Hoon's Weapon of Choice: The Commodore’s Evolution

Mintee on 21/02/2025 - 09:54
Last edited 21/02/2025 - 11:38 by 1 other user

A decade ago, the Holden Commodore was the undisputed hoon’s choice. With its powerful V8s, rear-wheel drive, and muscular presence. The VT, VX, VZ, VE, VF Commodores etc in my opinion we're the go to 'd***head' car of choice.

Fast forward today, and a number of factors have influenced the change: tighter P-plate restrictions, stricter modification laws, and the end of Commodore production. Education around hoon driving has also shifted, and the car scene especially around JDM cars has dissipated.

Personally, I've noted a large increase in Golfs have now become the new go-to of the younger generation and just curious if others have noted the same, there has been an increased media presence, and it seems to always be a Golf.

P.S In full transparency, there is a little bit of a hidden agenda here, someone who is looking a new vehicles regularly, I don't mind a sporty car, although, don't want to be associated with this crowd, the stereotyping and insurance premiums that go with it.

So, does the typical 'hoon' still exist? And if they do, what are they driving now?

Poll Options

  • 14
    VW Golf
  • 1
    Civic's (i.e RS)
  • 2
    Smaller Audis (A3, A1, S3)
  • 96
    Dad's Ford Ranger
  • 38
    It’s Still a Commodore
  • 2
    Hoons Have Moved On (laws, education, etc.)
  • 7
    Other (Please Specify)
Automotive Holden Commodore

Comments

  • toomuchdogfur on 21/02/2025 - 10:00
    +72

    The hoons have all grown up into tradies and now bully other cars in their jacked up Ford Rangers.

    • BargainMe on 21/02/2025 - 11:36
      +1

      Which is far worse because of the damage they can do to other motorists in smaller cars and pedestrians.

      • CaptainJack on 21/02/2025 - 11:48
        -1

        Let me tell you, if a pedestrian gets hit by a commodore or even a smaller car they're still going to cop it.

        • JakeyJooJoo on 22/02/2025 - 16:03
          +1

          I'm generalising here, but the distended is

          Going over the bonnet of a commodore = seriously injured.
          Going under a raptor = dead.

    • DingoBilly on 21/02/2025 - 11:42
      +18

      Yep. If you watch Dash Cam Australia it's shocking how many awful drivers tend to drive Rangers.

      • pegaxs on 21/02/2025 - 11:50
        +13

        "Ranger Danger"

    • Gunnar on 21/02/2025 - 14:39
      +7

      Yep this! Your traditional ‘hoon’ no longer drives fast, they’re in a jacked up ute. King of the d.ckheads is the Ranger Raptor and his richer cousin the 79 series dripping in ARB gear

    • meong on 22/02/2025 - 09:30
      +1

      I live next to a sports oval and at night we have ford rangers doing wheelie at the car park

      • CurlCurl on 22/02/2025 - 09:40

        I live next to a sports oval and at night we have ford rangers doing wheelie at the car park

        So all the vehicles are Ford Rangers! No other brand?

        • michaelTito on 22/02/2025 - 10:51
          +6

          did he stutter?

        • meong on 22/02/2025 - 13:19

          We have the Golf, Falcodores and even GLA mercs…

    • AustriaBargain on 22/02/2025 - 17:00
      +1

      I saw a Ford Ranger jacked so high on these huge wheels, the bottom of the car was closer to the roof my car than my bottom. Not sure how to explain it, I don't know much car vocabulary..

  • 7ekn00 on 21/02/2025 - 10:05
    +1

    It's the MOPAR crowd here in the US (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram) ;)

  • Hybroid on 21/02/2025 - 10:07
    +4

    Golfs with modified loud exhausts and ECU retunes for pops and bangs are certainly prevalent with the younger crowd nowadays. A staple in the UK and now becoming common here too.

    Jacked up pick-up trucks still take the cake for worst drivers on the road though.

