The Australian auto industry as a whole was a fascinating anomaly. Their unique market created a Galapagos island of cars that blended European sensibilities with American muscle. The Ute died when the world needed it the most.
@@Magicstarfire Holden shot themselves in the foot 20 years ago by buying a massive stake ($US250m worth back in 2002) of then-bankrupt Daewoo to swap their rebadged Opels to low quality Daewoo. This was to increase profit margins however it meant quality took a nose-dive and sales plummeted. Holden was always badge engineering but we saw the worst of it in from the 2000s onward.
Shoutouts to Tony for at least trying to do what all the other cars can, even if it means valve bouncing or shortening its lifetime. And still winning in the end on the litreboard.
Mr. Regular from Regular Car Reviews said it best. “A/C controls should be 3 dials: -Where do you want it -how hot do you want it -how hard do you want it”
he has that dedication that no other channel does, and being a recurring viewer for abt 3-ish years now, can say this is the best aus here in the toobe
3:01 thanks to the time difference I am currently watching this video an hour before it was recorded. How the hell do you do your post production so fast, for 4 channels? You're a machine
@@bionicseaserpent Yeah, they rebadged the sedan and got sold here as the Chevy SS. Awesome car, very sought after, but didnt sell cuz chevy didnt advertise it at all. Oh wait, but you said Pontiac. Yeah, they sold the Pontiac GTO in the mid 2000s. And later the Pontiac G6 and G8. I love them all 🥺
@@bionicseaserpent It is my understanding that a lot of the Return Of The Camaro was Holden tech; the independent rear suspension for instance. They did convert some Holden sedans to left-hand drive and called them the Pontiac GTO. And I think I heard Doug DeMuro say that was the origin of the Chevy SS. I bet GM could have sold some Holden utes on the American market by badging them as Chevy El Caminos.
What’s funny is the fact that this actually has done more heavy work than the average full-size truck in the US Edit: I was gonna do a “Mom i’m famous” edit but then i remembered i have a father figure
Unfortunately "parking lot queen" pickup culture has caught on in Australia, with Ranger Raptors and the like becoming the new middle class family car.
@@patrickcrabb6212 the only one’s that are big and do work that I’ve seen are like the lowest trim level plastic bumper things. Either owned by contractors or the city/county/state government. None of the working ones have stock beds.
I've found my fuel economy does not change much overall if I simply get to speed instead of slowly increasing it. It's the maintaining of speed that matters more in the long haul.
Correct. Feathering the pedal was only helpful in the carburettor days; with fuel injection and computer control you only have control over the air volume, in simplified terms.
@@Moli571 It's hard to say. Like, theoretically keeping it constantly in its powerband and such via stepping through every gear aught to keep it at top efficiency, but real world experience for me and a buddy shows a bit different of a result. He and I used to drive an hour one way with a good mix of highway and city driving, couple different kinds of cars at that. Lived across the street from me, same job. I had a 09 370z, 01 Porsche Boxster S, 95 Saturn SW2, and a 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T. He had an MR2 Spyder, 2016ish Chevy Cruze, a 90s Saturn SL1 and a 2000 BMW 540 All of them would clock better MPG when we would typically flat out 1-2 and skip to 5th or 6th. Sometimes it was lower throttle just to hear the engines scream for a bit longer in my case, but yeah. We kept things as consistent as possible, traffic too since it was 10pm to 4a or 7a on the way home. Hand calculating mileage, not using onboard stuff. Usually running about an E30 mix for me as that achieved around a 93 octane mix that I shot for, same gas station, etc. He probably ran more like an E20, his cars typically didn't need premium. Pretty well controlled all things considered. Not a massive increase in most cases, usually a mile or two to the gallon. Boxster usually got 26 vs 23 with normal driving, best gain out of my stable. Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure my old 90s Jetta TDI did better the harder I beat on it getting up to speed, and I think my old diesel Chevette way back when did as well. Mind you, I've also hyper-mileaged those cars and got some pretty high scores on them but just general issue driving vs getting to speed asap I remember them doing better if I beat on them. Couldn't tell you why, but that's just been our experiences.
Fun fact: these were supposed to come to the US in 2009, rebadged as the Pontiac G8 ST. They were planning on putting a large LS2 in it from the get go. What a great car that would have been.
At least we got the Commadore as the normal G8! ❤ (I'll never own one, but, I have my 93 Firebird so it's all good). I love that Ute's look though and these would've been cool, even if in limited release, as a proper sendoff to Pontiac... Gone, but never forgotten! ❤
Well, there still is the prototype Omega B with the LS1 at Rüsselsheim headquarters which just sadly didnt go into serial production. It's also a very common swap here in Germany for Omega owners since it just fits
they couldn't do what Opel was trying to achieve either, the 4L60's high rpm problems were never fixed so the automatic V8 commodores would also explode on the autobahn and fail the full throttle test that killed the omega V8, the only reason they were successful is because they weren't limited to in-house transmissions(so the commodore gets a Borg-Warner T-56 for the V8's manual transmission while the omega would not have been able to offer a manual transmission because no GM manual available to them could take the LS1's torque) and didn't need to design it for the autobahn
Hey wade, 3:17 the car is beeping on you because you are supposed to press the Park brake BEFORE engage Reverse. (Keep the foot on the brakes before everything). It not only gonna stop the beeping, changing to reverse will also be less "hard" I learned this last week Lmao
the beeping noise is from the parking sensors. they go off like crazy when you engage reverse and ur inside near things like he was in this video. source: i own one of these lol
The few nuggets I’ve driven have all had the same problems. Leak oil, leak antifreeze/coolant, problems with AC (always fun in Summer when it’s hot), and the absolute favorite, engine overheating and the random check engine light coming on to remind you “yep, I’m a nugget and I really want to be a lemon”
I think it may be soon that we see the Ute come to America. A lot of people (like me) are disillusioned with the gigantic ""full size"" trucks and want something small, but that can still carry big stuff for rural life. The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz are flying off the lots, because they're more like what we need. Also Japanese Kai Trucks are making their way here for farm use and such. I'm already gonna buy a Toyota Corolla instead of a truck, but if they made a Corolla with a truck bed, people would buy the crap out of them I'm sure!
I'd be looking forward to a challenge which of the nuggets is the ultimate long distance traveller. Probably take James with you :D I imagine it will get quite tight between Jeff and The Car
Dude I freaking love UTEs. Kind of a shame they are virtually impossible to find in my location, it's a fun format. This particular ute really cool. I like the look, I like the powerfull fuck off engine, I just like this car. Big shame that Holden is dead.
