Should I Get a Holden Captiva?

poisongodmachine on 12/02/2023 - 22:59
Last edited 13/02/2023 - 09:38 by 1 other user

I'm looking into getting a used crossover SUV (not as large as a regular SUV), and the only one that I can find that fits my budget and requirements ($15k max, no older than 2014, less than 100k km driven) is the Holden Captiva.

So, I have 2 questions:

  • Why is it the only one for sale at that price? Is it a crap car? Or is it because Holden is no more?
  • Should I get it?

It doesn't bother me that I won't get any official service from Holden, as long as I can still get replacement parts at auto shops. But if that's not gonna happen, please let me know.

Thanks

Automotive Car Holden

Comments

  • SF3 on 12/02/2023 - 23:07
    +1

    A Holden? Oof.

    Would be interesting follow up post if OP proceeds.

    "Why am I getting all these problems with my car? It all seems OK when I inspected it."

    • spackbace on 13/02/2023 - 00:39
      +6

      Holden can be fine, Cruze/Captiva nope 😂

      • kiwiyonip on 14/02/2023 - 10:49
        +1

        Commodore?

  • Master Bates on 12/02/2023 - 23:09
    +22

    Nicknamed the Craptiva, I wonder why.

    • MantistobogganMD on 13/02/2023 - 08:15
      +2

      i was going to say this, two of my friends had these and referred to them as Craptiva's haha

  • randomusername2017 on 12/02/2023 - 23:16
    +1

    Only had minor issues..like transmission failure.

    Malfunction lights on the dash were fully functional and didn't need to be topped up with blinker fluid though.

    • JIMB0 on 13/02/2023 - 09:20

      The transmission only failed if the engine didn't self destruct first.

  • kerfuffle on 12/02/2023 - 23:18
    +1

    Lol no.

  • lachhelix on 12/02/2023 - 23:19
    +2

    Yeah - avoid like the plague there is a reason that's the only model you can find meeting that critera

  • Catbert on 12/02/2023 - 23:19

    I read somewhere that the Captivas had the most recalls in Australian automotive history. The reason they're cheap is because they're nasty. Unreliable, problem-prone and expensive to fix. Especially the diesels. Transfer case issues on the 4WD versions too. It just isn't worth the risk.

  • vince088 on 12/02/2023 - 23:23
    +5

    https://redriven.com/cheat_sheet/holden-captiva/

    What goes wrong
    In terms of the exterior there are many of reports that anything that has a relationship with electricity, like the windows, the mirrors, the lights, the and the central locking can all glitch out or just fail.
    Captiva’s fitted with sunroofs are becoming renown for excessive rattles and there are many reports of the roofs leaking.
    There are reports out there of door seals leaking.
    Inside it’s the same story as the exterior, electronic gremlins galore. Everything from the Air Conditioning and ventilation failing to infotainment systems crashing to random dash warnings and faulty gauges,
    The worst however is dodgy electronics that can lead to stuttering acceleration, even resulting in the engine stopping completely.
    If you are in the market for one of these, make sure you press every button and make sure everything works.
    Aside from the above, there are dozens of reports of random things breaking, falling apart or failing. Trim pieces, upholstery, all something of a nightmare really.
    We should also mention, the Captiva has been recalled multiple times for everything from niggly issues to genuine safety concerns so make sure you check out the car’s history to see if these recalls have been resolved.
    Mechanically the terrible reputation is well deserved too.
    The worst enemy of the V6 petrol is the dreaded P0016 cam/crank correlation fault codes. This is where the cam shafts & crank shaft are slightly out of sync and is caused by stretched timing chains & worn guides. It’s a complicated repair and here in Australia most independent workshops can repair it in a day and typically costs around $1500. It’s a job that we’d highly recommend using the genuine GM timing kit to repair it. They might be slightly more expensive but they’re a more comprehensive kit just fit more accurately.
    The 4-cylinder petrol engines have timing chain issues too. The pivot bolt for the chain tensioner likes to break off cause timing chain failure.
    As for the 2.2 litre 4-cylinder turbo diesels, they also have timing chain complications, turbo problems too which can sometimes be linked to lack of servicing.
    Another common thing that happens randomly regardless of service history is oil cooler leaks, forcing engine oil into the cooling system. To replace this with a decent quality cooler and all the associated seals is about $1200 round trip.
    The drivelines have plenty of problems too. Transfer case failure is fairly common and rear diff and the rear diff coupling can be problematic too.
    An interesting statistic, out of the last 15 Captiva’s that were in our workshop for servicing or repairs, six of them required a significant repair well in excess of $1000. That’s not including any wear & tear items or service-related costs. That’s 40% of them. Now for some perspective a Toyota Kluger is less than 5%.

