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[dave the builder]

very nice 
are those 195/65/15 tyres  or wider ?

205/65R15.  Apparently they had special high speed W or Y rated ones supplied in period for Motorway cars. This car is on Goodyears all round with a manufactured date of 2003/4, and they are not.  It handles potholes, and kerbs well

maybe they put tyres /steel wheels( that they had in the stores)  on the car when it was sent to auction/sold off so it had good tyres ,too old for the police to use dated 2003/4 but perfectly acceptable to put on an auction car to bump up the price, no one would check the dates,just think"great....new tyres "

we put all the duff wheels/bald tyres/knackered wheel trims on cars sent to auction and kept the good ones for cars we retailed when i was working in cars 

[456lbft]

It has got Goodyears fitted but only V rated on now, which did occur to me when I may have strayed slightly over the legal limit the other day...
also we remeasured the front discs and they are definitely smaller than my other MV6.  Seeing as it is the caliper that would foul the smaller wheels, I don't know why that is the case, unless some aftermarket discs have been fitted at some point.  Unfortunately at the mometn, I don't have space to get both cars in the workshop at the same time to analyse in more detail.

[Doctor Gollum]

What size is the spare on the other one... 

[dave the builder]

i'd be checking its got 6 cylinders and not 4 if it's got smaller brakes 

are the smaller discs original  or has someone been swapping parts for the wrong ones 

as for wheels, 15" GM steel wheels fit over the discs on my 2.6
(the spare is a 195/65/15 steel)

years ago Vauxhall carlton/Omega A 15 inch diplomat alloys had 2 variants ,1 fitted only smaller brakes fitted to the 4 pots ,the other fitted the strait 6 bigger brake size

maybe your V11 VXL  reg ? car has BIGGER brakes than standard ,fitted by the owner who worked for a Vauxhall dealer 

[Doctor Gollum]

I've posted the dimensions at least three times recently 

It should have:

Fronts 296x28 vented.

Rear 286x20 vented.

Sounds like someone fitted the EARLY four pot stuff if they're smaller.

Also, I told you so re the spare... And yes, the tyres are underated.

[johnnydog]

Looking forward to showing this off at Beaulieu this weekend.

Still shocked at how well it has been looked after, for an ex-service car.

Irrespective of some of the questionable or possibly misguided assumptions banded about regarding your car,  it is a lovely and well presented Omega and as long as the brakes meet the legal requirements for a current VOSA test, and you are happy with their performance, I personally would be very proud to have such a good example . Go out and enjoy it, both on the road and at car shows!!
You have two beautifully presented MV6's, which some don't have the luxury of and maybe never will again due decent examples becoming scarcer and harder to find, so just enjoy them!!

[Doctor Gollum]

No one has suggested that it isn't a nice car, it clearly is!, or that it shouldn't be enjoyed

But under braked and under tyred, it won't be doing much of either for very long.

[Rangie]

Wouldn't cost much to make it perfect, but still a very good looking vehicle to be proud of.

[456lbft]

No one has suggested that it isn't a nice car, it clearly is!, or that it shouldn't be enjoyed

But under braked and under tyred, it won't be doing much of either for very long.

It is a lot of fun, and I shall enjoy getting it how I want it over the next year.  Although the pedal feel is typically long and spongey, it pulls up remarkably well, probably helped by having the correct pads fitted. I don't intend to get close to the speed rating limit of the tyres, and certainly not when full of passengers and luggage.  There have been a couple of occasions when I wished that the blue lights were still fitted, when late for an appointment...but I know that would get me in even more trouble! It even managed a commendable 30mpg on brim to brim measurement on my last tankful which included a good mix of a long motorway run to Beaulieu and back and some everyday use.  For what it owes me so far, I love it.   

[Doctor Gollum]

If the brakes are undersized, then they aren't the correct pads, or have I missed something 

Likewise the tyre ratings. Granted, they aren't that far out of spec, but there's a reason why it left the factory with 94Ws fitted

[456lbft]

If the brakes are undersized, then they aren't the correct pads, or have I missed something 

Likewise the tyre ratings. Granted, they aren't that far out of spec, but there's a reason why it left the factory with 94Ws fitted

Unfortunately I still haven't established if the caliper is correct, but the disc is apparently smaller (according to my colleague here who measured it when he had a wheel off to check)
Obviously if the caliper is right (and there's no reason for it not to be if a 15" wheel will fit), then the pads will fit.  I will make sure I have a much closer look myself, when I next take a wheel off,
which will probably be when we change the brake fluid and fit a new set of the correct sized discs.  As for the tyres, I am enjoying not having to worry about potholes and parking next to kerbs as much as I do with freshly refurbed 17" alloys.  When the car gets to the next stage of development and I can afford some bigger brakes, the steels will make way for some 6 spoke 17" alloys that came off an '03 Elite, with new 97W rated tyres fitted.

[Doctor Gollum]

Don't forget the rear brakes whilst you are at it... If someone has cheaped out enough to fit early 4 pot front discs, then I wouldn't be surprised if the rear discs are solid... Which then begs the question of what else has been 'overlooked' 

[456lbft]

I will bear that in mind and keep everyone posted. 

[johnnydog]

I will bear that in mind and keep everyone posted.

That should read 'I will bear that in mind and keep DG posted'.

[456lbft]

I will bear that in mind and keep everyone posted.

That should read 'I will bear that in mind and keep DG posted'.

It's all in the detail...