Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: foofaroo on 27 March 2013, 14:01:54

Title: Should I buy this?
Post by: foofaroo on 27 March 2013, 14:01:54
Hi

Just joined as I am considering buying an Omega as my daily driver to and from the station.

I have spotted this car near me.  Seems to have low miles for age and full 12m MOT.  I am not very engine literate so any advice on what to check and whether given I'm far from a mechanic I should think again about running an omega?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201303205858436/sort/default/usedcars/model/omega/make/vauxhall/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/quicksearch/true/page/1/radius/30/postcode/rg404ul?logcode=p

Many thanks

Nick
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: Selseybill on 27 March 2013, 14:22:50
Nice car but a bit juicy for just popping done the station each day
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: amba on 27 March 2013, 14:25:16
It depends on how far the station is each day,as being a large engined car it will take a while to be upto its most efficient and you will be paying a large fuel bill.

Also remember Omegas do suffer oil/breather issues with lots of short runs so factor your requirements against cost.

Saying that it looks a fair car and about the right price.

Hope you make the right decision :y
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: ted_one on 27 March 2013, 14:35:44
Hi and welcome to a fellow Berkshire man :y    If you wait a while there will a few members as the afternoon progresses to advise you..but for me the number one question would be ''at what mileage was the cambelt last changed''  it should be replaced every 40.000miles or every 4 years which ever comes sooner and if possible see if there is any proof of the work having been carried out. There are other items that I would also be interested in including any service history. Good luck with your purchase :y
                                                                     
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: tidla on 27 March 2013, 15:22:55
Hi and welcome to a fellow Berkshire man :y    If you wait a while there will a few members as the afternoon progresses to advise you..but for me the number one question would be ''at what mileage was the cambelt last changed''  it should be replaced every 40.000miles or every 4 years which ever comes sooner and if possible see if there is any proof of the work having been carried out. There are other items that I would also be interested in including any service history. Good luck with your purchase :y
                                                                     

As above, has the true 80k service been carried out and to satisfaction.

Otherwise you have the job of spending instead of just driving.
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: ted_one on 27 March 2013, 15:47:26
Looking at where you live,would that be Reading station? and if so I think Amba's comments should be heeded as the short journeys will have a twofold effect on your wallet i.e prohibitive fuel consumption and with the breathers getting a bit gunky you will either have to learn to do the preventative maintainenance or pay some one to do it for you. So buy the Omega for the weekends and bike it to the station :y :y
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: 2boxerdogs on 27 March 2013, 16:00:09
Sound advice so far, however a lot of car for very little money .
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: OmegaAnglesey on 27 March 2013, 16:06:10
Was going to see this Omega next week when he's back possibly if i have time  ::)
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 27 March 2013, 17:13:28
Buy that as a proper car, and a bicycle for doing the station run. :y

That looks bloody lovely from afar, but you'll get appalling fuel consumption and engine wear if it's only a short journey to the station.
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: Webby the Bear on 27 March 2013, 19:26:33
looks reeeeeeeally nice!  :y

cambelt history (if no proof then factor in a replacement immediately)

pop out a spark plug wire (no. 1 is easy to do and to get to)... if theres oil on the bit that attaches to the spark plug your cam cover gaskets will need doing

factor in the fact that your short journeys (presumably short?!) will cost you a lot in petrol. and youll need to keep to a regular routine maintenance of breather cleans

other than that just all the other used car stuff to check for.

this series of vids is good if you aint got a Scooby do :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tvgaix4jZ0

note this is just part 1... watch all 4 parts

hth

 :y
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: foofaroo on 27 March 2013, 19:57:41
Looking at where you live,would that be Reading station? and if so I think Amba's comments should be heeded as the short journeys will have a twofold effect on your wallet i.e prohibitive fuel consumption and with the breathers getting a bit gunky you will either have to learn to do the preventative maintainenance or pay some one to do it for you. So buy the Omega for the weekends and bike it to the station :y :y

Thanks all for the great advice.

Reading is my nearest station but I drive to Twyford which is a faster line and better when I get to London. This is approx 7 miles each way. Do all the comments still apply? Is this still too short to get up to peak operation? My working assumption was c.25mpg does this sound about right?
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: Webby the Bear on 27 March 2013, 20:05:25
Looking at where you live,would that be Reading station? and if so I think Amba's comments should be heeded as the short journeys will have a twofold effect on your wallet i.e prohibitive fuel consumption and with the breathers getting a bit gunky you will either have to learn to do the preventative maintainenance or pay some one to do it for you. So buy the Omega for the weekends and bike it to the station :y :y

Thanks all for the great advice.

Reading is my nearest station but I drive to Twyford which is a faster line and better when I get to London. This is approx 7 miles each way. Do all the comments still apply? Is this still too short to get up to peak operation? My working assumption was c.25mpg does this sound about right?

a 7 mile run wouldn't be too bad i wouldn't have thought. although you may like it so much you decide to drive straight to London  ;D
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: ted_one on 27 March 2013, 20:22:07
Agreed....as we are talking an area that we both know,then that run over to Twyford will be over some reasonably fast country roads so I would probably say that from where you are I would just about think of using an Omega. A nice steady poodle through the twisties on a spring morning in an Omega.....Heaven ;) :y
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: amba on 27 March 2013, 23:22:30
With 2 cold starts and only a 7 mile run each way you would be better getting a taxi to take you and save on the road tax and insurance. ;) :)

Honestly buying a top end 3.0 litre automatic for that run is not great economics. :(..you will not be doing the car any favours..oil will need changing very regularly along with those breathers. :(

Best advise ..honest..give it a miss for what you want it for  :(
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: Andy B on 27 March 2013, 23:31:00
With 2 cold starts and only a 7 mile run each way you would be better getting a taxi to take you and save on the road tax and insurance. ;) :)

Honestly buying a top end 3.0 litre automatic for that run is not great economics. :(..you will not be doing the car any favours..oil will need changing very regularly along with those breathers. :(

Best advise ..honest..give it a miss for what you want it for  :(

I ran two 3.0 Senators (one 12v & one 24v) for years & at the time commuted about 3 miles each way  ;)  ;)  ;) Sod the taxi  ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: amba on 27 March 2013, 23:39:38
But AndyB you are mechanically minded and would be able to do your own work at a fraction of the cost the OP would probably be paying at a garage, as stated he is not mechanically minded

Also consider that fule is now nearly £1=50 a litre so that 14 mile trip is going to be the best part of 5litres...yes tha taxi was "tongue in cheek" but its not an economic proposition IMHO
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 27 March 2013, 23:43:14
one thing I can guarantee, if you buy it,
sooner or later you will be an expert mechanic  ;D 
Title: Re: Should I buy this?
Post by: 2boxerdogs on 28 March 2013, 08:24:56
Believe me you will enjoy driving it , do as I sometimes do I have a 55 mile round trip commute , sometimes on the way home I take the"pretty route" adds 5 miles to the trip but does not do the car any harm.My 2.6 manual returns 30 mpg on the commute ,town work around 20 mpg buy it & enjoy it.