    • Cluster on 21/02/2025 - 10:56
      +4

      MMm, true. Jacked up 'trucks' are used for aggressive tailgating with the driver basically believing they own the road. Recently I got cut off by a jacked up SUV pulling a trailer on a roundabout. They failed to give way. Didn't even slow down for the roundabout. Pulled out in front of me with the attitude 'I'm much bigger than you, what are you going to do about it?' Eventually they'll find out not everyone brakes in time.

    • CurlCurl on 21/02/2025 - 12:39
      +1

      Jacked up pick-up trucks still take the cake for worst drivers on the road though.

      I take umbrage at that.

      I had two jacked up 4WDs, and I was always courteous on the road.

      • Windows7forever on 22/02/2025 - 03:21
        +5

        It's the driver, not the car. But naturally, we assign stereotypes to the cars' people drive. What we drive is broadly a reflection of our personality, IMO.

    • S Baldrick on 22/02/2025 - 10:50
      +2

      My bingo card for Golf R's:

      • Pops and Bangs tune
      • Catback exhaust
      • Lowered
      • Tinted taillights
      • Blue
    • corvusman on 22/02/2025 - 14:13
      +1

      I see a lot of Hyundai N-series with ridiculously loud exhausts.

      • mccarthyp64 on 22/02/2025 - 15:32
        +1

        They come loud from the factory

  • Russell Dupsumtucka on 21/02/2025 - 10:17
    +1

    No GT86/BRZ?

    The new d1ck head drifter weapon……..of choice.

    • Gunnar on 21/02/2025 - 14:40
      +9

      Nah. By the time they get up to speed they are so far in your rear mirror that you can’t see them

      • Russell Dupsumtucka on 21/02/2025 - 15:30

        But the sheer fact they need to try harder to get sideways means they're more toolish

    • mccarthyp64 on 22/02/2025 - 15:32

      They're in the shop because of oil starvation and lack of power more often

  • Euphemistic on 21/02/2025 - 10:25
    +6

    Its all 4wds round here. Theres a few lowered and louded rides, but lifted and snatch stickers are a bigger warning.

    Having said that, round here its also not far to go bush so there's less coppers looking for you.

  • freefall101 on 21/02/2025 - 10:25
    +1

    I got stuck in traffic the other day behind an XR8 that kept letting a huge gap build in front of them, then gunning the engine for a whole 50 metres to hear their own engine.

    The problem was people kept pulling into the gap and he kept almost running into them, all I could do was shake my head.

    The XR8 always seemed the vehicle of choice for a hoon in their mid 30s though.

    • JIMB0 on 21/02/2025 - 11:22

      The Falcon often attracted the most unhinged (profanity), usually only the 6 cylinder though. Holden drivers were quite mellow by comparison.

      • Protractor on 21/02/2025 - 11:31
        +2

        Maybe everywhere but Bathurst. Both camps leave their brains at the gate. (spectators, not drivers)

    • Windows7forever on 22/02/2025 - 03:24
      +1

      Dumb way to drive in traffic. He is going to be liable for damages when he rear ends a car changing lanes.

  • plmko on 21/02/2025 - 10:29
    +1

    Yes it's definately the Golf and Polo's these days. Golf R 7 and 7.5 are now affordable and are fairly powerful from factory.

  • nige0090 on 21/02/2025 - 10:35

    Any thoughts on why the JDM scene has dissipated?
    Import regulations? Police activity? Insurance costs? Scene fatigue?

    • plmko on 21/02/2025 - 10:41
      +4

      Have you seen how expensive a junk condition car goes for? Not to mention the upkeep of what are now aged vehicles that have changed hands 5x and run down a hard life.

      • nige0090 on 21/02/2025 - 12:30

        Ok, makes sense. It seems impossible to find an JDM that has not been wrecked or trashed for a reasonable price.

        I misunderstood the original comment. I though that he means that JDMs were no longer desirable (to hoons or in general).
        But, rather, if hoons have moved away from JDMs for cost reasons, then that is good news :-)

    • Cluster on 21/02/2025 - 10:53

      They're too expensive. Better to buy a vehicle that's already here and one insurers recognize.

