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[Bigron]

+1 

Ron.

[relluf]

I too would love to help you out James,but again it is way beyond my skillsets, I would however be willing to chuck my elite in to be done as well if if made it more worth while for somebody?

[biggriffin]

There must be a body shop near to you that does restoration work,  Your modern style car body shop might struggle, as there are more of a panel on, then paint, rather than a cut and remove and repairs.

Quick Google
 http://www.cotswoldclassiccarrestorations.co.uk

[Nick W]

There must be a body shop near to you that does restoration work,  Your modern style car body shop might struggle, as there are more of a panel on, then paint, rather than a cut and remove and repairs.

That.


This is the sort of job that is bread and butter for any backstreet bodyshop.
But it's time consuming, and therefore expensive. You'll easily exceed any sensible value of the car.

[Bigron]

James, what goes around, comes around and you are now reaping the reward for your helping so many of us in the past, including me.
I would glady help you without payment if I had the appropriate skills so to do.
Good luck in getting sorted. 

Ron.

[JamesV6CDX]

Thanks, all, for the kind words, but I think after so many years of omega ownership, the time is rapidly approaching for me to throw in the towel with them, as many others seem to be doing. As much as I adore the car it has 200+k miles and realistically is probably as nick said beyond economical repair

[dave the builder]

There are low mileage Omegas popping up for sale recently
obviously they need looking at to check they are not rotten underneath 
may be you will find one,and the money you would have spent on arch repair, plus the £190 ish you'd get for scrapping the rusty one would put you in a lower mile ,less rusty Omega

[dave the builder]

something like this 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Omega-2003-2-6-V6-1-OWNER-Low-Mileage-FSH/293084707254?hash=item443d35b9b6:g:MUMAAOSwIQtctgkK

or Nigel at omegas52 has a 2.2 for less than £500
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-2003-2-2-16V-CD-AUTO-SALOON-ONLY-95K-EXTENSIVE-SERVICE-HISTORY/233221141384?hash=item364d103388:g:~iMAAOSwWtpc0uW9

[Nick W]

something like this 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Omega-2003-2-6-V6-1-OWNER-Low-Mileage-FSH/293084707254?hash=item443d35b9b6:g:MUMAAOSwIQtctgkK

or Nigel at omegas52 has a 2.2 for less than £500
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-2003-2-2-16V-CD-AUTO-SALOON-ONLY-95K-EXTENSIVE-SERVICE-HISTORY/233221141384?hash=item364d103388:g:~iMAAOSwWtpc0uW9

The problem is that even low mileage cars are also old, so they still need the same sort of mechanical expenditure. I wouldn't buy an Omega without planning a full suspension rebuild and with even with careful budgeting that's £150 of parts per corner, not including tyres. Bringing the engine belts/gaskets/service/HBV etc up to scratch is going to soak up a day and £300. And they have bodywork issues that aren't cheap -in time or money-  to do yourself on your own car.

[dave the builder]

The problem is that even low mileage cars are also old, so they still need the same sort of mechanical expenditure. I wouldn't buy an Omega without planning a full suspension rebuild and with even with careful budgeting that's £150 of parts per corner, not including tyres. Bringing the engine belts/gaskets/service/HBV etc up to scratch is going to soak up a day and £300. And they have bodywork issues that aren't cheap -in time or money-  to do yourself on your own car.

most of which James's current 200k car probably needs , plus the arches repaired
and he has a donor car for anything needed until he scraps it

there are still some nice (and cared for) Omegas about , and some rusty P.O.S dogs too 

there's not much about to tempt someone moving away from omega without spending £5k

[Doctor Gollum]

That applies to everything worthy of consideration once you're past 10 years old... Replacing an Omega with A ten year old barge will see the same issues beginning to appear and several others besides...

Looked at a 23 year old car last week... For example just opening the bonnet revealed missing covers, an oil leak that demands a HG change as the official cure and some future welding behind the headlights. A couple of minutes inside the car revealed an non working heater blower and mirror switch. Bare minimum in parts is £300 plus a couple of days work and another £60- £100 in tools. And that's before addressing the overdue service or any aircon issues that the lack of fan masks...

Even a tidy Omega can swallow a grand in bits and bobs just to get it mechanically straight.

The only reason to do bodywork on a 200k mile car is for sentimental reasons alone. That said, buy a tidy one and look after it and there's no reason why it won't do 300k.

