Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 13:53:55

Title: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 13:53:55
hi what a great site i had to join.    I am just about to purchace a 1996 3.0 elite saloon. and i would love to know if there are any things i should be looking at to make sure its a ok buy. the owner has told me that he has changed the cam belt himself? not a job i would like to do on my own. but dose anyone think this is a job that should be done on a diy bassis.   it also showing 125.000 miles which sounds right for car but i do know that he has broken omegas in the past and it wouldnt take him much to change the clocks. is there anything i could look at to see if that has been done.    cheers for anyone willing to help
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: Auto Addict on 29 July 2007, 13:57:15
Ask him to show you the receipt for the parts, they should be genuine Vx parts only.
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 14:02:01
hi there he says he has recipt for belt and would be willing to show it to me and also the new belt on the car. but he hasnt changed the rollers or any other things that go with it. just seamed a odd thing for him to do only to sell it a couple of days later.  said 3.0 elite is on ebay at moment black saloon. 2 and a bit hours to go have a look and give me a honest opinon....cheers
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: Auto Addict on 29 July 2007, 14:07:26
It's not the belt that goes, it's the rollers that fail. It will need doing properly ASAP.
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 14:11:06
cheers for that really good advice.  got a quote from pentegon vaxhall of £609 for a full service and cam belt change. dose this sound right or do you think if i shop around i may get it a little cheaper
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: Auto Addict on 29 July 2007, 14:12:38
Is this the car?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-ELITE-AUTO-BLACK_W0QQitemZ320140212061QQihZ011QQcategoryZ9858QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 14:15:33
yup thats the one. what do you think. not alot of info there is there?
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: Auto Addict on 29 July 2007, 14:17:13
Quote
cheers for that really good advice.  got a quote from pentegon vaxhall of £609 for a full service and cam belt change. dose this sound right or do you think if i shop around i may get it a little cheaper

You could DIY, there's a Cambelt DVD available on here that gives you a step by step guide.

£609 is way over the top.
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: Auto Addict on 29 July 2007, 14:20:42
As regards to whether you should buy it or not, I'm afraid I could not comment without seeing the car 'In the flesh', sorry, but I will say that just by changing the cambelt will throw extra strain on the rollers, and could cause a disaster at any time, and I mean just by driving it home.

Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 14:26:04
thats fair enough again thanks for the really good advise. might consider trailering it back if i decide to go for it. it would be a shame to buy it for it only to implode in front of my eyes? but am determind to have one just a bitch of a job to find a clean one?....cheers
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: sassanach on 29 July 2007, 14:45:51
why would you pay £700 for a car and then pay £600 to put right what you know to be wrong with it?
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 14:50:27
hi there more peace of mind really. i would plan on keeping it for quite a while so if i had to pay through the nose to get it up to spek then so be it.   ive looked everywhere to find a fully serviced up car and  no luck at all. good point though...cheers
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: duggs on 29 July 2007, 14:51:40
IF I were you, I'd walk away.

Anyone who changes the belt without spending the time to change the rollers and pulleys really can't be trusted. He should darn well know that merely changing the belt isn't good enough...What else has been done half heartedly and "botched up".

There are plenty of good examples of Omega's on ebay.....don't take the chance....Trust me..Been there, got burnt, spent a fortune...but after an extra £1200 OVER the buying price...mine is now A1...Well as much as a 9 year old Omega can be A1 ???
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: sassanach on 29 July 2007, 15:16:17
wherabouts are you anyway?
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: maddy on 29 July 2007, 15:35:46
im in derby mate? a city void of any decent omega,s????
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: ffcgary1 on 29 July 2007, 15:57:49
keep an eye on here for a good one mate, as for the one your looking at then i would say that  you should walk away. Dont consider anything that cannot provide any documentaion on BELT AND ROLLER change within the 40,000 mile/4 year spec. Ignor the published guide of 80,000 as vx changed it after roller failure, you will get a good one just dont be too hasty. Best regards Gary. :y
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: x25xe on 29 July 2007, 16:24:54
Quote
keep an eye on here for a good one mate, as for the one your looking at then i would say that  you should walk away. Dont consider anything that cannot provide any documentaion on BELT AND ROLLER change within the 40,000 mile/4 year spec. Ignor the published guide of 80,000 as vx changed it after roller failure, you will get a good one just dont be too hasty. Best regards Gary. :y

Great advice there and not being hasty is the first rule of buying a vehicle.
Title: Re: help 3.0 elite
Post by: TheBoy on 29 July 2007, 23:27:28
Why did he change belt without rollers? Muppet. Bet he didn't use the timing kit either.

Cambelt kit is about £90 on tradeclub, and is DIY job - I'm sure the Derby locals could lend you a locking kit...   ...worth doing water pump as well for the £25, plus tenner for antifreeze...