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Going to California: Holden Malibu
Holden has always had a contender for each of the categories that make up the Australian automotive landscape; some work (Commodore, Barina) and some don’t (Epica, Viva). Since the, well, epic failure of the Epica, the red lion’s presence in the medium car segment has been lacking. Cue, the Malibu.
It’s a physically large car, not far off Commodore size at 4865mm long, 1855mm wide and 1465mm wide and will come with a choice of two engines; a 2.4L petrol with 123kW/225Nm of torque or a 2.0L diesel (117kW/350Nm) with no choice for transmission 
but a six speed auto, with gear ratios adjusted to suit the different engine characteristics, with towing capacity at 1200kgs. There’ll be two trim levels and keeping with the majority of the Holden family nomenclature will be called CD and CDX. In reality there’s very little to differentiate between the two, with LED tail lights, some leather trim, fog lamps and rain sensing wipers the main standouts however the CD will get electrically assisting steering while the CDX gets hydraulic. The CD will roll on 16 inch wheels with the CDX getting 17s. As expected, safety is not compromised, with the usual suite of passive and active electronic aids, such as curtain airbags and traction control plus the new MyLink integrated entertainment system.
Under the long and shapely bonnet, the 2.4L aluminuim block gets noise reduction engineering and oil cooling jets on the pistons to aid in longevity whilst the German sourced diesel is refined and quiet, with a particulate filter standard to reduce emissions. Although a world car, the Malibu copped a substantial amount of Australian input, to deal with the variable quality roads (suspension) and driving requirements (engine and gearbox mapping) plus specifying tyres for our right hand drive environment. Even in the styling, Australia’s own had significant input, with Michael Simcoe (the Monaro from the early noughties) overseeing the project, including the fact that the Malibu’s rear end styling was originally slated to be used on the forthcoming VF Commodore.
Prices will start from $28490 plus ORCs for the CD up to $35990 plus ORCs for the CDX diesel; with deliveries to Holden showrooms due to roll out by month’s end, this could be a worthy contender in the medium car segment, up against the Camry, Mazda6 and, Kia Optima, Hyundai i40 and Mondeo.
Go here for more info: http://www.holden.com.au/cars/malibu
or here for Paul Gover’s review: http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-reviews-road-tests/holden_malibu_v_mazda6_v_kia_optima?utm_source=carsguide&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carreviewsroadtests
Car Accessories – A Top Ten
After my last post, where I had a bit of a snigger about some of the stupidest car accessories I’ve ever seen, I thought it was probably about time that we had a look at some good ones.
Of course, when it comes to compiling a top ten list of good accessories, it’s not easy. There are so many different types of motorist in the world. What is a brilliant idea for one type of driver is a real waste of time and money for another driver. So if I’ve left one of your absolute “must haves” off the list, apologies in advance – and let the world know what it is and why you like it in the comments section.
- P plates and L plates. I have a teenage son so they’re legal requirements.
- A towbar. Being able to do your own hauling is so handy. In fact, essential, at least in our family. There is always a
load of greenwaste to take to the local recycling depot, bikes and surfboards to take on holiday, kayaks to take to the nearest suitable body of water, people to help when they’re moving house, furniture to pick up from the store and a caravan to be pulled. Trailers can be hired, but what are you going to do if you haven’t got any way of hauling the trailer you’ve hired? My family have always insisted on towbars, to the point that my dad got one put on the Alfa Romeo they inherited from my grandmother. The installer said he’d never had to put one on an Alfa before… - Rubber floor mats. Someone is going to get into the car at some stage with wet, dirty shoes or boots. Or the dog will get into a mud puddle when you’re out on a picnic. If they’re not in the car already, buy them. They are so much easier to clean off.
- Roof racks. Great for adding extra storage, so much so that a lot of vehicles come with them as standard. If they haven’t come with yours as standard, it’s a smart move to take them off when you don’t actually need them, as they add drag and reduce your fuel efficiency.
- Seat covers. You can get them to protect the upholstery from dirt and tears (seat covers are easier to wash, especially if you have a child who hasn’t quite got the hang of holding on until you can find a suitable place to stop and pee). You can get them to personalise your car. Or you can get them to cover over the cheaper upholstery with something more luxurious such as sheepskin.
- Bike racks.
- Jumper leads. Much easier than pushing a heavy Land Rover!
- Storage holders that involve small pockets. I hate fumbling around in the depths of the glove cabinet for the house keys (kept separate from the car keys so someone else can open up the house while I’m putting the car away), a pen or my cellphone.
