Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 30 September 2013, 17:03:35

Title: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 30 September 2013, 17:03:35
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Rog on 30 September 2013, 17:06:04
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?

£330 for complete cam kit, tensioners, and water pump ? Strikes me as very cheap. Did they actually do it ?
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: bago on 30 September 2013, 17:06:10
I think it was down to a change in the water pump design and the newer pump not being as good as a original design . I may be wrong but I seem to remember that it was due to them now having plastic impeller blades
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 30 September 2013, 17:09:02
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?

£330 for complete cam kit, tensioners, and water pump ? Strikes me as very cheap. Did they actually do it ?

 Yep.....I watched the reprobates. Water pump and tensioners,too. :y

The original quote was something like £550.
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Rog on 30 September 2013, 17:19:16
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?

£330 for complete cam kit, tensioners, and water pump ? Strikes me as very cheap. Did they actually do it ?

 Yep.....I watched the reprobates. Water pump and tensioners,too. :y

The original quote was something like £550.

Seems to me I should drive up your way next time it needs doing then  ???
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: aaronjb on 30 September 2013, 17:21:32
I believe on the V6 the advice changed because:

1) The OE waterpump used to be cheap on TC and it's not anymore
2) Non-OE waterpumps have been shown to fail very soon after installation (days, not months) and since the waterpump isn't cambelt driven on the V6 the original won't take the belt out if it breaks so it falls under "If it ain't broke, don't fix it)

I believe, anyway :y
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Kevin Wood on 30 September 2013, 17:22:29
In my case it was due to the (admittedly pattern) water pump coming with a seal that failed within 2 weeks, causing me to have to re-do the job. Having heard stories of genuine pumps also failing early, I wouldn't bother to change it again, personally, unless it failed.

If changing parts speculatively doesn't guarantee to give you a more reliable car than leaving them be, then it's a fool's game IMHO.
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 30 September 2013, 17:28:49
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?

That is cheap!

My Vx dealer when asked out of interest how much they would charge to replace the cam belt kit, plus water pump (on the now disposed of Omega 3.0 Elite) quoted £386, with trade discount, but plus parts that I would buy at trade from their parts department.  It would have been about £600 all in. ::) ::)
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Webby the Bear on 30 September 2013, 17:37:05
This just confirms what I thought about Vx: they make the prices up!

I called them to see what it would cost as an ''out of interest'' exercise.... £698. inc. water pump and inc. VAT.

So when my cambelt let go and I decided to do a top end rebuild I'll still be £4-hundred-and-something better off for not going to Vx.
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 30 September 2013, 17:53:52
.......if you're changing the cambelt on a V6 Omega, then change the water pump while you're at it........So I did, £330 (reduced from over £500) All done by  Vx after pleading poverty. ;D

People don't seem to  say that so much these days. Why?

That is cheap!

My Vx dealer when asked out of interest how much they would charge to replace the cam belt kit, plus water pump (on the now disposed of Omega 3.0 Elite) quoted £386, with trade discount, but plus parts that I would buy at trade from their parts department.  It would have been about £600 all in. ::) ::)

I'm handsome and persuasive, Lizzie. :) :-* :-* :-*

Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 30 September 2013, 17:58:09
This just confirms what I thought about Vx: they make the prices up!

I called them to see what it would cost as an ''out of interest'' exercise.... £698. inc. water pump and inc. VAT.

So when my cambelt let go and I decided to do a top end rebuild I'll still be £4-hundred-and-something better off for not going to Vx.


I know the guys at my local Vx quite well

They are usually willing to negotiate, when I tell them I'm an impoverished Omega owner. :y
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Rods2 on 30 September 2013, 20:16:59
This just confirms what I thought about Vx: they make the prices up!

I called them to see what it would cost as an ''out of interest'' exercise.... £698. inc. water pump and inc. VAT.

So when my cambelt let go and I decided to do a top end rebuild I'll still be £4-hundred-and-something better off for not going to Vx.


I know the guys at my local Vx quite well

They are usually willing to negotiate, when I tell them I'm an impoverished billionaire Omega owner. :y

There you go, I've fixed that where there is no need to be so modest on here.  ;) :P ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 30 September 2013, 20:28:07
When you go into your local dealer, do you wear a shabby tweed jacket with patches on the elbows like all the other aristocrats who hope to look a bit down on their luck?  ???  :)
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: BazaJT on 30 September 2013, 20:37:40
A good few years ago when I had my first 3.0 Omega I was quoted £330 to do the cam cover gaskets by our local Vx dealer!!
Title: Re: Everyone used to say......
Post by: dbug on 30 September 2013, 20:38:51
When you go into your local dealer, do you wear a shabby tweed jacket with patches on the elbows like all the other aristocrats who hope to look a bit down on their luck?  ???  :)

No, just turn up in an Omega ;D ;D ;D