Dear Holden, I'm not happy.....

[zorro]

Its a minimalist device to get you out of trouble on a very rare occasion and it does the job, would you rather Holden save money by having less comfort features or poorer safety options?
I've had the last 4 new Holden models and never had to use the jack once so its not really something you have to put up with.
Its funny how some people who dont even have a VE seem to have the biggest sook and the same people who bag anything possible that Holden do.

I dont know who you are referring to exactly but fwiw I have a VZ Senator, VE R8, FG XR6 and up until recently a VE SS in the driveway. This instance was changing the R8, in the past Ive had to do the same car, a VT, VS, VU and anything else that uses one of these rubbish devices.

Id rather them do what they do and keep the owner safe and also if the time comes be able to change a bloody flat tire without wrestling the equipment and cutting one self up at the same time!

[Wonky]

Problem fixed call RAC

Much as I hate to admit it, due to my disabilities now that would be my recourse in case of a problem, though last time I had a flat was 2003 (touch wood!!). The RACV can worry about how to get the spare out on my lowered ute - I gather it won't be easy.

[Ausmartin1]

What about jacks supplied for japanese commercial vehicles - they look like little hydraulic jacks but are actually mechanical.
Yes slow to wind up down - need bar and handle - yes two more things to loose but they work.
The Volt from yhe USA is comming with no spare but a compressor and goo. Americas are using tyre plugs for nail screw type holes to avoid using the goo but for a major failure goo won't do nothing.
A spare wheel tyre would then be nice ....
Is space and fuel consumption coupled with lazy people so common these days that the spares been given the flick?
I was left speachless when I found the wheel barrow emergency spare aka space saver in a japanese car.
Surely a car fitted with these can't be road worthy - more like a death trap - it's not even like the same diameter!
I am simply amazed that motoring journos can dictate to public.

Nice post and yes agree with the knuckle grinder comments, I found it did the job - but you had to be carefull with it & wondered how the non mechanical types in society would survive or people in a hurry stuck say on the side of a freeway would go with this no expence spared design LOL!

[timbo888]

Its a minimalist device to get you out of trouble on a very rare occasion and it does the job, would you rather Holden save money by having less comfort features or poorer safety options?

or they could whack an extra $20 - $50 on the price of a new car and put a decent jack in the car.

i have used the VE jack at home in the garage just to see how well it worked on a good level surface rather than finding out at night in the rain - it was shit. the new folding handle is a pain in the butt, what was wrong with the older style round handle that you could spin in your hand instead of doing 180 and starting again..

[motorin on]

I was told the reason there is a goo pump is to lower the kerb weight of the vehicle to help improve it's rating in regards to it's fuel consumption and green credentials
My AU XR6 only had a spacesaver spare limited to 80k/hr,takes a long time to do 150 klm's,and isn't nice with a semi up the rear and in a hurry

[VL_Calais]

anyone have pics of said device?

i had to use my VZ jack the other day as mine wouldnt fit under the rear when swapping wheels over and had no problems at all, worked well though when i realised i was going to have to use it i wasnt too keen but was fine.

[heavyduty1340]

Its a minimalist device to get you out of trouble on a very rare occasion and it does the job, would you rather Holden save money by having less comfort features or poorer safety options?
I've had the last 4 new Holden models and never had to use the jack once so its not really something you have to put up with.
Its funny how some people who dont even have a VE seem to have the biggest sook and the same people who bag anything possible that Holden do.

F@ck me - for the price we pay, I want some quality control - the jack is crap!!!

There is no easy way out except GMH are tight pricks!

Its not even fair to give em to tight ass Omega buyers

[V8_Power]

[QUOTE=Ausmartin1;2037249]What about jacks supplied for japanese commercial vehicles - they look like little hydraulic jacks but are actually mechanical.
Yes slow to wind up down - need bar and handle - yes two more things to loose but they work.

My mum's holden belmont had one of these when i was a kid. at lest the damn thing worked. Anyone remember the HJ kingswood jack that used to attach to the slots in the front and rear bumper bars? looked like one of those suckers u see 4x4 guys using these days!

[Toddler78]

Pre VE I personally have no problems with my Holden supplied scissor jack, however the hook type ones are a POS. Unfortunately in this day and age I would be surprised if 90% of the public could change a tyre anyway. It is a lost art these days for people to be able to problem solve and fix things for themselves, they either get someone else to do it or buy a new one. Personally I think part of the driving course in order to get your license you should be able to perform simple preventative maintence like check oil and water, tyre pressures and change a tyre. Holden and other manufacturers probably have realised this years ago and realise that 90% of their customer base are not going to know how to change a tyre therefore have no need for a jack.

[steve_t]

I was left speachless when I found the wheel barrow emergency spare aka space saver in a japanese car.
Surely a car fitted with these can't be road worthy - more like a death trap - it's not even like the same diameter!

If you look at those 'space saver' spare tyres, they say something like "Do not exceed 50km/h" or something like that.

[HSVREDSLED]

My SSV Series 2 Sportwagon (non redline) doesnt have a spare or jack. Compressor and glue in the wheel well. Not sure how it will go if I blow the side wall off a tyre?

[Woodchukka]

I was told the reason there is a goo pump is to lower the kerb weight of the vehicle to help improve it's rating in regards to it's fuel consumption and green credentials
My AU XR6 only had a spacesaver spare limited to 80k/hr,takes a long time to do 150 klm's,and isn't nice with a semi up the rear and in a hurry

Someone I knew changed their tyre at night and did not notice the speed limit warning on the space saver tyre which they had never heard of before (it was a good while ago) and were tearing about at the full 100km/h speed limit . It was only the next morning when they noticed the warning label on it. So they may have been safer with a crappy jack rather than the possibility of having an accident at speed and maybe involving another vehicle.

[HSVREDSLED]

Someone I knew changed their tyre at night and did not notice the speed limit warning on the space saver tyre which they had never heard of before (it was a good while ago) and were tearing about at the full 100km/h speed limit . It was only the next morning when they noticed the warning label on it. So they may have been safer with a crappy jack rather than the possibility of having an accident at speed and maybe involving another vehicle.

The speed rating on my yellow spare wheel in my old VY clubby was rated higher than the tyres I had on it! They advised 80km max due to the fact it was a 17 inch spare and my tyres were 18's. I heard somewhere once that when HSV went from 17's to 18's there was a heap of 17's left, so out with the yellow paint and voila' instant spare wheels for the 18 inch series.

[SSer]

anyone have pics of said device?

i had to use my VZ jack the other day as mine wouldnt fit under the rear when swapping wheels over and had no problems at all, worked well though when i realised i was going to have to use it i wasnt too keen but was fine.

If noone else has posted a picture by the time I get home I will post one up.

[xthommox]

Ive had to use the "device" they call a scissor jack handle on my VE to change a flat and all I can say is I had no skin left and was bleeding by the end of it. I could live with the older jack "spinners" but this thing is a joke. You turn it half a turn and its fine and then try and flip it around and the sharp sides and the angle cuts you up.

Ditto. Nearly lost a finger(s) using that bloody jack handle thing. With a car the size of a commodore you'd think they'd give you something that was fixed and was 2 foot longer to actually get some leverage. It's not like theyre lacking for room in the boot.

I was sweating like a pig and of course my hands were slippery so I nearly brought the lever of the jack handle down onto my other hand several times. I could picture having to collect my severed fingers from the dirt on the side of the road and taking them to the hospital!

Obviously this bloody thing was designed by some pony tailed latte sipping 20yo engineer fresh out of uni. IT DOESNT WORK YOU IDIOTS!