Love your stuff Wade, been waiting for this one for a while now. I have a lowered Chevy S10 (small pickup - as close as we had to utes in the early 90s) that I daily'd before taking it off the road for a V8 swap. You can absolutely carry groceries in the bed without them flying everywhere. Here's the trick - most beds will have anchor points for ratchet straps. Put up a ratchet strap going from one side to the other up near the cab, and when you put your groceries in, feed the ratchet strap through the handle loops of the bags, then cinch it. As long as you aren't going way too fast over bumps you will be fine.
I've got a single cab and I do exactly this with the bungee cords I keep in my bed! Though, I also have a tonneau cover and put a bed-wide storage container in the very rear, which is held in place with a with a ratcheting bar. When I lower my tailgate it's essentially like having a trunk.
I'm on with you about the fan thing, _and_ the board computer. While it's neat to play around with and have smart stuff, it introduces *way* more points of failure than a switch/slider to control how hard the fan blows. It can be a potentiometer directly controlling the fan motors. Simple tech, and if it fails, it's very easy to repair yourself. I love this about my mom's old-ish car, a 2003 Opel Meriva micro van. In general, micro vans may have the rep of being a family or old people car but I can fit so much stuff in this thing it's awesome, and it doesn't take up much space when parking either.
PS, that type of car was not sold in Australia, apparently. At least I get no results for Holden Meriva, as GM basically uses those usurped brands regionally: Opel (mainland Europe), Vauxhall (UK), Holden (Australia), Chevrolet (America, Asia-Pacific)
6:53 those Fleurieu sugar free iced coffees are the thing and the whole of the thing. So tasty! 🎉 I love going down south now because every servo past Cross Road sells them.
Before prices went though the roof in 21 I was look at a wagon version for long road-trips to see my brother who lived in the country side. They're way too high now. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
It makes sense that the revs went higher than Jeff, since that 5.0 V8 makes more torque at low revs, despite this 3.6 having more peak power. Love this series!
I loved when Wade of Dankpods fame, in the videogame Hardcore Nuggeteers, said "I am arming the nugget" and handed Tony a fucking handgun. Truly one of the moments in gaming history.
Fun fact... More modern cars often are designed to be more fuel efficient at higher revs. So the old way of 'keeping them revs right down' CAN work against fuel efficiency. THAT is maybe why the ECU instructed the gearbox to 'Kick down' into a lower gear for 'The dreaded hill'... 🤔😏 😎🇬🇧
@@nickrustyson8124 I read it somewhere/watched a technical video somewhere how it's to do with manufacturers settings in timing, valve control, exhaust gas recirculation, fuel injecting (port and direct), atmospheric air pressure/densities, and even the way they utilise high compression and more to program the ECU to give the best economy at varying engine rev speeds etc etc. Yeah, some manufactures have been caught trying to manipulate this, but bottom line, modern engines ain't the simple things like the good old carby days where you didn't need a laptop and had tons of free space around the engine bay lol... 🤔😏
Yea it's all about the power band, and getting the vehicle into its most efficient RPM range. If you're not making enough torque to go up a hill, then you're just dumping in fuel to inefficiently go slow. An engine builder who I bought ported out heads from, dropped a bombshell on me (as a teenager), that increasing horsepower DOES NOT _necessarily_ mean increasing fuel consumption! Because if you are increasing horsepower by increasing *efficiency,* you're making more power with the SAME FUEL AMOUNT! So it's actually to our benefit to do all the various "Free Mods" to our vehicles that we can! _(free or inexpensive, in so far as mods that improve performance without spending anything, or just a couple bucks)_
Oh and the usual increasing of RPMs at a hill, isn't actually a gear change. It's the torque converter 'unlocking', which brings RPMs up by like 200-300RPM. Some 90s, early 00s cars actually referred to this as 'Over Drive', and it was toggled by just a button, but they weren't another physical gear in the transmission. _(although, with some cars now having 8spd gearboxes, they may actually be shifting into a lower gear; not the case with Wade's vehicles)_
one thing about the 'bed' is that my dad used to put a board across the back of the bed and whenever hed put groceries back there, the board would separate a chunk of bed that prevents that rock tumbling
100kmh on the freeway in Aus is interesting given the population. Here in Texas we have a section of highway that's equivalent to 135kmh. (85mph) And that's in a city twice the size of Adelaide.
This is actually a beautiful vehicle! I'd be tempted go for it if it were a manual. I am getting tired of new vehicles, too many electronics. I love my 08 Ranger. Manual, no power windows, locks, just a simple vehicle.
The weird climate control stuff may be slightly down to if it is on auto or not. Most cars at least if it is on auto or some equivalent it’s going to use temp sensors n such to set to a specific temp, but if you turn it off or otherwise disable it it should work like a regular hvac system
Some manufacturers have a hidden "auto" setting that you can't interact with, because reasons. Modern Semi-trucks are really bad for that shit, it's awful.
I've had a few cars that just didn't handle the HVAC well. My partner's 2012 Focus has that auto-climate fan speed thing where it constantly adjusts the fan speed up and down; I had a 2012 Nissan Juke that basically either would put out cold air in the winter or if you turned the knob 1 degree above LO it would actually hurt you (and the AC in the summer was so strong it slowed the car down when it kicked on and it could freeze a mammoth); my 10th gen Civic worked fine though the AC made that funny whistling noise; shockingly my 35th GLI manages to mostly appropriately dispense the temperature it's set to.
Рік тому
@@kevinwhite6176 yeah, there's a big difference between auto settings. My mum had VAG cars with auto climate for the past decade. It always has the climate at 22.5°C. My brother has a toyota and he has to adjust the temps. But even some Mercedes don't have the best auto settings.
@@kevinwhite6176 Interestingly my sisters '14 Micra's auto climate seems to work OK, the Juke is a POS though, should like it as it's made in Britain but it's just eww. I do like the fact that with auto on it won't just kick out cold air when it's cold, it'll wait for the engine to warm up a bit and then slowly ramp the fan speed up.
