1998 Vauxhall Omega Reflection 2.5 24 valve Ecotec V6 from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Superb long distance cruiser with real driver appeal if driven properly
Faults:
Coil pack needed replacing (a cheap part if bought on-line, but access to remove/refit is ridiculously tight - I ended up leaving the original in situ and simply relocated the new one as far as the original cables would allow).
Rocker cover gaskets leak (better if rocker covers swapped for the metal ones from a Vectra and not the plastic ones originally installed).
General Comments:
Very well equipped car (and it all worked).
German-built and the quality shows throughout.
The 24 valve V6 is smooth and quiet, but packs a real punch around 4-5000 RPM.
Handling is a little soft and mostly just the autos (and police spec models) are fitted with limited slip differential, so if you do push too hard you need to be awake...
Excellent tow vehicles (mine pulled a 1600kg caravan for 50 miles with a flat tyre before I realised what was causing the "slight drag"). Oops!!!
Massive boot (even bigger on the estates).
Surprisingly good on fuel for a big V6 powered cruiser.
Electrical niggles can/will occur around 100k miles.
Have oil breathers cleaned when serviced because these can clog up and cause rocker gaskets to fail prematurely.
Get ALL 4 wheels aligned when fitting new tyres and/or suspension components. Rear end is adjustable for camber, and will scrub the tyre inner edge if not set properly.
Go for a later one with the projector beam lights (much better than the earlier plastic lensed ones). If you have an early one with the usual yellowing to the headlamp lenses, there is an easy/cheap way to restore some of their reflective qualities... Put a decent amount of T-cut onto the lense and GENTLY rub it in following the lines of the lense mouldings. Wipe off and repeat as required. Be very gentle as rubbing too hard could damage the lense mouldings and ruin the beam pattern.
LOTS cheaper to buy and service than a BMW/Mercedes, and now becoming a lot rarer on our roads.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th December, 2012
18th Jan 2013, 08:26
I have an Omega 2.5 V6. Driver's seat will not get hot. Can anybody help?
Eric Fisher