The super low-mile OMGa MmmV6 - being moved on

[jon.k]

I hope you don’t mind me posting this in your thread, but I thought it was quite shite and it has omegas in it.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M9tN5l2L0bI

[Rusty_Rocket]

The revvy gear changes when cold are to heat the CAT up faster.

And that is a lovely 'meeega

[rantingYoof]

26mpg on site visits! That's computer-calculated though, so probably more like 23.

 

It definitely needs a service of some kind. Tickover isn't as smooth as it could be, not really a misfire but just feels a bit clogged. Several people have said about cleaning the oil breathers out and I think that's a thing to put on the list, although it's probably not related to the grumpy tickover.

 

I bravely did some country driving today, at a fair lick, and the light wheel-speed knocking noise got no worse and I'm beginning to fear a catastrophic failure a little less. The ride comfort is surprising for a 'sporty' saloon with the stiffer suspension (supposedly?!) and 45 profile tyres.

 

Surprising in a good way, obvs.

[warren t claim]

I hope you don’t mind me posting this in your thread, but I thought it was quite shite and it has omegas in it.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M9tN5l2L0bI

Is that a Mk1 Jetta at 1:37?

[rantingYoof]

Question for the serious Omega lickers out there (I must join that helpful owner forum)...

 

The MmmV6 has a 6-stack CD changer in the boot in the normal place. It is fully connected to the car's electrics because I loaded a CD into it no problem, and it made all the right and recognisable noises.

 

The radio fascia part of the dashboard also refers to the CD multi-changer, see thus:

 

However, having pressed literally all the buttons we've only been able to cycle between radio and the cassette player; there is no option for loading the CD player. The car's had a new battery so we got the radio back using the original code, and the manual refers to the need to pop in a CD code too.

 

When I follow the instructions in the manual to get the CD code entry to show up, however, absolutely nothing happens at all, suggesting that the CD player isn't actually connected to the radio.

 

Questions...

• Is it possible the car came with a CD multichanger but they forgot to wire it into the radio? Seems unlikely...
• Could it be as simple as taking the radio out completely to see if there is something behind it that's not plugged in (or unplugged in the past and not replugged)? We didn't want to faff about doing this in case there was something else we were missing...

Any help gratefully appreciated.

[bub2006]

Little button to right of cassette deck usually cycles Through sources. Have you tried pressing it again after cassette?

[Pillock]

Worth just popping the head unit out, there should be an obvious separate connection to the changer (often a DIN plug) which may be waving in the wind. Likewise check it's plugged into the changer.

[rantingYoof]

Cheers fellas. The button to the right of the cassette deck cycles to the casette and then no further.

 

Looks like we do need to pop the unit out. And also look to see if the changer has all cables running into it...that should have been an obvious chceck!

 

I blame the heat.

[Wack]

 

I'm glad you have allowed me to feel woefully ignorant re. the cv joint in the privacy of my own home . Otherwise I'd have mentioned it all casual and smart-like to my tame mechanic as if I've already got it sussed and looked like a right numpty.

 

Also, the asking price of this car in today's money would be £38,476. :shock:

 

 

A top of the range Insignia is just shy of that figure.

 

That really is utterly bonkers

[rantingYoof]

I found the sticker I bought at the FotU...

 

 

Looks perfect on the back of this bus!

[JohnK]

Well bought, looks great and a sensible price.

 

I've had 4 Omega's now albeit all facelift cars and they are extremely comfortable and capable cars that I hold in high regard.

 

I really do fancy a prefaclift at some point as they are really starting to age much better than the later ones.

[Split_Pin]

Lovely purchase, well played there

[rantingYoof]

Here are some rambly bullet-pointed updates from my first 600ish miles in the car...I tipped it over to 46,000 on the odometer!
 

