On the subject of Carltons, I have owned my Diplomat since 1999 when it 89k, it now has 275k and has only been off the road since last summer due to a still un-diagnosed electrical issue. I used it every week at least two or three times up until then. It's a manual 2.0 in Spectral Blue with grey leather. I splashed out 2 grand on a repaint in 2012 as there were a few car park dents and a bit of rust on one front arch and the rear panel. Hoping to have it sorted in June. I was running my 1968 Vauxhall Victor since last summer but had to find something cheap for a runabout. I found a 2.0 8v Select estate on Ebay (one owner) and I love it, drives perfectly. It had a broken drivers mirror and the hubcaps were chewed to bits. I've replaced the door mirror and treated it to a set of very nice CD alloys from the face-lift model and spent a few hours cleaning the filthy interior. What else could you buy that reliable for £550 with MOT and no rust.
On the subject of cars becoming rare (British cars), I've been doing my own research on this since the Cortina went out of production in 82/3 - it's 15 years that is the point at which you see a car and think "I haven't seen one of them for a while". The Omega is nearly there.
I remember buying a mk4 V reg Cortina from my neighbour in 1995 for £60 with MOT, by that time it was viewed as and regarded as an old banger - possibly the last of the chrome bumper cars - and therefore the Sierra Dated every previous Ford instantly. The Omega to me is a 'modern car' that is far better than most 80's cars, and far better than most 21st century, un-repairable un'reliable, ugly creations.
Chris.