The trouble is these types of car are 10-20 years too new to be genuine investments... So the choice you make is either preserve one for the future and run a daily driver to take the abuse (nice car or shed doesn't matter, but it isn't your weekend investment), or run a car you like as your personal investment, look after it and enjoy it but be content with the fact that you will never retire on its future value.

A nice well kept car is a nice well kept car regardless of make/model, age or mileage 

[dave the builder]

That applies to everything worthy of consideration once you're past 10 years old... Replacing an Omega with A ten year old barge will see the same issues beginning to appear and several others besides...

Looked at a 23 year old car last week... For example just opening the bonnet revealed missing covers, an oil leak that demands a HG change as the official cure and some future welding behind the headlights. A couple of minutes inside the car revealed an non working heater blower and mirror switch. Bare minimum in parts is £300 plus a couple of days work and another £60- £100 in tools. And that's before addressing the overdue service or any aircon issues that the lack of fan masks...

Even a tidy Omega can swallow a grand in bits and bobs just to get it mechanically straight.

The only reason to do bodywork on a 200k mile car is for sentimental reasons alone. That said, buy a tidy one and look after it and there's no reason why it won't do 300k.

The trouble is these types of car are 10-20 years too new to be genuine investments... So the choice you make is either preserve one for the future and run a daily driver to take the abuse (nice car or shed doesn't matter, but it isn't your weekend investment), or run a car you like as your personal investment, look after it and enjoy it but be content with the fact that you will never retire on its future value.

A nice well kept car is a nice well kept car regardless of make/model, age or mileage 

all of which I agree with 

I'm off to find Lizzie for a proper argument   

[Nick W]

The trouble is these types of car are 10-20 years too new to be genuine investments... So the choice you make is either preserve one for the future and run a daily driver to take the abuse (nice car or shed doesn't matter, but it isn't your weekend investment), or run a car you like as your personal investment, look after it and enjoy it but be content with the fact that you will never retire on its future value.

A nice well kept car is a nice well kept car regardless of make/model, age or mileage 

No the problem with these cars is that they cost the same as a 5 series/E-class/Volvo/A6 to buy and own when new. Those costs increase as the cars age and decrease in value. Big Vauxhalls(and Fords) have no image to keep the wallet open so the various jobs that can be put off, are. This makes the value drop even quicker, and the cars soon become worthless(how else could you describe a 15 year old executive class car that costs a grand?) which is where many of us came in - me included. I sold my mechanically sorted car last year because I wasn't prepared to start on the endless round of welding that it needed. If I needed to replace it now(I won't buy a big car that isn't an estate) the only replacement is a V70 that's going to be at least 10 years old. And upwards of £2k

[biggriffin]

The trouble is these types of car are 10-20 years too new to be genuine investments... So the choice you make is either preserve one for the future and run a daily driver to take the abuse (nice car or shed doesn't matter, but it isn't your weekend investment), or run a car you like as your personal investment, look after it and enjoy it but be content with the fact that you will never retire on its future value.

A nice well kept car is a nice well kept car regardless of make/model, age or mileage 

No the problem with these cars is that they cost the same as a 5 series/E-class/Volvo/A6 to buy and own when new. Those costs increase as the cars age and decrease in value. Big Vauxhalls(and Fords) have no image to keep the wallet open so the various jobs that can be put off, are. This makes the value drop even quicker, and the cars soon become worthless(how else could you describe a 15 year old executive class car that costs a grand?) which is where many of us came in - me included. I sold my mechanically sorted car last year because I wasn't prepared to start on the endless round of welding that it needed. If I needed to replace it now(I won't buy a big car that isn't an estate) the only replacement is a V70 that's going to be at least 10 years old. And upwards of £2k

. 


I looked at Volvo's, but the prices that they want for them is horrendous, and trying to find a sub 100k example for a sensible price. Hence the posh Vectra, which was right price,right time. Lucky find.

[terry paget]

Thanks, all, for the kind words, but I think after so many years of omega ownership, the time is rapidly approaching for me to throw in the towel with them, as many others seem to be doing. As much as I adore the car it has 200+k miles and realistically is probably as nick said beyond economical repair

It's a painful conclusion to come to, but I fear you are right. I used to argue that Omegas gave me and my family cheap luxury motoring, but not so any more. Once the rust sets in, it's not cheap any more.

We got 11 Omegas at Brackley last Monday. We got 23 at High Wycombe a couple of years ago. I hope there will be another Omega meeting, but it should be soon.