The VT Commodore - We Paid $20 For This Car!

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Today we’re going to take a look at an old Australian made “classic” car, the 2000 Series II Acclaim Holden VT Commodore. A good friend of mine sold it to us for only $20. Is it fun to drive? Does it still run well? Let’s find out! #holden #commodore #opera
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[@psivewri]

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[@michellefernandez3155]

damn man you really f up this car.

[@valt9093]

I have your IP

[@valt9093]

@@michellefernandez3155 damn shut up

[@TheFalseShepphard]

​@@michellefernandez3155 Let's do the math: •The engine runs ✓ •The transmission shifts properly ✓ • The Drivertrain works ✓ ... So cut the bullshit

[@chandlerbing7570]

No

[@Ilanvain]

Don't forget to apply new thermal paste

[@Boredealis]

cant forget that

[@Menstral]

...and eucalyptus oil

[@TheWretchedWorld]

works well on the dfi module

[@johndemetro8184]

And liberal amounts of eucalyptus oil

[@AtomSquirrel]

And download some horsepower

[@toms.1417]

This video is a nice change of pace and I admire your willingness to tackle that painting job without fear!!! The car looks quite nice.

[@JVHShack]

Fun fact: That 3.8L V6 in your Holden made it's way under some American cars' hoods. It's commonly referred to as the "Buick 3800" The valve covers on your engine were a dead giveaway for me because they're the exact same ones we got over here.

[@johndemetro8184]

The 3800 is a good little motor

[@SLiMyBaNdIt]

technically the ecotec is an australian modified variant of it, from 1989 to 1994 vn to vr commodore used the unmodified 3800.

[@wr1ght939]

Is this the 3800 in a lot of the mid to late 90s w platforms? (6th Gen Monte Carlo, 8th Gen impala, 7th Gen Gran prix, etc)

[@deanstyles2567]

​@@wr1ght939The very same, only north south because rear wheel drive.

[@DrSaucePacket]

​@johndemetro8184 yeah it gets a lot of hate from the ford fan boys unfortunately

[@MuitoDaora]

Those Commodores were sold in Brazil 20 years ago and I vividly remember begging my father for one. Idk why but I really like the looks.

[@prof.dr.acula.]

And, did you get one?

[@MuitoDaora]

​@@prof.dr.acula.Nooo😭 Here it's called Chevy Omega BTW.

[@prof.dr.acula.]

@@MuitoDaora oh I'm sorry man

[@alzemiroborges]

Yeah, i have 3 actually! because of my father too! they are on my channels thumb.. 1 National 1997 4,1, one 1999 (same as the commodore of the video) and an 2004 3.8 too. São realmente super maquinas, nao digo reliquias.. talvez o 4.1 esteja bem valorizado hoje.. queria que todos pudessem ter o gosto de andar num carro desses.

[@jarrynsmith]

​@@alzemiroborgesthe 4.1 would be very collectable over here in Australia

[@fernandocesarferreira7878]

This car was sold in Brazil from 1999 to 2010 under the name Chevrolet Omega. It was considered a luxury car.

[@skylovescars69420]

It was also sold in Europe as an opel. And in the USA as a Pontiac.

[@ShockingPikachu]

Funny how it was a luxury car over there and a commoner/bogan car here lol

[@fernandocesarferreira7878]

@@ShockingPikachu I think economic and technological inequality help explain the difference

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

@@skylovescars69420 It actually was an Opel. Opel created that car as an Omega and since GM owned Opel until 2017, they released a lot of Opel models for their other car brands.

[@tractorguy1994]

@@ShockingPikachu Might be considered a bogan car now but was also a luxury car then

[@mortalmyles]

When filling the oil up after draining, make sure to run the engine a couple of seconds and then recheck the dipstick. You’ll see it will go down a bit as the oil gets around the engine and in the filter 👍

[@HearMeLearn]

Is just filling it up to full from cold enough?

[@mortalmyles]

@@HearMeLearn if u drained it completely, do what i said. If its just a top up its fine

[@LLInnovA]

Finally, I've been waiting for a Holden on this channel

[@jb7591]

Got my brand new VT Berlina on christmas eve 1997, raven was the colour. Great car.

[@Benjames885]

This video brought a tear to my eye as it morphed my first 2 cars together. My first car was a VN Executive which was the same colour as the sprayed bonnet. My 2nd car was a Series 2 VT Acclaim, which was the same colour as the rest of this car (Bermuda Blue).

[@faazdoesstuff]

He forgot the Eucalyptus oil...

