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[sgs1234]

Hi

I hope you can help? I looking to buy a 1996 omega. It has done 36000 miles and has an almost complete service history. I have spoken to the previous owner and he was very complimentary about it.

I am concerned about reliability issues with omegas? Are they generally quite reliable? Also should I get the timing belt changed? If so could anyone give me an estimate of the cost? I would really appreciate any advice on general maintenance to keep it running for a few years at least.

Regards

Steven

[Nick W]

Omegas are generally reliable if they've had regular, required maintenance.
My concern with the car you're looking at would be its lack of use; a 25 year old car with only 36k miles is likely to have most of the issues that lack of use normally causes - wiring problems, rubber degradation, partially seized components, rust etc - and that much of the required maintenance won't have been because it hasn't done enough miles. That makes it a project car in my opinion, and would only pay project money for it. Which would be £500max,  and that would require a smart interior and paint.

[Raeturbo]

It would help if you said what model it is👍

[sgs1234]

Thanks for the responses.

It is a 1997 2.0i 16v select.

It passed its MOT last month with no advisories. Is there anything I should check before buying?

[STEMO]

Thanks for the responses.

It is a 1997 2.0i 16v select.

It passed its MOT last month with no advisories. Is there anything I should check before buying?

How much does he want for it?

[ronnyd]

If it's the one on Auto Trader they want 2.5 grand.  Thought that the Select just had the 8 valve lump but not sure. 

[STEMO]

If it's the one on Auto Trader they want 2.5 grand.  Thought that the Select just had the 8 valve lump but not sure. 

The one in Peterborough? I'll have a nosey at the ad, then come back and slate it 

[STEMO]

Looks tidy enough, but I can never understand why dealers cover the reg plate so you can't check it's mot history. Puts me off straight away.

[ronnyd]

Looks tidy enough, but I can never understand why dealers cover the reg plate so you can't check it's mot history. Puts me off straight away.

My pet hate too.

[deviator]

Hello and welcome to the site.

As with all old cars, rust tends to be the killer. I've always thought the 2.0 was a bit small for a car as big as the Omega, even if it's the 16v x20xev engine. On that basis I'd want to drive it first.

If it is the 16v, it was about £45-50 for the belt kit. About another 30 for the water pump and about 2 hours labour. But it's been a few years since a ventured near a 2.0.

As mentioned above, because of the age, expect to spend some money replacing the usual items, suspension, bushes, gaskets etc; also because the age, I'd check the date stamp on the tyres, they might have lots of tread, but if they are 10 years, they aren't much good.

Overall, like any car, stay on top of rust and maintenance and it should last forever.

[sgs1234]

Thanks that's really useful.

[MonzaGSE]

I have done this. Bought a 1997 2,0 16v estate in 2018. Old man had it from new and had now passed away. Car had only done 60.000 km. Was registered but not well maintained. Both rear doors and rear arches are heavily corroded. Had to replace brake pads and free up the brakes. Also changed cam cover gasket due to the old one was like plastic and leaking. Cleaned up blocked breather system and cleaned idle control valve to fix uneven idling. 3 years later the car has been in pretty much daily use. At least in the winter. It was bought to avoid driving my v6 on Norways salted winter roads. Its done almost 100.000 kms now and the only time it really went wrong was when the cam sensor failed. But got me home even then and was easy to change. We have two other Omegas but this one you can actually feel when driving that its a low miler. Been very reliable and just passed a new MOT which in Norway gives it two more years on the road. After that i must decide to either get the rust fixed or scrap it. I dont think the 2,0 16v feels particulary slow. It certainly aint fast. But as a daily driver its powerful enough.

[Rangie]

If you are serious about buying a low mileage older vehicle why not have it inspected by a professional ? When I purchased my 30,000 mile E430 a few years back that's what I did cost me £60 and all he found was a drivers door mirror fault, ran the car for almost five years & sold it back to the Merc specialist I bought it from apart from two tyres & oil changes cost me nothing. Good luck with it .

[omegod]

That Omega has been advertised for a while, I think it was nearer 4 grand initially

[STEMO]

That Omega has been advertised for a while, I think it was nearer 4 grand initially

Jesus! The price of an Everton defender 

[Doctor Gollum]

That Omega has been advertised for a while, I think it was nearer 4 grand initially

Jesus! The price of an Everton defender 

Better value then

[Enceladus]

Hmmm!

15" steel wheels? Didn't 16V Select have alloys?
15" 91H tyres, are they the correct load rating? Wouldn't factory have been 94?

I hope the upholstery is perfect. I doubt if you'll find another set anywhere in that colour scheme.

Black paint looks terrible unless it's perfect. Has it been repainted?

The front suspension bushes and ball-joints will almost certainly be shot and once the front suspension is completely rebuilt the suspension will need to be re-aligned by a specialist, otherwise it will shred the front tyres. The rear track rods will likely be seized solid.

The exhaust will likely need replacing at that sort of mileage.