• I still don't have the V5...the seller posted their bit off 1st Class the day after I bought it so a phone call to the DVLA is needed after the bank holiday
   
• The car feels like it's 'loosening up' nicely after going from 600 miles in a year to 600 miles in three weeks; the brake pedal has gone from being worryingly spongey to nicely responsive (the braking power has never been in doubt, though - it stopped bloody ferociously when I did a 30-0 'emergency stop' to try and clear muck off)
   
• Engine tickover continued to be a little grumbly until my friendly mechanic yesterday did a fault code check and discovered an error relating to 'timing' (I cannot remember what he exactly said it was) - anyway, he cleared this code and it's not come back yet, so hopefully something else related to its general lack of use, and in particular how it was only doing very short journeys before
   
• Did some digging about the cambelt to see if I was truly playing roulette or not; it was last changed in 2014 at just under 40,000 miles by a Vauxhall specialist near the previous owner's house, who fitted a 'Timing Belt Kit' which cost (as a part) £140, and this would have come with the tensioner. Therefore, the belt and tensioner are 4yrs old and have done just 6000 miles. The tensioner was always the weak point, only good for 40k, so even though 4yrs has passed I'm quite happy that the belt and tensioner are certainly not within 'roulette' territory given the limited mileage, and that the tensioner has no perishable rubber parts that would wear out after 4yrs of limited use.
   
• Friendly mechanic also put car up on ramp and had a good nose around everything, confirming that it has no structural rot, exhaust system is fine, and that there are no obvious reasons for the car to be making the knocking noise at the front - at least, nothing that should be cause for concern, as everything looked hunky dory and there were certainly no MOT-related worries (as there shouldn't be given its recent ticket)
   
• Front-passenger alloy, which is slightly distorted (and the car's only advisory in around 10yrs) is likely to go in to be reshaped the week after next, which may address this issue
   
• First £72 tank of petrol lasted 13 days and averaged 25ish mpg according to the computer, so maybe 22-23mpg in real terms - not that it matters BECAUSE V6
   
• I, erm, realised the car doesn't have traction control (like my 2000 V-plated Elite did), by stamping the throttle coming out of a side road (in the dry), breaking traction and nearly spinning into the opposite carriageway like an absolute fucking chump - lesson firmly learned to respect having a tautly sprung 200hp RWD barge which can launch like a rocket from standstill
   
• Went to a local recommended bodyshop to talk about the arch grot and was told that I'd be looking at nearly four figures for it all to be sorted and treated properly, or I could pay £300 for a 'treat and make pretty' job that could only last a few weeks at most

 

This latter interaction kind of settled in my mind that this is a temporary car which I'll continue to love wafting around in for the moment, but am likely to want to move off to someone who has space to keep it undercover, or at least the know-how to sort out the rot properly and ensure the car continues to live on as it deserves to do. Given its on 20yr old bits and bobs underneath, a typical winter of me using it as a proper daily/site vist car on rural roads is likely to make it very quickly feel like a 20yr old car, which I don't think will suit me or really respect the car either.

 

Yeah yeah, cars are meant to be used, but as there are only a few dozen MV6s left on the road I think it also needs to be kept and used in a manner that'll maximise its chances of becoming tax exempt!

 

Hopefully it'll find such a home on here when the time comes! Not sure whether I'll roffle it (to give everyone a shot) or approach the first person who expressed an interest in it in this thread.

 

Anyway, looking forward to driving it later
 

[Guest Hooli]

Drop links for the clunk? I seem to recall a Carlton I had passing an MOT with them clonking & I doubt these are much different underneath.

[omegod]

oooff this slipped under the radar, I'm certainly an Omega licker and regularly break them for parts should sir ever require any. An MV6 of that era with a manual box and LPG would be my dream spec

[Snipes]

Lot is balljoints, linkages and bushes to knock around down there.

[Noel Tidybeard]

try ejecting the CD magazine and re installing to see if the head unit just isnt seeing anything after any power removals

 

wot happens if you press (TC) button? does smoke appear under the boot?

[Isaac Hunt]

Nice motor. I remember seeing these on the forecourt when new, I thought those wheels really suited it.

[New POD]

Here are some rambly bullet-pointed updates from my first 600ish miles in the car...I tipped it over to 46,000 on the odometer!