[@the3commonkid6]

This upsets me too much 😢

[@4ndyr0g3r50n]

He secretly used that instead of engine oil 🤫

[@saturnotaku]

A car like this would be fun as a gray market import in the US. Given that it was a GM product, it shouldn't be too hard to obtain spare parts, at least far easier than it would be for something like a Honda Beat or an Autozam.

[@traviswalker8933]

The coupe variant of this made its way to the US as the Pontiac GTO.

[@kyleharradine5666]

the vt models and vx models are near identical except headlights rear bumper, taillights so lot of the parts are very interchangeable even the Vy (02-04) has the same ecotec gm v6 motor

[@moe_1886]

I remember when the VT came out, loved the 'new modern' design... at the time! 🤣 For ages I wanted to get the Calais... cheers for the memories Psivewri!

[@jamesmcgowen1769]

I used to drive a WH Statesman V6 of the same vintage. It only used 1.5 tanks to drive over 1500 k’s from Sydney to Adelaide which I thought was pretty bloody good sitting on the speed limit.

[@goosebump69]

This is literally my car. Stalled twice last week, got coils and car back today, hoping its not the crank angle sensor. Absolutely amazing to drive.

[@RS-rj5sh]

If she stalls while driving, 99% it's probably crank angle sensor

[@goosebump69]

turned out to be a new coil that was faulty replaced them all @@RS-rj5sh

[@sharp_sh00ter17]

I randomly came across this vid and it has reminded me of a few years back, i drove a 2000 vt series 2 acclaim in white for a while and i loved it, had some hiccups, i was one of those people that thrashed one, it skidded very well and made alot of good memories for me and my mates, people still ask about it to this day, unfortunately i had to part it out for personal reasons, but that car gave me independence and i learnt alot from the things i did with that car, from engine swaps to basic maitenence i did myself I'll never forget the good times that car gave me and the appreciation i have for holdens for that era, there such a good car to start off with, from basic p plater to hoon p plater to even elderly people, awesome vid man

[@andrewlord8366]

My dad gave me the exec II version of this car and he kept pretty good care of it and I love it. My first car and honestly my favourite looking car ever. I don’t know what it is about the styling but it just hits me in the right way

[@xacoupeguy]

Don't forget more common failures are coils, dfi modual and of course the All mighty crank angle sensor if it ever just stops running while driving but starts again once it's been stopped for a while it'll 100% be the crank angle sensor and don't forget to clean out the intake plenum after alot of kms its likely to be very clogged full of dirt and oil

[@carvalhoguilherme]

I believe you have used the pressure washer extension that is meant for floor cleaning hence a bit too strong for the paint coating. great video❤

[@Bohemiahotrodandcustom]

I have 3 vt commodores in my collection, 1 sedan( ex Vic police car) and 2 wagons. I also have an AU falcon ute ( marlin edition) and a BA wagon.

[@crnchynapkin4621]

just a tip from a detailer, dont use a turbo nozzle on paint. that's probably why some clear came off. wide tips are much better.

[@DrVaults]

I thought it was pretty cool to see the 3800 v6 in that car I didn’t know that it was a worldwide engine. We usually see them in Buicks, Pontiacs and Chevrolets around the United States. Legendary engine! They even make a supercharged version *wink wink*

[@ianweber9248]

The supercharged version was actually used in a number of Commodore models, including this one.

[@richardcooper]

Oh the memories, Mum had a VT Commodore here in Melbourne many moons ago.

[@robd1365]

The same vehicle is the Vauxhall Omega in uk, I always liked them and occasionally see one on the road. I think we had the 3.2 v6 variant. There is also a Monaro that is locally owned, 6.0 V8, you know when that is quarter of a mile away.

[@codiecrieg2480]

I think about eucaliptus oil every time when you clean that laptops ;) Sry for language, not native english speaker here.

[@JaidenJimenez86]

I first visited Australia in 2009, so when I think Australian cars - it's this, or the AU Falcon. I drove my aunt's VT Commodore down to Melbourne, and I honestly could have done it three more times. On my last visit, those fuckers at Budget gave me a Renault Koleos and I literally couldn't wait to get out of it and into a motel on the same drive lmao

[@Kazz7420]

Finally a Commodore video, thank you!

[@mcrazza]

Love the old VT Commodore with its iconic styling. IMHO it's the better-looking car versus the AU Falcon (Series I) with its bubble shape, triangular head/tail lights, and that odd-looking front grill, especially on the Classic and Futura models. I wasn't too keen on the VT successors' styling until the VE and the VF. It's got great lines and I dug the pronounced front and rear wheel guards.

