Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Ghosts in my machine on 20 November 2006, 13:32:26
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Thought I'd get some opinions.
X-Reg Omega 2.2 CD Auto 53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon.
Question is: Is it really worth having a full Vx service history on this age of car?
I don't personally think that a Vx service is worth the money, but people I know reckon that it'll keep the value up. Anyone had any experience of the science of OEM service history vs complete non-OEM history?
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Cars are always going to be worth more and sell better with full stealer history whether it is a good dealer or not. Peace of mind for many folks ;) fools :-?
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There must be a point in the age of a car though, where any extra you can get for having a full dealer service history is far less than the extra you'd be paying for the Vx service.
As Omegas are very cheap anyway, wasn't sure if mine had reached that point yet.
And you're right, anyone who thinks that a Dealer Service History means the car has been maintained correctly is a fool.
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Totally agree, for the first few years of a cars life dealer history is important because of warranty issues, after that it just isn't worth it as far as i'm concerned. As long as a car has a full history and it can be proved then thats good enough. Who would you rather serviced your car, Stealer or one of the proper experts on here ??? but for many it comes back to the peace of mind issue and it will always sell better
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Both my previous meega (owned until 4y / 60k) and my current one (5y / 45k so far) have Vx main dealer FSH.
As the car depreciates, there comes a point where the annual service cost is MORE than the extra that you would get for FSH when selling the car... however there is an oversupply of second-hand Omegas, so having a FSH will make your car easier to sell.
My recommendation:
either
Do only a 'small' service every year at Vx to keep th book stamped, and do the rest DIY
or
Do the minimal service at MasteFit, it is a little chaper (and some outlets do fixed-cost servicing for older cars), and get the book stamped by MasterFit - it is pratcially as good as having a Vx stamp
or
Do the minimal service at an independent but make sure you get a stamp in the book - a stamped book will always look better then a blank one.
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...53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon....
[size=14]What about the cambelt and tensioner.... did Vx do them at 40k service?[/size]
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...53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon....
[size=14]What about the cambelt and tensioner.... did Vx do them at 40k service?[/size]
Regardless if its on the service sheet or not, i would change it personally.
Mines getting done after i finish uni when it reaches 100k miles, it was done at 84 but i don't trust the garage i bought it from, i rekon they just changed the belt and not the tensioners and water pump.
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...53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon....
[size=14]What about the cambelt and tensioner.... did Vx do them at 40k service?[/size]
Regardless if its on the service sheet or not, i would change it personally.
Mines getting done after i finish uni when it reaches 100k miles, it was done at 84 but i don't trust the garage i bought it from, i rekon they just changed the belt and not the tensioners and water pump.
Tunnie if thats the case then can you be sure it wont fail you at any time soon. If it was me I'd be thinking of getting it done asap.
Just my tuppence worth :)
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...53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon....
[size=14]What about the cambelt and tensioner.... did Vx do them at 40k service?[/size]
Regardless if its on the service sheet or not, i would change it personally.
Mines getting done after i finish uni when it reaches 100k miles, it was done at 84 but i don't trust the garage i bought it from, i rekon they just changed the belt and not the tensioners and water pump.
Tunnie if thats the case then can you be sure it wont fail you at any time soon. If it was me I'd be thinking of getting it done asap.
Just my tuppence worth :)
Totally agree, since September i have barely done 300 miles... i'll do another 70 before xmas (getting home) then next year much the same....
I know it should be done... but i am saving hard for my travelling after uni so the car will have to wait...
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...53000 miles. So far it's got a full Vauxhall service history (40,000 mile service done). Next service soon....
[size=14]What about the cambelt and tensioner.... did Vx do them at 40k service?[/size]
Regardless if its on the service sheet or not, i would change it personally.
Mines getting done after i finish uni when it reaches 100k miles, it was done at 84 but i don't trust the garage i bought it from, i rekon they just changed the belt and not the tensioners and water pump.
Tunnie if thats the case then can you be sure it wont fail you at any time soon. If it was me I'd be thinking of getting it done asap.
Just my tuppence worth :)
Totally agree, since September i have barely done 300 miles... i'll do another 70 before xmas (getting home) then next year much the same....
I know it should be done... but i am saving hard for my travelling after uni so the car will have to wait...
They can fail as soon as you start the car.........
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Coming back to service histories....
