VE Omega rental... are they all like this?

[malazn mafia]

Hey guys, just rented a VE Commo Omega in Adelaide for the day.. and what can I say.. absolutely appalling. The interior had "cheap" written all over it, substandard sound system, cheap button feel on all buttons, interior lights that don't fade in/out when switched on/off, a passenger-side glovebox that looked just like and felt as flimsy as one from a Toyota Yaris, and noisy door lock actuators that sounded almost half as bad as those from the E-series falcons. The A-pillars were like tree-stumps and really impacted visibility, and the door mirrors were too small. And to top it off, the engine was very rough, noisy and underpowered, power steering was whiny, driveline seemed very slack and jerky. Nearly all bumps on the road could be felt through the suspension. A BA taxi engine sounds like a BMW six in comparison... and I'd happily drive a BA series 1 XT over this excuse of a car anyday..

I guess the only redeeming factor I can think of is the awesome amount of legroom it gives to the front passenger and driver. The dash seems much more compact, away from the driver's legs and less 'claustrophobic' than BA/Territory/FG.

So is this what Holden comes up with when it has 1 billion to spend on designing a car? Do the higher series Commodores at least have better dash materials/etc, less engine noise, etc.

[747jet]

no there all the same thats how thay are drive like a dog but the late ones are much better to drive

[gossy]

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Consider yourself lucky then that you got one of the better ones.

[pottery beige]

Crappadore...

[Peuty]

Welcome to 2006 mate.

[Mr Hardware]

I rather like the VE, it's the closest to a falcon yet.

[private9]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

I rather like the VE, it's the closest to a falcon yet.

Good call!

[jphanna]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Hey guys, just rented a VE Commo Omega in Adelaide for the day.. and what can I say.. absolutely appalling. The interior had "cheap" written all over it, substandard sound system, cheap button feel on all buttons, interior lights that don't fade in/out when switched on/off, a passenger-side glovebox that looked just like and felt as flimsy as one from a Toyota Yaris, and noisy door lock actuators that sounded almost half as bad as those from the E-series falcons. The A-pillars were like tree-stumps and really impacted visibility, and the door mirrors were too small. And to top it off, the engine was very rough, noisy and underpowered, power steering was whiny, driveline seemed very slack and jerky. Nearly all bumps on the road could be felt through the suspension. A BA taxi engine sounds like a BMW six in comparison... and I'd happily drive a BA series 1 XT over this excuse of a car anyday..

I guess the only redeeming factor I can think of is the awesome amount of legroom it gives to the front passenger and driver. The dash seems much more compact, away from the driver's legs and less 'claustrophobic' than BA/Territory/FG.

So is this what Holden comes up with when it has 1 billion to spend on designing a car? Do the higher series Commodores at least have better dash materials/etc, less engine noise, etc.

I agree with you with omega. it screams taxi pack when you get in....

I have had 2 of each of falcons and commodores. I can tell you that what hurts the image of the big aussie cars in the eyes of joe bloggs average out there, is not that the small things such as the commodore dashboard, that feels like a huyundai or whinny trans etc, but its the big ticket items that Ford gets the most attention such as BRAKE FAILURE in current models, or repeat head gasket failures in previous models.

AUSSIES ARE NOT STUPID. if every model since 1978 has been number one (with exception of XF, whick kicked commodores azz), then that tells me that either the marketing dept are bordering on genius to fool that many people over a generation.....or they dont like the fact that they been burned by owning a falcon before, and wont do it again.

I thought with the rave reviews of the FG that it would reel in the VE for sales, which is 2 years older and looking it......

[Smoke Pursuit]

They are all like that, even from brand new.. Anything below Calais in the holden range is substandard, and even the calais is pretty low rent when compared to G6E.

It should also be noted that their billion dollars included the LWB cars, wagon and ute.. Ford dont have 2 of those models to waste money on anymore!

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by jphanna

I agree with you with omega. it screams taxi pack when you get in....

I have had 2 of each of falcons and commodores. I can tell you that what hurts the image of the big aussie cars in the eyes of joe bloggs average out there, is not that the small things such as the commodore dashboard, that feels like a huyundai or whinny trans etc, but its the big ticket items that Ford gets the most attention such as BRAKE FAILURE in current models, or repeat head gasket failures in previous models.

AUSSIES ARE NOT STUPID. if every model since 1978 has been number one (with exception of XF, whick kicked commodores azz), then that tells me that either the marketing dept are bordering on genius to fool that many people over a generation.....or they dont like the fact that they been burned by owning a falcon before, and wont do it again.

I thought with the rave reviews of the FG that it would reel in the VE for sales, which is 2 years older and looking it......

Everyones going on about recalls lately.. What about when the VE was first released, recall on seatbelts and fuel system in V8 cars in a number of weeks.. All manufacturers have faults!

[Mr Hardware]

jphanna is right. If holden had a motor on par with the I6 there's no way i'd own a ford. Once ford ditches the legendary I6 i'm outta here. Some of you guys here are just so one-eyed its not funny.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by jphanna

but its the big ticket items that Ford gets the most attention such as BRAKE FAILURE in current models,

I didn't know the FG had brake failures??

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by vztrt

I didn't know the FG had brake failures??

Only on EGAS models.

[gcg2503]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

jphanna is right. If holden had a motor on par with the I6 there's no way i'd own a ford. Once ford ditches the legendary I6 i'm outta here. Some of you guys here are just so one-eyed its not funny.

Why dont you just change camps now? The VE is an epic car...

