As some of you will know I recently changed jobs, swapping my work AU2 SR (red) just like Lowndes and Ambrose are in for a VX 2 Acclaim. I did about 15k in the SR and have now done just under 2k in the Acclaim and being in the position of SR one day VX the next I think I am in a pretty good position to compare them.
It should be noted, this is my unbiased opinion and I know its comparing uneven cars (Acclaim being equal to Futura not SR but what the hell).
First Impressions
OK, well got the VX about two weeks ago now and didn’t know what to expect as I haven’t driven a Commy since about 98 (a VT renter) anyway I think far better seats then the SR, you feel like you sit in the car rather than on in as in the SR and the electric driver seat is a nice little touch. Rear vision out the back of the Commy is not as good as the SR and makes backing a little harder.
The Layout and inside
Well as I said the seats are very nice, the dash tells you everything you need to know, the fuel filler takes allot of getting used to (a ford driver all my life) the cruise control in the SR was 1000 times better, I cant believe the VX is a factory set-up with it's stalk operated system. Stereo and speakers are exactly the same quality in both cars (good) and I like the power windows in the centre again rather than on the doors like the VX has.
On The Road
Well this I think is the most important bit. The VX starts harsh, like BANGS into action as if it's going to through a rod or something, the SR on the other hand turns over and starts smoother. First thing you notice as you drive off the is the grunt, " God this things a weapon, runs through my head" the super low first gear is a bloody great idea in making people think car has more grunt than it actually has. I recorded these time with a full talk of fuel and a 45kg Lab on the back seat (brakes on and car fully loaded) 0-60 in 4.3sec, 0-80 6.8sec and 0-100 10.3sec that I think paints a very good picture of how they are to drive, off the line they go like shit off a shovel then they just get slower and slower, I actually timed it to a speed I am not going to mention and it took 26 seconds, my EB2 XR8 took 20.2 to do the same job, in saying that I am sure the VX would beat the XR from about 0-70km. Around corners the VX is 100 times better, the SR with it's live rear end used to jump sideways at little bums in the corner, the VX with it's 120Y rear end is very impressive in that regard (I was shocked and I know it's not comparing with the Fords IRS). The steering goes the Fords way by a country mile, my EB has far better feel even than the dead feeling VX. Engine performance between the SR and the VX is huge, the VX jumps out of the hole way harder but from 80km+ the VX wouldn’t see which way the Falcon went, and the difference is HUGE. I wonder how potent an AU engine would be with the VX ratio gearboxes.
Gearbox
I thought this needed it's own heading, the difference is amazing and probably the HUGE difference between the two cars. I would say the box in my EB2 XR is smarter then the VX, boot to VX to overtake and it's like "good morning, sorry good afternoon, you want me to do something????? Hang on while I get out of bed!! Boot it from 110km and it waits, goes back to 2nd sometimes, thinks "damn this gears no good as it's pulling about 5500rpm" them back to 3rd where is can actually gain some speed to overtake. The power button I have no idea what it does apart from put a green Power light on the dash. Unlike the falcs where is actually makes a difference, this does nothing in my opinion. The other thing is the engine management must have a program built in that basically says
If=WOT do not change gears till 5500 (redline) it struggles away for the last 1000rpm just because it must, a falcon on the other hand would change when it's time to change and get going quicker.
So What’s best?
At the end of the day though, it's the AU2 SR by a nose in my opinion because of the far better engine and gearbox combo and that’s my totally unbiased opinion.
ps Geoff can we have a lower first gear in the BTR autos for the AV? It makes the car SOOO much more fun and punchy around town.
You are correct in what you say about the gearing in the Commodore. I worked at Suttons Holden when VT came out and I remember them leaping of the mark, whereas AU tends to build up speed slower in first.
How do you like the prehistoric rattly groan of the 3.8 shitbox high up in the rev range, does it still vibrate the whole car and sound like a lawn mower?
Last pos commodore i drove was a VX 1st generation, and after getting out of the drivers seat, the first thing i could say was, "what a peice of shit".
Originally posted by Fairlane Boy How do you like the prehistoric rattly groan of the 3.8 shitbox high up in the rev range, does it still vibrate the whole car and sound like a lawn mower?
Last pos commodore i drove was a VX 1st generation, and after getting out of the drivers seat, the first thing i could say was, "what a peice of shit".
It does vibrate the car, but no more then the Au2 on redline, the 3.8lt makes alot more noise from 4k onwards, the Au2 on the other hand had a very electrical sounding noise, just ask disk or homer? they both heard the SR on the limiter. It's a very horrible whining sound, I'd say the 3.8 is harsher but sounds a little better at full tilt.
I cant stand AU's being so slow off the mark.. very sluggish.
Sometimes you have to get through a quick gap in the traffic, and the AU is so sluggish, you nearly miss your gap.. Whereas a commo would be straight through it ..
Today i saw a 6 cylinder ED falcon beat a V8 VN coomo off the line. The VN was revving and hooning along until we came to a set of lights (3 abreast). The VN driver was revving the thing silly and the ED driver looked at the guy with a slight grin on his face. then the light went green and the ED driver punched off the lines real quick and beat the guy in his commo. It was hillarious to see the look on the guys face and then he turned off onto a different street. I would hate to think how much petrol he would have wasted revving it at that set of lights.
The V6 has always felt jumpy of the line but seems to run out of puff at about 3000 revs & the accelorator just becomes a vibration controler but I think all the vibrating rattling etc adds to the sence of speed. The 5Ls are the same I've driven both & the Commo feels more responsive but when we've lined the 2 cars up the Commos get flogged
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