Holden VE ute 2011 B
Holden VE ute 2007 G
Holden VE ute 2009 F
Holden VE ute 2011 D
Holden VE ute 2011
Cliff Chambers25 May 2016
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Buying a used Holden VE Ute (2007-12)

Half a century of building rough and tough load-carriers didn't stop Holden turning its VE utility into one of the most entertaining performance cars on local roads.

A short history of the Holden Ute (2007-12 VE Series)

The VE utility came into the world a year after the sedans with a load of expectations on its shoulders and went close to fulfilling every one.

The new shape was purposeful and pretty much ageless. Most importantly it allowed the VE to finally break free of a conservative design with links to the 1980s VN. It also handled better than any Holden load-carrier that had gone before it, and came with a range of engines including the 270kW, 6.0-litre V8 found in SS sedans.

If you were more interested in carting mountains of gear or traversing a farm track without bottoming the thing out, then a basic 3.6-litre Omega was the ute to own. Authorised carrying capacity from a five-speed was 775kg, with the auto allowed to stack in an extra 22kg. The manual delivered 195kW, the auto made do with 180 but at $30,990 with optional air-conditioning, it was a good deal for commercial buyers.

Holden-VE-ute-2009-F

Minimum spec for those wanting to look like the slickest brickie in town was an SV6. These sold at a tick under $36,000 and included a 195kW version of the 3.6-litre V6 with six-speed manual transmission. SV6 owners also enjoyed the grip of 45-profile rubber on 18-inch wheels, power front seat adjustment, a six-stack music system, air-conditioning and a standard tonneau cover.

Available from early 2008 to celebrate Holden's 60th anniversary was a Commemorative version of the SV6 with special leather-faced seats, an in-dash six-stacker, Bluetooth, sports steering wheel, alloy pedals, special mats and badges. These aren't valuable as yet, but one with ultra-low kilometres could have a bit of collector appeal.

The 3.6-litre engine delivered plenty of grunt for its size but true sporty ute lovers wanted a V8 and Holden provided a ripper in two trim configurations. The engine was the same 16-valve 6.0-litre that had been powering V8 Holdens since 2005 and in the SS utility it cost less than $40,000. Traction control and a limited-slip diff were standard and essential unless you weren't bothered by the cost of ripping rubber off expensive tyres.

Holden-VE-ute-2011

Utes from the Omega up were supplied with dual air-bags and seatbelt pre-tensioners, ABS with brake-force distribution, stability and traction control. That situation prevailed until 2010 when the VE II version added side and head air-bags.

Before it gave up entirely on the first incarnation of VE utes, Holden had one more surprise in the form of an SS-V Special Edition; almost unmissable with dual bonnet ducts and matching Pontiac-inspired grille.

Having introduced its SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) engines during 2009 there wasn't much to crow about when the Series II version of the VE appeared in October 2010.

Holden-VE-ute-2011-C

The biggest news was compatibility of all the engines with E85 ethanol fuel, offering lower emissions and a bit more power. Buried in the dash of all models was the new iQ communication system which would manage your phone, GPS and music needs and show you what was happening via a smallish 16.5cm LCD screen. High-end models including the $49,990 SS-V got a reversing camera as part of its equipment package, but that wasn't the end of the excitement for well-off ute buyers.

Four-piston front brakes replaced the standard items and were accompanied by an uprated FE3 suspension system. Inside and out were various embellishments to remind owners that they were at the wheel of something unusual. The Redline package added $2500 to the price of an SS-V and it was said that Holden lost money on the deal due to increasing component costs.

On the road in a used VE Holden Utility

Holden, via a sequence of unmissable magazine ads, made damn sure that anyone in the market for a locally-made muscle car wasn't going to overlook its SS-V ute. They went hard too, as witnessed  by magazine testers who clocked the fastest standing 400 metres ever by a production-engined Holden – a blistering 13.9 seconds.

Around town though, a five or six-speed auto behind your V6 or V8 is the way to go. The manual is fine for open terrain or if you're brave enough to extend your V8 ute on some gravel back-roads but when stopping and starting, the clutch and clunky shift action get tiring.

Safety was a high priority, with primary and secondary protection sufficient to warrant Five Stars from the ANCAP safety boffins. All had great brakes, with the V8 and its 19 inch wheels putting more rubber on the road than most will ever need. Helping even the ham-fisted maintain control was ABS and an excellent traction control system that stayed in the background unless things really got out of shape.

mo-gall-holden-sv6-02

The leather seats in SV and SS-V models (optional in others) are nice to look at and OK to sit in except on cold mornings. Perhaps the electric adjusters could have been adapted to power a heating system as well.

As we're talking about Australia's most popular locally-made load-carrier, we better take a look in the back. Under the tonneau cover or hard-lid – helpful with aerodynamics – there's a broad load platform with minimal wheel-arch intrusion and standard plastic bed-liner.

Performance from the V8, as noted previously, was rocket-like, however you don't need eight pistons to get cracking. Running to 100km/h from rest in an auto SV6 takes 7.5 seconds, with 80-120 in a blink below five seconds.

People who test cars like these then publish fuel consumption figures rarely get close to the manufacturers' claimed consumption. However, in the case of 3.6 and 6.0-litre versions they did remarkably well, averaging 11L/100km in the six and close to the target 14.3L/100 from a V8. An SV6 manual driven with economy in mind but still at an average speed of 75km/h under a range of conditions returned a miserly 7.7L/100km.

<a href="//motoring.li.csnstatic.com/motoring/general/editorial/mo-gall-holden-sv6-05.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180300" src="//motoring.li.csnstatic.com/motoring/general/editorial/mo-gall-holden-sv6-05.jpg" alt="mo-gall-holden-sv6-05"></a>

What to check on a used VE Holden Ute

>> Six and eight cylinder engines when properly maintained should clock at least 250,000 kilometres before needing any major work. Make sure any ute you consider has service history, especially recent dockets showing how frequently it visited a workshop once the warranty expired.
>> V6 and V8 engines are known oil leakers however the only instance where repair will be seriously expensive is when lubricant is coming through a porous engine block
>> Listen at start-up for valve train noise due to dirty oil or damaged rocker bearings. Rattles from the front of an engine can indicate a stretched timing chain
>> Check all under-bonnet hoses for bulges and the cabin carpet for dampness due to leaks through damaged window seals, missing rubber grommets or the heater.
>> Windscreen washers may not work because the reservoir is cracked and needs replacement.
>> Bed-liners can be breached, allowing dirt and moisture to attack the metal below. Tie-down hooks that are bent or broken hint at a ute that's had a hard life. Check underneath for damage to the rear overhang.
>> Look at the inner edges of tyres for premature wear. Suspension bushes and major components wear out from 120,000 kilometres (shocks somewhat sooner) so a high-kilometre Holden needing work underneath may not be the bargain it seems.
>> Manual-transmission utes can suffer premature clutch wear and failure. Accelerate in top gear from around 40km/h to check for clutch slip.

Used vehicle grading on a used Holden VE Ute
Design & Function: 14/20
Safety: 13/20
Practicality: 12/20
Value for Money: 14/20
Wow Factor 14/20 (SS-V)
TOTAL SCORE: 67/100

Also consider: Ford Falcon XR8, Mazda BT-50 GT, Toyota Hilux SR 4.0

Our thanks for technical advice to Red Book Inspect

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Written byCliff Chambers
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