Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Olympia5776 on 01 November 2010, 13:33:21
-
Well just back from a week in Scotland in which I hired this ,
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/olympia5776/Odds%20and%20Ends/100_0015.jpg)
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/olympia5776/Odds%20and%20Ends/a.jpg)
9 ( nine ) miles on clock when I picked it up .I was immediatly belwildered by the dash which is initialy very complex with an enormous amount of buttons and switches but my biggest problem was finding the handbrake . After sitting and pulling at every part of the dash and centre console I gave up and followed the very large dash screen pressed the footbrake and drove off. It took me nearly and hour and several interesting hill starts to find the very small button on the console which operated the elecric handbrake.
Absolute rubbish ,a totally useless item which is a perfect example of the " let's design something different but not neccessarily better " principle. Even after a week and getting used to it I found it incomparable to a normal handbrake .
It was a 2Lt Sri model which had the combination of 18" wheels and LP tyres , sports suspension and very firm sports seats. This collectivly resulted in a super harsh ride causing the car to bang and crash over all surfaces . After 40 miles my thighs and backside were actually painful .
One of the most irritating problems was simply attaching the seat belt. The console is so wide that you have to twist and wriggle to gain access to the seat belt anchorage . Doesn't sound much but after a couple of days I bet you'll be well pi$$ed off too . >:(
The A and B pillers ( especially ) are incredibly wide .When reversing the front headrest is so close to the B piller that there is no vision out of the rear side windows resulting in it being like reversing a van. The factory fitted dark windows from the B piller back also make it incredibly difficult to see out in anything but bright sunshine and at night made me open the drivers door to see where I was going ( progress eh ? ). The windows are very narrow and the rear tailgate window shape is awful with a base which is very high further reducing vision !!!
The rear mirrors are triangular and present a very restricted FOV.
2Lt and gutless but with a wonderfully loud induction roar that will send the boy racer brigade into orgasmic delight , reasonable MPG though.
Getting back to Cork last night I was looking forward to the comparison between it and my Omega estate.
Quite frankly I was utterly amazed how much better , yes better , :y the Omega is.
It glided home over roads significantly worse than those in Scotland with neither a creak , bang nor crash and I sat in supreme comfort in those armchair like seats.
It was quieter and the cd I played in both definatly sounded clearer and acoustically better.
Over 30 years of driving new company vehicles I was fortunate to have successive models of cars that were nearly always better than the last model but sorry Vauxhall the Insignia is not what it should be.
I wont be buying a Sri model. :(
-
Most of the company vehicles at my work are Insignia's. I have been a passenger in one and i have to say its a nice place to be. They seem to me like there more style over substance as my boss has one and she says the same about the visibility issues.
-
Can well believe that, so many items I think are now made with form over function in mind. Such as big 18" wheels and harsh suspension.
The comparison is a little unfair though because the Insignia replaces the Vectra and not the Omega. The Omega was always a class above the Vectra, so finding the Insignia a little lack lustre isn't entirely surprising.
-
Just driven a new Volvo S60 with the electric parking brake. Hill starts are easy, just pull away, no need to touch the button or anything, I think the brake comes off automatically as you lift the clutch and depress throttle.
They just take time to get used to.
-
Interesting comparison, however imho the Isignia is far better than the Omega in so many ways.
I had 2 as hire cars last year and did 2500 miles in 7 days in 1 and 1500 miles in 4 days in the other!
Both were1.8ltr N/A petrols, had 3 or 4k on the clock, were 2 and 1 month old, however they performed like two different cars!! One was sluggish, the other felt nearly as quick as my 2.5 V6 Omega, but as theres only 30bhp between the 2 and little weight difference then that is likely to be the case.
They also come with either manual or electronic parking brake, just depends on spec.
Ride on the 17" alloys did feel 'softer' than the 18" ones
As for the interior i felt it was well laid out and very well equipt even for the basic one of the 2 i had.
As for ride, comparing an 'SRi' with a 'boat' is hardly a comparison!! ;D
-
interior is definitely chlostrophobic..
turbo's cockup (sooner or later)..
so [smiley=thumbdown.gif] from me..