This kind of vehicle is actually pretty popular in brazil as well. Look up: Fiat 147 City (dating from the mid-late 70's and based on the Brazilian version of the Fiat 127, the 147) and Fiorino pickup (based on the brazilian Uno), the Strada (based on the brazilian Palio), which Stellantis has been selling as the RAM 750 in north america for a good few years now); Chevrolet Montana, which was first based on the Corsa (i guess you'd call it the Holden Barina???), then on the Agile (a brazilian project), and now on the Tracker; VW Saveiro, based on the Gol (not Golf), etc. We also had the Renault Oroch for a few years, the Ford Courier for most of the 90s and 00's...
tbf if you want to use the bed for normal shopping, you can get bed boxes (or whatever different places call them), they can clip in and out easily enough if you need the full bed, gg ez here in britain we also have our own version of "cormal car but for utility" in the form of weird hatchback pannel vans..? like ford fiestas and vauxhall astras with the back windows replaced by sheet metal and then everything behind the front seats stripped to make a van. go back further in time and you got them in the form of the austin metro, reliant robin (changed to the reliant supervan), the ford escort, and VW golf/scirroco(?). we did get the occasional ute too tho, getting the monaro badged as a vauxhall for about 3 months and then the proton jumbuck (a ute the company proton made out of the mitsubishi lancer, and you can just drop in swap lancer evo parts on to as a result)
I am early It's hard to believe it's a GM product. Probably the best thing they sold since I've been around. Saabs was nice, but GM killed them..... If people haven't noticed, I don't like GM. Litreboard, brilliant. Yay, mods for bruce 2.
Okay guy from Texas here. I love the commodore Ute. When we go grocery shopping with our trucks. We'll use coolers in the back or totes to keep stuff from, flopping around
In regards to the infotainment system, there are a bunch of companies nowadays making plug and play android auto/carplay displays you could swap in, I'd suggest maybe looking around you could probably find something that fits in there and would be better than the stock garbage
GM vehicles from the 2010s are a bit of a weird specimen. I know that my 2014 Equinox infotainment system is actually 3 separate components: the actual radio/head unit, the control panel, and the touchscreen. Try to swap the radio out, and half the control panel and the built-in touchscreen becomes useless. There are only about 2 or 3 solutions for my particular vehicle, and I'm assuming there are even less for this vehicle, if there are any at all.
@@LevelUp_ErikJ cant swap the radio without swapping the screen too, you just have to get something that'd fill the void. theyre usually measured in 'dinn' typically a touch screen is going to be a double, and you'll need an aftermarket trim piece for that specific car. but otherwise the rest should work. there are also some that come with a backup camera if you want that upgrade too
@@LevelUp_ErikJ my 2012 Fiat has a weird setup too, it's not touchscreen tho (thankfully). There's the regular radio thing where u expect it, and separate from it it's a WINDOWS MOBILE, voice commands only, activated by a single button on the steering wheel, NOT bluetooth, USB only, mp3 player.
If you want a solution to the MyLink system but not ruin the oem look, there are boxes that have Apple CarPlay that connect in between the stock unit and the display. So you keep the old unit but have added abilities.
My mate had to have the air conditioning something replaced behind the dashboard on his VE, and while it was out, the instrument panel, the info system was updated to a Tesla style system, including reverse camera. Really great stuff. About sixteen hundred Aussie bucks. The VE dunnydore owned here by the child bride is an ‘International’ pack added to the povo pack. Nice wheels, better dash including camera and park sensors. The upgrade packs were great value buying over the years from Holden.
I entirely, wholeheartedly agree with modern cars being too smart. What is wrong with a simple slider for the climate control? Physical buttons, switches, levers and dials just cannot be beat for these things. Don't get me wrong - I love me a gadget! And I love that modern cars have a tablet in the dashboard because it's useful to have a larger screen for the satnav, or to navigate a playlist, but that should be 100% seperate from more essential car features. I actually prefer "dumb" cars like my old 2004 Peugeot 206, or my current Smart, because essential systems do *not* run through the goddamn radio! If I wanted a big tablet in the middle, I could always rip it out and throw in a Android tablet or an iPad or something.
I absolutely love the interior on Bruce 2. Also, I know that infotainment system like the back of my hand. It's the same one that's in our family's 2013 Chevrolet Cruise! Your channel has taught me a lot more about cars, and has really made me appreciate that car a lot more. It's got like 180,000 miles on it with no major service or rebuild, it's amazing how much basic maintenance can save you money in the long run. Got my mom and sister to and from Cleveland (we're in NE Ohio) on the regular this past year. Literally the only problems we've had are the lane departure sensors (which my dad straight up removed lol), and a plastic part of the cooling system literally wearing out from time which my dad fixed for 30 bucks. God I love that turbocharged V6. I swear I'm going to buy that car from my parents and keep it alive forever.
I just bought a 2013 Chevy cruze a week ago! It's only my second car & the first one i bought myself, my first was a 2011 Nissan sentra. I like how it drives so far, the 6 cylinder is way punchier lol & it's super quiet on the acceleration, but i'm still trying to figure it out because the dash and controls is a lot different to the sentra (i just figured out you can change the dash display by a knob where i thought the headlights would be, and the lights are automatic haha...). Do you have any tips on driving it if you dont mind sharing?
@@snakewithapen5489 Chevy cruises are known to be really unreliable, but to me they are more like cockroaches. Everyone thinks they are shit, but they somehow keep kicking.
@James Richardson huh, interesting. I know that model year is prone to transmission issues, but all the research I did suggests that they're decently high up in the mid-sized sedan bracket in terms of safety and reliability. Course i don't know a whole lot about cars yet, but I'm trying to learn more cause it seems like an important skill. I had it checked out so everything's in ship-shape now and it only has 100,000 miles on it, so here's hoping it lasts lol🤞
@@snakewithapen5489 Honestly it is mostly just the transmission issues. I honestly don't think they are bad little cars. Reddit isn't always right lol. I reckon nearly any cruze would be better than my BF Ford Falcon.
You need to get a JDM 2017 Nissan Note. Its a series hybrid, meaning the petrol engine isnt connected to the wheels at all. It only powers the electric motor. Super neat!
I know someone with a SV6 ute that they bought second hand. It's actually worth more now than what they paid for it. Simple fact: there are fewer Holdens than people who want them, so the cool ones like this are appreciating.
Actually the whole entertainment system (apart from the buttons) is GM. Same as in a Opel Astra or Insignia from 2013. Either GM said "We need to make some things for this car" or the Aussie designers were like "Nope, not our business to do entertainment stuff". But all in all Bruce 2 seems like a proper Aussie ride.
