1998 Holden Commodore Pricing and Specs

Assuming your car is a V6, I’d recommend a quality brand of oil with a viscosity of either 5W30 or 10W40. Provided you buy a quality, known brand, it will have all the additives that make modern multi-grade oils so much better than the oils that went before them. If your car runs on LPG (as many Commodores do) then you need to buy an oil that’s designed for use with this fuel. Fundamentally, though, the same rules apply: Stick to the correct grade and weight of oil and only use a quality brand, not the generic-branded supermarket stuff.

The actual oil capacity for a V6 Commodore of that vintage is 5.3 litres, so if you buy a six-litre pack, you’ll have enough for tops-ups between oil changes. Don’t forget to change the oil filter, too. While some mechanics reckon changing the filter every second oil change is enough, the wisdom of putting nice, clean oil through a dirty filter is beyond me, especially considering an oil filter costs only a few dollars.

Changing your engine’s oil is probably the best engine insurance you can buy. But you need to do it properly, so a workshop manual is probably a good thing to have as well as it should walk your through the process (important the first time). You also need to be able to dispose of the old oil and filter in an environmentally responsible way, too. But this is a great first maintenance job for the budding home mechanic and can really save you some money over the years. Good luck with it.

A guide price is between $1000 and $2500, depending on condition, service history and kilometres done.

The biggest issue you're fighting with the VT is age. No matter what way you look at it, it's an old car and every car has problems with age. So the first thing to say is that you should shop around, and take your time to find the best car you can for the money you have to spend. Basically the VT is quite durable and standing up well over the long term. With the VT the 3.8-litre V6 engine is a pretty tough old nail and won't give you much trouble if it has been serviced properly with regular oil changes. Listen for rattling on start-up or smoke on acceleration. Inspect it for oil leaks, they can be expensive to repair. The auto transmission is generally ok, but might need a service if it's done a lot of kays. They can have trouble with fuel pumps and the suspension bushes wear-out, but they're relatively minor things that won't cost a lot to fix.