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[New POD]

Tell me it'll be fine !!!B 
So Omegod (of this parish) frequents another car related forum where I saw an "Ideal" Mv6 for sale.
And he suggested in a private message that I might find this forum useful.
 
I've read pretty much everything that I can, but I'm having second thoughts about this particular car.
 
The guy that owns it is obviously very busy and has been moving house.

He needs to get it an MOT, but assuming it will pass, I was prepared to travel 4 hours on a train to either buy it or run away.
So In communication with owner I know the following

161K miles

Both heated seats work

Air con isn't blowing cold but the compressor is kicking in

He's looked through the service history but there is no evidence of the oil cooler being done, that's not to say it might not have done
 There are receipts for services carried out in a level arch file that previous owner gave him when  he bought it

There is a receipt stating the gearbox oil was checked for condition at 152k, no recommendation to change but then at 158k there is a receipt for gearbox oil & filter change (June 2015, car has now done 161k)

- Timing Belt & Water Pump was also done at 152k

- Other work carried out in the last 2 years includes new battery, new radiator, replacement windscreen,, 4 tyres, front anti-roll bar end links, water heater valve replaced, exhaust system replaced.

There is a dent in one door (Omegod has a door in the correct colour, so no real issue)

It has an Irmscher front grille, finished in petrol blue, and No rust on any of the arches

I'm thinking my going off this particular car is a) It's rather miles away, b.) The air-con has thrown me. If it stopped working 12 mins after I got the car I'd live with it. c) I'm impatient.  d) I'll likely put at least 15K on the miles every year if not more, so whilst high miles does not faze me, it will quickly go higher.

The price he wants for it is less than I've spent on repairs and servicing of the family fleet in the last month, so not exactly going to break the bank if it all goes tits up. 

I've justified it to my long suffering wife, who gets chronic back pain in my mk4 astra (so called sports seats are crap)

So encourage me to hold on in there. No second hand car under a grand will be perfect, and it'll all be fine.

[frostbite]

Do it, you wont be disapointed 

[tunnie]

15k a year? That's a decent amount on an already high mile car, if you are handy with the spanners and happy to spend fair bit of time tinkering and sorting things out, you would be ok. But if you will rely on Garages for the work, I'd personally advise against purchase

[Lazydocker]

Sounds like you know one end of a spanner from the other.

If so, regular servicing will easily see it do you a few years at 15k per year

[Nick W]

Any used Omega will need money spent on it, especially if you're going to use it properly.


So buy as smart a car as you can find for £500, treat it to new shocks all round, plus the usual wishbones/joints, service it, fix the 'characteristic' oil leaks, and just drive it. There's nothing special about keeping one of these things.

[New POD]

15k a year? That's a decent amount on an already high mile car, if you are handy with the spanners and happy to spend fair bit of time tinkering and sorting things out, you would be ok. But if you will rely on Garages for the work, I'd personally advise against purchase

I'm not sure what to make of that. I have some amateur experience of repairing cars, but as I get older, I realise that some things are worth paying others to fix. I don't automatically think "Oh, the car is only worth £600 and the repairs are £600, so I should get rid"  My natural reaction to car repairs is "If I scrap it now I'll need to spend £1000 on a car today, so I might as well spend £1200 on fixing this one, if it gets me another year of motoring, even if it's only worth £500"

[Kevin Wood]

Well, if the previous owner had the gearbox fluid changed, then it sounds like it's been better cared for than most and a lot of the regular failure items are on your list of recent work.

High mileage isn't really a worry on a V6 Omega. They will get to 200k with ease and 300k if well cared-for.

As said, though, by far the biggest issue is the condition overall against price. Corrosion around the wheel arches and the rear ends of the sills, and on the tailgate of estates are the first signs of decay.

But, you have the right attitude to maintaining a car. If you only ever pay out what it's worth on repairs you won't get far in any 2nd hand car. At 15k a year, your biggest outlay by far will be fuel and a cheap Omega with 160k on the clock will soak up those miles more comfortably than it has any right to.

[New POD]

At 15k a year, your biggest outlay by far will be fuel and a cheap Omega with 160k on the clock will soak up those miles more comfortably than it has any right to.

I have done some man maths on the fuel. 

To get what I want i.e. comfortable petrol car with auto, cruise control, 5 seats and a big boot, there are a zillion options.
So I compared my Dad's recent purchase of a 1.3 petrol automatic focus estate, and estimated the cost per mile over the next 3 years.
Because of depreciation, if it achieved 100mpg, I'd still be cheaper per mile.

[omegod]

Howdy Newpod, Good bunch on here and shed loads of experience with Omega's. I don't actually have the right door but it will be easy to get one and i'll help chuck it on for you.

There's a chance the car in question has been through someone here's hands so a pic if the seller didn't mind nay turn up some more history. It's a decent looking rust free saloon to me ,barring the door ,and talk of a folder full of history is encouraging. 

[New POD]

Y474UGW if that helps

Not sure how to put a picture on here. Off to bed.

[Entwood]

If you are doing 15K a year have a think on LPG, check availability near you and consider cost of conversion, either DIY or professional .. big difference in price ... but both are possibles. Omega V6 takes to LPG like a duck to water, and IMHO is the way to go 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Might be worth mentioning the area the car is located. May be a member could go and take a look at it and report back.

[Doctor Gollum]

Right, time to put some fuel in the fire...

It's a 3.2.

No Mot, expired on July 30th. Needed new centre and back boxes for last MoT, but has an outstanding advisory for an oil leak. Has yet to be presented this year.

161k sounds about right from previous history...

[Kevin Wood]

If you are doing 15K a year have a think on LPG, check availability near you and consider cost of conversion, either DIY or professional .. big difference in price ... but both are possibles. Omega V6 takes to LPG like a duck to water, and IMHO is the way to go 

Yep, my 3.2 is achieving a fuel cost of less than 12p per mile on LPG currently. That's less than my previous car (1.8 Laguna) was costing on fuel back on 2006 petrol prices.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I still think as an every day car, and even at 15k a year it's perfectly doable. Especially if you scour ebay, for sale on here, and the like for various bargains; rather than buy it the day you need it/it breaks. A coil pack bought for twenty quid 'just in case', versus £100 helps to offset the fuel bills.  I do about 6k a year, used every single day. Town driving mainly, and has ploughed through 6 hours motorway driving nearly non-stop, several hundred miles without missing a beat.

Also it's Petrol Blue, so what are you waiting for, the next ten you see in similar condition will be Star Ruddy Silver!