Mine has a full Vx service history, and is due for another + MOT in Jan/07.
I shall just have the basic service + MOT to keep the book stamped.
I keep a record in the back of the service book of all the work I have carried out myself.
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Cambelt etc. was done on advice from some of you chaps on the 40,000 mile service. Didn't let Vx do the Pollen filter and fix the door "crack of doom" as it seems to have become known (although I haven't got round to it yet!).
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I obviously do all my own servicing. However, annually, I get Masterfit to do their cheapest 'service' (just oil change, filter if you're lucky) for £59. This keeps my book fully stamped with Vauxhall stamps, and made the paperwork I had to fill out after having the car towed home from France really easy - always serviced by Vauxhall ;)
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tuppence worth.....stamped service history ( obviously essential) from a vx dealer - whilst car is in warranty, under 5 years old.
Afterwards stamped service history from a reputable garage if your considoring re selling it.
Otherwise if your competent and committed and not possibly going to resell - do it yourself, every 6000miles for oil being the most important.
Does really depent on year, mileage and your future plans for car :-/
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every 6000miles for oil being the most important.
or even more regular, max mileage for diesel is 5k, so do every 2.5k.
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Must admit, oil hasn't been changed since last service, but when I did the breathers yesterday I did notice some mayo in one of the pipes. I have been doing mostly very short journeys lately though.
Do they just stamp the book for the basic service, even if it's not the one specified in the schedule? If so this may be the way forward and do the rest myself.
May have to reluctantly sell Omega next year due to company car, so want to keep options open. Always done my own servicing before, never had a stamp in the book, but I've always been what a friend of mine describes as an "end user" for cars, ie. the one who gets to take it to the scrappy after using it. After being stung by Vx once, was keen to find out just how much it matters.
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Must admit, oil hasn't been changed since last service, but when I did the breathers yesterday I did notice some mayo in one of the pipes. I have been doing mostly very short journeys lately though.
Do they just stamp the book for the basic service, even if it's not the one specified in the schedule? If so this may be the way forward and do the rest myself.
May have to reluctantly sell Omega next year due to company car, so want to keep options open. Always done my own servicing before, never had a stamp in the book, but I've always been what a friend of mine describes as an "end user" for cars, ie. the one who gets to take it to the scrappy after using it. After being stung by Vx once, was keen to find out just how much it matters.
The gunk in the breathers is more likely a result of not changing oil regular enough, rather than just short journeys....
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I would say it is a mix of both...
Certainly the car needs a clean out (I find A38 northbound to junction 28 M1 and back is a good run).
After that you should look at an oil and filter change and cleaning the breathers and throttle bodies. If need any assistance, drop me a pm. :)
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Personally, i'm really NOT interested in main dealer stamps in the service book !
These stamps can be obtained from Ebay at times, and also if you have a good mate working in the trade !
A stamped service book holds about as much water as a bucket with a hole in it for me !
Would much rather see a bunch of receipts for parts brought etc and even the average person can see if a cars been looked after or not !
I'm NO mechanic, but its not hard to see honest car when viewing to buy !
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Personally, i'm really NOT interested in main dealer stamps in the service book !
These stamps can be obtained from Ebay at times, and also if you have a good mate working in the trade !
A stamped service book holds about as much water as a bucket with a hole in it for me !
Would much rather see a bunch of receipts for parts brought etc and even the average person can see if a cars been looked after or not !
I'm NO mechanic, but its not hard to see honest car when viewing to buy !
Advantage of dealer stamps if you're buying a car, is you can ring dealer and ask what they've done (they'll keep it all on record).
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every 6000miles for oil being the most important.
or even more regular, max mileage for diesel is 5k, so do every 2.5k.
Agree with Jamie - my tuppence worth was of course based on petrol cars :-/
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every 6000miles for oil being the most important.
or even more regular, max mileage for diesel is 5k, so do every 2.5k.
Agree with Jamie - my tuppence worth was of course based on petrol cars :-/
I still think 6k is too long for even petrol cars. Nobody makes a readily available automotive oil that doesn't start to break down within 7k....
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LOOLLLLL shouldnt that be not what they have done on a car, BUT what they havent done ;D ;D ;D ;D
Anyhow, they might even charge for this service of providing information on cars service history !
I also thought the gereral concensus was NOT to TRUST VX dealers !!!
