Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MarkG]

There is a long list of service parts and fluids you expect to replace as a car ages. Things like springs, bushes, track rods, pads, disks, tyres, water pumps, cam cover gaskets, dis packs, oils, sensors etc etc. But what about the more unusual things you would never have expected to have to fix or replace?
I’ve had my car for coming up to 14 years and in that time covered 247,000 miles.  In a rough timeline order I can think of the following ‘out of the ordinary’ things I have had to fix or replace or have just worn out;
1 year old
•   Peeling of the shiny trim on the front grill. Replaced by Vauxhall under warranty
3 years old
•   Centre Armrest latch broke. Still is. Just glued it back in place
•   Steering wheel stitching started to come undone. Sorted with superglue and has been fine since
5 years old
•   Glovebox latch failed. Fixed it with a used one and it has been fine since
•   ABS ECU failed. Replaced with a used unit and has been fine since
•   Handbrake latch button failed. Used lever which strangely is now cracked on one side. I don’t used it as mine’s and Auto
6 years old
•   Coin storage box latch broke. Fitted a used one
7 years old
•   Drivers door check strap mounting required welding back to the pillar
•   Rust started to develop in top of offside rear wheel arch. Been patched up two or 3 times but keeps coming back and is now pretty significant. Nearside is untouched and still looks almost perfect
•   Heated seat pads failed. But seeing as I have the ‘superior’ cloth option, I never used them anyway
8 years old
•   Alarm periodically woke the neighbourhood in the dead of night. Disabled it
•   Blob of rust developed on offside rear wing at C post junction with roof. Repaired once and holding OK
•   Rust developed on nearside lower wheel arch hidden by closed door. Now significant. I’ve just let it go.
•   Fitted new AC condenser (which turned out not to be the source of the AC leak)
9 years old
•   Established that AC Evaporator failed. Replaced with used item and still OK
•   Fuel cap lock fault causing all doors to stay locked. Removed lock when I managed to get back into the car
•   Driver’s keyed door lock completely seized due to lack of use. Copious WD40 freed it up (which reminds me…must do it again)
•   Wet carpets and glass fogging up due to coolant leak. Thinking the car was not much longer for this world I tipped in Radweld. It fixed the leak and has remained leak-free eve r since even after a subsequent coolant flush and change.
10 years old
•   Annoying rattles in passenger door which turned out to be the polystyrene fillers coming unstuck from the panel. Glued back on. Peace and quiet returned
11 years old
•   Significant welding required of nearside chassis near front cross member, nearside chassis at sub frame mount and nearside front inner wing for MOT
•   Headlight switch fell apart. Used one fitted
12 years old
•   Series of cracked windscreens caused by a number of rust patches developing in window aperture.  Significant repair work required. 2 years on and the Windscreen has just cracked again on the passenger lower corner
•   Odd AC behaviour; still blows ice cold but on heat, after an hour or so, airflow fades away despite fan still running on high. Live with it
•   Break disk shields almost completely rotted away. Live with it
•   Coolant temperature sensor failed. Replaced with a  new one
•   Headlight and fog light glass had gone a horrible yellowy hue.  A good polish with a proprietary cutting paste sorted them out
•   Door mirror alloy frames seized and then broke when I tried to knock them in. Replaced with a pair of used frames

13 years old
•   Wiper linkage knuckle wore out dropping the rod which disabled the passenger wiper. A  used rod got it going again
•   Rear window/door mirror demist button starting to lose its finish revealing white beneath. I can live with that
•   Creaking steering caused by disintegrated rubber on centre tie rod idler joint. Replaced centre tie rod with a used one

14 years old

•   I’ve recently noticed the driver’s seat has lost some of its support. I only realised when I sat in the passenger seat.
•   Steering wheel and gear selector have worn to a lovely high gloss polished shine. The S for Sport button is completely erased

Does this list look familiar to everyone? What have I missed?

[Stemo]

Now, just to cheer yourself up, try to put a monetary value on each of your repairs. 

[Stemo]

Not forgetting service items, of course.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Now, just to cheer yourself up, try to put a monetary value on each of your repairs. 

Cruel sod.

[MarkG]

STEMO, that's the joy of owning one of these cars. It cost peanuts to fix. Most were used parts anyway. The car has had zero depreciation for the last 7 years and just keeps monstering on. Even with the high fuel costs, it all adds up to very cost effective motoring.

Some people think buying new and replacing a car every 2 or 3 years is the way to cost effective motoring. Sometimes they just 'need' to have a new car for status reasons. But really, they are just no good at the maths.   

[Stemo]

STEMO, that's the joy of owning one of these cars. It cost peanuts to fix. Most were used parts anyway. The car has had zero depreciation for the last 7 years and just keeps monstering on. Even with the high fuel costs, it all adds up to very cost effective motoring.

