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5986

General Car Chat / Re: Heated Steering Wheel

« on: 12 December 2010, 22:11:06 »

heard many moons ago (when the new omega was coming out 'soon', ie: 2004ish) it would have photo-chromic glass, which tinted at the flick of a switch, and heated steering wheel.

dont know when GM decided not to replace the omega (no one say to me the word 'signum', please) but clearly they never did, but how far on in the design phase did it get? and was a heated wheel just  bit of car-mag fabrication?

I think its a great idea, but dont know of its existence on many production cars. They have been on about it for several years, though. I think its on the same  to-do list as self-driving cars, plastic engines (yes!), and the fully-recycled car.

The odd top-spec Jag, Lexus, Merc, etc etc. have them, I think 

5987

General Car Chat / Re: Elite vs MV6

« on: 11 December 2010, 21:41:57 »

Haha. You've whittled it down to the highest spec, most expensive Omega, with the biggest engine, have you?

Was that a hard decision, may I ask?

And NCDC 2013 wth Sat Nav standard on 3.2 V6  When the 3.2 came in my2001, they seemed to pitch it as a slight 'cut-above' a 'normal' Elite, so a 2.6 V6 Elite wont have SatNav (well, not as standard, at any rate)

5988

General Car Chat / Re: Elite vs MV6

« on: 11 December 2010, 20:57:25 »

I always thought of the MV6 as CD-CDX kind-of level, in terms of 'rank'. Of course nothing is cast in stone, and there are trim variations etc.. so not sure if there'll ever be a definitive answer as to which is 'better' than which. A personal preference thing, really.

Elite definitely has more kit, plenty of little toys the MV6 doesnt have. Blind, electric seats, autodip mirror(i think?!)leather (leather MV6 recaro extra-cost option) Will dig out my brochures later if SMD is still wanting that definitive answer. Here to help 

5989

General Car Chat / Re: How dose Climate control work below 4c

« on: 10 December 2010, 21:38:41 »

Is the air-con switch-off feature common to all Omegas with CC, then? Or is this just a farcelift thing?

I've just never heard it! Always put it on ECO during winter, to save wasting the air-con.

5990

General Car Chat / Re: Strange goings on with the car!

« on: 06 December 2010, 22:46:00 »

Haha. Best take that GENUINE Vx part back to the dealer and demand a replacement. I wouldnt not leave until you have a replacement thermostat, a written apology, and the receptionists mobile number. 

5991

General Car Chat / Re: Meet the Parents...

« on: 06 December 2010, 23:06:24 »

I thought that car looked very well indeed - interesting link DBG. 8-)

Thanks! I thought it was interesting, yeah.

It was the last bit of styling Luton really did, this, and the Royale. Sadly all they really did was the bonnet/headlamps, and the top of the dash on the Royale. Oh, and the badge (!) That must have been a busy half hour for the design team  before they collected their cards 

5992

General Car Chat / Re: Meet the Parents...

« on: 06 December 2010, 22:37:52 »

I did say dont quote me on it. .........sounding a tad pedantic to me.
It would seem that Carlton and Senator were both produced from 78 to 94, although as you say, they didnt decide to stick a griffin on the front of a Senator until some time later.

Just to defend myself at bit- I was actually trying not to be pedantic, Albs. Hence why I said they both came out '78, ie: I didnt want to correct you, point out you were wrong, albeit by a matter of days. I was actually supporting your viewpoint, feller  (my eloquence/tact was obviously limited at gone midnight!)

I actually think there's too much of this 'technically correct' business around on forums, and I was trying to avoid that, and support your opinion, 'technically' wrong, though it was. We both know what the other's saying, both cars came out in '78, though only the Opel version was badges Senny, Vx version some time later, as you quite rightly point out. Basically I wasn't 'having a pop' at you, or anything 

Love or loathe the car in the original post, it is, in every sense the equivalent of all the cars we drive today. (ahh, now looking over my shoulder for a can of worms hurtling toward me  8-) )


Oh, and mathewst, that front end is Vauxhall-only, canned in 1981-ish. The Rekord was different, and a bit nicer, yeah (http://www.carsablanca.de/files/medias/filename/Opel%20Rekord%20E%20Berlina%20orange_0935_big.jpg) though you can see how the Vx version influenced future Carltons versions more so than the Opel front.

