thanks for the comments, i must say i have to agree a lpg car will beat a diesel for mpg but they are quite rare and i have a budget of 2k so not sure i will be able to afford the car and conversion, just about to buy my 1st house hence why im strapped for cash. this is why i was going for the diesel, im really not fussed about performance, no offence guys but if i wanted performance i wouldnt be buying a omega, what im after is a sensible, comfortable daily driver thats reliable. speed really is not an issue i have a toy in the garage for that. so im either looking for the 2.2 dti or if i can afford it a pre 2001 petrol with a lpg conversion.
are there any buying tips on what to look for, rot, bad wiring etc etc.
thanks for the help so far, it really is appreciated
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It is possible currently to pick up a Omega petrol and purchase an LPG that can be DIY fitted and still have it all on the road for less than 2k.
About 6 months ago i bought a 51 reg 2.6 CDX with a blown engine, i managed to put it on the road and LPG it for less than 2k, granted i have added more to it now and taken it over that but it can be done...
the ones i am looking at currently are runners with plenty of mileage left in them, sub 100,000 milers....
no no one wants big cars currently, coupled with the credit squeeze it is a buyers market, i reckon i would be lucky to get between 1500 and 1750 for my CDX now (that said i am no offloading currently)
if you were looking to buy a pre 99 car check everywhere for rust, remember petrol V6's need a cambelt AND tensioner change every 40k miles, the engines, if looked after are good for 200K+
tyre wear, especially on the front can spell wishbones, use that as a bargaining point, knocking on the front could be 'droplinks' not expensive but still a bargaining point.
On petrol engined cars the gearboxes are pretty robust weither it be manual or Auto, check the rear suspension for broken springs and uneven tyre wear.
Interior wise check the passenger footwell for damp, sometimes the drain channel blocks and water gets in through the heater motor, not a hard job to sort out, just a bit dirty!!
The general feeling is that 99 on cars have a slightly more robust interior but the pre 99 cars have a better looking interior, horses for courses there i suppose
i always check the MOT to see if an advisory note has been given, if so i want to see it....if it has 'disappeared' i check on the VOSA website and find out what it was advised on and then look at those items, have they been rectified/changed, if so then it goes someway to showing that the car has been cared for.
If it has an LPG conversion on it check the wiring carefully, how well does it run on LPG? there have been some very well documented cases of 'professionals' fitting in a real cowboy fashion, and then there have been some very professional kits fitted by pros as well.
I always get the owner to take me out to a point and then i drive back, i like to see how they drive the car, that's another way of telling how it is looked after
hope that helps