-
and it'swrong-end drive, so that precludes it from any comparison for me.
wide pillars is an inevitable consequence of Euro NCAP crash-testing.
Insignia is worse than Omega, just in the same way that Omega was worse than Carlton. Just looks newer.
-
wide pillars is an inevitable consequence of Euro NCAP crash-testing.
yep!! That's it, nail on head. One day there'll be a large proportion of accidents caused by drivers simply not seeing the likes of bicycles / motorbikes/pedestrians due to the thickness of a-pillars, it's already started. Mark my words.......!
-
wide pillars is an inevitable consequence of Euro NCAP crash-testing.
yep!! That's it, nail on head. One day there'll be a large proportion of accidents caused by drivers simply not seeing the likes of bicycles / motorbikes/pedestrians due to the thickness of a-pillars, it's already started. Mark my words.......!
I hav a had a few near misses :( :(
-
It's also named after a cheap aftershave not an expensive watch. What did you expect? ;D
Kevin
-
I bet many have, yes.
Which begs the question, WHY do car people/companies keep driving for increased safely, when making cars 'safer' is just as counter-productive to safety as buying a new Prius every year is to being 'green'.
Knowing that if you crash, at any speed, you'll probably be fine is the wrong way to go, I think.
-
It's also named after a cheap aftershave not an expensive watch. What did you expect? ;D
Kevin
:D ;D :D ;D
-
I bet many have, yes.
Which begs the question, WHY do car people/companies keep driving for increased safely, when making cars 'safer' is just as counter-productive to safety as buying a new Prius every year is to being 'green'.
They're just ticking the boxes and negotiating the hurdles that are put in the way of them by the powers that be.
Knowing that if you crash, at any speed, you'll probably be fine is the wrong way to go, I think.
Absolutely. I think every driver should be forced to drive a Lotus 7 inspired kit car myself. ;D Might make a few people think again.
Kevin
-
It's also named after a cheap aftershave not an expensive watch. What did you expect? ;D
Kevin
You suggesting if they called it Brut it would be a better car :o
-
Knowing that if you crash, at any speed, you'll probably be fine is the wrong way to go, I think.
I've always said that everyone needs a decent impact in a car.
Trouble is, I should have learned after the first :-[
-
Knowing that if you crash, at any speed, you'll probably be fine is the wrong way to go, I think.
I've always said that everyone needs a decent impact in a car.
Trouble is, I should have learned after the first :-[
I learned everything I needed to know after the first. :y
If you're going to have an impact it pays to be in something solid (a Volvo) and it pays to find something soft to hit (A Renault 5). ;D
Kevin
-
Knowing that if you crash, at any speed, you'll probably be fine is the wrong way to go, I think.
I've always said that everyone needs a decent impact in a car.
Trouble is, I should have learned after the first :-[
I learned everything I needed to know after the first. :y
If you're going to have an impact it pays to be in something solid (a Volvo) and it pays to find something soft to hit (A Renault 5). ;D
Kevin
My first, I was in something soft (Escort) and hit something hard (a tree (although the signpost took some sting out of the big impact))
-
Tree Stops. Never a good idea. :(
Kevin
-
I'm considering a VXR Insignia :-/
-
I'm considering a VXR Insignia :-/
That is also on my short list to replace the Luxobarge when The time comes for it to go to the great scrap yard in the sky :-/
-
VW Passat has electronic handbrake too. Caused me some headscratching too!! Interesting to read members differing thoughts on Insignia. I am currently in negotiations to possibly buy a 09 Insignia Elite with 2500 miles on the clock. Wonder if the ride on this would be as harsh as the Sri??
-
I'm considering a VXR Insignia :-/
Will depreciate hugely over the first few years surely? Also I would have thought there'd be a good chance getting one of the fleet of VXR track day cars that got cained around for a few weeks on end.
-
I'm considering a VXR Insignia :-/
Will depreciate hugely over the first few years surely? Also I would have thought there'd be a good chance getting one of the fleet of VXR track day cars that got cained around for a few weeks on end.