I would have thought £180 as scrap. And that's likely what 2 Bears paid the dealer where it was traded in. £500 as a private sale at best, assuming it's perfect and honest.

Rangie's advice is sound, get it inspected by a specialist. Especially concerning structural rust, which might be hidden by the sill covers. Rear brake back plates aren't available anywhere, so bad news if they're rusted through.

[Doctor Gollum]

You would wannt to have that spec to buy it.

No passenger or side airbags.
No aircon.
Auto box is going to kill whatever motivation the 2.0 has... It's a revvy engine so better suited to a manual.

A better bet would be the silver '53 2.2 CDX with 33k for the same money. Or the £1,250 '52 one with 103k.

[cam.in.head]

its all a matter of personal choice here.i prefer the later cars but if this early model is the type you want it certainly looks a stunner but then also (and maybee more so)does the dark green 2.5 p reg model also on ebay.
as for condition then yes you certainly need someone to inspect the car who knows omegas but considering they dont realy rust that bad compared to cars from decades before and certainly not to a level where rust would kill the car.( this obviously depends on your own skills or a friends or even trusting a garage !)
yes all cars rust even new cars eventually so its just a case of examining it well .
to me ( and this is where many will disagree) its worth paying a higher price for a super low mileage car. yes it may need attention due to the actual low mileage but not 100% definately.it depends how the car has been driven,stored and maintained over the years.this is the thing that can make or break the car.
it wont 100% need all new suspension,bushes,tyres,brakes etc etc .in fact i wouldnt expect it to .
the benefit of an original low mileage car over a regular average ( or even restored) car is the feeling of tightness and newness that can never be replicated. both those cars mentioned for example have at first glance immaculate interiors and trim.paint looks excellent and the cars look almost new .this is hard and expensive to replicate without replacing many hard to find pieces and even harder to replicate the tightness and new feeling you get in a super low mileage car.
over the years ive owned and driven many cars and helped people search for cars when they needed them and ive had a few super low mileage cars myself.i may have been lucky but they turned out to be the best cars i bought( still have some)and would always reccomend that people buy the best available .
those 2 on ebay are a fair price for what you are actually getting and eventually as car prices rise it will just be the grotty ones that fetch that sort of money.
omegas will rise just like any other cars do. sure they are low now ( for your average standard high mileage typical 15-20 year old car) but hidden gems are starting to appear.
finally please remember that this advice above is MY opinion. its what I would do .
if the original poster wants the grey 2.0 omega and is happy with the price and condition then subject to a thorough examination he could end up with a superb car.( sure the 2.0 may not match the v6 but the mk3 carltons were nippy enough with just a 8valve 2 litre so the omega should be fine with a 16v) but it would be driven first anyway obviously !
nuff said .

[Rangie]

its all a matter of personal choice here.i prefer the later cars but if this early model is the type you want it certainly looks a stunner but then also (and maybee more so)does the dark green 2.5 p reg model also on ebay.
as for condition then yes you certainly need someone to inspect the car who knows omegas but considering they dont realy rust that bad compared to cars from decades before and certainly not to a level where rust would kill the car.( this obviously depends on your own skills or a friends or even trusting a garage !)
yes all cars rust even new cars eventually so its just a case of examining it well .
to me ( and this is where many will disagree) its worth paying a higher price for a super low mileage car. yes it may need attention due to the actual low mileage but not 100% definately.it depends how the car has been driven,stored and maintained over the years.this is the thing that can make or break the car.
it wont 100% need all new suspension,bushes,tyres,brakes etc etc .in fact i wouldnt expect it to .
the benefit of an original low mileage car over a regular average ( or even restored) car is the feeling of tightness and newness that can never be replicated. both those cars mentioned for example have at first glance immaculate interiors and trim.paint looks excellent and the cars look almost new .this is hard and expensive to replicate without replacing many hard to find pieces and even harder to replicate the tightness and new feeling you get in a super low mileage car.
over the years ive owned and driven many cars and helped people search for cars when they needed them and ive had a few super low mileage cars myself.i may have been lucky but they turned out to be the best cars i bought( still have some)and would always reccomend that people buy the best available .
those 2 on ebay are a fair price for what you are actually getting and eventually as car prices rise it will just be the grotty ones that fetch that sort of money.
omegas will rise just like any other cars do. sure they are low now ( for your average standard high mileage typical 15-20 year old car) but hidden gems are starting to appear.
finally please remember that this advice above is MY opinion. its what I would do .
if the original poster wants the grey 2.0 omega and is happy with the price and condition then subject to a thorough examination he could end up with a superb car.( sure the 2.0 may not match the v6 but the mk3 carltons were nippy enough with just a 8valve 2 litre so the omega should be fine with a 16v) but it would be driven first anyway obviously !
nuff said .

. 

Entirely agree, I only ever buy cars with low mileage and a documented service history and have never had a bad one don't believe it's anything to do with luck just plain commonsense & doing your homework.