I best put up a pic of an Irsmcher Omega or something before any more people say they hate this Carlton! 

5993

General Car Chat / Re: Meet the Parents...

« on: 02 December 2010, 00:26:33 »

Iirc the Carlton didnt begat the Senator. Infact the Senator may have been around first, but dont quote me on it.. :-/

Carlton, Viceroy, Royale all shared the same platform, they were the 'V-cars' (Chevette was T-Car, Cavalier was J-Car, incidentally) The brand new 1978 V-Car platform as a whole started off the long history that finally cumninated in the 1994 Omega, and the last hurrah, Monaro.

When I said 'without this, there'd be no...blah...blah..' I was referring to the subsequent Senator Mk II, from 87-94 and the Senator Mk I (at least with a griffin on the front) didnt arrive 'til 1982/3

I can actually dig out my original press releases for the V-Cars, which give the exact dates of when each model was launched in the UK, but, to be honest Albs, Im not so pedantic as to try and prove you technically wrong, ie: which car was first by a matter of days/weeks, thirty-odd years ago! They were all launched in '78, basically 

5994

General Car Chat / Re: Meet the Parents...

« on: 01 December 2010, 21:12:05 »

Ah, but this is where it all started...without that car, this site would not exist, no Omega, Senator, Monaro, Catera, no more flagship Vauxhall or Opels, no GSi or Lotus Carltons. I salute it for that :-)

Perhaps one day people will be looking at a 30-year old 3.2 MV6 and saying it's just some saloon that wasnt as good as a 5-series. Hope not, as that would be unfair. 

5995

General Car Chat / Meet the Parents...

« on: 01 December 2010, 20:24:07 »

Well, this is a case of respect your elders, know whereof you came, family history, etc...

To all Omega owners, check this lovely old girl out...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1982-VAUXHALL-CARLTON-2-0-Automatic-Mk1-Droop-Snoot-/220696233596?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item336285467c#ht_5006wt_1139

I think it looks fantastic, every bit the equivalent of a '02 Omega GLS 2.0, not the fastest, or the highest spec, by any standards, but a good car, nonetheless. Some lovely photots, and a pleaseure to look at.

I've had my twopenneth (never thought id use that word in a sentence) so what do you all think? 8-) 8-)




(got sent this link by a friend, he nor I have any connection with the car)

5996

General Car Chat / Re: thinking of new wheels

« on: 01 December 2010, 18:26:50 »

Personally Im waiting for some of the new Insignia wheels to find their way onto an Omega. I really think there are some very stylish wheel designs, which would suit the Omegas curved well. Possibly would look better on a pre-farcelift, as they dont look as 'blocky'.

Also would tend to suggest no larger than 18", ideally 17" on Omegas. 19" VXR Astra/ Vectra wheels look amazing on an Omega, but they do shorten the car, visually. 17" seems to be about right.

5997

General Car Chat / Re: Would I look like a drug dealer if

« on: 01 December 2010, 18:19:13 »

Personally I do not think being a drug dealer is a nice/good thing, all joking aside.

However, joking back again, looking like a drug dealer is fine!! Go for it, an Alpina 7series is very cool, and I hate BMWs! Its also cool as only people who know cars know what it is.

Does that have Alpina badges, instead of the Beemer Blue propellors, by the way?

5998

General Car Chat / Re: NOT happy wit the MoT man

« on: 01 December 2010, 17:37:29 »

Thanks for your comments, glad my opinions are not in the minority.

The current situation is...

Have rung the Omega breaker guy I know, who also happens to work at MoT place. I have hammered out a preliminary kind of deal. He is willing to give us an old wishbone, complete with decent ball joint for free, if it helps. As the retest didnt go though the computer, and he is still within his 10 working days of the initial MoT, he is going to do us a retest himself, no charge. If he sees fit that the balljoint is a bit iffy, then he's happy for us to give him our word of honour that it will be changed (and it will, he knows we're not trying to pull any wool over anyone's eyes)

On the other hand, if he can't find any play in said balljoint, well obviously he's happy to pass it there and then.
 
