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[Ady]

Right I must admit I've owned my omega for nearly 18 months but I am completely ignorant to the different models available.
My car is a 2002 2.6 v6 saloon CDX. Is this a Mv6??

The reason being is my suspension is tied, it's done 105k miles 30k done this year.
I live in speed bumb hell so stiff suspenshion isn't an option nor is a stupidly low car.
So after reading many posts on here of people saying swap for Mv6 or imerch ect I'm now completely lost.

I know omegas are no sports car and I enjoy the comfy ride when traveling from Bournemouth to Dundee on a regular basis, but I want to eliminate some body roll when I'm covering.

What's my best option on suspension, do I buy stock and hope the body roll I'm experiencing is due to tied parts or do I go for an upgrade and get slightly stiffer or lower parts.

I'm sure this is an age old debate on here but would love some advice please.

I must also say I regularly travel with a lot of weight and fitted spring bosts last year as the back end used to drop alot.

Thanks 

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Start here - http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90488.0 - for an explanation of trim levels etc.

[Ady]

Thanks

[Ady]

Well that cleared up the model issue, but now I want a Mv6 or elite 

[X30XE]

In my opinion...

Never lower.  Lowering is for speed demons and chavs; not speed humps 

If your car is rolling/wallowing your shocks/struts are likely knackared and replacing them will both tighten up the ride and reduce discomfort from rebounding all over the place without ruining the setup.

[Ady]

Thanks that's exactly what I wanted to hear, I've done some research and it seems blisteen are a good brand, any thoughts? Or do I just get original equipment?

[X30XE]

I have self levelling rear suspension so I had no choice but to go GM really.  Others will recommend bilstien B4 /B6 as suitable substitutes on non SL cars I believe. But no doubt they'll be along shortly 


Edit: Also be mindful that you can through a lot of money very quickly at suspension rebuilds, and unless you do the WHOLE lot it's highly unlikely to be "perfect".  Depends how much of a perfectionist you are I guess 

[tunnie]

Standard for me works best, normal GM shocks give great ride. Even have them on the 3.2, the Omega is meant to be a cruiser. Not keen on lowering or stiffer shocks personally, too many pot holes. I want comfort!

[TheBoy]

B4s are a direct OE replacement, although I'd say slightly stiffer (though hard to truly compare, as people only change shocks when shagged)

[TheBoy]

Standard for me works best, normal GM shocks give great ride. Even have them on the 3.2, the Omega is meant to be a cruiser. Not keen on lowering or stiffer shocks personally, too many pot holes. I want comfort!

I'd say standard Elite IS too soft in most cases, and does give quite a lot of body roll.

I'd also say Irmscher/Eibach/any other 30mm or more lowering spring is way to low at the back, but probably not far off the ideal at the front.

In reality, somewhere between the 2 will be most suited to motorway cruisers

[Ady]

Thanks for the advice everybody

I have self levelling rear suspension so I had no choice but to go GM really.  Others will recommend bilstien B4 /B6 as suitable substitutes on non SL cars I believe. But no doubt they'll be along shortly 


Edit: Also be mindful that you can through a lot of money very quickly at suspension rebuilds, and unless you do the WHOLE lot it's highly unlikely to be "perfect".  Depends how much of a perfectionist you are I guess 

I like perfection and have already changed top suspension mounts, anti roll bar for polly, wish bones for polly, ball joints, steering idler, track rods and tie bar, drop link. This month is suspension and brakes, and next month will be the rear end so I'm sure I'll be pestering you all again. 

[chrisgixer]

Lowering? Or lowering an omega?


Lowering an omega obviously depends how far it's lowered. But obviously GM must be a bunch of chavs as well, as they lowered it 15mm on the face lift mv6.


Seems to me lowering the rear beyond 15mm or 20mm at the most is asking for trouble as the back drags its arse on speed bumps and cushions, and n undulations such as drive way entrances where they meet the road, and in multi story car parks etc.

Front is different, as the geometry and tire wear seems to benefit from a flatter wishbone angle. This means the arc of the wishbone sits at its most outboard point. So rise or fall the suspension track decreases . Where as with a higher ride height the track can increase AND decrease. To me that means less side ways tyre scrub with natural ride height variances of bump and rebound, and less sideways deviation in the cars direction.

Firmer suspension also helps, both with tyre wear and body roll. Obviously too firm is unplesent giving poor ride quality, although things like tyre profile and bush firmness play a roll there too.

But, at least the damn thing has a chance of going in a straight line. Or at least for the first half of the tyres life anyway

[Diamond Black Geezer]

The general consensus for the 'perfect' (or should that be 'optimum') ride/handling on the Omega is

MV6 FL springs with Bilstein B4s and Poly front wishbone bushes, genuine GM rear front wishbone bushes. Track/tie rods/droplinks from wherever you fancy, with varying levels of wear dependent on price.

I know this because I asked the same question a few months ago. I now run on this setup and am delighted. Still super-smooth, but push her in the corners and very, very controllable and safe handling. 


Nowt wrong with CDXs, by the way! 

From a CDX owner's perspective the main noticeable difference is basically leather seats. Auto levelling rear suspension - as said, many/most have had this removed, due to cost of the air-shocks. PFLs get Xenon lamps, but the FL CDXs also got Xenons. Auto-dipping rear view mirror. Slightly different grille (on the PFLs) A CDX is still smothered witgh all the refinements of a big luxo-barge motorway cruiser. I won't list the specs, as you already know what they are, as you own one 

What I'm saying is you shouln't feel short-changed owning a CDX, by no means. And if you've got a car you're happy with, you know its faults/quirks/work that's due, then it's far easier to 'Elite-ise' a CDX than it is to sell, and try and find an Elite at the right price in the right condition. 

[TheBoy]

The one thing missing from CDX that's is "challenging" to retrofit is the full electric/memory seats.  Easy to have the drivers seat working, but all the memory mirrors need a lot of loom that will be missing.

Everything else is quite easy to fit (although bose into a facelift will take a bit of swearing)

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Ahh, as I understood it there were effectively two looms. The 'lower' and the 'higher' loom - hence when you pull up the back seat you find a nice plug sitting there to take heated rear seat, in spite of the CDX not having them as standard. Didn't realise putting the leccy seats in was more than plug n play.

Appreciate the memory mirrors would be a fair whack of wiring to overcome if you desired, as you say, too