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LOOLLLLL shouldnt that be not what they have done on a car, BUT what they havent done ;D ;D ;D ;D
Anyhow, they might even charge for this service of providing information on cars service history !
I also thought the gereral concensus was NOT to TRUST VX dealers !!!
Of course, its usually what they charged for, not necessarily what they did.
The service is normally free from most dealers.
I am unable to trust my local dealer in Milton Keynes, but the one in Banbury is better (though still poor). Hence why I get them to do cheapest Masterfit service, just to get book stamped by Vauxhall dealer. As said, it was very handy to have a fully dealer stamped book after the car was repatriated from France, and breakdown cover people were looking for a reason not to pay ;)
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I also thought the gereral concensus was NOT to TRUST VX dealers !!!
Actually, you have one of the better dealers in Northampton - the one near the BMW place....
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Grose's Cliftonville !
There a Masterfit type outlet and the main dealer ( Grose's ) is a few miles away, in Kingsthorpe !
I have had some good dealings with Grose's Cliftonville, but with previous Vauxhalls i have owned !
Its just the dammed price of the labour that makes my wallet scream with agony !
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My last car had FDSH for 6 years/ 99000 miles when I bought it. Brake fluid had been changed once. Not impressed.
I did all my own servicing and repairs, kept a diary and all bills. When I P/X'd it the salesman looked at the paperwork and said " Thats better than a stamped service book".
Guess what I'm doing with this car ;)
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My last car had FDSH for 6 years/ 99000 miles when I bought it. Brake fluid had been changed once. Not impressed.
I did all my own servicing and repairs, kept a diary and all bills. When I P/X'd it the salesman looked at the paperwork and said " Thats better than a stamped service book".
Guess what I'm doing with this car ;)
I agree, but for sake of £50 a year, a fully stamped book in addition to all other receipts is even better...
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I still think 6k is too long for even petrol cars. Nobody makes a readily available automotive oil that doesn't start to break down within 7k....
Can't completely agree with the above.
Yes oil should be change every 5k max, but it is because of contamination, the crap it picks up, rather than degredation caused by shear. The basestock used in both Vx semi and fully synth is very good.
The Omega engine is not the most stressful of environments. The engine does not rev particularly high and the operating temp is normal.
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The Omega engine is not the most stressful of environments. The engine does not rev particularly high
Speak for yourself LB ;)
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I have a friend with a Honda S2000 (yes she is a hairdresser!) and that thing revs to over 9K rpm.... :o
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I have a friend with a Honda S2000 (yes she is a hairdresser!) and that thing revs to over 9K rpm.... :o
Those babies certainly scream!
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I have a friend with a Honda S2000 (yes she is a hairdresser!) and that thing revs to over 9K rpm.... :o
Those babies certainly scream!
What, hairdressers? :o
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;D ;D
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Took the car for a run on saturday the opposite direction on the A38 from Laidbacks advice and cleaned out the breathers, throttle body etc., hope this helps situation. Will have to change oil next week.
Hope southbound is as good as Northbound for blowing the cobwebs out! [smiley=grin.gif]
Anyway, I think the service history question looks like the basic Vx service and do the rest myself option is the best in terms of keeping the value up and ensuring that the car is actually maintained. Not quite the cheapest option (ie.forget Vx exist), but the best compromise.
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I still think 6k is too long for even petrol cars. Nobody makes a readily available automotive oil that doesn't start to break down within 7k....
Can't completely agree with the above.
Yes oil should be change every 5k max, but it is because of contamination, the crap it picks up, rather than degredation caused by shear. The basestock used in both Vx semi and fully synth is very good.
The Omega engine is not the most stressful of environments. The engine does not rev particularly high and the operating temp is normal.
My info came from a car designer. Contamination (biggest prob with oil in diesels, hence short intervals) aside, oils start to break down after around 7 - 8k (high performance cars break it down quicker - some purposely use oil for a 'constant loss' system which can help 'extend' oil changes). Once it starts to break down, it is less effective. Minerals and semis breakdown gradually, full synth tends to stay good for longer, then break down quickly.
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If you want dealer stamps do as others suggest, take it for a oil/filter changed at Masterfit...I do this but at the vx recommended intervals.....ie every 20k (although oil does get changed more often than that, just not by vx dealer). Dealer stamp in the book every 20k for £45 :y