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[Mr Gav]

Before you go splashing your money on anything C30SE related price up some timing chain guides, these are NLS at Vauxhall/Opel, unless the boys over in ABS have done a group buy and funded a low volume manufacture they will be like the proverbial rocking horse poo.

Is this the time chain guide part you are referring to:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHAIN-GUIDE-straight-C30SE-3-0-24v-90352572-90-352-572-90352572-NEW-/361563039577?hash=item542ed62759:g:sj0AAOSwmc1XPNgb

If so I had no difficulty in finding it. I found it from several sources and also found a used one for £70.

Thats one of them, there are two but I wouldn`t use a second hand one.

I`m not saying you can`t get one, there will always be someone that has a new one unused or surplus to requirements, just that there are none in any Vauxhall/Opel dealers. It is unlikely that GM will sanction another production run and there was talk on the ABS forum about trying to source the appropriate material and get some machined but until that happens you`re stuck with sourcing parts form other people, some will sell at a reasonable price some won`t.

I don't think £175 is too bad. And I found several new ones for around that price. Considering they won't go bad too often and you will probably go through probably 2 of them through the car's life unless you are very unlucky, I think £175 is not even bad. It's basically a classic car now. Is the timing chain guide the most difficult part to find in your opinion?

And do you mean you need 2 timing chain guides per engine?

There`s actually three guides, two for the chain that runs from the crankshaft sprocket to the exhaust cam and then the top tensioner/guide for the chain that runs from the exhaust to the inlet cam but hat one is readily available to ABS club members.

If i were looking to buy one now I`d be looking for a car that had already had it done with documented evidence because to do it right it needs the chains, tensioners, guides, all sprockets and sprocket bolts changing, IIRC it was around £500 for the parts at list price then before greedy people started trying to flog them on ebay att over inflated prices, it`s going back a few years now but only the timing chain tensioner wasn`t NLS out of that little list and it had been known for the guides to break up with age, as most of the cars aren`t daily drivers anymore they`re going to take a few years to do 100k.

Good diff mounts will be hard to find but it shouldn`t be too difficult to refurb one using polyurethane in the same way Doctor Gollum has done with the Omega ones

[TheBoy]

Top pic is standard...

Lower pic is MV6/Sport and was made specifically for Vauxhall by Provide

Wasn`t Prodrive?

Yes, Prodrive in Banburyshire.

[anV6]

Top pic is standard...

Lower pic is MV6/Sport and was made specifically for Vauxhall by Provide

So it's basically an "aftermarket"? That explains why I have never seen it on any Opels.

By the way, I missed your earlier reply:

Told you

You know, I knew you were going to say that. 

And I even predicted the eyeroll too. 

The GSi was definitely more fan. Not sure compared to a MV6 3.0 manual. I haven't be able to drive one yet. But compared to the 2.5 diesel, definitely.

I would still not say the GSi is twice the car the Omega is though. The Omega is way, way more practical I would say. So depends on what you want. I myself, as much as I like the GSi am not sure if I would like to drive my child around in one. The Omega has airbags, side airbags, reinforced doors and other safety features the Carlton has never had.

[anV6]

Before you go splashing your money on anything C30SE related price up some timing chain guides, these are NLS at Vauxhall/Opel, unless the boys over in ABS have done a group buy and funded a low volume manufacture they will be like the proverbial rocking horse poo.

Is this the time chain guide part you are referring to:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHAIN-GUIDE-straight-C30SE-3-0-24v-90352572-90-352-572-90352572-NEW-/361563039577?hash=item542ed62759:g:sj0AAOSwmc1XPNgb

If so I had no difficulty in finding it. I found it from several sources and also found a used one for £70.

Thats one of them, there are two but I wouldn`t use a second hand one.

I`m not saying you can`t get one, there will always be someone that has a new one unused or surplus to requirements, just that there are none in any Vauxhall/Opel dealers. It is unlikely that GM will sanction another production run and there was talk on the ABS forum about trying to source the appropriate material and get some machined but until that happens you`re stuck with sourcing parts form other people, some will sell at a reasonable price some won`t.

