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[Doctor Gollum]

A big thank you to all you lovely people who have replied with your advice. I am not really in to car diy, home diy no problem so it would be garage all the way.

It looks like its try and get the best I can and take it from there really. Will start looking round and let you all know if I have any luck.

Thanks again.

You're making a mistake. If you are unwilling/unable to perform maintenance tasks, and rely on a garage to do the work for you, it will cost you an arm and a leg to keep it running. That's without factoring in the cost of bringing it up to a decent level when you first buy it.

The other problem is that a good car is unlikely to be too rotten, but could easily need all the same, expensive work that a much cheaper one would. You could spend close to £1000 for the parts to make a reliable car that drives properly.

This.

Regardless of engine or trim level.

[Rangie]

You are the same age as me don't know your financial circumstances & don't want to know but all I can say is if you're fortunate to have a good amount of cash at your disposal go for it have whatever you want, plenty of decent mechanics are about I've found them for my Omega Merc & Range Rover life is not a rehearsal , look forward to seeing the pics when you find your dream ride.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

All of the above notwithstanding. I love my Omega. I drove it 50 miles this afternoon (which doesnt happen that often) and there arent many cars I would rather be driving. Ive invested a lot of time, effort, and a fair bit of money into it, and it was well worth it to me.
It leaves me with a problem now. Swmbo has often mentioned that its difficult to justify running two cars, and Ive just bought a third.
It would be common sense to get rid of the Omega, but I dont think I can face it tbh. 
What to do. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I had my 2.5CDX for 11 years and before that I'd never kept a car much more than a year or two. 

I've now been an Ex-Omega Owner for about 5 years and I still miss it! 

[Doctor Gollum]

I miss mine, but not enough to want to go through the ballache and expense of getting another one sorted out.

[ronnyd]

I had my 2.5CDX for 11 years and before that I'd never kept a car much more than a year or two. 

I've now been an Ex-Omega Owner for about 5 years and I still miss it! 

+1, wrecked mine over two years ago. TVV@T   

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Thats the thing. I could talk myself into getting rid of mine, but I know I would miss it for the rest of my days.
I already have a short list of cars I wish I still had and I know this one would be another one of those.
Add that to the small amount of money I would get for it means I should probably keep it.
Worst comes to the worst I might put the Boxster on the road for the summer months and the Omega the winter months.
Not ideal, but would help justify keeping it.
On the other hand, I havent even driven the Boxster yet, so I might find it a disappointment and move that on instead. 

[New POD]

My 3,2 Elite has cost £17,951 over 8 years now to buy then maintain to the best levels possible.

Wow. Just wow. I think and I accept I could be wrong, but I think you've spent more on your Omega than I have on every car I've owned, including maintenance for the last 25+ years. It's a close call if I could include the insurance I've paid in that time as well.

Credit to you for keeping a car you want running. But when it's put like one lump sum, it seems an awful lot.

EDIT - No I couldn't get the insurance in that as well.

I guess much of that cost us because main dealer prices ?

I bought my 3.2 MV6 for not much money in Sept 2016.

I've taken it from 163k to 230k and spent probably £2k on it including tyres. Mixture of DIY and Back street repaired.  Mixture of trade club Vauxhall parts and eBay specials.

It has only let me down.twice.  once due to poor maintenance.  (Solid discs got fitted on the back and somebtimeblater a piston came out too far and pissed brake Fluid all.over the road) once due to a leaking radiator.
My biggest expense has been fuel.  If  I had bought any Deisel car, I'd have been less.poor than I the am.now. I reckon £6k could have been saved. But then my previous diesel cost £5k in depreciatelion over 4 years so it's fine.

[YZ250]

V6 of some description if you want an auto.  Preferrably the older 2.5 or 3l, rather than the newer, gutless, thirsty 2.6/3.2 ones.
.............

Ooooh, that hurt.      Can't say I ever remember any 3.0's coming past me in my 3.2. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Its all relative. The 3.0 was the best of the bunch, but not by much. Realistically, its far from easy to find a nice 3.2 engined car anymore, so a nice 3.0 engined car would be almost impossible.
Btw, every 6 cylinder engined Vauxhall Ive owned has averaged 23 - 24 mpg.
That includes a Viceroy, 24v Senator and several Omegas from 2.5 - 3.2.

[Lizzie Zoom]

My 3,2 Elite has cost £17,951 over 8 years now to buy then maintain to the best levels possible.

