Omega Buyers Guide?

[zirk]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

[MonzaGSE]

As for the steering the omega has a steering box (is this correct english?), while the astra h has rack and pinion steering. The omega is much vaguer on the steering than a modern Opel. But this is what you are used to. I only drive omega, monza and their likes and when i on rare occasions drive somebodys modern car i dont like the super exact steering. I find myself clinching on to the steering wheel for dear life as every little motion makes the car change directions. When im back in the omega the steering is much more relaxed/comfortable. Its all about how you are used to the car reacting.

[Andy B]

As for the steering the omega has a steering box (is this correct english?),  ...

Yes 

clinching .... clinging 

[anV6]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

Like I said, I stepped on the gas, then a delay, then it went. Anybody here has driven a Merc W124 or any Merc of that era? This is the best comparison I can make.

[anV6]

As for the steering the omega has a steering box (is this correct english?), while the astra h has rack and pinion steering. The omega is much vaguer on the steering than a modern Opel. But this is what you are used to. I only drive omega, monza and their likes and when i on rare occasions drive somebodys modern car i dont like the super exact steering. I find myself clinching on to the steering wheel for dear life as every little motion makes the car change directions. When im back in the omega the steering is much more relaxed/comfortable. Its all about how you are used to the car reacting.

Aha, then this might very well be it. What you and YZ250 are saying plus the defective steering pump made up for this strange feel.

Yes, I'm used to driving cars that go where I point the steering wheel.

But the Astra G is as old the the FL Omega. Not really more modern. But I guess the FL must have kept the same steering from the 1993, which in turn seems to be just like the Carlton's? Hopefully Lotus worked on that for the Lotus Carlton.

[Doctor Gollum]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

Like I said, I stepped on the gas, then a delay, then it went. Anybody here has driven a Merc W124 or any Merc of that era? This is the best comparison I can make.

Have spent a bit of time driving 200TE, E220 and 300E, all auto... the 3.0/3.2 Omega is quicker than the 300E, but apart from being a straight six and therefore smoother, both the 4 cylinder cars went well enough. The 300E clearly comes into its own as the speed rises, top end isn't too far behind the Omega though.

The steering will feel similar to the W124 as it's also a steering box.

[anV6]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

Like I said, I stepped on the gas, then a delay, then it went. Anybody here has driven a Merc W124 or any Merc of that era? This is the best comparison I can make.

Have spent a bit of time driving 200TE, E220 and 300E, all auto... the 3.0/3.2 Omega is quicker than the 300E, but apart from being a straight six and therefore smoother, both the 4 cylinder cars went well enough. The 300E clearly comes into its own as the speed rises, top end isn't too far behind the Omega though.

The steering will feel similar to the W124 as it's also a steering box.

Ok. So you understand what I mean when I say the gas pedal feels like it has a big piece of wood bolted to it? All Mercs of that era have that feeling. This Omega reminded me of that.

[Doctor Gollum]

Not something I have felt driving Omegas

[zirk]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

Like I said, I stepped on the gas, then a delay, then it went. Anybody here has driven a Merc W124 or any Merc of that era? This is the best comparison I can make.

To be honest Im really not interested what a Merc W124 drives like, but short of repeating myself (again, with replies to your posts), a 3.0 Manual thats on form should not feel sluggish, could be Multi Ram failure, but you would get around that by driving in the right Rev Range, could also be poor Cambelt change, etc, etc, or number of things including the engine is shagged, who knows, best thing to do is pass on that one or put it on hold and test another as Al says.

A good 3.0 manual driven like its stolen, should put a smile on your face.

[anV6]

A 3.0 Manual with a decent looked after engine shouldn,t be sluglish, should fly, especially if your changing gears in the right rev range.

Not the fastest thing on the planet, but should still achieve 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds, even though its a heavy old bus.

Like I said, I stepped on the gas, then a delay, then it went. Anybody here has driven a Merc W124 or any Merc of that era? This is the best comparison I can make.

To be honest Im really not interested what a Merc W124 drives like, but short of repeating myself (again, with replies to your posts), a 3.0 Manual thats on form should not feel sluggish, could be Multi Ram failure, but you would get around that by driving in the right Rev Range, could also be poor Cambelt change, etc, etc, or number of things including the engine is shagged, who knows, best thing to do is pass on that one or put it on hold and test another as Al says.

A good 3.0 manual driven like its stolen, should put a smile on your face.

Sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you. The Merc was just a good example of how the gas pedal felt. But the car itself was not slow. I stepped on it on the motorway and when I realized I was already at 160km/h. So it goes ok. It's just the reaction to the pedal which is peculiar. But it is not slow. And I didn't drive it anywhere near as if it was stolen. It's not my car and the owner was with me.

Yes, I'm driving 2 different ones today.

And I told the guy selling the 3.0 manual of my concerns and he said he needs to get rid of it so I'm free to make him an offer. He has 3 at the moment. This one plus a estate and he just got another estate because he wanted an automatic. So he wants to get rid of the manual.

So I'm tempted to give it another look after I have driven the other two, so I can have some reference. If he accepts me spending some good time with it to give it a good look over. He already said it's ok for me to take it to a garage to look at what will need to be done for MOT, which is due next month. If all is ok and checks out and he accepts an offer which makes up for the damage door, cracked widnscreen etc. And he puts in the new steering pump he has, I may risk and buy it.

[anV6]

double post.

[ted_one]

As Zirk says,if the car's properly sorted it will put a smile on your face when given the beans, but personally I wouldn't allow any one with only third party insurance to take any of my cars 30mph over the legal speed limit wether or not I was desperate to unload the car or not.Why would you want to rag a 15 +year old car with a dubious service history?  Myself and some of the other members can confirm that both the 3.0 /3.2 are very capable of pulling hard right up to 140+mph and a bit more BUT personally I wouldn't want to go there anymore regardless of the amount of parts and money invested.Question is are you going to drive the car as you say''like you stole it'' and if that's the case,then your Omega ownership will be short and pretty expensive, and if it's not maintained correctly then it will not be a trouble free experience.My apologies for pissing on the parade,but this is one of the main reasons leading to the demise of the Omega.....you may possibly well be a confident mechanic and having an Omega won't be too much of a challenge,but if not...then you will possibly need the services/advice and skills of the guys on this forum,many new owners have  been here and many have never been heard of again.Sort of an Omega Bermuda Triangle so just be careful what you wish for

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Nitro - think the OP was in km/h rather than mph. I agree wholeheartedly with the post though!

[ted_one]

160 kph is 99.5 mph near as,got me worried for a mo  

[2boxerdogs]

Get a good one & they are a comfortable cruiser had my old 2.6 up to 125 MPH in Germany  with ease but would not drive that fast in the normal way . Good luck with your search.😉