 

• I still don't have the V5...the seller posted their bit off 1st Class the day after I bought it so a phone call to the DVLA is needed after the bank holiday
• The car feels like it's 'loosening up' nicely after going from 600 miles in a year to 600 miles in three weeks; the brake pedal has gone from being worryingly spongey to nicely responsive (the braking power has never been in doubt, though - it stopped bloody ferociously when I did a 30-0 'emergency stop' to try and clear muck off)
• Engine tickover continued to be a little grumbly until my friendly mechanic yesterday did a fault code check and discovered an error relating to 'timing' (I cannot remember what he exactly said it was) - anyway, he cleared this code and it's not come back yet, so hopefully something else related to its general lack of use, and in particular how it was only doing very short journeys before
• Did some digging about the cambelt to see if I was truly playing roulette or not; it was last changed in 2014 at just under 40,000 miles by a Vauxhall specialist near the previous owner's house, who fitted a 'Timing Belt Kit' which cost (as a part) £140, and this would have come with the tensioner. Therefore, the belt and tensioner are 4yrs old and have done just 6000 miles. The tensioner was always the weak point, only good for 40k, so even though 4yrs has passed I'm quite happy that the belt and tensioner are certainly not within 'roulette' territory given the limited mileage, and that the tensioner has no perishable rubber parts that would wear out after 4yrs of limited use.
• Friendly mechanic also put car up on ramp and had a good nose around everything, confirming that it has no structural rot, exhaust system is fine, and that there are no obvious reasons for the car to be making the knocking noise at the front - at least, nothing that should be cause for concern, as everything looked hunky dory and there were certainly no MOT-related worries (as there shouldn't be given its recent ticket)
• Front-passenger alloy, which is slightly distorted (and the car's only advisory in around 10yrs) is likely to go in to be reshaped the week after next, which may address this issue
• First £72 tank of petrol lasted 13 days and averaged 25ish mpg according to the computer, so maybe 22-23mpg in real terms - not that it matters BECAUSE V6
• I, erm, realised the car doesn't have traction control (like my 2000 V-plated Elite did), by stamping the throttle coming out of a side road (in the dry), breaking traction and nearly spinning into the opposite carriageway like an absolute fucking chump - lesson firmly learned to respect having a tautly sprung 200hp RWD barge which can launch like a rocket from standstill
• Went to a local recommended bodyshop to talk about the arch grot and was told that I'd be looking at nearly four figures for it all to be sorted and treated properly, or I could pay £300 for a 'treat and make pretty' job that could only last a few weeks at most

This latter interaction kind of settled in my mind that this is a temporary car which I'll continue to love wafting around in for the moment, but am likely to want to move off to someone who has space to keep it undercover, or at least the know-how to sort out the rot properly and ensure the car continues to live on as it deserves to do. Given its on 20yr old bits and bobs underneath, a typical winter of me using it as a proper daily/site vist car on rural roads is likely to make it very quickly feel like a 20yr old car, which I don't think will suit me or really respect the car either.

 

Yeah yeah, cars are meant to be used, but as there are only a few dozen MV6s left on the road I think it also needs to be kept and used in a manner that'll maximise its chances of becoming tax exempt!

 

Hopefully it'll find such a home on here when the time comes! Not sure whether I'll roffle it (to give everyone a shot) or approach the first person who expressed an interest in it in this thread.

 

Anyway, looking forward to driving it later

How many 3.0 and 3.2 MV6s are left? My plan is to continue doing 20k in mine every year until it becomes unsustainable

 

Current miles 202,000 ish

[rantingYoof]

How many 3.0 and 3.2 MV6s are left? My plan is to continue doing 20k in mine every year until it becomes unsustainable

 

Current miles 202,000 ish

 

Here you go, 51 of my engine and 56 of yours.

 

Fair to say that you may have one of the highest mileage taxed examples and I may have one of the lowest mileage taxed examples!

[rantingYoof]

Yesterday I gunned it from 20mph in what I thought was 2nd gear, and managed to make the rear wheels chirrup.

 

I am still underestimating the effect of dumping a lot of horsepower onto two rear tyres with only a basic 20yr old traction control system to manage it all.

 

I got the V5 through. I've never owned a car where the 'Number of former keepers' section has read '1'.