I live in the US and I've always loved Australian cars, being a GM guy I gravitate more towards Haldens. The closest thing we got overhere are the Chevy Caprice (11'-17') with the 6.0L LS, but only for police duty. Some of them are being retired now and can be bought by the public. They're going for roughly $6k-$8k I'm dying to get my hands on one.
if it’s still running stock airbox, try switching to a cone air filter. gave my ol’ mazda 6 a deeper sound to it. might worth trying since it’s like a cheaper $50-70 “upgrade”.
@@DumbArse depends on the engine. through years of driving the same route it maybe improved fuel economy by my guess 3-7%. but my car is older and newer stock airboxes tend to be better. and aftermarket exhaust just do improve mileage since having more power means running lower rpm at higher speeds. but yeah newer cars usually do worse mileage with cone airfilters
Bud why don't you get a cargo gate or a bed partition if you want to use it for smaller shit like groceries? Also they do make hard tonneau covers for holden commodore utes. A bit pricey but they exist if you have a need for it. Edit: He was aware, and already had them. They're literally sitting right there next to the car in this video.
About the bed, tie a bungie cord between your 2 furthest rear tie-down points and use the bungie to thread through handles of bags to keep them in one place in the bed of the truck. It worked great on my old Chevy S10.
You have no idea how much I want one of those utes. My first car was an '86 El Camino, so having a modernized version of the same type of vehicle would be awesome! But I live here in the USA, where it's not a very popular thing anymore. Bugger. Handsome car, dude!
Check the bedliner for 2x4 pockets. In the US our bed liners have little pockets to put a 2x4 thats been cut to fit, so you can put stuff in the back without it flying all over the place.
For not being able to carry groceries. I put the thin foam mattress from an old fold out sofa bed in the back. The squishy grippy foam holds everything in place perfectly.
Yes this is in fact a 3.6L V6. Every V6 Prior to the "VZ" commo was 3.8. Then why didn't it use less fuel then??
Big toes were bigger back then. Hard to drive slow.
Hey, just saying we need a fleet video!
Do you still have the w126 merc also v8 manual Bruce when ?
gear and jiff ratio bro
VT COMMODORE
Can't wait to see Wade buy a tank and threaten the cars that disappoint him
Hope he calls it the "120×570mm Grit"
Then he breaks the tank
@KAAN CAN australian top gear has to be one of the best ideas i have ever heard, it would end so quick 💀
Bad nuggets get crushed by the 2 grit
Would the tank be called Scarlet Fire?
Tony is like an Olympic athlete who won gold but got a career ending injury in the process
The fact that the Holden brand is dead still makes me sad. Nothing is more Australian then Brand loyalty Team Ford vs Team Holden.
Better dead than suffering the indignity of being rebadged Peugeots
The Australian auto industry as a whole was a fascinating anomaly. Their unique market created a Galapagos island of cars that blended European sensibilities with American muscle. The Ute died when the world needed it the most.
I blame GM and their badge engineering.
@@andrewduong2740 Australian engineering and culture is fascinating. It's so sad they're not big enough to compete more.
@@Magicstarfire Holden shot themselves in the foot 20 years ago by buying a massive stake ($US250m worth back in 2002) of then-bankrupt Daewoo to swap their rebadged Opels to low quality Daewoo. This was to increase profit margins however it meant quality took a nose-dive and sales plummeted.
Holden was always badge engineering but we saw the worst of it in from the 2000s onward.
Shoutouts to Tony for at least trying to do what all the other cars can, even if it means valve bouncing or shortening its lifetime. And still winning in the end on the litreboard.
ngl the term Litreboard makes me giggle
The difference is that tony can be fixed relatively easily... With any other car on the board, game over.
@@ericf112 well theres a 90s corolla there
@@ericf112 The other cars are easier to fix than Tony.
@@ericf112the rolla is definitely easier to get parts for
Mr. Regular from Regular Car Reviews said it best.
“A/C controls should be 3 dials:
-Where do you want it
-how hot do you want it
-how hard do you want it”
Gotta love how Wade can film a video in the morning and then upload it that night before calling it a day. Way more consistent than other channels.
he has that dedication that no other channel does, and being a recurring viewer for abt 3-ish years now, can say this is the best aus here in the toobe
3:01 thanks to the time difference I am currently watching this video an hour before it was recorded. How the hell do you do your post production so fast, for 4 channels? You're a machine
My brain hurts trying to figure this out
Haha Wade goes brrrr
What are the other 3 channels?
his style of content doesn't require a lot of editing so it doesn't surprise me as much, especially when he do everything in one take
@@andrewrobertson5508 Dankpods, The Drum thing, His patreon for Dankpods and His Floatplane Streams
He parked a Holden in front of the Challa Hotel and didn’t get his hubcaps stolen. Man is living.
hubcaps? I see no hubcaps there
The man, the NAFO legend here enjoys Garbage time and Dankpods too?!
@@cpt_soban Dank lives down the road from me. Gotta support the home team!
Animarchy? Director of the Department of Firing Missiles? Fancy seeing you here!
@@AnimarchyHistory Hell yea!!
Imagine being in a coma and the doctor not feeling like waking you up. Thats what is happening to Bruce.
mood
James is that doctor
As someone who lives in the states, I can't get enough to UTEs! I wish the El Cameno never stopped being a thing! Love this being a series!
didnt the Holden series come out as a Pontiac or something in the US?
@@bionicseaserpent Yeah, they rebadged the sedan and got sold here as the Chevy SS. Awesome car, very sought after, but didnt sell cuz chevy didnt advertise it at all. Oh wait, but you said Pontiac. Yeah, they sold the Pontiac GTO in the mid 2000s. And later the Pontiac G6 and G8. I love them all 🥺
The Falcons are even better because they were legit one-tonners based off a car chassis
@@bionicseaserpent It is my understanding that a lot of the Return Of The Camaro was Holden tech; the independent rear suspension for instance.
They did convert some Holden sedans to left-hand drive and called them the Pontiac GTO. And I think I heard Doug DeMuro say that was the origin of the Chevy SS.
I bet GM could have sold some Holden utes on the American market by badging them as Chevy El Caminos.
@@morallyemptycorruptedmaggot there were a few avenues to buy then huh. ford never sent?
I have a strange feeling that the reason Wade's favorite cars are dying is because he is playing scarlet fire through it too much.
What’s funny is the fact that this actually has done more heavy work than the average full-size truck in the US
Edit: I was gonna do a “Mom i’m famous” edit but then i remembered i have a father figure
Unfortunately "parking lot queen" pickup culture has caught on in Australia, with Ranger Raptors and the like becoming the new middle class family car.
I don't think I've ever seen one of those huge things work hard in their entire life. All the working class trucks are all beatdown nuggets.
