1996 Vauxhall Omega LS 2.5 V6 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

All round good family performer

Faults:

Parts expensive e.g. alternator £300, Water pump £300, HT leads £270.

Suffer from juddering under load at low revs that the dealer (and everyone else) cannot cure. Any advice?

Don't use the dealer if you can help it. kwamified@hotmail.com

General Comments:

In general a very good car.

With very slight tuning this car has gone from a good performer to an excellent performer (now want the 3.2 version!)

Very comfortable.

Stacks of boot space (estate)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd July, 2003

23rd Jul 2003, 20:03

Vauxhall Omega LS??? I think you want to mean GLS, right?

1996 Vauxhall Omega CDX Estate 2.5 TD from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A good all round transport

Faults:

Faulty multifunction display in dashboard.

Bulbs in dashboard are intermittent.

General Comments:

For long distance driving such as motorways, this car is ideal returning on average 45 mpg at about 60 mph. The seats are firm, but comfortable and on long journeys you arrive relaxed. With very little engine noise entering the cabin.

Not the quickest of cars, which is not surprising considering the size of it, but once you get the engine to rev over 2500rpm the turbo really gets going.

The boot space in the estate form is huge, a large amount of luggage can be put in and not intrude into the passenger space.

The leg room in passenger spaces is a little restrictive for taller people and if 5 adults were being carried it would be uncomfortable after a while.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st July, 2003

8th Apr 2004, 08:45

Car Update 1 year of use.

Just had its first MOT since I brought it and a pass, well after a pair of new tyres on the rear. The car has now done 108K, still feels comfortable and turns a regular 25-28mpg locally, which is better than my older car a 1.3 Maestro. Did a trip to Blackpool and back late last year and managed to do virtually 550 miles at a steady 50-70mph on 1 tank which is a great motorway mileage return.

The speed has surprised a few of the local 'boyracer' type as it will keep up with most of them if need be. A friends son's comment made me chuckle when he said that 'I went past him like he was stopped'. Would love to try the V6 petrol version and if mine is anything to go by you can see why the police use them.

Found out that a 6 by 3 single be fits in, with the rear seats down, as I found out when helping to move some furniture for a friend. Been told its like trying to fill a cathedral at times as it just swallows virtually everything that is put in the back.

Towing a smallish trailer for the first time and you soon forget its there.

Although the Phillips systems is good, some of the buttons are playing up and thinking about changing the head and CD unit to an aftermarket version. Still want to use the Dashboard display Any suggestions for a replacement?

Hoping to get many more years of enjoyment from it and will keep updating here.

7th Jul 2004, 05:02

Fixing things.

Just recently the starting from cold was becoming a problem as if the glow plugs had stopped working, also an irritating squeak from the rear drivers side brake.

Starting with the brake. Found it to be the handbrake shoe that had come loose cause by the holding pin puling out from its retaining hole. Got a feeling this might of happened again so used a small welder to strength the plate that the pins go into. If it goes again a new plate may be in order. Only a shortish job apart from the preparation for the welding.

Engine proved to be a little more difficult, glow plugs are situated underneath the inlet manifold which needs to be removed first, which is difficult where it sits under part of the bulkhead. Dropping nuts of the retaining studs did not ep either. Once the manifold is off it is easy to remove the glowplugs and replace them. All in all it is about a 5 hour job by yourself, the car now starts as soon as the light goes out.

PS Found te inlet manifold gaskets cheapest from the local BMW garage rather than the Vauxhall one and they had them in stock and not have to wait for 3 days.