    • JIMB0 on 21/02/2025 - 11:30
      +2

      There's plenty of post 2005 JDM cars coming over as they're rather cheap for what you get.

    • Phoenixzeus on 22/02/2025 - 13:43

      Cost. When I bought my supra it was 12k. Now it's worth over 50k. Very few P platers and people in their early 20s are stupid enough or can afford to take out a 50k loan on a 35 year old car.

  • Protractor on 21/02/2025 - 10:35

    Is there a HP restriction for P platers and EVs?

    • mskeggs on 21/02/2025 - 10:40

      In NSW it has always been power to weight ratio, and I see from the search most Teslas are banned, so I guess most of the higher performance evs will be too.
      https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/young-drivers/pr…

      • jzdhgkd on 22/02/2025 - 14:18

        Didn't it used to just be a blanket restriction on turbo/supercharged vehicles and certain "high performance" vehicles such as Porsches and the 350z? I recall the power to weight ratio being a Victorian thing back when I was on my Ps.

        • mskeggs on 22/02/2025 - 16:23

          Yes, I think so when it first came in. I guess I mean, the rule isn't based on whether a car is petrol or ev it is assessed on power to weight ratio.

  • Bruceflix on 21/02/2025 - 10:49

    Any old Commodore or Falcon. Still best to keep your distance as the driver's rarely know what a blind spot is, nor indicators, or any give way rules.

    • Windows7forever on 22/02/2025 - 03:26

      A 90's/00's Commodore or Falcon is still the bogan's car of choice. Keep a wide berth from them LOL.

  • El cheepo on 21/02/2025 - 11:06
    +4

    How on earth did falcons get missed in this, it was basically the other side of the fence for hoon behaviour back in the day haha.
    All the Xr6/8s (but usually a 6 because they couldn’t afford an xr8)

  • pegaxs on 21/02/2025 - 11:45
    +14

    Subaru WRX deserves a mention as well…

    I have found in my area, all the "d!ckheads" have moved onto highly modified dual cab utes. You can be assured if you see a jacked up Navara/Hilux/Triton with 300 spot lights, enough room under it for a small car and tyres that belong on a Moxy truck, with a flat steel bed and a dog cage on the back, it's gonna have P plates on it and be being driven like the driver is blind.

    The cashed up bogan cars of choice are Rangers and Rams. Although I am surprised at the amount of d!ckhead "moms" getting around in the new GWM Tank 500's in my area and driving them like they own the roads. Seem to be the new vehicle of choice for Karens.

    • Windows7forever on 22/02/2025 - 03:27

      LOL!

    • Saywhatold on 22/02/2025 - 12:41

      One of the best experiences I had was outside of Bunnings not long ago. There's a slight incline on the street outside of mine. Even calling it 5 degrees might be an exaggeration. The clapped up P-plater was leaving Bunnings with his mates. An absolute (profanity)-off ute; can't remember if it was a Ranger or a Navara. But it was a manual and he was already revving it like the clappers for each gear change on his way out of the parking lot.

      Got to the traffic light on the 5 degree hill. Light goes green. Stalls. Restarts. Stalls. Restarts, rolls backwards. Stalls. Restarts, rolls back again. Stall. I've reversed about 20 meters at this point so he doesn't roll into me. Apparently he missed the class on handbrake hill starts.

      Finally gets the clutch to bite without stalling and rips off as fast as he can.

      Good times.

    • Speckled Jim on 22/02/2025 - 14:02

      The noisier the huffer and bigger the clouds, the better.

  • greencomet on 21/02/2025 - 12:05
    +3

    Hoons with money usually rock a C63 AMG, extra points if it's a dark matte colour with silly yellow stripes on it.

    • CocaKoala on 22/02/2025 - 15:41

      The yellow stripes are not silly. They add about 30 horsepower. If it was OEM stripes that adds about 69.420 horsepower.