Im not going to start slaggin anyone off, I do think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding, but the Omega breaker bloke has been nothing but helpful, and can see our point of view, and knows we've been grafting, trying to keep another Omega on the road. 


So.... I think I've done good. I think I've saved my mate 25 for a balljoint/50 for a wishbone, and 45 for a retest. There's not a lot left in the budget, so thats 70quid which can be better spent on oil, filters, nice new coolant and maybe a working rear blind 

Fingers crossed

5999

General Car Chat / Re: NOT happy wit the MoT man

« on: 01 December 2010, 00:51:02 »

OOH THANKYOU! ! ! ! ! THANKYOU FELLOW OOFERS!

I have everyone around me telling me "well, what can you do? Pay up and look happy" I'm sorry, but I/he can't. I know its not strictly speaking my problem, its my mates car/mates problem, but I just feel so 'part of' this project, I want to see him right. The posterior of it all is that one of the guys who works at the mot place also breaks Omegas - he sold us a load of the bits! Im going to ring him tomorrow, find out his opinion on it all.

I dont know if the tester thought we were just having a laugh by not bothering to change the balljoint. If someone knocked at your door and asked for 70quid, you'd tell them where to go. This is exactly what Mr Mot is doing, he has no moral (tho probably legal) right to do this.

How about we put the old wobbly hub/bearing back in, and a brand new genuine Vx balljoint - he MUST then surely pass it, yes?  After all the problem MUST be cured, as we've put a new balljoint in, hurray!! 

6000

General Car Chat / NOT happy with the MoT man

« on: 01 December 2010, 00:21:39 »

Me and my mate have just spent the last two weeks, in this wonderful heatwave we've been recently having sorting out his NEW Elite, to get her ready for the Mot.

The list done on his otherwise pretty straight and nice '98 Elite is...
New taillamp
1 headlight (duff adjuster, as always!)
Freed off sticky brake caliper, plus all others now moving nice and freely
Good 2nd hand exhaust
Total replacement of scratched switchgear, various other bits interior trim.

So we've not been lazy, as you see. She failed (oh well) on a few bits, easy remedy. Was outside (yes, OUTSIDE) in hail and slush for 5 hours replacing bits. She failed on...

-Couple of bulbs
-Balljoint n/s
-Play in o/s wishbone bush
-Handbrake
-Very bottom of 1 rear spring cracked

Odd it failed on a balljoint as the wishbone had only been on for two months before we bought the car! The MoT guy showed him the wheel wobble (small knocking at 12and6 with roadwheel fitted) Few days later I came round and he and I found the wheel wobble was NOT the balljoint, but the hub-bearings. This being proven by popping the balljoint out, and clearly the brake disc still knocked/wobbled.

We promptly spent two days outside (again, joy!) fitting new hubs, new o/s wishbone (faulty bush). There is now NO wheel wobble n/s or o/s. Upon returning a week later to the Mot place, the guy promtly failed it AGAIN saying "you've not done that balljoint" when my mate explained that he knew that, we had cured the wobble, though it wasnt the balljoint, but the bearing; he just said "theres still some play"

This is just not the case, and he especially feels that he's been taken for a bit of a ride, I certainly feel that all our hard work has been for nought. He doesnt have the money to go chucking at the car, he got it because I told him Omegas are reliable, don't cost a lot to keep going!

The issue is, of course not cost of a ball joint, a QH one is 12quid, but the principle of the matter- shelling out another 45pounds he shouldn't need to, and the fact Mr. MoT wasnt really doing his job properly by saying the wheel wobble was balljoint, when it was hub.

So where does he stand? If we'd replaced the balljoint, but not hub, the play would still have been there, and it would surely have failed again 'on a balljoint', if he replaced the balljoint with new tomorrow, this wouldnt/wont improve the car one iota, as there ISN'T any play there in the first place. I really do think it's a case of Mr.Mot not waning to be proven wrong, so he's seeing play where there is none. If we'd cleaned up the wishbone/balljoint, made it look like a different one, I am certain he would have passed her on the spot.

Just imagine how you'd feel after a fortnight of working in the freezing cold to be told you're work isn't up to minimum legal standard. I am not happy. Not anywhere near!