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Many of you guys in Australia are ´petrol heads´ I would say.
When I visited Wollongong over X-mas they gave me a Holden Commodore with almost 300 hp, instead of the Camry I expected...
I have blogged some about my dream ´surf-cars´; www.andersbq.com/2011/03/surf-mobiles-of-future.html
How about yours? pls post some pics!
A van is the best vehicle for windsurfing. Bigger the better. The concept VW is too small and the other cars would be no better than a normal car.
I drive a Delica which isn't perfect but its pretty good.
This one isn't mine but is quite similar.
That Commodore comes in a wagon version too, and if you throw on a super-charger, not only do you get an insane engine note, but you add another herd of horses. The wagons are a big car, and make great wind-surfing cars.
An SS Commodore has 270 kW, the HSV has 317.
I reckon my Vito makes a good surf truck, but I got a short one. Next time I'll go the LWB VW !!
The new Commodore station wagon is much smaller than the previous model. The early to mid naughties Commodore wagon is a great vehicle for windsurfing as its so bloody big.
Haven't looked closely for a while, but I had one in 1998 as a fleet car, and it was huge, as noted.
I put a motor-bike in the back once, and closed the lid.
The hardest question you face when buying a car that also has to substitute as your windsurf transport vehicle is "what can you put up with". Some people don't mind driving vans around all the time, sure, some of the new vans drive like a car, but it's still a van and personally I couldn't drive one around all the time.
I went for a 2003 VY commodore berlina, V8 ^_^. It has everything from climate control to leather electric seats and has 5.7L of fury that sounds sweet 
It's basically like driving around in a limo, this I can put up with. It also easily fits 3 boards and about 6 sails without even moving the front two seats (rears obviously folded down). Add the massive fitted rubber mat that goes in the rear section (ebay ftw) and it doesn't even get dirty/wet.
+1 for the commodore wagon.
I have a VZ model. The last of the bigger models. The new models are at least 50cm shorter from tailgate to windscreen. I can just fit 1 x formula board, 1 x slalom board, 3 x formula sails, 2 slalom sails all inside.... Plenty big enough and still a car.
Good call.
I went for the van, and it's fine to drive around all the time. The new diesels are so quiet and clean.
I wanted more height for my push-bikes than the Commo could give me. I also choked at $70K for a new one, though we got a cracker of a bargain on a low-k SSV for the missus. So much car for the money, especially compared to German stuff, and is every bit as nice.
Sounds like Anders needs a Commodore, unless he wants to pony up for the crazy Audi.
It's basically like driving around in a limo, this I can put up with. It also easily fits 3 boards and about 6 sails without even moving the front two seats (rears obviously folded down). Add the massive fitted rubber mat that goes in the rear section (ebay ftw) and it doesn't even get dirty/wet.
Hang on, I don't think 'dream surf cars' and 'commodore wagons' should go in the same thread..
They belong in the 'excessively practical transport while paying off the mortgage' forum..
I'd get a Baja bug,
or this split window if I was being practical
Not unless you have the HSV version with Walkinshaw supercharger.
Maybe you need to drive one, grasshopper !!
Station wagons can be fun. The Commo holds up well against the Audi that costs 4 times as much.
Or, you can get one that sounds like this................
Wait for the red one. Anders did mention petrol-heads.
i've kept the 95 commodore wagon i've got because everything fits in it
it smells like fish
it's got more salt and sand in it than the beach
the roof lining sags and makes you feel like you're riding in a balanese taxi
it has 8 cylinders, but i'm sure only 7 work
it's got so many things wrong with it, you need a pilots license to keep it running, if you can even get it started
one day when i was getting out of the car, my hat fell on the ground, and people started coming over to put money in it
I've had one of these for the last 18 months:http://www.drive.com.au/used-cars/NISSAN/ELGRAND/Sydney/detail.aspx?id=15413255&lid=15413255&pg=1&pp=2&d=0&SG=-1241586423&pt=1
Maybe not very cool but a great car / van compromise.
Sadly we need to sell ours as the wife needs something lower but I'd recommend it as a good option for comfort and loads of space for toys.
Would still prefer a LWB VW TD5 if I had the money.
Elgrands are such cool looking vans. If I'd known about them when shopping for a van I'd probably bought one. Over in Japan and Hong Kong they are the vehicle used by VIPs to get around town in maximum comfort and style. I remember seeing them over there and although I had no idea what they were I though they were great. Every time I see one driving around it always brings a smile.