I don't think £175 is too bad. And I found several new ones for around that price. Considering they won't go bad too often and you will probably go through probably 2 of them through the car's life unless you are very unlucky, I think £175 is not even bad. It's basically a classic car now. Is the timing chain guide the most difficult part to find in your opinion?

And do you mean you need 2 timing chain guides per engine?

There`s actually three guides, two for the chain that runs from the crankshaft sprocket to the exhaust cam and then the top tensioner/guide for the chain that runs from the exhaust to the inlet cam but hat one is readily available to ABS club members.

If i were looking to buy one now I`d be looking for a car that had already had it done with documented evidence because to do it right it needs the chains, tensioners, guides, all sprockets and sprocket bolts changing, IIRC it was around £500 for the parts at list price then before greedy people started trying to flog them on ebay att over inflated prices, it`s going back a few years now but only the timing chain tensioner wasn`t NLS out of that little list and it had been known for the guides to break up with age, as most of the cars aren`t daily drivers anymore they`re going to take a few years to do 100k.

Good diff mounts will be hard to find but it shouldn`t be too difficult to refurb one using polyurethane in the same way Doctor Gollum has done with the Omega ones

Yes, I guess at this point owning a Carlton is like owning any other classic car. Parts are more rare.

But for the Omega, parts are still widely available right? Including from Opel/Vauxhall?

[TheBoy]

So it's basically an "aftermarket"? That explains why I have never seen it on any Opels.

No, not aftermarket like, say, Irmscher.  That bumper is factory fitted in Germany at build time to Vauxhall badged MV6 and Sport models.

Not sure if it ever made it (from factory) to Opel badged models.

[Doctor Gollum]

Top pic is standard...

Lower pic is MV6/Sport and was made specifically for Vauxhall by Provide

Wasn`t Prodrive?

Them too...

[anV6]

So it's basically an "aftermarket"? That explains why I have never seen it on any Opels.

No, not aftermarket like, say, Irmscher.  That bumper is factory fitted in Germany at build time to Vauxhall badged MV6 and Sport models.

Not sure if it ever made it (from factory) to Opel badged models.

I have not seen that bumper on Opels so far.

By the way, going to look at a Steinmetz tomorrow. 

It's a PFL. But price, mileage and color is right.

So what do I lose again with a PFL vs a FL car? Meaning the most important features.

[Doctor Gollum]

Pockets on the door cards and pointy bits on the headlights. Possibly no side airbags either. But that's about it

[anV6]

So all the other safety bits are there, like TC, ESP, passenger airbag, the door reinforcements etc?

Although losing side airbag is a bad thing. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Can't speak for Euro spec and some of the differences will depend on model year, build date and spec...

[TheBoy]

PFL does lose a fair amount on safety. MFL is virtually same for safety as FL, except no active head restraints.

No UK spec Omega had ESP, and only became an option on late FL's.  Suspect ESP only fitted to late FLs in Opeland as well

[anV6]

PFL does lose a fair amount on safety. MFL is virtually same for safety as FL, except no active head restraints.

No UK spec Omega had ESP, and only became an option on late FL's.  Suspect ESP only fitted to late FLs in Opeland as well

How can I id a MFL car?

And could you elaborate on the fair amount of safety the PFL cars lose?

Doing some research, I found that from the 1998 model year, all Omegas were fitted with standard side airbags in the front seats. So at least side airbags were available in later PFL cars.  in 2002 all six-cylinder models received ESP as standard. So yes, only in very late models. But I was going to miss on it anyway if I want a 3.0 manual FL.

About the active head restraints, my current car doesn't have it either. 

[anV6]

Can't speak for Euro spec and some of the differences will depend on model year, build date and spec...

I doubt Euro spec is much different when it comes to the safety features. It would make no sense offering them in the UK and not in Germany and vice-versa. 

But then again, who knows...

[Doctor Gollum]

There's a couple of early limited editions and base models that didn't have passenger airbags.

Take each car on merit and go from there... Or buy the Omega A you saw

[anV6]

The problem with the Omega A GSi is the total lack of modern safety features. Remember this is to e a family car too.