourse the VE will blow the A4 1.8T...the VE has 6L V8 and the A4 has a 1.8L Turbo...if the VE cant leave it at the lights then there is something wrong...

Basically, all I'm trying to say is if you want to add something worthwhile to a thread, make sure you get your facts straight, because if you don't not only do you make yourself look like an idiot, you also devalue the thread you are posting in

[VX2VESS]

- Depreciation is the big killer, and I found myself losing massive dollars on Audis.

holden won't be much different

[nang3]

- Sheer drivability is wonderful. It's almost as if I'm still driving the Audi, the overall "feel" of the car is that good. Yes, it does feel European. So their claim of E30 BMW 5-series as the benchmark isn't just marketing talk.


are you sure you mean E30 not the E60 series?? an E60 would be a fair step above the A4 audi range and judging by your review, would also be a big leap over the VE ????

The Euro cars really piss me off because to get one with similar build quality, fit and finish as the locals (i.e. Typhoon or VE GTS) costs about the same as the locals but with SFA power !!!!!!!!!!!
You need to step up to AMG, M series or RS series of the euros to get near them, and that aint farken cheap !!!!!!!


u r joking arent you?

Audi is like a Daewoo??
Come on mate your starting to sound like an idiot. Audi are one of the top cars in Europe.
and ofcourse the VE will blow the A4 1.8T...the VE has 6L V8 and the A4 has a 1.8L Turbo...if the VE cant leave it at the lights then there is something wrong...

Basically, all I'm trying to say is if you want to add something worthwhile to a thread, make sure you get your facts straight, because if you don't not only do you make yourself look like an idiot, you also devalue the thread you are posting in

haha dont forget mate, over there M series beemers and amg's are all muuuuuuuch more affordable - from what ive seen of the AMG in particular they will piss on any audi BUT ive not seen the latest RS series in the flesh

[Senator05]

from what ive seen of the AMG in particular they will piss on any audi BUT ive not seen the latest RS series in the flesh

Maybe in a straight line contest, although 4.8s 0-100 for Audi RS4 isn't slow.

BUT, the AMGs handle like crap in comparison with the RS4, so if there is a corner involved or a wet road, the only thing the AMG will be pissing on will be itself. Mucho grunt, but refinement doesn't come with it, that's why the monster power AMG's often get ordinary write-ups.

[gmeup]

u r joking arent you?

Audi is like a Daewoo??
Come on mate your starting to sound like an idiot. Audi are one of the top cars in Europe.
and ofcourse the VE will blow the A4 1.8T...the VE has 6L V8 and the A4 has a 1.8L Turbo...if the VE cant leave it at the lights then there is something wrong...

Basically, all I'm trying to say is if you want to add something worthwhile to a thread, make sure you get your facts straight, because if you don't not only do you make yourself look like an idiot, you also devalue the thread you are posting in


My facts are right, I now how people think about Audi in Europe and i'm passing on what I know to the thread, so dont come on here acting like you are right and Im wrong buddie.

The newest A4's are crap the only worthy and respected audi in Europe is the A8 everything else is considers a peice of crap.

U do know that lots of their merc and bmw's models are fleet cars and taxi etc there??? thats what most of those cars are to them. Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special.

[KingClifton]

are you sure you mean E30 not the E60 series??

I meant the previous model, not the new Bangle-styled model. I think it ran from 1996-2003. Likewise the A6 used was the previous model (the C5) and not the current-shape one.


Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special.

When I had my blood-red '03 A4 3.0 I had a German guy come up to me in a servo and say how much he liked the car. He did say that when he left Europe 10 years ago, Audis were still a Tier 2 brand (his exact words were more like 'you only bought an Audi if you couldn't afford a BMW'). GMEUP, you should read Car or Top Gear magazine, they rate Audi higher for overall quality, prestige and image, whereas the BMW rates higher for driveability and performance, but they regard BMW and Merc as "common" - every second rep has one.

[Holden Man]

I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special.

I would say Audi are overpriced like BMW & Mercedes (maybe Lexus).