I'm with barn, commadoore as a surf wagon, come on guys, boring.. that Baja is sick always wanted that exact beast, had one once loved it, not as cool as that one, just need roofracks.., the old kingswood wagon used to popular, but not as much as a kombi..
My choice, there was a old woody on Monster Garage they but put on a Bronco chassis, that was getting close..
By i think my Van is almost perfect, the park at most spots and sleep where you want is a major plus and somewhere to sleep after pissing up at the beach is also good but it would be perfect as a 4x4 and a bit faster..
It's horses for courses, I'm not willing to sacrifice comfort for a bit more practicality, others see it differently 
If you want a hi performance windsurf wagon then the commodore vx-vz v8 is the go. I had one for many years and being a prtrol head that I am mine had a healthy 300-400kw throughout it's life - having had supercharger (which howls louder than a bad select fin) to twin turbo to big cam.
You can squeeze 3 boards, 6 sails, 2 booms masts and other bits into one of these.
I finally made the transition to a Hyundai Turbo Diesel Van which is not bad. With some tweaking it delivers 150kw so quite pleasant to drive around with a nice fat torque curve.
If you want to get to the beach fast in something totally impratical you could use one of these, which I did while the commodore was having engine performance surgery.
Unrelated, I can't work out which is more annoying, that host, or that plastic bonnet..
I think its telling that we turn commodores into these things, we just don't have enough imagination as a country.. Overseas when you see a sports car, it looks like a sports car. When I see an R8 clubsport or equivalent Boss Falcon, I see a taxi with plastic accessories.. And a driver with no imagination...
I have a commodore ute, and I can throw gear in the back not carry any passengers and all that, awesome car.. But I still think this car below is the worst thing ever built. I mean.. Its just cringeworthy on so many levels..
But then again, I used to play AC/DC on my tapedeck.. Now I can't stand it..
But the car must be appropriate for the occasion. There are cars that you'd take to the Summernats, cars you'd use to ferry brides to a wedding in and cars you'd take to the beach. The Ep2 Walkinsaw R8 is the most versatile car here, you could take it to both the Summernats and a wedding.
W4W gets away with the Rex only because it's covered in sand and irreverently stacked with windsurfing gear. Sorry CJW this car would only look good stacked with lacy white brides.
I like the dude's style. The bonnet scoop is borderline, but listen hard, he tells you to ditch it.
I've had "proper" sports cars, from overseas, and while they drive nice and all, and look porn, they can't carry enough gear. The TT Coupe wasn't bad, as I could drop teh rear seats (laugh out loud right there) and stuff a quad box and an amp head in, and I did have roofies for sailing gear, but it was a dopey surf-truck all the same.
For it's sins, the Commo has awesome load-carrying capacity, in all forms.
I agree the Maloo is a very expensive 2 seats, and I would not have one, but the VE sedan has a massive boot, and a pull down centre for longer items.
At 100kph, the SSV is doing 1600prm, barely off idle, and on a long trip, that means a relaxed low-fatigue drive.
Tell me that the super-charger howl did not give you goose-bumpps, I dare you.
"While there is still oil in the ground, get one of these".
Aww cmon! Say what you will about Audi's but there's something about a twin turbo V10 at full noise with windsurfing gear in the back that just makes me a little warm inside Best thing about the RS4, RS6 audi's is they basically blend into traffic but are wicked fast, which as you know from my stealth spec VL turbo wagon is kind of a pre requisite of mine. I agree with you on the HSV's they are pretty horrid looking cars, the SSv imo looks way better.
Best thing about the RS4, RS6 audi's is they basically blend into traffic but are wicked fast, which as you know from my stealth spec VL turbo wagon is kind of a pre requisite of mine. I agree with you on the HSV's they are pretty horrid looking cars, the SSv imo looks way better.
Best thing about the RS4, RS6 audi's is they basically blend into traffic but are wicked fast, which as you know from my stealth spec VL turbo wagon is kind of a pre requisite of mine. I agree with you on the HSV's they are pretty horrid looking cars, the SSv imo looks way better.
Best thing about the RS4, RS6 audi's is they basically blend into traffic but are wicked fast, which as you know from my stealth spec VL turbo wagon is kind of a pre requisite of mine. I agree with you on the HSV's they are pretty horrid looking cars, the SSv imo looks way better.
