Bringin' On Back The Good Times!

[High Jetter]

Glad you have something sorted, hopefully reliable Eddy. Enjoy it.

[Spiny Norman]

Nice one Eddy, looks smart does that.  😎
Always liked the big Vauxhalls and the Omega in its day was a decent car, hope this one doesn't torment you like the old Jag did.

[ProgRocker]

O! Nice buy Eddy. 

[mat777]

Nicely done! As a fellow Omega owner they are definitely a vastly underrated car  

I also have most of the interior for a pre-facelift CDX if you need any compatible spares..

[PhilA]

23 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Don't think I haven't thought of that!  April next year I'm over there too.  Perhaps this is the time to put a call out to @PhilA, since I'll be on his turf!

I've seen a grand total of 1 Catera in the nearly 20 years I've been here... They're a rare beast, especially down here. 

 

You're welcome to stop in if you're in the area. Take the cars for a spin.

Phil

[Bren]

Looks really nice. I like the V6 but you have bought the best all rounder.

[warch]

I owned an Amoeba it was lovely to drive and handled beautifully, remember getting mine massively out of shape on a damp backroad (due to shagged tyres) and having no issues getting it back in line. Mine was the Beemer straight six btw.

[warren t claim]

On 24/02/2025 at 18:15, Bren said:

Looks really nice. I like the V6 but you have bought the best all rounder.

I found the 3.0 V6 Elite I owned to be a little too fragile, especially the V Cooler. Not as fast as you'd think either.

[warren t claim]

I've had a few of these starting with a company M plate 2.0 GLS auto. A five year old (at the time) R plate 3.0 Elite and finally a 2001 2.2 GLS manual back in 2005. 

The 2.0 GLS suffered a failed autobox at only 18 months old but went really well for a large 2.0 litre petrol automatic. 

The 3.0 Elite was a different story. I bought it at about 80,000 miles shortly after its engine had been rebuilt due to seizing. This was at the height of the W.T.C taxi rental empire and I wanted to work a car that was a cut above the Claim Rental Fleet of mainly Mk2 Mondeos so I could appear to be a big swinging dick to my rental punters but in reality I was just the pathetic prick I always am but in a big car. I remember wincing at the cost of 17" tyres which it went through with monotonous regularity due to worn front  suspension. Once I was sitting in the back on the floor as myself and my tame mechanic were sorting out some electrical gremlin when he leant on the electric seat switch causing the front seat to slide back and start to crush me! Believe it or not I was actually lost for words to describe the situation! Thought that I was trying to tell him that the car was rolling backwards. True to form, the autobox used to throw the odd shit fit but it could always be fixed by crawling under and wiggling the plug on the box. My abiding memory of the car is whenever I'd put the key in the ignition I'd accidentally hit a button that would cause a voice to shout out TRAFFICMASTER LICENCE EXPIRED. TELEPHONE 08.......

The 2.2 facelift was a better put together car, especially the interior plastics. That didn't stop it chomping through suspension bushes and wheel bearings though. Fuel economy was a bit shit as well at only 28 mpg around the doors. Even the V6 auto managed 26.

[warren t claim]

 

[Bren]

6 hours ago, warren t claim said:

I found the 3.0 V6 Elite I owned to be a little too fragile, especially the V Cooler. Not as fast as you'd think either.

I am fairly certain Car Mechanics bought a V6 many moons ago as a project but it developed an engine problem and never actually made print as a series.

[eddyramrod]

On 23/02/2025 at 08:32, Frontier Fred said:

I remembered that I did have an account on here Eddy. My Cars gone to a good home and I'm glad it's made you happy. It certainly brought me a lot of pleasure getting it back on the road. See you and the Omega soon! Mike.

I don't know how I missed this post!  Sorry Mike.  And thank you.

[yes oui si]

Great purchase, Mr Rod. Lovely old bus, that... Another on the list of "I'll have one of them one day." 

Hopefully there's still some left when I get round to it. 