But I would not say they are crap because they are not.( I know you didn't say they were crap either)

A mate had a 1998 A4 1.8T and you could just the difference in build quality and the way it was put together. Everything still looked fairly new even when he traded it last year (on a Golf GTI), the leather was still perfect, paint was imaculate, everything worked how it should etc etc

I agree that the Europeans would see the very basic versions of the 3 brands that we don't (we only get the prestige versions) and could come to a different conclusions.

[dan_the_man]

My facts are right, I now how people think about Audi in Europe and i'm passing on what I know to the thread, so dont come on here acting like you are right and Im wrong buddie.

The newest A4's are crap the only worthy and respected audi in Europe is the A8 everything else is considers a peice of crap.

U do know that lots of their merc and bmw's models are fleet cars and taxi etc there??? thats what most of those cars are to them. Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special.


Deano was spot on. You sound like an idiot with this rubbish.

I'm English - lived in a number of countries in Europe for 30+ years and know a fair bit more than the average person about cars having owned a fair number myself over the last 15 years.

Firstly, let me tell you that 'now' means within the immediate time frame and to 'know' something is knowledge. Something you seem to be lacking. I know that some people have a problem with spelling, so don't take that as an insult, I'm trying to educate you.

'The newest A4's are crap' you say? Well, I beg to differ. Sure, they have weaker models in the range, but so does almost any other manufacturer, so that doesn't hold any ground. You read any objective car review, and I think you will find that ALL Audi's get reasonable reviews, with some models (such as the S4 and RS4) getting excellent ones.
'the only worthy and respected audi in Europe is the A8 everything else is considers a peice of crap' where do you get that from? I can point you to a LOT of Audi forums where they get nothing but praise. I can also point you to a number of independant websites who will back this up. As mentioned before, you should watch Top Gear (which is shown on the TV if you have problems with reading too). Its an objective program which likes to find faults with cars, but I think you will find that they have been very supportive of Audi in general.

And your last argument just proves what has been said all along - you are an idiot.
'U do know that lots of their merc and bmw's models are fleet cars and taxi etc there??? thats what most of those cars are to them. Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special'
Yes, BMW, Mercedes and Audi are used as fleet cars, but you'll find that the ones that are at the very bottom of the range (BMW 316 for example) with pretty much no extras. The only exception to this is if you are managerial which makes a difference in any country.
As for taxi's you will find that the only german stuff driven as a standard taxi is probably 15 years old, proving it is a reliable piece of machinery. The only time you will get one driven as a cab otherwise is if you go pay a very big premium to the fare.

I'm not here to bash a manufacturer - I've owned and driven a lot of cars, including a number of Vauxhall's (Holden in the UK), with my current one being an Audi which Ive owned for 2 1/2 years. I know the cars image and I know what it drives like from owning it.

Get your facts straight before posting in future please.

[emg]

My facts are right, I now how people think about Audi in Europe and i'm passing on what I know to the thread, so dont come on here acting like you are right and Im wrong buddie.

The newest A4's are crap the only worthy and respected audi in Europe is the A8 everything else is considers a peice of crap.

U do know that lots of their merc and bmw's models are fleet cars and taxi etc there??? thats what most of those cars are to them. Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special.

haha ok, go down to a dealer and put your VY exec tank up against an a4

[Calais V 6.0]

Deano was spot on. You sound like an idiot with this rubbish.

I'm English - lived in a number of countries in Europe for 30+ years and know a fair bit more than the average person about cars having owned a fair number myself over the last 15 years.

Firstly, let me tell you that 'now' means within the immediate time frame and to 'know' something is knowledge. Something you seem to be lacking. I know that some people have a problem with spelling, so don't take that as an insult, I'm trying to educate you.

