Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: philhoward on 29 June 2008, 20:29:25
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On the back of the "Most Disappointing car", what car has surprised you the most? The car that you through would be a turd, but made you want to drive it more?
I have 2 Vx's to start the ball rolling...
1994 Cav 2.0 CDi (8v) - the works hack. 250k on the clock. Still posted my fasted time ever from home to Ellesmere Port (64 miles of the A51 in 59 minutes), stuck to the road like glue and still returned 39mpg...god knows how! 3rd gear in that was a revelation - 30 to 90-odd mph - great for slip roads!
Nova 1.5TD Merit+ 5 door...nothing else says "shopping trolley" more, but so much fun terrorising 525 BMW's on the fast lane of the M5 from Brum to Bristol one day - flat out most of the way and 65mpg to boot. If only i could find one with doors still made of metal...and power steering!
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cavalier GSI, had 3 of them, at first, i thought they were going to handle crap but as soon as i got in it, it felt perfect! :o
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Vauxhall nova 1.2 saloon... was my mums but I loved it! The saloon looked great (at the time) and drove like a gem. Got 120mph out of her going down to cornwall in the early hours. Fantastic mobile!
Calibra 2.5 v6... had it new... loved it!!! :y
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Naughty naughty.... very naughty ;D ;D ;D
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I liked my 1993 Cavalier 1.7 TD. Had the car from 6 months old then scrapped it when it was beyond economic repair at almost 180k miles. 2 kids learned to drive in it, it towed some helluva weights in trailers for my scout group and still kept coming back for more. Had to get valve clearances/shims done a couple of times but it was worth it. I thought it was worth the dosh and lasted quite a few years more than anticipated.... :y
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Got to be my MV6. Only intended to keep for a few months, that was 4.5yrs ago...
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Naughty naughty.... very naughty ;D ;D ;D
It was matey, especially when they admitted if I hadnt of slowed when I did they wouldnt have cought me for 2 reasons.
One was they couldnt keep up, and the second was thier temp gauge was in the red.
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
I have always wanted a sylia s15 for drifting/ track racing, bit to out of my price range though :'( :y
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Got to be my MV6. Only intended to keep for a few months, that was 4.5yrs ago...
Cool! Forgot all about my mig ::) stupid boy :P
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I liked my 1993 Cavalier 1.7 TD. Had the car from 6 months old then scrapped it when it was beyond economic repair at almost 180k miles. 2 kids learned to drive in it, it towed some helluva weights in trailers for my scout group and still kept coming back for more. Had to get valve clearances/shims done a couple of times but it was worth it. I thought it was worth the dosh and lasted quite a few years more than anticipated.... :y
Forgot about my Cav TD!! 20k in 6 months, towed cars here and there,(ahem), started, went, stopped, never complained once. Didn't surprise me as the service chaps at work had them and couldn't stop praising them - hence the reason I tried one..
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Got to be my MV6. Only intended to keep for a few months, that was 4.5yrs ago...
Cool! Forgot all about my mig ::) stupid boy :P
I new they were going to be good before i drove one, i saw one outside a forecourt and i had a gut feeling :y
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Naughty naughty.... very naughty ;D ;D ;D
It was matey, especially when they admitted if I hadnt of slowed when I did they wouldnt have cought me for 2 reasons.
One was they couldnt keep up, and the second was thier temp gauge was in the red.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Superb!!! But you are a good citizen :y
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I have to agree with the MV6, I have to admit i was expecting something a little more bland, happily it has been surprisingly good :y thing is I fancy an estate now. 8-)
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I had a Carlton 2.6, and my Miggy too, but they weren't really surprises. I've had some very good cars, but I am only listing the biggest surprises.
Vx Chevette 1300
Fiesta Mk1 1.1 (light as hell and hence nippy)
PUG 306 D-Turbo
But the biggest suprise of all was a Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 2000TC Abarth. Aerodynamics of a house-brick, but what a joy to drive; and I've never had a gearbox as good; not before and not since.
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Good question this. :y
For me it has to be the Peugeot 405 Sri.
Picked it up very cheap as I was broke at the time and needed transport quickly.
It was brilliant. Had it for nearly 2 years and it never have me a single problem (not even any electrical glitches!). Handled very well, was actually quite quick and always returned at least 30mpg even when I caned it (which happened regularly).
Sold it when I got a Mondeo diesel as a company car... which was bl**dy horrible!
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Good question this. :y
Thanks [smiley=wink.gif]
For me i t has to be the Peugeot 405 Sri.
Picked it up very cheap as I was broke at the time and needed transport quickly.
It was brilliant. Had it for nearly 2 years and it never have me a single problem (not even any electrical glitches!). Handled very well, was actually quite quick and always returned at least 30mpg even when I caned it (which happened regularly).
Reminds me of my Citroen BX GTi (same engine) - £110 from ebay, no T&T. £50 for an exhaust, £30 for a set of discs and pads, then back on the road. Bloody quick, and near on 40mpg to boot - plus handled great. Wish i hadn't sold it now...