[@ShockingPikachu]

It is not hard to look better than the cockroach 😂😂

[@SJSOmar]

That’s funny that Intake box looks like it was taken off a Saab 9-3… a tip to paint the bonnet is to get the edges first and sand all the way down any peeling clear coat will show through so it’s a must to get rid of it all and wouldn’t hurt to primer the whole bonnet before hand remembering a lighter primer will affect the lightness or darkness of the base coat when trying to color match

[@RobertLeather]

Wow... it's so similar to the European Open Omega / Vauxhall Omega platform. In the UK they had a program to get rid of "old cars" and it included 5 year old and older Vauxhall Omega's. Due to devaluation the cars were worth less than the Government handout and as a result a car that sold in the tens of thousands is now reduced to under 500 examples in the whole of the UK.

[@dylandegabriel4320]

Sad to hear they're just throwing away old cars that still have life in them like that

[@Michka1001]

I miss my VT, I bought one when I was about 19 - 20, and it was the best car, I wish I still had it. Only paid $2500 for it back in 2014 and while it had about 280000 - 290000, it was near showroom condition. Super cheap and easy to work on, ridiculously reliable, really comfortable, super spacious, rode amzingly, and was really cheap on fuel for what it waa. Best car I've ever owned

[@doodles113]

Nice! Here in Brazil we have the exact same car, known as Chevrolet Omega,but with left hand drive .There's some of them still running....

[@cobra727]

There needs to be a Psivewri, Dankpods colab

[@WisconsinCentralProductions]

We need psivewri x dank collab I demand it

[@hughh106]

Two things: Clearcoat on the white and other colours is the same, just the higher reflection means it lasts longer. I also recommend filling up the oil filter with oil if you can, not necessary but recommended

[@MartinJones123]

I wish I got the opportunity to get a car for $20, especially a car like this VT Commodore

[@Tom5TomEntertainment]

Time to collab with DankPods

[@faith_6082]

I was about to say that

[@nerfinator6]

They're both in adelaide, so it's possible.

[@PeterShorrock]

Nice to see you again great work true computer expert❤

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

Painting isn’t easy. I tried to fix rust on an old Passat some years ago and thought I chose the right colour but it was a slightly different shade of silver. It was better than the rust though.

[@RETROMachines]

Congratulations! This is an amazing accomplishment for you and the team.

[@chedrwastaken]

"every hoon looking to do some burnouts" youre goddamn right

[@RS-rj5sh]

Those VT's are good at Drifting

[@tractorguy1994]

Love the Vt

[@lionzion86]

Had a 1999 VT Commodore Exec - Was a go kart with a V6 and an absolutely awesome car to ride around in and being a Saloon has plenty of space. The engine and components up front are reliable and easy to maintain and just need hoses and whatnot like the rad replaced over time due to conditions in Aus - Got it 2nd hand and the initial issues I faced were power steering failure due to rack and pinion going - also had issues with light cracks forming on the mounts as mentioned

[@umarpaf]

I suggest to paint the bonnet black (and perhaps trunk too). This will give the vehicle a sportier look.

[@RS-rj5sh]

And paint a big white Holden Lion logo on it 👍

[@aaaaplay]

I remember my parents buying a VT Commodore Acclaim in Capricorn Mica (Green) with the Leaf Pewter Interior. Back in 2001 it was a major upgrade over the VP Commodore we'd had before it. Mum remembers it fondly, although the VE Berlina wagon was their last, and the car I learned to drive in.

[@LowKurt.]

I rate those subtitles in the intro, they didn't go unseen.

[@benjFPS]

YEAAAAAH THE VT COMMODORE

[@KellyParkinson23]

Thats a pretty nice beret that you got with that buffer

[@CeruleanBytes]

WOW The memories :') My mum used to have a brown Calais and it was the greatest thing ever! Man I miss our old one. A corolla smashed into the back of it when it was parked up, and sadly it was written off :(

[@adammaggs8563]

My parents had an acclaim station wagon and then my first car was an executive, loved that car. Perfect for a p plater apart from lack of ABS and Traction control

[@banterbants]

That end bit on the pressure washer can/will strip paint👍🏻. Great video, cool project car.

[@zaamuro8408]

VT II with monaro blacked out headlights is still a looker!

[@bokexd3173]

for me it is the vl or vs commodore that first comes up in my mind after the au falcon

[@No4hsARK]

Yay your back!!

