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Boy, do these things rot!

2K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  osealy 
#1 ·
Had two Vectras, put huge mileages on them both. Fantastic and durable.

Not so the Omega. Jeez, they rot for fun. Front wheel arches where there is no liner - rusted to hell along seams. Rear wheel arches - corroded on the lip. Bottom of doors. Top of door panels at window seals.... there seems to be no paint on them. And the body panels are wafer thin...

Rattles, crappy vague steering, ponderous gearchange, lousey brakes, steering pull. Not exactly Opel's best attempt.

And this is a low miler, one owner, 6YO car.

Vectra please...
 
#2 ·
I think you've been a little unlucky with your Omega to have rust in all the usually places simultaneously. But I have to admit they are let down somewhat by mediocre build quality as regards paint and corrosion protection. Better then the Senator but still not nearly good enough.
As for a Vectra, well let’s just say I wouldn’t walk past a Passat to get to one of them.
 
#3 ·
Think an Omega is better than an old shape Vectra. Rust is caused by not applying wax/polish yearly to the paint work and cleaning the wheel arch area's. It sounds like it has not been looked after well! Also pulling steering, lousey brakes. This is just poor servicing on your part. My Omega has great brakes etc. and others on this Forum will tell you when set up correctly the steering is fine. Dont start disrespecting Omega's just cause yours needs TLC. (sorry this might sound harsh dont mean to affend)
 
#4 ·
I didn't buy the car - it was my late Father-in-Laws. I am shocked at how poorly made they are compared with my recent experience of two Vectras.
The car has a full Vaux SH. Not that that means anything as I am finding out. Someone (RIP) has been ripped off to some tune. The number of broken fasteners, missing brackets and poorly routed pipes is testimony. Truly appalling. And at £55 per hour to boot.

And quite how they MOTd the car last time with a huge gash in the exhaust manifold is beyond me. Another job for tomorrow. How many studs will break??

It's not so much the mechanical side I despair at - most of it is common with the Vectras I owned. They are just unpleasant to drive. You can't drive them with any real briskness. The brakes are dead, the steering is like a rudder. You have to give the 'box notice to change. They wobble over bumps and are restless to boot. This isn't helped by the wonkers at the dealership changing the front wishbone bushes and tightening them up with the wheels hanging....and there is sodall leg room for the driver with that huge trans tunnel....

And it's rotting in front of me. It makes FIATs look hardy.
 
#7 ·
I'd agree that the doors are a bit rust-happy (mine is just one or two away from owning the full collection of classic rust spots, blisters and other disfigurements), and pulling to the left seems to be one of those quirks you either have and learn to live with or don't have and wonder why so many people seem to be complaining about it.

However, based on your other comments, I honestly don't recognise the car you're referring to. For sure there are plenty of other cars out there that are more "chuckable" around the twisty bits, but for its size and weight the Omega is surprisingly nimble (and I'm driving one of the heavier models on the standard suspension - ask an MV6 owner how well theirs corner!).

The brakes aren't razor sharp, but I've never had a problem stopping where I needed to stop and I've never found myself hanging off the seatbelt because the brakes decided to suddenly snap on following a marginally stronger than required brake pedal application - in other words they feel pretty nicely balanced to me, strong enough to haul a ton and a half of car to a halt pretty briskly when needed, but with a sufficiently progressive feel to allow very smooth jerk-free braking from any speed.

The autobox... it occasionally holds onto a gear a bit longer than I'd have expected, but the only times I've found it really holding onto a gear for excessive lengths of time are either if I've accidentally slipped the selector into 3 instead of D, or if the specific combination of revs and speed are holding steady at a point just below where the box wants to change. Most of the time the box is quite eager to change up, especially in normal mode - I either have to absolutely floor the accelerator or switch the box to sport mode in order for it to not shift up through the range pretty quickly.

I'm a shade under 6' and not exactly lightly built - there are only two cars I've driven where I can achieve a genuinely comfortable driving position which doesn't leave my left knee feeling like it's about to dislocate itself after a couple of hours behind the wheel, and where my size 11's have enough space to move around in the footwell without tangling up in the pedals or each other. One is the Merc E-class, the other is the Omega. They're also the only two RWD cars I've driven... All of the FWD ones (including both the first and second generation Vectra) had an utterly crap driving position as far as I was concerned - fine for short journeys but far from ideal for longer distances.


The Omega certainly isn't perfect, but it sounds like you've either got a really poor example of an otherwise rather decent and underrated piece of German auto engineering, or it's simply not the type of car you get along with. Which is OK - I know quite a few people who rave about cars that I find bland at best, deeply unpleasant at worst.


OTOH, I know what you mean about VX servicing... which is why I stopped using them quite a while ago. But then, how often does the media kick up a fuss about the price and quality of main dealer servicing in general - with few exceptions it seems to be pretty standard for the factory-branded workshops to charge OTT prices for average quality work. Find yourself a decent independent place, one that bothers to take the time to get to know you, remembers every bit of work they've ever done on your car even if it's been ages since you last called in, are willing to squeeze you in for emergency work when the VX workshop up the road with 10 times the capacity but probably less than 5 times the workload tell you to come back in a weeks time, and charge you a fair rate for the work that actually needs to be done but is quite happy to hand back the keys without any money changing hands for small jobs or investigative work.
 