- A map. They’ve improved a lot but GPS systems and sat nav sometimes get it wrong, and they don’t always pick up things like road works or heavy traffic. Having a real hard-copy map helps you find a good alternative route.
- A microfibre cloth for cleaning off the inside of the front windscreen. There’s always something that manages to get onto it. A good cloth also doubles as a cleaner for sunglasses and regular corrective glasses. Smudges and smears reduce visibility and that reduces safety.
Accessories Not on My Wish List
I must admit I’ve still got a long face since I heard the news about the Ford Falcon getting the chop in 2016, so here’s something a little different to bring a smile. Here are some of the funniest and most ridiculous car accessories available for us all to buy – if you want to.
The world’s most stupid car accessory goes to a group in China. We all know how car occupant safety is paramount, so why would a group of individuals come up with the idea of designing a seat-belt shirt? I almost feel naked when I don’t wear my seatbelt in the car – particularly when I’m not the one driving! Some people obviously go to great lengths to avoid making it click, and that’s why the seatbelt shirt was invented. The seatbelt shirt has a diagonal black stripe that runs from the left shoulder down to the right hip or from the right shoulder down to the left hip, and this makes it look like you are wearing your seatbelt when you’re senseless enough to not be wearing it. Talk about jumping out of a plane without a parachute!
What about the bag of testicles to hang off the back of car bumpers? I’ve seen a few of these around, and I’m not quite sure why we need to make our cars male or female. As far as I know cars have never been able to be produced in this way!
To finish this crazy article on gadgets and paraphernalia that really serve no purpose other than to make you look like a dork, how about putting a hand that waves the peace sign onto your hatchback or station wagon? They attach to the rear-window wiper and wave back and forwards with your wiper when it’s going. I guess it’s better than any other rude hand signs I see from time-to-time being waved from car windows!
A Ford Driver’s Personal Reaction To Ford Australia’s Bad News
The bomb hit us all on Friday. Ford Australia is going to stop production altogether in 2016 and is shutting down the engine plant in Geelong and the assembly plant in Broadmeadows. I’m well aware that there are probably sound financial reasons for this move and is probably something to do with the whole global village thing, but I’m still gutted. I guess many other folk are, too, especially if they (a) were working for Ford Australia and are now out of a job and (b) were proud to drive an Aussie-made Ford.
The axe fell on Mitsubishi in Aussie five years ago. Now Ford is shutting down. How much longer are Holden and Toyota , which still have a manufacturing presence in Australia, going to be able to keep the home fires burning?
I don’t want to get into the whole political blame game thing. I’m not a political expert or an economist. I’m just a driver. I’ve been a Ford supporter for years. I got my driver’s licence in an Aussie-made Ford Falcon and I currently drive an Aussie-made Ford Fairlane (and, among other cars, I had an Aussie-made Ford Festiva in between those two). I liked the idea that I was supporting the team Down Under by choosing to drive a Ford. I liked the mental picture of the iron coming out of the Aussie mines ultimately ending up in an Aussie car factory and ending up being driven on Aussie roads – kind of like the vehicle equivalent of a farmers’ market and buying locally grown food. And I also liked the thought that it getting spare parts was a heck of a lot easier with a Ford. In fact, it was a lot easier and quicker to get the spare parts – it took my local mechanic next to no time to get a spare bit on the few times that something needed fixing on the Fords I’ve owned; when I had a Saab 9000, it took three weeks for a replacement part to arrive from Sweden, leaving me walking the kids to preschool in the middle of winter (said Saab was a great car when it was on the road, I have to add).
I suppose I’m not the only person with questions about what is going to happen now. First of all, what’s going to happen to all the workers and the community in the Geelong area now that an industry that’s been there for the best part of a century is closing down? And where are all the Fords in the world going to be made now? Are they going to be produced in some country where the workers get paid a pittance and work excruciatingly long hours in shonky conditions? What’s the knock-on economic effect going to be on the Australian economy as a whole if we’re not making as many cars locally and a larger chunk of ore is heading overseas in an unprocessed state instead of getting the value-added treatment here? Did they actually export many of the Fords made here in the first place (well, they sent a few across the ditch to New Zealand, but anywhere else?)?
However, a Reuters article reports that Ford USA is increasing production and is shortening its usual two-week summer shut-down from two weeks to one week to meet demand, as well as creating more jobs. Guess where the spare parts for your Ford might be coming from (I’m just guessing, too – some might be made by local folk (fingers crossed)).
And I have a question for myself: will my past loyalty to the blue oval override my support for local industry, or will I have a long, hard think about whether my next set of wheels should be a Holden?
Level 2, 9 Help Street