Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Ever Ready on 22 May 2016, 14:03:18

Title: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Ever Ready on 22 May 2016, 14:03:18
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-Vauxhall-Omega-2-2-16V-CD-4dr-Auto-4-door-Saloon-/262434725256

£500, no M.O.T. & head gasket gone  35,000 miles

Mileage looks ok on the M.O.T. checker

Too far anyway

What's a good Scottish car doing down in the Smoke :)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: biggriffin on 22 May 2016, 17:44:17
Half that, and a bit. :o
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 22 May 2016, 19:28:47
Was the 2.2 officially called 'Omega'? ::) ::) :)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: biggriffin on 22 May 2016, 19:52:35
Was the 2.2 officially called 'Omega'? ::) ::) :)

Think reply #1 answers both questions  ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: ronnyd on 22 May 2016, 19:55:04
I,ts a crying shame that some of us mere mortals only drive a Desmond ;)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Ever Ready on 22 May 2016, 20:10:18
Was the 2.2 officially called 'Omega'? ::) ::) :)
I think it was just an ''O'' ;D ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Viral_Jim on 22 May 2016, 23:53:13
I,ts a crying shame that some of us mere mortals only drive a Desmond ;)

In defence of the Desmond. No omega is what you'd objectively call "fast". Maybe the easier maintenance and better fuel economy (albeit not good) justify the lack of noise?
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 May 2016, 02:54:18
I,ts a crying shame that some of us mere mortals only drive a Desmond ;)

In defence of the Desmond. No omega is what you'd objectively call "fast". Maybe the easier maintenance and better fuel economy (albeit not good) justify the lack of noise?
Clearly never driven an ex plod 3.2 manual in anger then ;D

Joking aside, the desmond makes for a perfectly reasonable way of getting from A to B, and although it lacks the outright grunt of the bigger V6s, it has the same chassis... so if set up properly will still be a joy cross country  8)

That said, try it in an auto one, and the economy will sink to v6 levels  :-X

Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: frostbite on 23 May 2016, 07:35:03
My valver is an auto and it seems to have average consumption. The v70 on the other hand was terrible for a 2.4 auto but it sounded soo good
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Viral_Jim on 23 May 2016, 08:49:37

That said, try it in an auto one, and the economy will sink to v6 levels  :-X

Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y

Yeah, I get about 28-30mpg average in mine (auto) depending on the balance of m'way and town driving over the tank.

I didn't realise you could get a manual 3.2, I can imagine they move on pretty smartly! A manual would have been my choice, but semblance doesn't do gears  ;D

As to the eBay one, seems like too much hard work, given that good roadworthy ones can be had for buttons.
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 May 2016, 09:20:50
Assuming body is spotless and you can do the work, then it makes sense as a keeper :y

As for 3.2 manual,  they were never released publicly... only available as emergency service vehicles and therefore relatively rare now ;)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 23 May 2016, 09:36:16
Actually the 2.5 was better than the 2.6 from economy and power delivery, that lower compression ratio and emissions compromises in the software and control impacted the economy and power delivery sadly.  :(
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 May 2016, 10:27:24
Not driven a cabled Omega, except an early facelift 2.0 16v :-\

Certainly of the dbw cars, the 2.6 is a good compromise, especially if you're after a manual ;)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: TheBoy on 23 May 2016, 17:28:42
Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
I'm sure you mean 2.5 manual ;)

Like the 3.0 over the 3.2, the 2.5 is marginally quicker and a damn site more economical than the 2.6...    ...and as you're going for the smaller v6, so economy is a factor, I've suggested manual, despite the Omega manual box being bloody awful :y
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: TheBoy on 23 May 2016, 17:29:22
Actually the 2.5 was better than the 2.6 from economy and power delivery, that lower compression ratio and emissions compromises in the software and control impacted the economy and power delivery sadly.  :(
LOL, should have read entire thread before replying, save me the hassle of typing ;D :y
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 May 2016, 18:31:23
Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
I'm sure you mean 2.5 manual ;)

Like the 3.0 over the 3.2, the 2.5 is marginally quicker and a damn site more economical than the 2.6...    ...and as you're going for the smaller v6, so economy is a factor, I've suggested manual, despite the Omega manual box being bloody awful :y



No worse than the average lorry. :)
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: TheBoy on 23 May 2016, 18:39:06
Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
I'm sure you mean 2.5 manual ;)

Like the 3.0 over the 3.2, the 2.5 is marginally quicker and a damn site more economical than the 2.6...    ...and as you're going for the smaller v6, so economy is a factor, I've suggested manual, despite the Omega manual box being bloody awful :y



No worse than the average lorry. :)
You reckon? I've not driven any lorries with such a horrible box...  ...though the Omega box is simpler to understand than most larger lorries ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 May 2016, 18:45:10
Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
I'm sure you mean 2.5 manual ;)

Like the 3.0 over the 3.2, the 2.5 is marginally quicker and a damn site more economical than the 2.6...    ...and as you're going for the smaller v6, so economy is a factor, I've suggested manual, despite the Omega manual box being bloody awful :y



No worse than the average lorry. :)
You reckon? I've not driven any lorries with such a horrible box...  ...though the Omega box is simpler to understand than most larger lorries ;D
;D '04 Mercedes Actros artic with 800k under it's belt... needed both hands to change gear in low range when cold, and both hands and a foot on the dash to change gear in high range when hot... ideally would have used both feet, but you need one for the clutch... :D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Nick W on 23 May 2016, 19:10:27
Best allrounder, for me, is the 2.6 :y
I'm sure you mean 2.5 manual ;)

Like the 3.0 over the 3.2, the 2.5 is marginally quicker and a damn site more economical than the 2.6...    ...and as you're going for the smaller v6, so economy is a factor, I've suggested manual, despite the Omega manual box being bloody awful :y



No worse than the average lorry. :)
You reckon? I've not driven any lorries with such a horrible box...  ...though the Omega box is simpler to understand than most larger lorries ;D


Try a Mitsubishi Canter. It had 45miles on the clock when they gave it to me, and it ground the first 3 gear changes until the oil had warmed up which took about 5 miles. It was the same when the engine expired five years and 180,000 miles later.


We had a much older one that only one of us could actually drive; if you didn't get a down change exactly right, you had to stop and force it back up through the gearbox.


Omega gearboxes aren't slick, but then a high mileage BMW isn't any better.
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: ronnyd on 23 May 2016, 20:02:54
If you want sh*t gear change, buy a Maxi. :P
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 23 May 2016, 21:21:34
If you want sh*t gear change, buy a Maxi. :P

Adequate only to get you as far as the dogging layby whereby you fold all the seats flat.. allegedly. ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: Andy B on 23 May 2016, 21:36:55
Obviously no one has driven a Sherpa van ..... you knew the gear was in there ..... you just had to find it. It was like stirring a pan of porridge!  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: ronnyd on 23 May 2016, 21:56:24
Yeah, another BL pile of shite, and yes, the seats on the Maxi made a good bed. SWMBO and me camped out for a weekend in Sheringham, quite comfy but not much headroom. ;D
Title: Re: Worth it for the low mileage?
Post by: TheBoy on 24 May 2016, 17:17:55
Obviously no one has driven a Sherpa van ..... you knew the gear was in there ..... you just had to find it. It was like stirring a pan of porridge!  ;D ;D
I had a Sherpa luton type van briefly.  Whilst I recall its replacement (transit luton) a bit better, I don't recall the gearbox being bad.  Everything else was though ;D