#8 ·
LOL... Vectras rot like crazy too, although you're doing well if they last long enough to rot as the handling usually results in them ending their life in a hedge :D

Sorry but my dad had a new Vectra CDX and I've been in rowing boats that could turn quicker. He's since got a 330Ci and it's like night and day. OK the BMW has an image problem, but it seems like an awful lot of the new shape vectras around my way have failure of the indicators these days too ;)

The Omega is far from a great car (I only have one because I can get a 3.0 with RWD and decent handling cheap enough to run into the ground and keep the miles off my 840), but it's about the only model in the VX line-up of that era that could even dare use the word "handling". As Jeremy Clarkson so aptly put it... "I don't know why they fit these things with a steering wheel, it doesn't seem to do anything" :D Understeer city! The Omega has a far better chassis IMO... but if you prefer a Vectra sized car then the Mondeo wipes the floor with it too, harsh reality.
 
#10 ·
I couldn't agree more with everybodies defensive talk, for what you pay for an Omega they are the biggest car bargain i've ever come across.

My car is driving me mad at the moment, all little problems but they need sorting nevertheless, but this being the 2nd Omega i've owned i love them!

They are kind of squidgy around the bends, but the beauty is they will actually go around them damn fast when you want it to (the police would NEVER have used them otherwise).

And quite why someone wants to join a Forum that's got a section primarily for helping Omega owners and have a big old moan about the car i don't know. We all have our off days, and so do our cars, but keep it to yourself!
 
#11 ·
I would be forced to agree here.

Mine is sweet as a nut... apart from wheel bearings, wishbones.. (Still not done, as I'm a wimp) and drop links.

Other than that she is fast, quiet, very compfy (especially the back seats), and I get 36MPG from her... I could not ask for any more.:D

I hear your point on the rust though.
But pop down to halfords, and buy a shed load of Waxoyl (sp?), 4 spray cans did me fine, and I had some left over.
I spent the first weekend I had her, just going over all the bits that had Surface rust, inside of wheel arches, sills etc.
If the rust is that bad, Waxoyl, may be to little to late though

Don't know how much you spent but my 98' Ex-police MV6, cost £900 with 150k on the clock, as is in VERY good order for that price.

IMHHO, 'megas are a very good car, you just gotta look after them a little.:D

Cheers.

Matt
 
#12 ·
Hello,

I find it suprising that it has rotted that badly. TBH, mine has some rot, but nothing to write home about.

The rear wheel arches, I have only ever seen one with serious rot in this area. The basic structure of the car is similar to the Carlton, but it rusts far less than the Carlton.

Mine is going on all the doors, at the bottom, but I am replacing those within the next couple of weeks.

My arches are solid, and are likely to stay that way, judging by the amount I clean the car, and amount of waxoyl I have applied.

Their a car you need to look after though, keep clean and touch up the factory rust proofing once in a while, a common misconception is that modern cars don't rust, unfortunately, they do :).

The body panels are pretty substantial as well, IMHO, certainly as thick as the metal used on my XJ40, and that's no way wafer thin. It's a lot better built than the Rover 800's I used to own.

James
 
#13 ·
They have quite a lot of galvanised panels but, what every body fogets is that this is just a coating and can be chipped.

As said, most of the ones I have seen with major rust have had panels repaired and hence little or no corrosion prevention, poorer spray quality, fewer coats and less seam sealing.
 
#15 ·
Well, you take as you find. My example is not what I would call a good car. It has been cossetted from new. And stuff leaving the forum... must be rot envy.

Just replaced the exhaust manifold this evening - Vauxhall Dealer also snapped the left most stud off previously - and FIL had had a bill for £768 which included "replacing manifold gasket". Yeah? ******.

Back to the rust proofing..... and tracing the 1000 rattles and creaks.

As someone else has suggested, I think it will be fix it up and flog....sharpish.
 
#16 ·
Flogging it sounds like the best option... but if you do go back to a vectra just remember to halve your corner speeds unless you want a close look at the roadside hedges :D

Seriously, if I were looking at that market it'd be a Mondeo every time - far better handling (but then so does a Land Rover defender LOL), better build quality, hell it's even better looking, strange as that may sound! They're both front wheel drive, but only one of them has a steering wheel that actually functions ;)
 
#19 ·
Well now, if you read alot of my previous posts you'll see that I'm not the type to sing the praises of the Omega, despite the fact that I own one (and four others previously) but it does sound like this particular one has been poorly maintained and or accident damaged?
I've always found the gearbox/brakes/handling and general fit of the vehicle to be at the very least satisfactory and the only corrosion issues have been the doors (I think all pre facelift Omegas suffer)
They may not quite be on a par with BMW/Audi/Mercedes etc, but given that they are peanuts (in comparison) to buy, who cares.
 