  • brendanm on 12/02/2023 - 23:23

    You couldn't type "Holden Captiva" into Google? You would have found page upon page of how garbage they are. You aren't going to get anything good that meets your requirements.

    • ItsMeAgro on 13/02/2023 - 09:38

      You aren't going to get anything good that meets your requirements

      Would you get some actual options by removing "SUV" from the requirements?

      There's no benefit to an SUV over a hatch/sedan if you aren't very overweight or elderly, they're only popular because they're slightly easier to get in and out of. See https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/its-because-youre-fat/. \

      (Unless you count avoiding the slightly poorer visibility in traffic caused by everyone else buying SUVs like sheep).

      • brendanm on 13/02/2023 - 11:22

        Would you get some actual options by removing "SUV" from the requirements?

        Possibly, but the budget together with the age and kms requirement, and the current high price of cars, still makes it hard.

        There's no benefit to an SUV over a hatch/sedan if you aren't very overweight or elderly,

        I have one, it can carry a heap of stuff, it's comfy, and it can tow 3.5 tonne.

  • Some Human on 12/02/2023 - 23:43

    Troll post.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/02/2023 - 00:17
      -3

      dude not everyone is expert like you

      • Muzeeb on 13/02/2023 - 07:45
        +4

        You don't need to be an expert. Just 60 15 seconds research on google.

      • Some Human on 13/02/2023 - 11:08
        +1

        Do you not look around when you're driving? The freeway is littered with Holdens.

        • JIMB0 on 13/02/2023 - 20:48

          And for some strange reason Ford Falcons when it's raining.

  • jv on 12/02/2023 - 23:46

    Get a Torana SLR 5000

    • Seaword on 13/02/2023 - 10:13

      So an older, more expensive heap of shit?

      • jv on 13/02/2023 - 10:47

        … that won Bathurst…

        FTFY

  • JoeBogan on 12/02/2023 - 23:50
    +1

    Hey OP I heard you like Holden Deez nutz in your mouth.

  • Hackney on 13/02/2023 - 05:48

    Just don’t!Run, as fast as your legs will carry you!

  • cashless on 13/02/2023 - 08:08

    Nah, they're known as the poison god machine

  • Euphemistic on 13/02/2023 - 08:25

    Captiva? Laughs in mechanic bills - no.

    No idea what your crossover SUV means. Captiva is fairly large and most would call them large SUV, like Sorrento, Kluger. They aren’t as big as a full sized 4wd (Land Cruiser, patrol) and there are plenty of compact (ASX, CX3) and mid sized SUVs smaller (RAV4, Outlander). Then again, there’s always models that fit between the sizes to confuse everyone.

  • roguescholar on 13/02/2023 - 08:31
    +1

    No.

  • pao2x on 13/02/2023 - 09:04
    +1

    Probably the most problematic car in Aus recent memory………… avoid.

    • Euphemistic on 13/02/2023 - 09:35
      +1

      Or maybe equal first with its cousin the Cruze.

  • FocusRider on 13/02/2023 - 09:44

    I recommend the Holden Astra

  • Richmond Tigers on 13/02/2023 - 09:44

    Maybe you can also buy a Daewoo to go with it.