      • Poor Ass on 22/02/2025 - 21:54

        Red is faster though

  • Sye on 21/02/2025 - 12:28
    +1

    Need to start another thread:
    OzBargainer's Weapon of Choice: The Camry’s Evolution

  • Seraphin7 on 21/02/2025 - 12:39
    +1

    I'd suggest d1ckheads generally go for Rangers and similar.

    Equally though, hoons seem to be over-represented in Golfs.

  • churningNburning on 21/02/2025 - 12:49
    +3

    A lot of idiots getting around in Toyota Crowns these days, especially the 184 and 204 Athletes.

    • tenpercent on 21/02/2025 - 14:12

      What are 184 and 204 Athletes?

      • JIMB0 on 21/02/2025 - 14:24
        +2

        It's Japan's take on a SV6 Commodore. P-platers buy them because they're cheap. They often lower them, put different wheels on and fit a horrible sounding exhaust.

        • churningNburning on 21/02/2025 - 14:45

          It's very possible the 2gr-fse in the Athletes sound worse than an ecotec or alloytec with exhaust mods.

          • JIMB0 on 21/02/2025 - 18:07

            @churningNburning: They both sound horrible to me. Rarely does a 6 cylinder with a modified exhaust sound good. It's usually done on a budget by deleting mufflers.

            • Protractor on 21/02/2025 - 21:32

              @JIMB0: Agree . Especially automatics. Errgh. Sixes only start to sound good when they valve bounce

            • Gunnar on 22/02/2025 - 06:26

              @JIMB0: I have a car with a 2GR-FSE and yeah they sound like crap with an exhaust. It’s not too bad with a CAI to give you better intake noise but noise is not its strength.

              Inline 6s sound nice (or some of them). The only good sounding V6s I can think of are Honda’s C32B and Alfa’s Busso

            • churningNburning on 22/02/2025 - 14:23

              @JIMB0: Oh it's up there with putting Chev badges on a Holden.

              • CurlCurl on 22/02/2025 - 16:36
                +1

                @churningNburning:

                Oh it's up there with putting Chev badges on a Holden.

                And factory fitted Landcruiser badges to the RAV 4.

                What a wank Toyota.

  • emblurr on 21/02/2025 - 13:43
    +1

    I'd say it's BMWs in inner Melbourne suburbs.

    • Protractor on 21/02/2025 - 17:15

      Yep, near new proxy status Mercs and BMWs being driven more by wannabe plantation owners, than hoons, though. In all major cities

  • Hardlyworkin on 21/02/2025 - 16:08
    +2

    I miss the days of buying a sh'tbox for 2k and then spending 5k or so on the stereo!

    Are there any suitable 4 cyl rear wheel drives around these days for a first car?

    • Protractor on 21/02/2025 - 17:16
      +1

      Or a rotary Mazda.

  • Flutterby on 21/02/2025 - 21:00

    4WD/UTE/Golf/S3/Hunday (w)N(K). Here's the list.

  • miwahni on 22/02/2025 - 02:27
    +5

    There is a plague of BA Falcons in my area which seem to delight in leaving the biggest burn-out marks on the road. Apart from that, it's the Ford Rangers that are the biggest idiots on wheels.

    I dreamed last night that I bought a Ford Ranger. When I woke up this morning I had to wash my brain out with soap.

  • ColtNoir on 22/02/2025 - 08:21

    The commodores are still out there. Having moved to the NSW CC, this is where the commodores and WRX’s have come to die.

    When I was still in Sydney, it was VW golf’s, souped up Mercedes.

  • apple2016 on 22/02/2025 - 09:54
    +1

    The car culture is dying….

  • Pussqunt on 22/02/2025 - 09:59
    +1

    My favourite local hoon retired their V8 ute daily for a Tesla. Car is quicker. Can have just as much fun with corners using auto pilot. Plus when he first got it he would find places to park that would let him creep with the DVR.

    Others moved to chipped stingers. One was bragging about sitting at 280 on a rough B road.