#20 ·
i give up

the one reason i brought my meega it,s was cheap £600 it,s rusty/scratch,s all over the body /alloys well past they best /and frankly i couldn,t get it nicked lol :D .but i love the look on peeps faces when i sail past them on the motorway and they don,t have a cats chance in catching me..not that i speed of cause:bust: .and the V6 sound,s nice .yes it,s a bucket but it,s mine.i also own a passat 1.8 turbo nice car only shame about the dealers i get abit pissed off been blanked and ignored.:rolleyes:
 
#21 ·
i give up

the one reason i brought my meega it,s was cheap £600 it,s rusty/scratch,s all over the body /alloys well past they best /and frankly i couldn,t get it nicked lol :D .but i love the look on peeps faces when i sail past them on the motorway and they don,t have a cats chance in catching me..not that i speed of cause:bust: .and the V6 sound,s nice .yes it,s a bucket but it,s mine.i also own a passat 1.8 turbo nice car only shame about the dealers i get abit pissed off been blanked and ignored.:rolleyes:
 
#22 ·
Think an Omega is better than an old shape Vectra. Rust is caused by not applying wax/polish yearly to the paint work and cleaning the wheel arch area's. It sounds like it has not been looked after well! Also pulling steering, lousey brakes. This is just poor servicing on your part. My Omega has great brakes etc. and others on this Forum will tell you when set up correctly the steering is fine. Dont start disrespecting Omega's just cause yours needs TLC. (sorry this might sound harsh dont mean to affend)
Gunna take EXTREME exception to this post.
Why ?
It's utter guff.
I had a 2.5-TD CDX from 10K and 10 months old.
Never did I wash it without waxing or cleaning the arches.
And still, after five years there's rust SIMULTANEOUSLY in all the usual places - worst in the rear arch lips.
But also the windows, top-centre of windscreen, door bottoms, yadayadayadah.
All, but ALL Omegas pull - even when new.
The brakes ARE shi'ite (too wooden, too much pressure required).
When you've done 7 years and 300K, in 4 different Miggies, come back and tell me I'm wrong.
 
#24 ·
If you stuck with the Omega for 7 years and 300k then you must either be a glutton for punishment or perhaps your 4 Omega's had other qualities that kept you hooked. They can’t have been that bad if you had four of them in succession, lovingly washing and waxing their rusted wheel arches over those 7 long years. :shake
That said on a serious note I think the Omega is a bit of a mixed bag and I completely accept some of your views as regards the dreaded corrosion, the curse of these cars and the one thing that can really let them down. The bodywork and general paint quality can be poor considering it is a German built car. This is also my biggest gripe with them. Much of the really nasty rust is from the inside so external polishing can't help and repair is expensive panel replacement. The door panel below the window seal is a classic example. Not nearly good enough Mr Vauxhall. Even the late ones that are supposed to have galvanised panels are now starting to become inflicted. Mechanically however I find them generally very good although the only ones I have had have all been V6 models, and they have all been well maintained. Yes some servicing and mechanical repairs can be a bit of a pain with difficult access and neglect is often severely punished. This is not a good car if your on a tight budget.
As regards complaining about the brakes I simply don’t understand where you’re coming from. I find the brakes excellent, they are progressive and perfectly fine. At the Metropolitan Police driving school nobody complained about the Omega's brakes. They complained about plenty other things but not the brakes. Rubbish headlights were the biggest complaint even with the projector lights. On night drives everybody wanted the BMW 530's. I have never experienced a problem with an Omega pulling to the side, maybe I have just been lucky but I have driven dozens. I am not some Omega sycophant and would be the first to admit they are by no means perfect, but everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I can perfectly well understand the annoyance and frustration of the chap who started this thread it sounds like he really has got a pile of :turd on his hands. But I don’t think his experience is entirely typical.
This has truly been an amusing thread :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

Anybody for a Signum ??? :Cool2:
 
#25 ·
Maybe it's only the 2.5 T-D's brakes that suck - dunno how much heavier than the petrols it is.
I've run 4 TD's because while they have questionnable anti-corrosion, they're incredibly robust, reliable and easily-maintained - a great car if you're on a tight budget. ;)
I'm amazed you've never noticed the pulling issue. But let's be clear about it .... it is more accurately, camber-sensitivity - because if you drive on the RHS of the road, it'll pull to the right rather than the left. And low-profile tyres (16" and over) makes it considerably worse.
Other niggles include uncomfortable, laterally-unsupportive seats, piss-poor driving position - and in the TD, heavy steering and really, a bit of a rubbish engine (slow, thirsty and moody at low revs).
But the low purchase outlay buys a lot of slack for forgiveness.
I would sir, also posit that the petrol and diesel are two different animals.
 
#26 ·
I'm on my second td 1st 40kto 185 94m with one rustbubble on rere passenger door (retired due to no hot start prob) 2nd 160-200k 95m no rust just change oil every 5k and fill with diesel. However i broke the sump on a boreen last week & had to rent a TDV6 discovery . 06 with 6k km it pulls side to side on camber just like the omega. its not as comfortable & I hate manuals in a slow car. But it pulled better & with air suss went over small policemen like they weren't there. same economy however. Glad to have omega back , sump glued together with snot.
 
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