Holden dealer selling Magnum kits

After Holden dealerships were found to be holding onto VF Series II limited edition models and attempt to sell them at an exorbitant price, now one dealer has placed online a Magnum ute sticker package and other parts to sell to the buying public.

The dealer advertised a Magnum ute decal sticker package – tagged as GM genuine – on eBay for the price of $1690 and with mid-December delivery, along with other parts including a Calais Director lip spoiler ($145).

Given the ute missed out on the magnetic dampers of the Calais Director and also the Commodore Motorsport Edition, an SS V Redline ute buyer could – ironically, for those who perhaps were not able to afford to buy a Magnum due to dealer overcharging – apply the stickers and a few other accessories to create a Magnum with original equipment (OE) bits.

Items such as a red-painted engine cover were already part of the VF Series II accessories catalogue, as were the black 20-inch alloy wheels, although they lacked the red outline common to all three locally made limited editions. It leaves the ‘Magnum’ stitched dashboard, and electrically adjustable heated front seats as the only major differentiators.

While it isn’t unusual for dealers to sell parts, owners of the limited editions had been told by their Holden dealers that a VIN number would have to be supplied, and a broken or defect part shown, in order to receive a replacement part in order to manage future stock.

Frustrated owners who wanted to stock up on parts for their vehicle will now be able to do so without a broken part, according to a Holden spokesperson, however a VIN number will still need to be supplied to ensure non-owners are not accessing limited edition parts.

The Holden spokesperson said that the dealer network has been told of this practice, and parts specific to VF Series II limited edition models will not be sold through outlets of eBay. As MOTOR went to press the Magnum ute decal package had been taken down.

In a silver lining for owners of the delayed Calais Director, meanwhile, Holden has extended its seven-year/175,000km warranty to owners of the limited edition who collected their vehicle after the extended coverage promotion started in October.

It will end across the Holden range, however, on December 31 as the local Lion reverts back to three-year/100,000km coverage.