Some people think buying new and replacing a car every 2 or 3 years is the way to cost effective motoring. Sometimes they just 'need' to have a new car for status reasons. But really, they are just no good at the maths.

It might cost you peanuts to fix, but you are obviously capable of doing it. So, I think what your saying is 'Provided your willing to get your hands dirty, then an old omega will give you years of cheap motoring. However, if you need to use a garage, run away!'

[pscocoa]

STEMO, that's the joy of owning one of these cars. It cost peanuts to fix. Most were used parts anyway. The car has had zero depreciation for the last 7 years and just keeps monstering on. Even with the high fuel costs, it all adds up to very cost effective motoring.

Some people think buying new and replacing a car every 2 or 3 years is the way to cost effective motoring. Sometimes they just 'need' to have a new car for status reasons. But really, they are just no good at the maths.

It might cost you peanuts to fix, but you are obviously capable of doing it. So, I think what your saying is 'Provided your willing to get your hands dirty, then an old omega will give you years of cheap motoring. However, if you need to use a garage, run away!'

Even then STEMO with a good relationship with a garage you can still make the maths work. I have had to have very little done for 2/3 years - tyres yes, cambelt £300. Having said that the miles the OP has put on is fantastic compared to my 108000 - but mine has been on minor duties 5000 miles per annum since Phaeton arrived in 2009

[pscocoa]

Off the top of my head -
 
at 2 years - bubbling on frame of sun-roof - replaced by VX after a battle
at coming up 3 years new NCDC 2013 (intermittent fault)- had to get Siemens involved to confirm to VX item was faulty.
It had an top engine rebuild in 2003 as there was a problem with cylinder heads and an oil leak and a complete new engine in 2008 when VX messed up a cambelt change - all cost for VX.
2 changes of CID screen in 2007 and 2010.

[Stemo]

Off the top of my head -
 
at 2 years - bubbling on frame of sun-roof - replaced by VX after a battle
at coming up 3 years new NCDC 2013 (intermittent fault)- had to get Siemens involved to confirm to VX item was faulty.
It had an top engine rebuild in 2003 as there was a problem with cylinder heads and an oil leak and a complete new engine in 2008 when VX messed up a cambelt change - all cost for VX.
2 changes of CID screen in 2007 and 2010.

Hardly a recommendation, Phil. If Vx hadn't been paying, that lot would have bankrupt a lot of people.

[TheBoy]

Can't think of anything on the inside of my PFL MV6 that has broken apart from a seat heater (leather, fixed for free ).

Its gobbled a couple of crank sensors though

[Rods2]

Now, just to cheer yourself up, try to put a monetary value on each of your repairs. 

It is not only the money but also the satisfaction of fixing something. If you are a practical person, you will get it, if not, you will hate the thought of ever going near a toolbox and probably the reliability of most cars other than a Honda Civic.

IMO an Omega takes a lot of beating in terms of comfort, especially for long journeys, load carrying practicality with an estate, right wheel drive, right number of cylinders which is 6, right type of gearbox, safety, toys and price. It is very difficult to find something more modern that replaces it, an E-series Merc is about the only vehicle made with a similar load capacity, comfort and RHD. But many people have very different priorities and an euro sh*tbox will suffice, so they have a wide choice to choose from. Converting to LPG gives devil juice day-to-day running costs without a modern diesel repair bills.

Somebody I know has spent over £3000 on a new DPF, injectors and pump with their 6-cylinder diesel over the last 2 years. That buys an LPG kit for an Omega and about 2,500l of LPG, which would gives 40-50,000 miles just on their repair bills.

Personally, I would be seen dead driving some cars that people do, but each to their own.

[Stemo]

I did own an omega V6 remember. I know all about the good bits. I had it just over 12 months and, when I sold it to James, I gave him receipts for £1800.
Maybe I was unlucky, but my memories are not fond ones.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I did own an omega V6 remember. I know all about the good bits. I had it just over 12 months and, when I sold it to James, I gave him receipts for £1800.
Maybe I was unlucky, but my memories are not fond ones.

Overall I have good memories of my three Omega's. They have all been reasonably reliable (touch wood) and have not been inordinately expensive to run and maintain.

My biggest mistake was to buy a 'manual' Omega. The gearbox felt as though it had been lifted straight from a bus or lorry and detracted from the overall experience.

Some cars are not well suited to a manual box, and the Omega is one of them.

[05omegav6]

Me say nuffin

[omega3000]

The gearbox felt as though it had been lifted straight from a bus or lorry 

Me say nuffin

 

I dont recall the manual box being that bad , maybe a long ish throw but quite smooth  ... didnt have it long though , just a day later i took it back with blown crank seal