'The newest A4's are crap' you say? Well, I beg to differ. Sure, they have weaker models in the range, but so does almost any other manufacturer, so that doesn't hold any ground. You read any objective car review, and I think you will find that ALL Audi's get reasonable reviews, with some models (such as the S4 and RS4) getting excellent ones.
'the only worthy and respected audi in Europe is the A8 everything else is considers a peice of crap' where do you get that from? I can point you to a LOT of Audi forums where they get nothing but praise. I can also point you to a number of independant websites who will back this up. As mentioned before, you should watch Top Gear (which is shown on the TV if you have problems with reading too). Its an objective program which likes to find faults with cars, but I think you will find that they have been very supportive of Audi in general.

And your last argument just proves what has been said all along - you are an idiot.
'U do know that lots of their merc and bmw's models are fleet cars and taxi etc there??? thats what most of those cars are to them. Audi is sub par to merc and bmw there. I kid you not they this Audi are nothing special'
Yes, BMW, Mercedes and Audi are used as fleet cars, but you'll find that the ones that are at the very bottom of the range (BMW 316 for example) with pretty much no extras. The only exception to this is if you are managerial which makes a difference in any country.
As for taxi's you will find that the only german stuff driven as a standard taxi is probably 15 years old, proving it is a reliable piece of machinery. The only time you will get one driven as a cab otherwise is if you go pay a very big premium to the fare.

I'm not here to bash a manufacturer - I've owned and driven a lot of cars, including a number of Vauxhall's (Holden in the UK), with my current one being an Audi which Ive owned for 2 1/2 years. I know the cars image and I know what it drives like from owning it.

Get your facts straight before posting in future please.

Well said mate. The irony is he thinks they are crap because the brand has been known to be used as a taxi. Mate, have a look at your car.... Its one of the most common taxis in Australia. It does not mean its a crap car. I dont think a taxi owner would want to buy a CRAP car for their taxi only to have to repair it every 1000k's.

I think what your getting confused about is the affordability of these cars in Europe. Just remember though, if they sold them for $30k here, it would not make them any less of a car.....

Just take a deep breath and try and think before you add to the forum.

[Greeny34]

What a fantastic review of the E series.

Cheers for that .. it was a non biased good read :driving: .

Scott

[lowriding]

before you all jump on the bandwagon and slam him down. The Audis did infact used to be known as a second rate euro ,this is common knowledge .nothing to do with taxi's etc ,they were simply never seen on the same level as M-B or the bimmers . This has changed in the last 10 or 15 years though ,with Audi making big strides forward ,while the other two have been commonly seen as dragging the chain somewhat.Very similar evolution to VW actually,much better badge cred now.

[Senator05]

Hi lowriding,

If gmeup did make a comment similar to yours, I don't think anyone would have taken exception to him, but he dribbled misguided opinion as fact and got what he deserved. The forums are becoming chock-full of "contributors" who state untruths and/or opinions as facts.

Maybe I'm just a little less tolerant of people who can't spell, can't put a sentence together and can't find the spell check button when they post their latest drivel.

I actually tried ignoring him and hoped he would go away, but alas wasn't so lucky this time.

Since mid 1996 Audi have taken huge leaps forward in quality, badge cred and performance. To say otherwise and ignore numerous awards and massively increased sales worldwide, particularly in the US and Australia is just plain wrong.

[gmeup]

I'm not tolerant of idiots thinking they are right when they they are wrong.
And people jumping in to defend each other to call me an idiot. Well not everyone but the majority.

I've seen the show top gear and I know what it is, why bring that up for its completely irrelevant. To the people who get annoyed about my spelling grow up.

To the people who don't belive Audi's are sub cars than you really have no idea.

I drive in an 2006 A4 1.8 T my work partner has one. Biggest pile of crap to hit the road.

p.s Im ready for a flaming but Its all good.

[KingClifton]

I'm not tolerant of idiots thinking they are right when they they are wrong.
And people jumping in to defend each other to call me an idiot. Well not everyone but the majority.

I've seen the show top gear and I know what it is, why bring that up for its completely irrelevant. To the people who get annoyed about my spelling grow up.

To the people who don't belive Audi's are sub cars than you really have no idea.

