VU maloo versus SSV Redline VE Ute

[barry_d]

Hi All,
UTE question
I've had a VU Maloo for 12 months and now trying to decide if I should spend $10k in upgrades or spend an $20-$30k buying a VE SSV Redline or older VE Maloo UTE.

The 2000 VU, has only 45K's on it, exhaust upg, MAFLESS tune dynoed @ 265kw and drinks about 20-30 litres per 100k around town. It handles fairly well and gets a move on if you lean on it. The gear shift is still a bit clunky, despite recent install of a RIPShift.

Is the VE SSV Redline a significantly better vehicle all round, or could I get close to its functionality with a few upgrades?
How much better is the VE?

It would be easier to spend $10K and keep the VU as their resale value is 6/8 of 9/10s of FA. What would the best value upgrades be ? TEIN Coilovers, engine mods or replacement........ to try and get a significantly less nicer drive? Or, should I bite the bullet and spend!!!!

Any ideas?

[barry_d]

Should read,
'significantly nicer drive'

[XUV]

a test drive will answer all your questions

[whitels1ss]

Hi All,
UTE question
I've had a VU Maloo for 12 months and now trying to decide if I should spend $10k in upgrades or spend an $20-$30k buying a VE SSV Redline or older VE Maloo UTE.

The 2000 VU, has only 45K's on it, exhaust upg, MAFLESS tune dynoed @ 265kw and drinks about 20-30 litres per 100k around town. It handles fairly well and gets a move on if you lean on it. The gear shift is still a bit clunky, despite recent install of a RIPShift.

Is the VE SSV Redline a significantly better vehicle all round, or could I get close to its functionality with a few upgrades?
How much better is the VE?

It would be easier to spend $10K and keep the VU as their resale value is 6/8 of 9/10s of FA. What would the best value upgrades be ? TEIN Coilovers, engine mods or replacement........ to try and get a significantly less nicer drive? Or, should I bite the bullet and spend!!!!

Any ideas?

Your VU sounds like it would be a pig to drive,
(I could not live with something putting out only 265kw without serious heads & cam chewing through so much fuel....)
perhaps your best value for money would be to find a decent tuner?

Next thing, as posted above you should have a drive of the other car to see for yourself how much better they are.

BTW I would have real trouble believing only 45K's on a 15 year old car without knowing the full documented history,
(especially if it had previous mods & a "clunky" gearbox)

Most cars that age have done 4-5 times that milage.

[dgp]

You should get your tune checked, I would expect that type of fuel consumption with a massive cam with lots of overlap.

[blackvussii]

As mentioned I would definitely get that tune looked at by someone that knows what they are doing, I have a vu ss with a small cam and heads and in stop start traffic averaging 30 km/hr get about 18l/100 and on the highway 10s.
I've owned it 7 yrs and have spent a lot of money on it- upgraded heads, cam, suspension, diff, clutch, leather interior, body kit and plenty more.
I do love it but they are just old car these days and its like polishing a turd. I thought I had replaced everything on it but there always seems to be something that is farked or needs a bit of attention. Despite all the mods its worth nothing, Im going to hang onto it until the camaro turns up and cant wait to get in something newer.
I'd recommend getting a vf or ve, much better car and anything you spend on the vu will be torched money.

[Smashfist]

I just upgraded from a bolt-on modded VY Clubsport to a VF SS ute (kept the clubby though). The VF is a MUCH MUCH nicer car to drive, fuel usage is about the same (but more/nicer power curve with the same bolt-ons).

Although my clubby is an Auto, I previously owned a manual VY SS and comparing the clutch and shifter, there's no comparison. The setup in my ute is amazing compared to the VY. Lighter shifts, tamer clutch in traffic, there's just no comparing the two. Go drive a VF and make your own mind up, but I'd vote VF all the way.

[SASLS1]

The VE won't be 20K better than your VU, plus its around 200 kg heavy off the bat... Put 200 liters of water in the back of your VU and see how that goes...

Plus as soon as you buy the VE, you have to spend more coin fixing / upgrading stuff anyway being a second hand car...

Get the cam and tune sorted, and it'll be a lot more enjoyable to drive.

If you plan on keeping the car for ages, do the usual 3.91 TrueTrac, Koni shocks yellow front (red rear) with King Spings 47sl front / 46slhd rear and the car will sit level, tyres will be level with the top of the guards, @ 320mm

center of hub to guard perfect height, not stupid low. Pedders 5401 single bolt 4 way camber kit to get nice even rear wear, the twin bolt kits are useless, and come undone over time and you lose your rear alignment

adjustment.

Just make sure you get someone that knows how to install / adjust it correctly, as there a lots of useless wheel aligners out there from my experience. Superpro bushes are the way to go, if you go down that path. Whiteline

sway bars are cheap too.

You can get the VU sorted for well under 10K installing stuff yourself. Just find a good tuner.

Any money spent on mods/upgrades on any car regardless if its New or Old, is dead money you'll never see it again, so spending it on a 10K car or a 30K car, you always lose less on the cheaper car.

Like any older car, get all the bugs sorted at the start, then drive it and enjoy.

[barry_d]

G'day. Thanks for the considered sponses. Firstly . It puts out 265kw at the back wheels which isnt all that bad, the standard ls1 vu maloo was supposed to be capable of 265kw at the flywheel...and this has it at the back wheels. I may've been exaggerating fuel utilisation but I reckon I use half a tank driving Penrith to Coogee and back.
Second, I agree a test drive of a vf is definitely in order. Third, I'm 99% certain of the provenance and mileage, I have the original HSV briefcase.....though speedo could have been wound back.

I do like modifying cars and better to do it on something relatively cheap. Final decision after a test drive of a VF.

[BLACK 346]

G'day. Thanks for the considered sponses. Firstly . It puts out 265kw at the back wheels which isnt all that bad, the standard ls1 vu maloo was supposed to be capable of 265kw at the flywheel...and this has it at the back wheels. I may've been exaggerating fuel utilisation but I reckon I use half a tank driving Penrith to Coogee and back.
Second, I agree a test drive of a vf is definitely in order. Third, I'm 99% certain of the provenance and mileage, I have the original HSV briefcase.....though speedo could have been wound back.

I do like modifying cars and better to do it on something relatively cheap. Final decision after a test drive of a VF.

As mentioned above, get your tune checked by a reputable shop. If you are putting out 265rwkw then someone has slipped an aftermarket cam in. I went from a 304rwkw heads and cam VT2 SS (LS1) to a VE Calais V which now has bolt ons and 248rwkw and the difference between the two vehicles is night and day. If you test drive a VF you will feel like you are going back into a horse and cart with your VU (sorry, but that is just how terrible the old models are).

BTW...My old VT returned 16l/100 at average speed of 40kmh on my daily work run and was not a pig to drive at all. So I would say something definitely aint right with yours.