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1965 Daimler Sovereign 250V....... :y :y :y
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I had the Bx Gti 16v a while back.... oh what a wonderful car that was.
Handled like no other fwd car I have ever had before or since. Shame I snapped the cambelt at approx 5,500rpm ::)
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Can't believe i'm going to admit this but....the most suprisingly good car i ever owned was a Yugo 1300 on a y plate...82/3? Blue, FWD based on the Fiat 128. I was a single Dad in the early 90's & skint. Bought this for £85, it was very nippy, used no fuel, handled like a go cart & had a new MOT. I ran it for a few months, sold it for £90, bought it back with no MOT for £30, stripped it out for racing, got 2 meetings, then the cambelt let go on the DD of the 2nd meet. Weighed it in for £18.
P.S. I never taxed it!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
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I think a special mention must go to Mrs TB's little 25. OK, its built to a price, but it really is a great little runaround.
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cavalier GSI, had 3 of them, at first, i thought they were going to handle crap but as soon as i got in it, it felt perfect! :o
yep with you on that one jimbob i do miss my old cavvy gsi ! :'(
but as surprised by my mv6 ;) :y
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I had the Bx Gti 16v a while back.... oh what a wonderful car that was.
Handled like no other fwd car I have ever had before or since. Shame I snapped the cambelt at approx 5,500rpm ::)
Just as it was coming on song as well...never had a 16v (I can dream), but have been told its one of the greatest 4 cylinder engines ever made...
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SWMBO has a 94 1.4L astra. She can't bear to get rid lol. Mind u, it goes thru its MOT's with few probs and still drives even when my Elite is off the road lol. Not as fast of course - feels like a wind up toy to me he he!
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Still miss my RS 2000 mk2 flat front,
Crapi fuel tank in the boot, Fire walled, full cage, 3.9 LSD, Serria 5sp Box 2.8i Bilsteins 190lb front spring single leaf rears, 2.1 Pinto with twin 45's
All good things come to an end.
Then you find something better, my miggy :y :y :y :y
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Most surprising was a banger Avenger estate my parents bought.
Handling and comfort were amazing.
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Mine are (1) An 'A' reg 1.6 GLS Cavalier had factory sunroof and lovely brown velour seats, bought it for £50 with a nacked engine had it for almost 3 yrs my mum & SWMBO loved it as did I,
(2) was a 1981 Mk1 Astra 1600 in yukky green, bought it for my youngest daughter who took 1 look at it and stated "I'm not driving that thing it looks like somebody's sneezed all over it" hence it's nickname of achoo & my user name but it was a very quick car,
(3) has got to be this MV6 miggy of mine I love it and it's noise so does SWMBO.
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i have a couple:
my Jamaica yellow 1.6 GL Mk2 Cavalier.....
We went everywhere in that car, it was truly amazing as it just kept going.
Mk Mk1 1967 Mini - that was a cracking car, bought for £150 i ran it for a year, we overheated it, set fire to it, ran it with the valves bouncing for about an hour as we were racing to get home in an emergency and the little thing would not lay down and die, it still lives today NAC629F
My Omega Elite, Bought for £2750 i did nearly 70,000 miles in 2 years and it was pivotal in the success of my business, without it's reliability i could have lost some big contracts, 2 years later i sold it for £2k......i believe it died in mysterious circumstances :'(
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I hired a 1.4L escort to go on holiday with about 18 years ago... while the works car was being "repaired".... (engine rebuild ;) )
bloody hell it went round corners well, given the cardboard cut outs it had for rims and boots.... and the engine was eager enough as well.... kept us in front of my mate's 1.6 astra..... and used next to bugger all in fuel, all things considered....
it was indeed, surprisingly good.
not good enough to make me want to buy one you understand, but fair play, it was alright for a shopping trolley....
was SO glad to get my Carlton back afterwards though...
bought my first senny next..... JEEEZus that opened my eyes !
(and my wallet)
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Got to agree with the 2.0 8v Cavy - mine would have ran forever if the bodywork could have survived as well as the rest of it.
Most surprising car I've ever driven though was a hired Nissan Micra '07 plate - you would not believe the speed I had that thing at. If it wasn't so god damn pot ugly I would of had one.
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Nissan Sylvia Turbo
Had 2 niggles but were both sorted at the 100 mile oil change. Never put a boot wrong after that.
Even managed to get me a speeding fine, after I slowed down for the SD1 trying to catch up. ;D ;D ;D ;D
I gotta add the flying brick to this.
Would seat 7
was a 2 door, but the rear seat passengers could get out if the driver leant forward.
Very Loud
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasive boot.
Steer with 1 finger.
The list goes on.
Used to use it at work to shunt skips arround,
Was a seriously quick car, and once the standard boots came off and Low Profiles went on it, you could then chuck it anywhere, just had to be ultra carefull on the power slides (they would start on thier own it a straight line - No LSD) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D If I could have any of my old cars back I reckon that would have to be the one.