    Kids spending on cars here drive 4x4's.

    Chinese hybrids are fun, but we will likely have to wait for Sharks and Bao 5's to go second hand (and be released) before either start getting thrashed.

  • Dreamcast on 22/02/2025 - 10:04

    Hyundai i30 hatch.

  • wd41 on 22/02/2025 - 10:45

    Mercedes A-class AMG, weapon of choice for hoons Northern suburbs Melbourne

  • bhubb18 on 22/02/2025 - 10:54
    +1

    AU falcon is the skid car of this current era of hooning

  • 2esc on 22/02/2025 - 12:03

    The typical hoon use to be a individual whose choice of car was also dictated by price. Thats why Ford and Commodores were and still are popular easy to work on, modify plenty of new and secondhand parts around at good prices.

    Maybe because i live in rural Victoria Commodores and Fords are still the choice hoon if ive seen a VW golf recently i havent noticed one.

    But talking about hoon behaviour but compared to 10, 20 years ago overall average speed of all drivers are a going a lot faster.

    I pretty much sit on the speed limit these days but there are always people passing me the silly thing is 9 times out of 10 i catch up to them somewhere down the road next set of lights usually.

  • Barrj46 on 22/02/2025 - 13:32

    Still the Bomadore bucket of shite over here in WA.

  • Miami Mall Alien on 22/02/2025 - 13:55

    Surprised to see no mention of the Mustang yet.

    It was the world's best-selling sports car for 5 years or so since the S550 generation debuted in 2016, in Australia it's been the most affordable V8-powered car for a long time so the barrier to entry is relatively low for hoons (around $50K or less for an older 2016/2017/2018 model), there's an entire "Mustangs crashing into crowds" meme on YouTube and in car enthusiast circles due to so many spectacularly bad attempts at power slides from inexperienced Mustang owners (usually while leaving Cars & Coffee meets in view of dozens of cameras) as well the fact that most of their owners are not usually mistaken for emeritus professors.

    That being said, they do sound epic and I still like the fact that Ford hasn't abandoned the old school RWD V8 coupe unlike so many other marques.

  • SuperMid on 22/02/2025 - 16:35

    The soccer mum in her kio rio doing 80 in a 40 school zone is the true hoon. Keep tailgating me bitch, ill go even slower.

    • meong on 22/02/2025 - 16:40

      Back then i used to get RDO from work and i usually would do my grocery on those days as there are less people at the shops. However, one day i woke up too late so finally managed to get out of the bed around 3PM… And wow, i was constantly bullied on the road by 7 seaters and i was still groggy from my sleep ins 😅

  • digitalbath on 22/02/2025 - 17:45

    I’d rather a hoon in a ranger or commodore tailgating me on the road than a gen z or younger who is to preoccupied on their phone, or too anxious and depressed & dumbed down on benzos and antidepressants to actually drive safely.

  • Poor Ass on 22/02/2025 - 21:56

    Old ass Holden Cruze

  • Mumbles on 22/02/2025 - 22:03

    I think one of the biggest killers of the hoon culture is that most cars sold in Australia are automatics and has been that way for more than a decade. Its much harder to lose traction in an automatic without doing damage or dodgy work around's to force an automatic transmission from revving in Neutral and force it into Drive. With modern CVT and dual clutch transmissions I don't think there are any work arounds to rev an engine and dump into gear.

    A second reason is that car manufacturers don't want to send their affordable models to Australia. Ever since the world suffered the Global Financial Crisis most of the car manufacturers upgraded the specifications on the Australian cars as they knew Australian's could afford it.

  • Bidet Mate on 22/02/2025 - 22:14

    I have lived in every corner of Aus and the hooning I hear and see in Hobart now is the absolute worst I've ever heard anywhere in Aus at any time. There would have to be 5-10 loud and long events every night in all directions, it's wild. Even during the day I've come across kids with burned out clutches pushing their shit boxes home.

    Seems like the most easily removed crime imaginable but 🤷🏻‍♂️

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