I won't keep it for no more than 3 months though probably ;D
-
the insignia estate is not a patch on the miggy,. but it's at least tolerable in the aesthetics department, unlike many around at the moment....
my one ride in one led me to conclude that it doesn;t ride as well, it's not as solid, and it's very much a vectra replacement , not a miggy substitute.
god knows what we're all going to be looking at in 5-10 years time when the miggy is no longer viable due to scarcity and economic repair questions....
it's an interesting subject for debate.... what will OOF members be tempted by "en-masse" as it were....
(we'd have to change the forum name to F.oof. Former Omega owners forum. )
and will we all stick together when that day comes?
-
god knows what we're all going to be looking at in 5-10 years time when the miggy is no longer viable due to scarcity and economic repair questions....
it's an interesting subject for debate.... what will OOF members be tempted by "en-masse" as it were....
(we'd have to change the forum name to F.oof. Former Omega owners forum. )
and will we all stick together when that day comes?
Haha! True. I was thinking the same thing, just what will we all do? Will we be diehards like the Monza/Senator owners out there? Will we all learn to love the Insignia, despite its Vectra lineage? Or will we find a new supply of North Sea Oil enough for 200years, petrol becomes only 15p a litre, and we all start to run around In Holden Commodores and VXR8s?
Personally I reckon the latter will happen. It'd be a right laugh if after 15 years of bemoaning the decline of crude oil, and the end of all cars, they found a squillion barrels of it under, oh, I dont know, Rutland?! :y
-
I am watching VXR8 prices carefully and will fit LPG.
The Autos seem to be getting quite cheap.
Other options when old enough would be a 5 series or an XF
-
I am watching VXR8 prices carefully and will fit LPG.
The Autos seem to be getting quite cheap.
Other options when old enough would be a 5 series or an XF
LPG in a VXR8 definitely the way to go.
Would buy a 5 series when theyre in the 400-500quid range (sorry, just never liked them! but as a banger to run into the ground would be a lot of fun)
Will buy an XF the INSTANT the used prices coincide with my bank account, plus what Id get if i sold all my posessions, a kidney and my grandmother. :y
-
Well I had a drive in one exactly like this yesterday and I think I've found my replacement when the time comes.
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/olympia5776/Odds%20and%20Ends/14806-2004-Volvo-V70-1.jpg)
V70 R with AWD and it stuck to the road like a leach, belongs to a client who's Irish house we manage for him he has brought it over to be his " Irish " car .
Forget the wrongly labled " old mans car " this is a comfortable ,fast and very attractive estate.
Will cost a bit in road tax over here but I was very impressed.
-
I am watching VXR8 prices carefully and will fit LPG.
The Autos seem to be getting quite cheap.
Other options when old enough would be a 5 series or an XF
LPG in a VXR8 definitely the way to go.
Would buy a 5 series when theyre in the 400-500quid range (sorry, just never liked them! but as a banger to run into the ground would be a lot of fun)
Will buy an XF the INSTANT the used prices coincide with my bank account, plus what Id get if i sold all my posessions, a kidney and my grandmother. :y
Doesn't leave much boot space 'cos the petrol tank's behind the back seat. :-/
Kevin
-
Cant you do the donut tank idea?
Also Volvo very nice. Volvo's like a different company these days. Solid AND stylish :)
-
The two cars are so different in so many ways.
Yes, Insignia replaced Vectra, but is almost the size of Omega.
If I had a choice of Omega or Insignia, I'd go Insignia - my MV6 is worth only buttons, costs too much to run and insurance is ridiculously expensive.
FWD v RWD doesn't matter nowadays - who drives their car to the limit s that would tell you the difference anyhow? OK, a few, maybe.
the styling of Insignia is gorgeous, but you lose a little practicality because of it (rear headroom, estate load room, larger pillars etc).
The handbrake issue - as my old fella used to say - "If all else fails, read the destructions!" ;)
-
FWD v RWD doesn't matter nowadays - who drives their car to the limit s that would tell you the difference anyhow?
::) :-X
-
FWD v RWD doesn't matter nowadays - who drives their car to the limit s that would tell you the difference anyhow?
::) :-X
pedro, you don't have to drive on the limit to have fun in a RWD.
Most of my fun is on wet roundabouts when there is no traffic and quite slow speeds. Also have enormous fun in the snow.
It just seems so easy in RWD, I no it can be done in FWD but just seems like hard work.
Just my useless opinion.