I drive in an 2006 A4 1.8 T my work partner has one. Biggest pile of crap to hit the road.

p.s Im ready for a flaming but Its all good.

So...worse than Kia, Daewoo, Ssangyong etc? By what measurements exactly?

The 'only Mercedes and BMW are real European cars' attitude is so 1985.

[Lofty]

This thread started off as a well written review and now its just gone to shit.

[Belzey]

This thread started off as a well written review and now its just gone to shit.

I was thinking the exact same thing Lofty, it is supposed to be a review on the R8 not a Audi thread..

[KingClifton]

This thread started off as a well written review and now its just gone to shit.

Pity about that :) I was just trying to give the perspective of somebody who's switched from a Euro to a VE.

Only time will tell how the VE holds up against its forbears and against the Euro/Jap competition. I'm sure it will not be as bulletproof as the best, but as long as nothing major falls off I'll be happy.

The more I drive this car, the more I love it. As I've said above, it feels like a European car. The only real bugbear is having to fill it up twice a week, but I tend to forget about that when it floor it in Sport and get the feeling that nothing this side of an M5 or S6 will give me.

[lethal66]

I got to put my 2 bobs in here aswell,short and sweet

AUDI'S are over priced pieces of crap.
And for the r8 review fuel ecconomy i have 6500klms (just done a trip and put a little over 4000klms in 1 hit)and i was getting 11.4L to the ton,car was fully loaded with daughters presents and misses cloths and i also have a lead foot.One other problem i have noticed with dvd player it keeps pausing when playing kids dvd's (thats with burnt or bought ones)so i guess it will get looked at 15000klm's service,other then that very happy with total package esp the leather seats.

[VX11SS]

I got to put my 2 bobs in here aswell,short and sweet

AUDI'S are over priced pieces of crap.


Compared with what?

Ever driven an RS4 or an RS6, the bog standard audis probably are a bit boring too drive but are renowned for their built quality, longevity and in europe for reasonable retained value.
I no real fan of Audis but some people just talk out of the rear ends!!

[dan_the_man]

I got to put my 2 bobs in here aswell,short and sweet

AUDI'S are over priced pieces of crap.


And you say this why? Do you own one? Have you ever driven one for an extended period of time?

Thats like me saying Alfa Romeo is a crap brand because some of their cars are extremely unreliable. You can't bash the company for one particular model being junk when the majority of them are actually pretty good. If you work on this basis, then you might as well not own a car, as EVERY manufacturer has had issues with at least one of their cars within the last few years.

I'm not going to say that the A4 1.8T is a good car, because I don't own one. In fact I've not been in one. I do however know that the 3.0 diesel, the older V6 models and the current V8's are all superb cars, as I've either owned them myself, or know someone else who does.

I could quote a number of Holden's which are far worse than ANY of the cars Audi have produced in the last 10 years and would most likely be able to back up that claim with hard facts (retained values, reliability, independant reviews etc), yet I don't bash Holden as a company, as they do make some cars which are pretty damn good.

Have a long hard think before you post your drivel please.
:deal:

[Guy Incognito98]

G'day guys, first post. Just picked up my Captiva on Friday (Gerald Slaven in Canberra) and chatting to the salesman while I was waiting for my trade in cheque he said that he couldn't remember the last time a customer came in to compare a Commodore to a Falcon, and that all potential VE buyers were only looking at Euros as an alternative.

[Glubbo]

KingClifton, I would love to see pics of your new R8. Not to try and diffuse the tangent of this thread (too much!).

Quick question - how hard is it to clean (esp. the rear end)? Or do you get it done/do it at a carwash?

[KingClifton]

KingClifton, I would love to see pics of your new R8. Not to try and diffuse the tangent of this thread (too much!).

Quick question - how hard is it to clean (esp. the rear end)? Or do you get it done/do it at a carwash?

