Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: humbucker on 14 October 2010, 09:53:54

Title: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: humbucker on 14 October 2010, 09:53:54

i know the astra G and other vauxhalls of a similar age have galvanized bodies which is why so many of them still look to be in great shape, and i wondered if the omega f'lft had been built to the same standards during the same period? anyone know?

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: kcl on 14 October 2010, 09:57:36

AFAIK not all facelifts. In my experience only the latest ones, could be from MY2001 onwards. I have seen many MY2000 cars with rusty rear doors and wheel arches but NONE MY2001 or newer.

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: PhilRich on 14 October 2010, 11:02:30

I have a MY2002 & AFAIK it is not galvanised! :-/

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: 2woody on 14 October 2010, 11:57:13

don't think any were galvanised.

you probably need some design changes to galvanise a shell that wasn't designed for it, and they wouldn't have been prepared to put those in after the (final) facelift.

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: Evo on 14 October 2010, 14:42:48

I have 1996 Vauxhall Omega sales brochure. It says re Anti corrosion protection:
* partial use of zinc-coated sheet metal
* Zinc phosphated bodyshell primered electrostatically (cathodic)
* wax pumped in sills & other cavitites
* 6 years anti-perforation warranty

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: humbucker on 14 October 2010, 14:45:19

hmn mine is a 2004 registration (so built 2003 i guess). as late as it's likely to get... if any were galvanized then i guess this one would be. hmn wonder how to find out for sure...?

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: Evo on 14 October 2010, 15:02:15

My answer above says its electrogalvised. Here's an Honest John quote & a response:

HJ  When the column first began an older reader took me to task for mentioning galvanizing. He even sent me two bits of metal to illustrate the difference between hot dip galvanizing and electro galvanizing. Hot dip is much more durable but leaves a rough surface which cannot be smoothly painted, so is fine for a vehicle with plastic outer panels like the Espace. Electro provides a smooth surface for outer body panels, but not the same level of protection. The way to tell if a car is galvanized or not is to check its no perforation body warranty. 6 years or less and it isn't galvanized (Hondas fit this category). 8 years and it's FIAT electro galvanized. 10 years or more and it's properly electro-galvanized. Even Citroens are these days.

Response:  Vauxhall claim a 'fully galvanised' bodyshell (undoubtedly electrogalvanised for the reasons you mention) on the current Corsa & Astra but the bodyshell anti-perforation guarantee is only 6 years.

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: TheBoy on 14 October 2010, 19:15:36

I believe all Omegas have an element of galvanisation is some areas - more on facelift than on prefacelifts (such as door tops).

Title: Re: do facelifts have galvanized bodies?
Post by: scimmy_man on 14 October 2010, 19:50:22

Galv only slows down the rust, it wont stop it.