@@patrickcrabb6212 the only one’s that are big and do work that I’ve seen are like the lowest trim level plastic bumper things. Either owned by contractors or the city/county/state government. None of the working ones have stock beds.
well, doesn't the US even have those truck trains like Australia has aswell?
@@vinstaal0 you don’t see them nearly as often here, but we do have them.
Petition for Wade to make a deck of Pokémon cards with all the nuggets
I've found my fuel economy does not change much overall if I simply get to speed instead of slowly increasing it. It's the maintaining of speed that matters more in the long haul.
Correct. Feathering the pedal was only helpful in the carburettor days; with fuel injection and computer control you only have control over the air volume, in simplified terms.
Thanks guys I learned something :)
I always wonder if it makes a difference if I shift 2 - 3 - 4 or slam the 2nd gear and shift directly into 4th @50kmh
@@harisalic2568 light throttle and using all the gears it's more efficient, no doubt about it
@@Moli571 It's hard to say. Like, theoretically keeping it constantly in its powerband and such via stepping through every gear aught to keep it at top efficiency, but real world experience for me and a buddy shows a bit different of a result.
He and I used to drive an hour one way with a good mix of highway and city driving, couple different kinds of cars at that. Lived across the street from me, same job. I had a 09 370z, 01 Porsche Boxster S, 95 Saturn SW2, and a 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T. He had an MR2 Spyder, 2016ish Chevy Cruze, a 90s Saturn SL1 and a 2000 BMW 540
All of them would clock better MPG when we would typically flat out 1-2 and skip to 5th or 6th. Sometimes it was lower throttle just to hear the engines scream for a bit longer in my case, but yeah. We kept things as consistent as possible, traffic too since it was 10pm to 4a or 7a on the way home. Hand calculating mileage, not using onboard stuff. Usually running about an E30 mix for me as that achieved around a 93 octane mix that I shot for, same gas station, etc. He probably ran more like an E20, his cars typically didn't need premium. Pretty well controlled all things considered.
Not a massive increase in most cases, usually a mile or two to the gallon. Boxster usually got 26 vs 23 with normal driving, best gain out of my stable.
Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure my old 90s Jetta TDI did better the harder I beat on it getting up to speed, and I think my old diesel Chevette way back when did as well. Mind you, I've also hyper-mileaged those cars and got some pretty high scores on them but just general issue driving vs getting to speed asap I remember them doing better if I beat on them.
Couldn't tell you why, but that's just been our experiences.
The idea that you can own a NASCAR Cup car model with a pick-up truck bed that looks like a Vauxhall will never stop being mindblowing
Fun fact: these were supposed to come to the US in 2009, rebadged as the Pontiac G8 ST. They were planning on putting a large LS2 in it from the get go. What a great car that would have been.
At least we got the Commadore as the normal G8! ❤ (I'll never own one, but, I have my 93 Firebird so it's all good).
I love that Ute's look though and these would've been cool, even if in limited release, as a proper sendoff to Pontiac...
Gone, but never forgotten! ❤
@@DUKE_of_RAMBLEyou got g8 and gto but you. missed out on 95% of commodores. and you guys only. got the base models. no HSV
As an Adelaide boy myself who's lived in the USA for the past 12+ years, it's great to see a little slice of home in these vids
It’s a shame that Holden has died because they’ve technically done what Opel couldn’t do, which is fit a V8 into a Omega
Well, there still is the prototype Omega B with the LS1 at Rüsselsheim headquarters which just sadly didnt go into serial production. It's also a very common swap here in Germany for Omega owners since it just fits
they couldn't do what Opel was trying to achieve either, the 4L60's high rpm problems were never fixed so the automatic V8 commodores would also explode on the autobahn and fail the full throttle test that killed the omega V8, the only reason they were successful is because they weren't limited to in-house transmissions(so the commodore gets a Borg-Warner T-56 for the V8's manual transmission while the omega would not have been able to offer a manual transmission because no GM manual available to them could take the LS1's torque) and didn't need to design it for the autobahn
Hey wade, 3:17 the car is beeping on you because you are supposed to press the Park brake BEFORE engage Reverse. (Keep the foot on the brakes before everything).
It not only gonna stop the beeping, changing to reverse will also be less "hard"
I learned this last week Lmao
the beeping noise is from the parking sensors. they go off like crazy when you engage reverse and ur inside near things like he was in this video. source: i own one of these lol
as someone with a shift point at right about 55mph i understand your frustration at the hill💀
Just go sixty 🤣
The few nuggets I’ve driven have all had the same problems. Leak oil, leak antifreeze/coolant, problems with AC (always fun in Summer when it’s hot), and the absolute favorite, engine overheating and the random check engine light coming on to remind you “yep, I’m a nugget and I really want to be a lemon”
The nugget shepherd has cometh to grace us nuggeteers with its holy combination of reliability and satanic beeping at every turn. Never change.
I think it may be soon that we see the Ute come to America. A lot of people (like me) are disillusioned with the gigantic ""full size"" trucks and want something small, but that can still carry big stuff for rural life. The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz are flying off the lots, because they're more like what we need. Also Japanese Kai Trucks are making their way here for farm use and such. I'm already gonna buy a Toyota Corolla instead of a truck, but if they made a Corolla with a truck bed, people would buy the crap out of them I'm sure!
Unfortunately thanks to the chicken tax, small trucks are basically dead
I love the Ford Maverick, such a cool little truck
we need more collectable cards of your stuff.
Absolutely I wanna print em out and just have a big stack of all the nuggs
It’s MPG and RPM videos like these that make me really appreciate gas mileage and how much gentle driving helps. Live on ya beautiful Ute
I'd be looking forward to a challenge which of the nuggets is the ultimate long distance traveller. Probably take James with you :D I imagine it will get quite tight between Jeff and The Car
Dude I freaking love UTEs. Kind of a shame they are virtually impossible to find in my location, it's a fun format.
This particular ute really cool. I like the look, I like the powerfull fuck off engine, I just like this car. Big shame that Holden is dead.
I'd love to see Wade somehow get his hands on an old Holden Sandman. It would be so fitting.
Love your stuff Wade, been waiting for this one for a while now. I have a lowered Chevy S10 (small pickup - as close as we had to utes in the early 90s) that I daily'd before taking it off the road for a V8 swap. You can absolutely carry groceries in the bed without them flying everywhere. Here's the trick - most beds will have anchor points for ratchet straps. Put up a ratchet strap going from one side to the other up near the cab, and when you put your groceries in, feed the ratchet strap through the handle loops of the bags, then cinch it. As long as you aren't going way too fast over bumps you will be fine.