[@peterhewitson]

They are awesome! I bought a VX brand new in 2002 and did 450,000km all round this great country until the radiator developed a leak, lost all the coolant and cooked the motor! Sadly it's no more, but I wouldn't mind getting another but as you say, most of them I've looked at have been totally thrashed...

[@AhxChInG]

Reason why clear coat came off I believe is because you used the turbo nozzle on your pressure washer, sprays in circular rotation, You should be using the attachment that sprays out like a fan/line pattern

[@TheZieglerm]

We saw a derivative of this car in the states where it was sold as the Cadillac Catera. Granted the Catera was a rebaged Opel Omega (which is LHD), the Catera, Omega and Commodore all share the same platform.

[@GForceVRX]

Great car the VT, I love them. The Magna’s of the same era are fantastic cars too. 3.0l & 3.5l, especially the manual ones, they hammer those things

[@C4rkus]

I bought a 1998 factory manual V6 VT commodore executive 6 - 7 years ago for my first car when i turned 18, i still have it today as my daily, while it had some issue in terms of the body/suspension, (had to literally replace whole front and back end with a VX one underneath), the engine has been pretty really really good, definitely at some times neglected it but it still runs and goes, same thing with the clear coat and paint as its mangled now, but the colour it has its cool, paint code b171 Raven Mica/Pearl, very nice colour when its clean and hits the sun, basically car looks black but when it hits lighting, you can see a nice blue purplish colour come out and looks really nice, i don't drive as much today but want to fix it all up one day to look noice and clean.

[@jimmynoodlepickle740]

I love these boring Australian sedans. I have an AU Fairmont Ghia and it's such a delight to drive.

[@AmazedStoner]

I've seen that key before. It is also used on the 2004 to 2006 Pontiac GTO in the states. The plastic welded design means changing the battery without causing any damage to the housing of the key isn't possible. On a GTO that means when the battery dies in the key, you're not going to be starting the car because of the lockout system. Replacement keys for a GTO are around $50 US and will require cutting and programming for an additional cost. I only know all this because I helped a friend out who has a GTO and needed to get the car home with a dead battery in the key. Soldering a new battery to key indeed worked but there is not a chance of ever getting the key to even closely look like it did before doing so. Cheap keys can be had and could be a good option if you don't care about quality.

[@coasterblu9892]

Great video, strongly consider wearing a respirator while spray painting!

[@techstuff7414]

Rather than respraying the bonnet, you could try finding one in the right colour from a wrecker like U Pull It. May not be that easy to find one that doesn't also have faded paint, but if you do find one it won't cost too much.

[@HoneyBadger_____]

Saw a nice white unmolested VT Commodore Exec for 12k and had 60,000 something K's on it. I was on the fence about whether i should buy it or not and now i wish i should've bought as it was immaculate inside and out for a VT.

[@RS-rj5sh]

12k a bit steep for a VT, but 60,000k is crazy low

[@mighty_bunny]

Lovely video! ❤ I bought my first car recently, a Subaru Outback, and it's a similar age and in a similar condition to this. Nicer on the inside but pretty beat up on the outside. Wasn't quite $20 but it was very reasonable, and I'm absolutely in love with it. And it's got the 3.0L six cylinder too!

[@oz673]

i love holoden comodore

[@GalenlevyPhoto]

I realized you forgot to check the rear axle gear oil to be sure it’s in good shape. I checked they’re RWD. Kudos to your good job to restore the nice ride. :)

[@Holdez-]

I have a mate who is obsessed with ford falcons and he just buys any falcon he sees on fb marketplace and now his frontyard and backyard just has falcons everywhere 🤣

[@thebusinessfirm9862]

Goodness gracious, that blue bonnet! If I see a Commodore with a bright blue bonnet driving around Adelaide, I’ll know it’s you!

[@husaintalaq6460]

I used live in Melbourne since 2011 until 2014 and i saw a lot of these cars

[@jarrynsmith]

If you ever have rear suspension problems you can swap to a vy rear trailing arms that eliminate the camber and handling issue

[@jamieknight5345]

I have owned 4 VT commodores over the years good cars considering how cheep i bought them for

[@johnwalters6025]

I've got a supercharged V6 version in Calais format. I bought it of the 2nd owner, it's a bit of a survivor as it hasn't been skided or thrashed

[@davematthews8512]

Nice to see the venerable VT get some love.