[BPXR6T]

You were driving a pov pack rental. I'd expect it to be cheap and rough. The upper spec models aren't so bad. I've driven both a clubbie and a calais and liked both cars. The calais interior was very nice. If I were after another sedan I'd pick the R8 over the GT-P. The VE is a much better looking car than the FG IMO.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

Why dont you just change camps now? The VE is an epic car...

Yeah quite true. In fact i wouldn't mind a VE at all.

[homegrown]

I was quite surprised considering the Omega is the base model and now you get power windows and cruise control. I thought was good. Except the handbrake is awkward.

[Windsor220]

The interior I think looks good apart from the handbrake and the Atari display. Its let down by cheap materials. We've had VEs in only done around 15k km and the interior is falling apart. Steering wheels especially are bad.

[onfire]

I drove a VE around a year or so ago. Personally, it might have been just this example, but it didnt go as hard as I'd like, the visibility was the main thing for me.

But they look sweet with a nice set of rims and dropped a few inches. I wouldn't mind a nice black one.

[Kryton]

we have a Berlina at work and its a shocker.
cheap build quality, god awful exhaust noise when accelerating, and no go in it at all.
Honestly dont know what people see in the VE at all.

I sat in a brand new Calais V at the dealers and the plastic crap that is on the steering wheel could be lifted off without any effort at all - not even trying to remove it.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

Why dont you just change camps now? The VE is an epic car...

I think i'll read that as the VE is more like an Epica

[Feathers]

I wasn't a fan of the VE Statesman I got in Victoria either.
Couldn't see out of it on corners (and I was up in the mountains on narrow winding roads), and it was gutless. Fairmont99 commented on it when he drove it when we went out to get dinner.
Only had 6000ks on it. Couldn't wait to hand it back and get back in my BA.

[redranga]

Am I the only one that thinks that the VE is the most ugly car from the back?

If Ford produced something that looked like that motoring critics would can it. People still carry on about the AU being ugly but you never hear people saying the same about the VE.

[castellan]

VE looks ugly and cheap all over.
Dangerous A pillars. they should not of passed a ADR
Rubber covering the dash and tops of the doors : :ymca:

[prydey]

Originally Posted by jphanna

I agree with you with omega. it screams taxi pack when you get in....

I have had 2 of each of falcons and commodores. I can tell you that what hurts the image of the big aussie cars in the eyes of joe bloggs average out there, is not that the small things such as the commodore dashboard, that feels like a huyundai or whinny trans etc, but its the big ticket items that Ford gets the most attention such as BRAKE FAILURE in current models, or repeat head gasket failures in previous models.

AUSSIES ARE NOT STUPID. if every model since 1978 has been number one (with exception of XF, whick kicked commodores azz), then that tells me that either the marketing dept are bordering on genius to fool that many people over a generation.....or they dont like the fact that they been burned by owning a falcon before, and wont do it again.

I thought with the rave reviews of the FG that it would reel in the VE for sales, which is 2 years older and looking it......

no falcons have had brake failure!! you should be a journo with your attention grabbing antics!! rear brake lines in irs equiped ba were changed as a precaution, and now a certain batch of egas cars MAY lose power assistance. they still have brakes. just more effort req. its not like they refuse to fix the issues either.

also commodore never owned the no.1 sales spot until vt. ford dominated virtually right up until EL. maybe not every month but it finished in front often enough.

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Hey guys, just rented a VE Commo Omega in Adelaide for the day.. and what can I say.. absolutely appalling.

basing your opinions on a rental car is probably not the most accurate way to measure a car. rental cars don't exactly get looked after, esp the driveline. also bit hard to be objective when you are a ford fan.

[Elks]

Originally Posted by jphanna

Ford gets the most attention such as BRAKE FAILURE in current models, ...

Don't worry I had to get the brake master cyl replaced within the 1st 10,000km to stop the pedal going to the floor. 08 VE CalaisV.

[jphanna]

Originally Posted by prydey

no falcons have had brake failure!! you should be a journo with your attention grabbing antics!!

i am not a sadist. this is a ford forum and i have both brands. in last few months FORD has been in headlines for Territory BRAKE problems, and more recently the FG for brake problems. this is the important part of my communication.

1. it may only be the EGAS that has the specific brake recall problem - Joe bloggs average will only hear 'FALCON BRAKE PROBLEMS'. he will apply it to all falcons.

2. the recalls the VE have had have not hit the headlines like the territory and falcon has in recent times. maybe the media love to bag ford, they have a history of it...that may be fords fault for letting consistant problems get to media before they nipped them in the bud early.

3. is there a person out there that hasnt had a REAR window failure with a territory? put your hand up if you havnt.....this sort of ONGOING crap that ford has subjected its customers, has hurt the reputation of the falcon as well.

when holden got it wrong, it was for LESSER reasons then the BIG problems that falcon buyers copped. those BIGGER hits - resale, headgaskets, styling disasters, Brakes are what will keep the falcon a safe distance from VE.

even the collapse of GM that the media has been headlining over months has not deterred VE buyers. you would think this was the ONE chance to nail the VE with all this doom and gloom about the parent company.....

[DJM83]

My mate rented an SV6 (VE) and the cruise would turn itself off and the ESP would turn on and off by itself. So took it back and got another one. Great car those

[Riksta]

Originally Posted by jphanna

styling disasters

When did Ford ever have a styling disaster?

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by jphanna

3. is there a person out there that hasnt had a REAR window failure with a territory? put your hand up if you havnt.....this sort of ONGOING crap that ford has subjected its customers, has hurt the reputation of the falcon as well.

I raised my hand. I've had front window failure though :P