Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Tafty on 08 August 2007, 23:20:00

Title: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Tafty on 08 August 2007, 23:20:00
Right peeps,

the missus and I are seriously talking about relocating to the southern sector of the UK - aka Hereford and are looking at purchasing a 4x4 :o - in addition to the miggy. My question is about the 3.2 litre - with it being a VX, is it the the same engine as used by the 3.2 miggy's as the expertise that this site offers would certainly put my mind at rest and the common possible spares that come with already owning a 2.6 miggy.  Would it be worth it - or best just to buy a Disco???

Feel free to answer honestly :-X   ;)
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Dazzler on 08 August 2007, 23:35:56
The newer Fronteras are the best yet of that range, just bear in mind that they drink fuel like its going out of fashion :o
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Tafty on 08 August 2007, 23:53:37
Quote
The newer Fronteras are the best yet of that range, just bear in mind that they drink fuel like its going out of fashion :o

Not really bothered about the fuel economy - but would the parts be interchangeable
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Dazzler on 09 August 2007, 00:01:08
Same lumps nearly as the Omega, but slightly less horses. IIRC.
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 09 August 2007, 08:19:51
After 97 ish the Frontera became a very capable unit as it inherited the under pinnings of the Isuzu trooper with ladder chassis etc.

Off road they are more than a match for a Disco.
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: miked on 09 August 2007, 08:29:06
I had one, 3.2 Limited, running boards, privacy glass, really looked the part.  Now it was never my intention to do any off roading, smooth tarmac roads only so really didn't need it at all :-[

Put up with it for three months before I demanded the VX dealer give me my money back.  It was a 99 on a T plate.  The number of electrical faults, bits falling off, knocking noises, warped discs (replaced but soon exhibited the same symptoms), the list was endless.

Every week there was something new.  I may have been unlucky and got a Friday afternoon one, I don't know.  Just thought I would share my experiences.

Oh, and by the way, spent a considerable amount of time in filling stations.  12 to 17 on average, 22 to 25 on a long run being very gentle.
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Owen on 09 August 2007, 11:14:34
I recon i depends what your gonna use your 4x4 for! If your going to use it, like so many do, on tarmac school running or just for show you dont need to get anything massively capable hence the fronty would do the job, but bits tend to fall of them.
but if you want to buy a 4x4 for the reason they were designed well i would say go for a Jeep. You can pick up a good Mk1/2 Cherokee for peanuts, and most of the 4ltre straight 6 models are already fittted with LPG. The Cherokee,s have front coils and rear springs but are far more capable then a disco. The grand Cherokee,s have all round springs and are even more capable off road. The downside of the grands are the fact that they are fitted with the Dana35 rear diff which tends to break on severe assents! Unless the super35 diff kit is fitted. I busted 3 dana35 diffs in 4 months, but that was extreme terain off roading.
But like I said, if its a 4x4 for show, you can pretty much get what you want! But if its a 4x4 for real use, get a Jeep mate, there cheap as chips :y

And if your thinking of moving to the Hereford area I have a good friend over there who builds, upgrades, and does off road prep on most models of Jeeps! ;)
Here are a few pics of my old monster!

(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/trooper30/jeep4.jpg)
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/trooper30/jeep1.jpg)
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/trooper30/jeep2.jpg)
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/trooper30/jeep3.jpg)


Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: TheBoy on 09 August 2007, 16:52:57
Quote
After 97 ish the Frontera became a very capable unit as it inherited the under pinnings of the Isuzu trooper with ladder chassis etc.

Off road they are more than a match for a Disco.
Having driven new Troopers and Discoveries, I know what I would get, and it would be the proper one.  Remember Discovery has come on a long way as well ;)

Not driven a 97> Frontera though....
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: sounds2k on 09 August 2007, 17:02:57
beware - I'm pretty certain that the frontera uses the isuzu 3.2 V6 which is NOT the same as the GM unit - as when I was first looking into buying a 3.2 omega, a dealer told me that the 3.2 was an isuzu lump and I was sure it wasn't ...

It may be that this changed later on in the frontera's life though?

EDIT: hmmm ... maybe not ... this engine pic is from a 2001 model year 3.2V6 ... definitely doesn't look like the Y32SE fitted to omegas ...

(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e327/n0ddy/miggy/64cc_1.jpg)
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Markie on 09 August 2007, 19:23:51
one of our members Big Rod bought one to replace his 3.2 MV6. The MV6 now owned by another owner of course in Bob Dent


Whilst the 3.2 Frontera was no match for the MV6 its a very capable motor...im sure its putting out around 170bhp according to Rod, whether thats down to it being an Isuzu lump im not sure...

Oh and it was very pretty  :-[
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Baron Von Spongebob on 09 August 2007, 21:29:19
Id have A Disco as first choice any day.. :y
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Tafty on 09 August 2007, 22:43:41
Fantastic feedback chaps - Owen, my Brother, Sister and Father all the own Jeep Cherokees (4.0 lpg) but it's only my Dads one that hasn't caused him any hassle ( he is the only one of the 3 to service the beast himself!!! Says alot about the jeep garages in Hereford in my book).  We're probably going to be doing the Mitsubishi Shogun route  :-[ due to having a swmbo and 3 kids and their attached parafinalier - also the negativity about the Frontera and it's reliabilty issues - we will be using it for off road farming etc so not the normal tarmac school run for this beast - plus great fot getting out of floods  :y - will probably be pulling a van of some sorts too from next summer so will be downgrading to a diesel :(

Lee
Title: Re: A Frontera 3.2?!?!!??!
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 10 August 2007, 00:08:09
Quote
Fantastic feedback chaps - Owen, my Brother, Sister and Father all the own Jeep Cherokees (4.0 lpg) but it's only my Dads one that hasn't caused him any hassle ( he is the only one of the 3 to service the beast himself!!! Says alot about the jeep garages in Hereford in my book).  We're probably going to be doing the Mitsubishi Shogun route  :-[ due to having a swmbo and 3 kids and their attached parafinalier - also the negativity about the Frontera and it's reliabilty issues - we will be using it for off road farming etc so not the normal tarmac school run for this beast - plus great fot getting out of floods  :y - will probably be pulling a van of some sorts too from next summer so will be downgrading to a diesel :(

Lee

A Good friend of mine has a Jeep 4.0 LPG, and when I got into it I couldn't believe how small they are inside.
Go for a Rangey mate, went off roading in ours it was brilliant (front fog lights never worked again ;D) went snow hunting and never got stuck, tow caravans as though they aint on...
Bloke across the road worked in Saudi he was telling me that Shoguns were always getting stuck but the Rangy's were ace :y

Get The Daddy ;)