Wow. Just wow. I think and I accept I could be wrong, but I think you've spent more on your Omega than I have on every car I've owned, including maintenance for the last 25+ years. It's a close call if I could include the insurance I've paid in that time as well.

Credit to you for keeping a car you want running. But when it's put like one lump sum, it seems an awful lot.

EDIT - No I couldn't get the insurance in that as well.

I guess much of that cost us because main dealer prices ?

I bought my 3.2 MV6 for not much money in Sept 2016.

I've taken it from 163k to 230k and spent probably £2k on it including tyres. Mixture of DIY and Back street repaired.  Mixture of trade club Vauxhall parts and eBay specials.

It has only let me down.twice.  once due to poor maintenance.  (Solid discs got fitted on the back and somebtimeblater a piston came out too far and pissed brake Fluid all.over the road) once due to a leaking radiator.
My biggest expense has been fuel.  If  I had bought any Deisel car, I'd have been less.poor than I the am.now. I reckon £6k could have been saved. But then my previous diesel cost £5k in depreciatelion over 4 years so it's fine.

Yes and no.  I purchased the 54k mileage, excellent condition, full service history, late build, for £4,000 from a dealer who specialised in low mileage, top of the range cars. It was worth every penny compared to the high mileage, poor service history Omega's I was seeing when I wanted to upgrade from my then 3.0 Elite Omega.  From then on I have given her the best option I can always having genuine parts fitted when either I or my regular main Vx dealer worked on her at trade prices. For tyres I use a very trustworthy (proved to be by me!) regional garage outfit, but for everything else it is Vx who do the work, usually.  However when I last required a cam belt change and the fitting of, Vx, front wishbones, I went with a recommendation on the OOF for SOS Garage Services, owned by Serek.  His service is so good, with great knowledge of Omega's, excellent work done, for a very reasonable price, and a very friendly customer service, that I will be driving the fair distance for me for him to undertake future large scale works as required.  I also had to have a local bodywork specialist , Lloyd, undertake post accident damage work on her in 2017, the cost included in my total expenditure outlay, who rebuilt part of the front end and resprayed all to make it like new.

So, with a combination of me, the main dealer, the tyre outfit and Serek, undertaking I will keep my beast going as long as possible. Llyod I have penciled in to restore (for £1,000  - £1,500) the rear end when any rust around the wheel arches becomes a problem.

All in all this Omega is the one that I want to keep running for as long as possible because she is worth it in every respect.  Currently with 80,800 on the clock she is still a good example, and one of the last.  As I have said I am quite happy with how much I have spent over the 8 year time period every time I get in her, she starts, and then gives me a great bit of motoring which, once the lock down is out of the way, will again be more extensive!

As others have said though in answer to the OP, you must select the best Omega example you can, with the lowest mileage, the best service history, then be prepared for the regular maintenance costs - there are no cheap, just make do, options on that - with great input when required, beyond your must do DIY, from reliable, proved to be, professional outfits, including taking advice from the OOF experts, and never be afraid of some big bills that keep your Omega in first class running order.

[Doctor Gollum]

Mileage isn't an indication of maintenance, especially lower.

There's about ten things that every Omega will require between 80-120k miles. Buying one below that window or just above it is setting yourself up for a lot of expense in fairly short order. So budget accordingly.

[Nick W]

Low mileage doesn't help the age related problems, like seals degrading. Then there's actual use; a 20 year old car with under 100k miles hasn't had much use, so it's spent lots of time standing. And that causes its own problems, especially on complicated cars that are already fussy to maintain. Old, low mileage cars have often had normal maintenance delayed because it's only done 1500 miles since the last time you looked at it.


If you want a toy, or are prepared to quickly do all the jobs we know will be necessary then none of this matters.


But anyone expecting to have a daily driver from the moment they buy it needs to looking at cars that are already in daily use. I would rather buy Amba's high mileage Omega than Lizzie's much lower one for that very reason.

[TheBoy]

V6 of some description if you want an auto.  Preferrably the older 2.5 or 3l, rather than the newer, gutless, thirsty 2.6/3.2 ones.
.............

Ooooh, that hurt.      Can't say I ever remember any 3.0's coming past me in my 3.2. 

I think I did on the way back from Billing once?  Just when you'd just had your first patronisation course.

Or was I in my 3.2?

[Nick W]

I miss mine, but not enough to want to go through the ballache and expense of getting another one sorted out.

I'm the same.
And it will still be a twenty year old car that will suffer body problems.


I would be looking for a V70 if I was actively looking for a replacement. An offered  Saab or Rover 75 estate would also be tempting