I've got a single cab and I do exactly this with the bungee cords I keep in my bed! Though, I also have a tonneau cover and put a bed-wide storage container in the very rear, which is held in place with a with a ratcheting bar. When I lower my tailgate it's essentially like having a trunk.
I feel like you and Regular Car Reviews would get a long well. Different styles of video, but similar energy.
Wade makes everything so enjoyable, entertaining and informational
GROM VLine makes a module that adds Carplay/Android Auto to the factory head unit
I'm on with you about the fan thing, _and_ the board computer. While it's neat to play around with and have smart stuff, it introduces *way* more points of failure than a switch/slider to control how hard the fan blows. It can be a potentiometer directly controlling the fan motors. Simple tech, and if it fails, it's very easy to repair yourself. I love this about my mom's old-ish car, a 2003 Opel Meriva micro van. In general, micro vans may have the rep of being a family or old people car but I can fit so much stuff in this thing it's awesome, and it doesn't take up much space when parking either.
PS, that type of car was not sold in Australia, apparently. At least I get no results for Holden Meriva, as GM basically uses those usurped brands regionally: Opel (mainland Europe), Vauxhall (UK), Holden (Australia), Chevrolet (America, Asia-Pacific)
6:53 those Fleurieu sugar free iced coffees are the thing and the whole of the thing. So tasty! 🎉
I love going down south now because every servo past Cross Road sells them.
Before prices went though the roof in 21 I was look at a wagon version for long road-trips to see my brother who lived in the country side. They're way too high now. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
I'm waiting for a day when Wade discovers turbo diesel car.
It makes sense that the revs went higher than Jeff, since that 5.0 V8 makes more torque at low revs, despite this 3.6 having more peak power. Love this series!
I cant wait untill you announce your very own videogame "hardcore nuggeteers"
I loved when Wade of Dankpods fame, in the videogame Hardcore Nuggeteers, said "I am arming the nugget" and handed Tony a fucking handgun. Truly one of the moments in gaming history.
It will always feel weird hearing Wade say good things about Holden.
Fun fact... More modern cars often are designed to be more fuel efficient at higher revs. So the old way of 'keeping them revs right down' CAN work against fuel efficiency. THAT is maybe why the ECU instructed the gearbox to 'Kick down' into a lower gear for 'The dreaded hill'... 🤔😏
😎🇬🇧
Honestly that makes sense, most giving driving is done on Highways
@@nickrustyson8124 I read it somewhere/watched a technical video somewhere how it's to do with manufacturers settings in timing, valve control, exhaust gas recirculation, fuel injecting (port and direct), atmospheric air pressure/densities, and even the way they utilise high compression and more to program the ECU to give the best economy at varying engine rev speeds etc etc. Yeah, some manufactures have been caught trying to manipulate this, but bottom line, modern engines ain't the simple things like the good old carby days where you didn't need a laptop and had tons of free space around the engine bay lol... 🤔😏
Yea it's all about the power band, and getting the vehicle into its most efficient RPM range.
If you're not making enough torque to go up a hill, then you're just dumping in fuel to inefficiently go slow.
An engine builder who I bought ported out heads from, dropped a bombshell on me (as a teenager), that increasing horsepower DOES NOT _necessarily_ mean increasing fuel consumption! Because if you are increasing horsepower by increasing *efficiency,* you're making more power with the SAME FUEL AMOUNT!
So it's actually to our benefit to do all the various "Free Mods" to our vehicles that we can! _(free or inexpensive, in so far as mods that improve performance without spending anything, or just a couple bucks)_
Oh and the usual increasing of RPMs at a hill, isn't actually a gear change. It's the torque converter 'unlocking', which brings RPMs up by like 200-300RPM.
Some 90s, early 00s cars actually referred to this as 'Over Drive', and it was toggled by just a button, but they weren't another physical gear in the transmission.
_(although, with some cars now having 8spd gearboxes, they may actually be shifting into a lower gear; not the case with Wade's vehicles)_
one thing about the 'bed' is that my dad used to put a board across the back of the bed and whenever hed put groceries back there, the board would separate a chunk of bed that prevents that rock tumbling
Drive one similar to this for work and i agree with all of this. Plus ours has a reversing cam that's off center and almost useless.
100kmh on the freeway in Aus is interesting given the population. Here in Texas we have a section of highway that's equivalent to 135kmh. (85mph) And that's in a city twice the size of Adelaide.
This is actually a beautiful vehicle! I'd be tempted go for it if it were a manual.
I am getting tired of new vehicles, too many electronics. I love my 08 Ranger. Manual, no power windows, locks, just a simple vehicle.
I’m in Charlotte, North Carolina and I see a Holden 4 door sedan every morning on the way to work. Think of you every time
The weird climate control stuff may be slightly down to if it is on auto or not. Most cars at least if it is on auto or some equivalent it’s going to use temp sensors n such to set to a specific temp, but if you turn it off or otherwise disable it it should work like a regular hvac system
Some manufacturers have a hidden "auto" setting that you can't interact with, because reasons. Modern Semi-trucks are really bad for that shit, it's awful.
I've had a few cars that just didn't handle the HVAC well. My partner's 2012 Focus has that auto-climate fan speed thing where it constantly adjusts the fan speed up and down; I had a 2012 Nissan Juke that basically either would put out cold air in the winter or if you turned the knob 1 degree above LO it would actually hurt you (and the AC in the summer was so strong it slowed the car down when it kicked on and it could freeze a mammoth); my 10th gen Civic worked fine though the AC made that funny whistling noise; shockingly my 35th GLI manages to mostly appropriately dispense the temperature it's set to.
@@kevinwhite6176 yeah, there's a big difference between auto settings.
My mum had VAG cars with auto climate for the past decade. It always has the climate at 22.5°C.
My brother has a toyota and he has to adjust the temps.
But even some Mercedes don't have the best auto settings.
@@kevinwhite6176 Interestingly my sisters '14 Micra's auto climate seems to work OK, the Juke is a POS though, should like it as it's made in Britain but it's just eww.
I do like the fact that with auto on it won't just kick out cold air when it's cold, it'll wait for the engine to warm up a bit and then slowly ramp the fan speed up.