Glubbo,

Would you believe I haven't taken photos of the R8 yet? I madly took a few snaps of the A4 the night before I took delivery of the R8, and am still playing with those .RAW images :)

The R8 has only had one bath so far, but in doing so I also have it a good detail (Meguiars Paint Cleaner to remove the bumper swirl marks - thanks HSV - and 2 coats of Meguiars Tech Wax. I'm sure the rear diffuser will be a bitch to clean later, but occasionally late at night (when the neighbors aren't looking) I get the hose on full-force and hose the whole car down, particularly the rear diffiser.

Anyhoo, to get this thread back on track.

Every time I drive this car, I feel that it's like driving a European car. It's comfortable and quiet when getting from A to B, yet a real beast when you want it to be.

It doesn't compare with the entry-level Euros. If you've got your heart set on a BMW badge, go buy a 320i or 2.0 A4 at $65K before options. You'll get the badge you've always fantatized about, but you'll get an underpowerd small car with a ride quality that's totally unsuited to our roads.

But if you want a great car, tuned for Australian roads, and want to support an Australian manufacturer doing their best to make a world-class product, then you really need to consider a VE.

IMHO, the standout products in the VE range are the Calais V, the SS-V and the R8 (OK, maybe the GTS if you've got another $12K to spend).

My only niggles are pretty minor - a few bits of plastic are sub-standard, but on 3 A4s, I had the same 3 problems (sunroof switch rattle, broken power window interlock, and broken console comparment lid).

As stated above, I'm hearing of many people who either (a) have actually traded a Euro in for a VE, or (b) are actually aspiring to a VE, coming from a Euro/Subaru etc.

[Danv8]

KingClifton thanks for the update..
Looks like me and the other half will be ordering a SS-V around September.
Funny thing is that I have been avoiding getting a VE but looking at some Euro's 2nd hand really but not many of them stack up for interior space and power and equipment. I am 6ft 7 yeah I know if I hold a basket ball hoop with my teeth. :).

Its actually good to read someone that has had a euro car and then go for a locally made car and compare them.

Its bloody awesome that Holden has picked up the pace and build better cars especially 50:50 weight distro on them.
:)

[payaya]

you know what? Comparing a base model Audi to a VE is reasonable as their price is similar, but when you start comparing a VE to an Audi of similar class, things get very different.

You may say Audis are rip offs but why are they still in business? Audis sales are increasing dramatically each year around the world. If you think they are rip offs then they would not be making money, like Ford/GM.

If people think the RS6 is a rip off, then why is there a massive waiting list for one???

Think guys, there is no point compaing Audi to either GM/Ford as Audis are better cars. They can charge massive prices for their cars, but people still buy them. You may think the Audi is only that much better here and there, but that little bit of refinement costs a lot to achieve.

Think guys, if the Euro brands were not better, then no one will buy them. But Euros are better thats why they charge a premium. Euros use better materials, Aussie cars cannot use them, as this will make them more expensive.

Its just like the Amercians saying our cars are better because they are just as quick as the Aussies but for way less price. Sam situation. Do you really believe this is the case???


KingClifton thanks for the update..
Looks like me and the other half will be ordering a SS-V around September.
Funny thing is that I have been avoiding getting a VE but looking at some Euro's 2nd hand really but not many of them stack up for interior space and power and equipment. I am 6ft 7 yeah I know if I hold a basket ball hoop with my teeth. :).

Its actually good to read someone that has had a euro car and then go for a locally made car and compare them.

Its bloody awesome that Holden has picked up the pace and build better cars especially 50:50 weight distro on them.
:)


So which VE has 50/50 distro??? The V6 or V8?? Dont say both because their enignes are different in weight.

[Danv8]

So which VE has 50/50 distro??? The V6 or V8?? Dont say both because their enignes are different in weight.


Jesus I don't know but its the only aussie manufactured car that is close to it!

Its better what Ford or Toyota or Mitsubitching are doing! :p

[SLugg]

:worthless:

where r they King

[TAKEITEZ]

to jump on the audi bandwagon here, slightly late i know...

but... points have been raised as to audi's being overpriced buckets... crappy cars... blah blah blah...