[@BadKarma714]

You should do a video with mighty car mods that would be awesome. They’re in Australia I think there in New South Wales.

[@john_barnett]

Hold your oil bottles sideways or upside down for easier pouring and less chance of spillage

[@zachhanson6575]

Loving the car content you been posting !

[@HuePhantom]

I see that when pressure washing the car you used the turbo nozzle, i would recommend using a nozzle with a flat spray pattern. The turbo nozzle can break up the paint quite bad, especially with a powerful pressure washer. I see why you used the turbo nozzle in this use tho, especially for removing the clear coat. Other than that, love the content and greetings from Norway.

[@DacLMK]

I would really love some day if you can buy and restore a Yugo. People in my country still drive a Yugo to this day, and parts here are very cheap to find. Not sure if they'll be easy and cheap to find in Australia though. But sure it will be a very fun episode.

[@emdotrod]

The VT Commodore is so mint it doesn't even need a rub of eucalyptus oil

[@nuherbleath461]

I like how they gave it independent rear suspension instead of a live axle. Yet it only makes 200hp from 4 litres. Also I think you did fine with painting that bonnet.

[@nowukkas2472]

Yeah but those 200 horses are unstressed and backed by great torque at normal engine revs. It’s a lot quicker than 200 horses in a lardy body should be, especially in 1997!

[@martin1649]

The brake fluid should be clear, definitely worth replacing.

[@melterofsnowflakes]

Yeah, the 3800 is very reliable and gives good power. It can also give back good mileage. It does derive from the Buick 60 degree 3.8L V-6. Some of the 3800 equipped cars can return up to 30 mpg. Always liked the look of the Commodore. Wish the US had gotten something more like it than the Cadillac Catera and it's over-worked 3.0L V-6. Thanks for the video on it!

[@NielsPaul]

One question left: How does this nugget score on the litre board?

[@mexprod1318]

Underrated channel. Love seeing old cars getting restored and given a new life, rather than buying a new EV which everyone is doing nowadays that is going to cause resources and more money and also polluting the environment in a way from the lithium batteries. Absolutely love it🎉🎉

[@watercannonscollaboration2281]

I’ll make the argument that when I think of Aussie automobiles i think of the Holden Ute. Always happy to see car content though

[@queenmarynovelwriter5397]

This was fun to watch even though I know nothing about cars.

[@Wanted797]

“Put your foot down and it goes without any hesitation” 😅 assume you haven’t drove many cars? This was my first car.

[@Turnupturtle488]

I laughed at that bit too. I’ve had 3 commodores with the 3.8, I’ve had magnas that have thrown me back in my seat harder 😂

[@adkenzo]

Would love to see you get an 80’s car something with a digi dash to follow the computer vibe something like a classic toyota 86 or something , don’t know if your into jdm classics , great vid mate

[@matiasvarela460]

Oh yeah another car vídeo, i love your cars videos and old tech too. ❤

[@BoxInThisLapVR46]

Love you working on legendary Auzzie cars

[@YT_Gopnik_Mario]

i saw one VT Commodore but it was modified and high kilometers (400 000 Kilometers)

[@DrSaucePacket]

Best one yet I reckon💯

[@DangerAngelous]

It's been a long time since I've seen a $400 Commodore, too long actually

[@gkid64]

I think the VT Commodore is the best looking car

[@anthony7835]

💯

[@Juancolon2003]

The commodore vt was similar to the German car Opel with the Opel Omega, and America's Cadillac Catera for some reason.

[@SombreroKnight]

The commodore and catera were pretty much a badged engineered Opel Omega since they were all brands under GM who loves to rebadge a lot of the same cars.

[@tractorguy1994]

That era of GM cars shared design ques

[@excalibur2038]

Alot of people think they were the same car but the vt/vx actually share almost no panels in common with the omega, still based of the same design but the vt was a completely original holden concept

[@paulsz6194]

The VT commodore is set to become an iconic car, as this model of car brought enhanced reliability to the commodore & brought it on par with its Japanese rivals of the day.

[@jamest6850]

VT Calais in Tungsten Mica paint is the way I like a commodore.

[@saisharan3753]

Cleaning channel? Love it!

[@russellpinkie9775]

Basically the car was given to ya, 😮, but Yeah the VT is hard to get now, even a decent one that got E few problems, I'm happy with my vx there bloody good cars if ya just service and look after them 👌

[@yardenhaque6585]

I think this will be run more than 15 years if you maintain it properly . My father is drove a Toyota corolla . It was 2004 car but we are having it since 2010 .