This is what great about the Ridgeline, it’s got a lockable trunk and a bed
This kind of vehicle is actually pretty popular in brazil as well. Look up: Fiat 147 City (dating from the mid-late 70's and based on the Brazilian version of the Fiat 127, the 147) and Fiorino pickup (based on the brazilian Uno), the Strada (based on the brazilian Palio), which Stellantis has been selling as the RAM 750 in north america for a good few years now); Chevrolet Montana, which was first based on the Corsa (i guess you'd call it the Holden Barina???), then on the Agile (a brazilian project), and now on the Tracker; VW Saveiro, based on the Gol (not Golf), etc. We also had the Renault Oroch for a few years, the Ford Courier for most of the 90s and 00's...
This is Australian top gear at its finest
I so wish we had stuff like this in the States today.
i love this guy but i hate that i recognise every single location in ever single cut in the car
Theses things are so cool I wish I could get them in the states
We have the ford maverick. It’s the same idea, a car with a bed, it just has a more truck shaped body because that’s what sells in the states.
@@Thanatos2996 the maverick is more of a offroad 4wd where as this is a muscle car
@@bashyamate2613 it’s not 4WD, the base model is front wheel, and it’s available with all wheel. It’s basically a Focus with a body kit.
@Thanatos I mean as in its more offroad focused where the ute is a muscle car
@@bashyamate2613 it’s not off-road focused (or capable) at all. It’s an economy car, not a sports car, but a car all the same.
2:57 - It's wild watching this at 12/05/2023 at 1pm ish - and then remembering it's more like 10pm over there! Hello from England!
It is actually a 3.6l SIDI V6 with 280hp and a 6 speed auto
Looking for this comment.
I love how dank says that the donkey died, as if he didn’t murder it in cold blood while laughing maniacally.
tbf if you want to use the bed for normal shopping, you can get bed boxes (or whatever different places call them), they can clip in and out easily enough if you need the full bed, gg ez
here in britain we also have our own version of "cormal car but for utility" in the form of weird hatchback pannel vans..? like ford fiestas and vauxhall astras with the back windows replaced by sheet metal and then everything behind the front seats stripped to make a van. go back further in time and you got them in the form of the austin metro, reliant robin (changed to the reliant supervan), the ford escort, and VW golf/scirroco(?). we did get the occasional ute too tho, getting the monaro badged as a vauxhall for about 3 months and then the proton jumbuck (a ute the company proton made out of the mitsubishi lancer, and you can just drop in swap lancer evo parts on to as a result)
Or cargo nets.
Nice to see those 'Firm but not in a good way' seats made it into your Holdens too. Basically every Vauxhall I've ever been in has been the same.
The same goes to a 2011 Cadillac DTS
A video recorded, edited, processed and uploaded in 2hrs is amazing! Some other youtubers gotta learn from you.
I own a 2016 FGX-XR6 ute that was made 7 weeks before the factory close. Amazing ute!
Why Wade doesn't have a Kei truck yet mystifies me.
I still can't get over the dichotomy of any other car attempting this and Tony trying.
I am early
It's hard to believe it's a GM product.
Probably the best thing they sold since I've been around.
Saabs was nice, but GM killed them..... If people haven't noticed, I don't like GM.
Litreboard, brilliant.
Yay, mods for bruce 2.
If he did the frog on the fuel economy test it would use 0 litres
Rest in peace holden ❤
Okay guy from Texas here. I love the commodore Ute. When we go grocery shopping with our trucks. We'll use coolers in the back or totes to keep stuff from, flopping around
In regards to the infotainment system, there are a bunch of companies nowadays making plug and play android auto/carplay displays you could swap in, I'd suggest maybe looking around you could probably find something that fits in there and would be better than the stock garbage
GM vehicles from the 2010s are a bit of a weird specimen. I know that my 2014 Equinox infotainment system is actually 3 separate components: the actual radio/head unit, the control panel, and the touchscreen. Try to swap the radio out, and half the control panel and the built-in touchscreen becomes useless. There are only about 2 or 3 solutions for my particular vehicle, and I'm assuming there are even less for this vehicle, if there are any at all.
@@LevelUp_ErikJ cant swap the radio without swapping the screen too, you just have to get something that'd fill the void. theyre usually measured in 'dinn' typically a touch screen is going to be a double, and you'll need an aftermarket trim piece for that specific car. but otherwise the rest should work. there are also some that come with a backup camera if you want that upgrade too
@@LevelUp_ErikJ my 2012 Fiat has a weird setup too, it's not touchscreen tho (thankfully). There's the regular radio thing where u expect it, and separate from it it's a WINDOWS MOBILE, voice commands only, activated by a single button on the steering wheel, NOT bluetooth, USB only, mp3 player.
can confirm: have heard absolutely wild strangers phone calls while sitting in traffic because they were using the car stereo
If you want a solution to the MyLink system but not ruin the oem look, there are boxes that have Apple CarPlay that connect in between the stock unit and the display. So you keep the old unit but have added abilities.
Seeing this channel upload warms up my heart, never stop doing this!
its a 3.6 not a 3.8 litre, honest mistake commodores were that displacement before
Today I seen a Honda Civic racing a Van today. Was the most funniest thing ever
I think you can upgrade the infotainment screen and throw an aftermarket exhaust system to make it better.
My mate had to have the air conditioning something replaced behind the dashboard on his VE, and while it was out, the instrument panel, the info system was updated to a Tesla style system, including reverse camera. Really great stuff. About sixteen hundred Aussie bucks.
The VE dunnydore owned here by the child bride is an ‘International’ pack added to the povo pack. Nice wheels, better dash including camera and park sensors. The upgrade packs were great value buying over the years from Holden.
it would be so funny if they put some exhaust and a wing on this thing
The beeping issues are real. I borrow this off my mum regularly and inevitably descend into a rage. I feel validated.
I entirely, wholeheartedly agree with modern cars being too smart.
What is wrong with a simple slider for the climate control? Physical buttons, switches, levers and dials just cannot be beat for these things.
Don't get me wrong - I love me a gadget! And I love that modern cars have a tablet in the dashboard because it's useful to have a larger screen for the satnav, or to navigate a playlist, but that should be 100% seperate from more essential car features.
I actually prefer "dumb" cars like my old 2004 Peugeot 206, or my current Smart, because essential systems do *not* run through the goddamn radio! If I wanted a big tablet in the middle, I could always rip it out and throw in a Android tablet or an iPad or something.
I absolutely love the interior on Bruce 2. Also, I know that infotainment system like the back of my hand. It's the same one that's in our family's 2013 Chevrolet Cruise!
