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[JimmyR]

The pedal is progressive, allowing smooth braking, due to type of car it is. Omega was always aimed at motorway mile muncher and allowing a smooth drive.

Stamp hard on them and it stops, MotherT always said her Omega brakes were poor, until I demonstrated that stamping on the pedal as per an emergency it stops bloody quick!

3.2 here, no complaints with brakes.

To the first point, I don’t think that that is particularly the case.


And if everyone else has good brakes, it must just be mine that are rubbish

Is it progressive?

It is, I suppose. Before I bled the system it wasn't, but you'd expect that!

[JimmyR]

Clearly not driving it properly 

I'm not ruling it out! 

And I've had a thought about what you said about scrapping the Astra, so today I decided to look for the headlight fault. Turns out that I'm an absentminded idiot and there's no problem with the headlight wiring - I changed the wrong bulb 

So yeah, I suppose it is too good to scrap really, even with two dented doors. I'll make an effort to find a buyer

[JimmyR]

Poor quality pads?

I'll have to assume this and change them. I'll have a look in the history to find out what they are and when they were changed. They've been on the car since before I bought it in 2018.

They just feel very weak, to be honest. Even with a lot of pedal pressure it just doesn't seem to stop urgently. The pedal feels a bit light too. Not exactly spongy.
It is however the only Omega I've ever driven so I don't know if it's like the rest and I'm just being paranoid

[TheBoy]

Properly maintained, the Omega on standard GM parts (pattern standard brakes for the Omega are universally shite) can fire the ABS at 130mph in the dry with good premium tyres 235/45/17.  In addition, they can handle 10 x 100mph to near standstill in the time it takes to get across Milton Keynes.  Granted, they are spent after the latter.

To me, that means the brakes are perfectly fine for road use.

They need work for track days to prevent overheating (and track pads)

[TheBoy]

The Omega needs a lot of pedal movement. If you're used to Fordesque fart-and-it-locks-up shite, it will be an unusual sensation.

[JimmyR]

Properly maintained, the Omega on standard GM parts (pattern standard brakes for the Omega are universally shite) can fire the ABS at 130mph in the dry with good premium tyres 235/45/17.  In addition, they can handle 10 x 100mph to near standstill in the time it takes to get across Milton Keynes.  Granted, they are spent after the latter.

To me, that means the brakes are perfectly fine for road use.

They need work for track days to prevent overheating (and track pads)

I'm going to guess that mine are rubbish pattern parts then. Problem solved, probably.

I'll search for Genuine GM (or whatever it's called now GM doesn't own Opel)

[aaronjb]

And I've had a thought about what you said about scrapping the Astra, so today I decided to look for the headlight fault. Turns out that I'm an absentminded idiot and there's no problem with the headlight wiring - I changed the wrong bulb 

I laugh because I spent quite some time (including getting the meter out and fishing around in the fuse box) trying to work out why the headlights weren't working on a BMW 118 .. until I realised that they do nothing unless you turn the ignition on 

[JimmyR]

The Omega needs a lot of pedal movement. If you're used to Fordesque fart-and-it-locks-up shite, it will be an unusual sensation.

I don't think that's it - I spend most of my driving time in old Vauxhalls, 4x4s, vans and trucks!

I wonder if maybe I've got some particularly rubbish pattern pads. Probably a case of me overthinking it and jumping to a silly conclusion instead of finding the most sensible and likely one

[JimmyR]

And I've had a thought about what you said about scrapping the Astra, so today I decided to look for the headlight fault. Turns out that I'm an absentminded idiot and there's no problem with the headlight wiring - I changed the wrong bulb 

I laugh because I spent quite some time (including getting the meter out and fishing around in the fuse box) trying to work out why the headlights weren't working on a BMW 118 .. until I realised that they do nothing unless you turn the ignition on 

Today I really feel that I've let not only myself but also the forum down 

There's nothing quite like making yourself look an idiot in public, written media 

[TheBoy]

Another thought, and something that chrisgixer always grumbled about, the servo in the Omega doesn't give massive assistance, which can give the sensation of "weak" brakes.

Not sure of your age, but many of us of a certain age would be quite used to non servo assisted brakes, so probably notice it less than those have always had servo assistance.


Hmmm....

[Nick W]

Another thought, and something that chrisgixer always grumbled about, the servo in the Omega doesn't give massive assistance, which can give the sensation of "weak" brakes.

Not sure of your age, but many of us of a certain age would be quite used to non servo assisted brakes, so probably notice it less than those have always had servo assistance.

Some of us actually prefer non-servo brakes on a light car......

[Doctor Gollum]

Mk 2 Polo anyone?

[Doctor Gollum]

The Omega needs a lot of pedal movement. If you're used to Fordesque fart-and-it-locks-up shite, it will be an unusual sensation.

I don't think that's it - I spend most of my driving time in old Vauxhalls, 4x4s, vans and trucks!

I wonder if maybe I've got some particularly rubbish pattern pads. Probably a case of me overthinking it and jumping to a silly conclusion instead of finding the most sensible and likely one

Drive a Unimog hard and then complain about your Omega brakes 

When you bled it, did you push the pistons fully home?

[TheBoy]

Another thought, and something that chrisgixer always grumbled about, the servo in the Omega doesn't give massive assistance, which can give the sensation of "weak" brakes.

Not sure of your age, but many of us of a certain age would be quite used to non servo assisted brakes, so probably notice it less than those have always had servo assistance.

Some of us actually prefer non-servo brakes on a light car......

Of all things I have described Omegas as, light has never, ever, ever been one of them.

[polilara]

When I press the pedal smoothly the movement is quite long and I have a feeling of bad brakes. When I quickly release pedal and make another press the movement is much shorter and brakes are much more powerful. like the assistant worked more effectively in the first centimeters of the movement.