  • iDroid on 13/02/2023 - 09:52

    They're call craptiva for a reason.

  • kusama on 13/02/2023 - 12:40

    They are bad, my mum's has lots of issues

  • ozwog05 on 13/02/2023 - 13:43

    Crash course on SUV's commonly available on the market that meet this criteria which will likely drain your bank account:

    Holden Captiva/Trax - Avoid
    Jeep Compass/Patriot - Avoid
    Land Rover - Avoid
    Nissan Juke - Avoid

    Ford EcoSport/Kuga - One of the better options? Others more knowledgeable can weigh in
    Kia Sportage - OK?

    Taking a quick look, it's easy to see that Captiva's are listed just about everywhere by the sea container load. Generally when that happens, there's a good reason. Owners want rid.
    You can apply this rule to just about every style/type of vehicle.

    • Brick Tamland on 14/02/2023 - 07:48

      Taking a quick look, it's easy to see that Captiva's are listed just about everywhere by the sea container load. Generally when that happens, there's a good reason. Owners want rid.

      Holden sold them by the boat loads too so it's not too surprising theres heaps of them around on the market. These things were everywhere back in the day. They are virtually junk now but I'd say if you can get it cheap enough it might be worth a risk. By cheap enough I mean scrapyard pricing. But I think there is clearly enough people that have no idea about cars that they will blindly buy these heaps and keep prices above junk value.

    • kiwiyonip on 14/02/2023 - 10:59

      Kuga and Juke are pretty awesome. My mate drives a Kuga and I drive a Juke, no issues, drives like a dream, easy on fuel. There's a pretty good reason Jukes are one of Nissan's top sellers and they continue to improve and come up with better looking ones and improved performance.
      Unless you drive(or drove) one yourself, your credibility is shot.

      • ozwog05 on 14/02/2023 - 11:35

        It's the CVT on the Juke (or with any Nissan really) that's the achilles heel. If yours has one, just make sure you get the fluid changed on it every 15-20 thou and you might get a reasonable lifespan out of it. They claim it's "maintenance free", but a good mechanic will advise otherwise.

  • poisongodmachine on 13/02/2023 - 16:07

    Thanks guys, I'll avoid the Craptiva like the plague.
    Admittedly, I should've Googled it first, but I usually just trust OzBargain.

    I might have to raise the budget a bit, and maybe accept something a year or two older.
    If I do that, the options are pretty much the Ford EcoSport and the Suzuki S-Cross.
    Thoughts on those?

    • Brick Tamland on 14/02/2023 - 07:44

      The S-Cross floats my boat,

    • Euphemistic on 14/02/2023 - 11:21

      Both of those are tiny in comparison to the Captiva. What size do you want?

      • poisongodmachine on 14/02/2023 - 14:17

        Anything bigger than my Mirage is large enough

        • Euphemistic on 14/02/2023 - 14:33
          +1

          Everything is bigger than a mirage!

  • brad1-8tsi on 13/02/2023 - 17:25

    Don't do it. My ex-wife had 2 as company cars.
    The diesel was gutless and would top out at 70kph going up Mt Ousley (The only car we've owned that was like that).
    The petrol one averaged 15l/100km on ULP. 19L/100km on E85 (but boy it had some go).

    We were lucky as they sold them at 40k. We did have issues with both of them and Holden struggled to find the cause.

    • BobLim on 15/02/2023 - 08:32

      The petrol one averaged 15l/100km on ULP. 19L/100km on E85 (but boy it had some go).

      I would certainly hope so if it's drinking like a muscle car

  • Analytical Therapist on 14/02/2023 - 09:01
    +1

    They are nicknamed the "Craptiva" for a reason…

  • kiwiyonip on 14/02/2023 - 10:46

    Captiva are nice looking, aren't they? But I realized they're just that, nice looking, nothing else.
    Brother in law bought one 5 years ago, 2015 model, can't even sell it now at a decent price.
    Fuel thirsty, almost always having mechanical issues.

    Go for ix35 instead, or HRV

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