Your channel has taught me a lot more about cars, and has really made me appreciate that car a lot more. It's got like 180,000 miles on it with no major service or rebuild, it's amazing how much basic maintenance can save you money in the long run. Got my mom and sister to and from Cleveland (we're in NE Ohio) on the regular this past year. Literally the only problems we've had are the lane departure sensors (which my dad straight up removed lol), and a plastic part of the cooling system literally wearing out from time which my dad fixed for 30 bucks.
God I love that turbocharged V6. I swear I'm going to buy that car from my parents and keep it alive forever.
I just bought a 2013 Chevy cruze a week ago! It's only my second car & the first one i bought myself, my first was a 2011 Nissan sentra. I like how it drives so far, the 6 cylinder is way punchier lol & it's super quiet on the acceleration, but i'm still trying to figure it out because the dash and controls is a lot different to the sentra (i just figured out you can change the dash display by a knob where i thought the headlights would be, and the lights are automatic haha...). Do you have any tips on driving it if you dont mind sharing?
@@snakewithapen5489 Chevy cruises are known to be really unreliable, but to me they are more like cockroaches. Everyone thinks they are shit, but they somehow keep kicking.
@James Richardson huh, interesting. I know that model year is prone to transmission issues, but all the research I did suggests that they're decently high up in the mid-sized sedan bracket in terms of safety and reliability. Course i don't know a whole lot about cars yet, but I'm trying to learn more cause it seems like an important skill. I had it checked out so everything's in ship-shape now and it only has 100,000 miles on it, so here's hoping it lasts lol🤞
@@snakewithapen5489 Honestly it is mostly just the transmission issues. I honestly don't think they are bad little cars. Reddit isn't always right lol. I reckon nearly any cruze would be better than my BF Ford Falcon.
You need to get a JDM 2017 Nissan Note. Its a series hybrid, meaning the petrol engine isnt connected to the wheels at all. It only powers the electric motor. Super neat!
They’re such a tempting little car for a daily! And they look awesome too
The Accord hybrid is pretty much the same, aside from a mechanical overdrive gear that clutches in for highway cruising.
@@nickbooth9685 They even have a NISMO model. No idea what the difference is, but it's cool!
@@ToastyMozart I thought the accord hybrid was more like a traditional hybrid. But never really looked into them
I know someone with a SV6 ute that they bought second hand. It's actually worth more now than what they paid for it. Simple fact: there are fewer Holdens than people who want them, so the cool ones like this are appreciating.
Actually the whole entertainment system (apart from the buttons) is GM. Same as in a Opel Astra or Insignia from 2013. Either GM said "We need to make some things for this car" or the Aussie designers were like "Nope, not our business to do entertainment stuff". But all in all Bruce 2 seems like a proper Aussie ride.
He needs to make a "an race car" like for the 24 lemons or just for track day.
I live in the US and I've always loved Australian cars, being a GM guy I gravitate more towards Haldens. The closest thing we got overhere are the Chevy Caprice (11'-17') with the 6.0L LS, but only for police duty. Some of them are being retired now and can be bought by the public. They're going for roughly $6k-$8k I'm dying to get my hands on one.
Chevy SS is a rebadged Holden VF SS just buy one and rebadged it
The Chevy SS was what the VF SS was US Style.
You also have the Pontiac GTO which is a Holden
And the Pontiac G8 which is a facelifted VE Commodore
As a western Australian, there are BARELY ANY CHEVYS here and NO GM!!!!!!! Why???? My brother also owns a Chevy Camaro
that result is actually real damn good for a car that big and heavy
I wish we had these sorts of mini trucks in Canada. 90% of people here that own full size pickups wouldn't even have a use for a truck even that size.
if it’s still running stock airbox, try switching to a cone air filter. gave my ol’ mazda 6 a deeper sound to it. might worth trying since it’s like a cheaper $50-70 “upgrade”.
one of the easiest and cheapest upgrades to get more performance is a bigger intake and exhaust. i dont think thatd help the economy though
It makes the fuel economy considerably worse
@@DumbArse depends on the engine. through years of driving the same route it maybe improved fuel economy by my guess 3-7%. but my car is older and newer stock airboxes tend to be better. and aftermarket exhaust just do improve mileage since having more power means running lower rpm at higher speeds. but yeah newer cars usually do worse mileage with cone airfilters
"It works fine but I don't get excited about how it does things."
Sums up every GM I've ever used.
Bud why don't you get a cargo gate or a bed partition if you want to use it for smaller shit like groceries? Also they do make hard tonneau covers for holden commodore utes. A bit pricey but they exist if you have a need for it.
Edit: He was aware, and already had them. They're literally sitting right there next to the car in this video.
Fill the tray with packing foam and nothing would rattle around
About the bed, tie a bungie cord between your 2 furthest rear tie-down points and use the bungie to thread through handles of bags to keep them in one place in the bed of the truck. It worked great on my old Chevy S10.
Missed opportunity to call this episode “Bruce 2 Reviewboogaloo”
the fact that I'm watching this video at 8 a.m may 12th and the clock in the car says 10 am may 12 is freaking me out
I love that you're putting together nugget level Top Gear hot lap boards
You have no idea how much I want one of those utes. My first car was an '86 El Camino, so having a modernized version of the same type of vehicle would be awesome! But I live here in the USA, where it's not a very popular thing anymore. Bugger. Handsome car, dude!
Hyundai Santa Cruz
@@Typo205 Funnily enough, despite being a car-like unibody "ute", the Santa Cruz apparently has little chance of releasing in Australia.
@@Typo205 Santa Cruz is a 4door. Utes and El Caminos were 2door. The Hyundai is an idea though.
Check the bedliner for 2x4 pockets. In the US our bed liners have little pockets to put a 2x4 thats been cut to fit, so you can put stuff in the back without it flying all over the place.
For not being able to carry groceries. I put the thin foam mattress from an old fold out sofa bed in the back. The squishy grippy foam holds everything in place perfectly.
Man... I wish Utes were a thing in the US. No El Caminos and Rancheros, just that new Hyundai cosplay.
They make like $20-30 bars to divide your bed space so you can use it to go grocery shopping!
Best iced coffee ever made, literally drinking one while watching this.
One of the best cars GM ever touched. As an American, I'm jealous af.
I like how you Aussies use your little utes more than most Americans use their massive 1 ton dually trucks 😂
Oh, man. I *just* realized the little song Wade sings at 7:16 is to the tune of "I Love Willies" from The IT Crowd.