2003 Vauxhall Omega CD 2.2 16v petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Nice cruiser
Faults:
Timing belt, alternator, new shocks, rear and mid section exhaust, brakes renewed all round, ABS sensors, air con re-gassed, minor cosmetic repairs, etc.
General Comments:
A great executive car I have kept as a second car for years now; this Omega is a nice big cruiser and the closest you can get to a modern version of the old Carlton and Senator cars from Vauxhall.
CD model has plenty of kit, nice seats and electrics. Very nice to be in and cruise in this car.
The car drives great, but the 4 cylinder 2.2 engine is not the best, lackluster performance and not very economical (around 27-30 mpg at best) so you might as well go for the 2.6 or 3.0 V6 models, they have similar economy and much better performance. That said, the auto box is smooth, the car can keep up with modern traffic no problem. But it's not really a car for driving fast, I just like to cruise on motorways or country roads, where this car is at home. I believe the V6 models of this car were also popular in the police force.
Reliability for the Omega has been good for me (keep up those oil changes), but I don't think these cars were as well built as the older Carlton or Senator models.
It's just a great weekend/summer cruiser car. Rare nowadays, so if you are buying one I would recommend doing as much research as possible, and finding a local mechanic that knows these cars well; do not bother going to Vauxhall with a car of this age.
My car is silver, a very common color for these. It's not bad, but I'd prefer a darker color, the car just looks much better in those.
Finer points aside, this is a decent car, well worth the asking price; you can get them in good condition for as little a couple of grand now.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st February, 2023
17th Mar 2021, 23:29
The Omega was not as unreliable as some made it out to be. I think the reason the Carlton and Senator (although older cars) were regarded as more reliable is because they were simpler. The Omega had more complex electronics (which often failed), but mechanically if you looked after it they rarely gave issues. Glad someone is still enjoying these cars.