I work on these bad boys five days a week... i've fitted gearboxes costing more than my last car... replaced interior parts worth more than my rims... i've driven audis that make mine feel like a V8 supercar... i've driven cars that make mine feel like a Diesel Landcruiser with four flat tyres... i finish my day at work and get into a VY Maloo and drive home...
its faster than some, and slower than others... rides better than some, worse than others... is quieter than some, louder than others... but there is nowhere near the level of refinement present in the Audi's... every aspect of every audi built in the same year as my car (2004) is far superior... the later cars - even more so! even some of the earlier cars down to the late 90's are better built...

Whist the money you pay may seem excessive compared to the commodore or falcon or other cheapish car... you have got to consider they are built far far away and have to be shipped here, with taxes and all that carry on which brings the cost up a bit. Still they may be a little heavy on the price point but also there is some prestige and badge pride with them...

Audi has worked hard particularly in the last few years to build brilliant cars worthy of being compared to BMW and Mercs... some are better, some are worse... but remember, your buying a badge too, that little bit of something other cars don't have...
- you could say an HSV is worth no extra to a normal SS and you can make an SS go faster for the same money... yes true, but it still isn't an HSV is it.


sometimes your shopping not just for a car, but for a badge, for something extra to everyone else... prestige, recognition, admiration from others, to make your neighbour envious, look at me value...
whether it be shoes, t-shirts, kitchenware, furniture, golf clubs... you'll find some people are happy with the cheap stuff... but others will spend the extra, even if there are no obvious advantages, just to be a step above everyone else...

if daewoo's were really better than audi's how come more audi's aren't sitting in the used car yards at your local daewoo dealership???

[VXS]

Well said.....

[monaroCountry1]

Think guys, there is no point compaing Audi to either GM/Ford as Audis are better cars. They can charge massive prices for their cars, but people still buy them. You may think the Audi is only that much better here and there, but that little bit of refinement costs a lot to achieve.

Think guys, if the Euro brands were not better, then no one will buy them. But Euros are better thats why they charge a premium. Euros use better materials, Aussie cars cannot use them, as this will make them more expensive.

BMW was around 18th in the quality survey and Merc last..............................

For the price there are better cars but not better badged.....................exclusivity and bragging rights costs allot.

[emg]

what surveys do you read?

[CarlFST60L]

i finish my day at work and get into a VY Maloo and drive home...

Buy this is Audi Verses E series HSV :driving:

well said though

[monaroCountry1]

what surveys do you read?


http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleId=36799

Mercedes-Benz has been walloped in a US reliability study that puts it last among the 36 brands evaluated.

‘‘We have seen a fairly rapid decline in reliability for Mercedes over the past five years,’’ says David Champion of Consumer Reports.

given the reliability rating, the magazine said it could not recommend buying one.

BMW and Volkswagen also fared poorly, finishing 19th and 27th respectively. Toyota topped the survey, followed by Honda, Lexus and Subaru.

[Mikey]

I live about 40km from the CBD (in Gawler for those of you who know Adelaide) and so my driving is what you'd call semi-urban or "combined" cycle.

Went that way last Friday on the way to Renmark for the weekend and to my surprise (not in a good way) Main North Road aint so semi urban any more. Wow have they managed to slow down traffic past Elizabeth with all the new traffic lights and extra traffic that now uses that section of road these days. Sheeesh!

[MRVECLUBBY06]

Great review looking at buying a VE Clubsport R8 also have heard a lot of negative thiungs about them, but good to hear something nice.:wave:

[Swordie]

The guys at Top Gear love the HSV. They drive many cars, this would give an indication of how the HSV stands up to world competition. If people want quality go buy a Lexus.

[Holden Man]

The guys at Top Gear love the HSV. They drive many cars, this would give an indication of how the HSV stands up to world competition. If people want quality go buy a Lexus.

Actually I think I saw a TopGear ad for this Saturday night (SBS) and it looked like the new VE HSV being tested ! (I could be wrong though as I only saw it for a second)

Anyone know for sure ?