 

Unfortunately, and as documented elsewhere, my name is incorrect. My first name is three letters long, but it's four on the V5, and the second letter of my surname is also wrong. I'm still debating whether to get this changed or not. I'm sure you can get fined for not having correct details on a V5, so I may risk filling in Section 6 and sending it off again with a covering letter explaining  carefully how I'm NOT a new keeper.

 

But do I really trust the DVLA that much?

 

I also bought this off eBay, which will now become part of the car's paperwork. I may scan it in for your perusal, you lucky sods...

 

[rantingYoof]

Well, life is interesting. As some of you may know from other threads, an opportunity has arisen to own another LS400, this time with 5spds instead of 4spds and 280hp instead of 260hp (with added VVTi goodness).

 

Therefore, very shortly, I will be in the unusual position of selling the lowest mileage car I've ever owned to make way for the highest mileage car I've ever owned.

 

You will notice that the thread has no FUR SHALE tag, because a new owner has already been identified. I will not reveal them, but it shouldn't be too difficult looking through this thread to work out who it is.

 

I have been prepping the car in the crap weather today, using a 12v socket 'hoover' and wiping the interior down as best I can.

 

I've just realised I have no proper camera photos of it, so those will be hopefully be taken tomorrow before everything kicks off (which will be quite early).

 

The bottom tacho shows the total mileage I've covered since August 1st. It has rolled around, so that's 1176 miles in seven weeks and three days, or around 26 miles a day on average.

 

The computer has a stopwatch for some reason, and I started it going just before driving it home from Thame. So the numbers below represent the exact length of time I have been using the car since then. It amuses me that the airport runners on here achieve this level of vehicular useage in around three days during their quieter weeks...

 

I popped in a bit of petrol yesterday on the way back from work, and since then I've covered this many miles, all around town, at slow speeds, and some of it in awful traffic...

 

This has had...predictable...impacts on fuel economy:

 

 

Since I took it on and began using it, the engine has become sweeter and smoother and the tickover has sorted itself out. The knocking noise that remains is very likely the slightly warped alloy wheel on the passenger side, which I've not had a chance to sort out, and I've been assured by my friendly mechanic that the underneath and important MOT bits are all in excellent order for a 20 year old car.

 

In all, I absolutely adore this thing, but I think it's probably been tainted a little bit through no fault of its own by very sad family events that took place less than two weeks after I bought it - unfortunately I am quite associative in this respect.

 

I'm therefore very pleased that it's staying in the fold, so to speak, and going to a good home. I look forward to hopefully seeing updates on it in the future, and in the meantime I can look forward to more supreme* fuel consumption just as petrol prices creep up and up!

[dollywobbler]

Ha! I'm sure it's only for sale because of the shame generated by being overtaken by a Daihatsu Move.

[rantingYoof]

*has no defence*

 

That Move sounded bloody ace, by the way.

[Brodders]

As RantingYoof has already mentioned, it isn't too difficult to figure out that it was me who agreed to buy it. The timing was reasonably good, as I had managed to sell the Polo a couple of days before the chance to get this came up, so the opportunity to drive a car that I have wanted for about 15 years wasn't going to be turned down.

 

The long and short of it is that I am now on the way to RantingYoof HQ. Thanks to the joys of weekend engineering works, I will be sampling the very best* of our country's public transport system, before making my way back in the Omega later on.

[Brodders]

LIVE UPDATE: I am now on the final train. Euston was busier than usual, as every train apart from the one I managed to prebook has been delayed indefinitely.

 

 

ETA: Less than an hour

[rantingYoof]

Transaction done. Another superb Shiter met.

 

Brodders has just left, good journeys, 100 miles to go.

 

[Brodders]

 

Petrol station reached. This car is simply superb.

[GeordieInExile]

I like that very much. Always fancied an Omega in V6 flavour.

[Brodders]

I am now back, and the Omega has been safely deposited at the garage.

 

 

Thanks again to RantingYoof and his father for all the help today; both excellent chaps who I hope to meet again at some point in the future.

 

The drive back was very enjoyable, especially the first half (the route they suggested along the A428 instead of the congested M1 was very nice) and the car drives brilliantly. The sound of the V6 is absolutely intoxicating too. Overall, I am very pleased with the purchase.