[Essex V6]

Spotted in South Holland this week

[eddyramrod]

This morning I went to the usual club meet at the Lakeland Motor Museum (pics will be in Barrow Wheels later).  Great morning, excellent varied turnout, and on the way home I stopped a few times to pose Desmond for some photos...

Firstly, here we are with some relatives...

Nice to see Grandad!  But wait, cousin Billybob's here too...

Now this Merc is a C200, so ideally placed in the range, and on an 02 plate, which made me think, Omega With Rivals!

But looking at the body now, I think it might be a younger one wearing a raped plate.  Ah well.  Let's park near a Vel Satis instead!

There will be more.

[eddyramrod]

I've done a google.  The Merc is the wrong generation, as I suspected.  Well OK, just have to find one that does belong on an 02 plate.

[D.E]

5 hours ago, Essex V6 said:

Spotted in South Holland this week

2002, last change of ownership in 2003.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

This morning I went to the usual club meet at the Lakeland Motor Museum (pics will be in Barrow Wheels later).  Great morning, excellent varied turnout, and on the way home I stopped a few times to pose Desmond for some photos...

Firstly, here we are with some relatives...

Nice to see Grandad!  But wait, cousin Billybob's here too...

Now this Merc is a C200, so ideally placed in the range, and on an 02 plate, which made me think, Omega With Rivals

 

There will be more.

Cresta lurking tho, looking sharp.

[eddyramrod]

I've just had an email from Churchill asking to survey my experience of changing vehicle on my policy.  Here's what I wrote in the Comments....

I was not aware of a charge for changing vehicle by phone until the change was under way; had I been, I might well have made the effort to use the online facility.  I am also disgusted that even without the admin fee, my premium has increased when the incoming car is older than the outgoing, of lower status and considerably lower performance.  Nothing  in my personal circumstances has changed: I am still a retired professional driver using the car for purely recreational purposes and living at the same address under the same conditions.  With only a few weeks left on my policy I would have accepted "no change" to my premium, although a partial refund would have been very welcome; it would not have had to be much, £10 would have been a perfectly suitable gesture.  However, instead Churchill saw fit to INCREASE my premium for the remaining weeks, even before adding on the admin fee.  It is now reasonable to assume that, far from recommending Churchill to anyone, I shall be actively boycotting the company and encouraging everyone I can influence to do the same.

Churchill can fuck off if they think they'll ever get any business from me in future.

[lesapandre]

Hidden charges and stealth taxes are the modern world now alas.👎

As are cheesy fishing for compliments messages.👎

Lovely weather here in London atm. Hope you are getting the chance to get out and about in the new car and make some new memories with it. 👍👍

[eddyramrod]

They fished in the wrong pond this time!

Weather is lovely here too this morning, if rather cold; we've been out but only for a bit of shopping, so that fell to Jazz Club.  We actually have no plans for the rest of the day. 

I do have some outside things I want to see to, not least unloading the spare bumpers from Desmond now that I've found somewhere they can go.  I think most of the afternoon will consist of stripping old paint from a load of models, or at least trying to.  Some can be terribly resistant.  All told, that should be a satisfying and relaxing afternoon.

[Split_Pin]

17 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

I've just had an email from Churchill asking to survey my experience of changing vehicle on my policy.  Here's what I wrote in the Comments....

I was not aware of a charge for changing vehicle by phone until the change was under way; had I been, I might well have made the effort to use the online facility.  I am also disgusted that even without the admin fee, my premium has increased when the incoming car is older than the outgoing, of lower status and considerably lower performance.  Nothing  in my personal circumstances has changed: I am still a retired professional driver using the car for purely recreational purposes and living at the same address under the same conditions.  With only a few weeks left on my policy I would have accepted "no change" to my premium, although a partial refund would have been very welcome; it would not have had to be much, £10 would have been a perfectly suitable gesture.  However, instead Churchill saw fit to INCREASE my premium for the remaining weeks, even before adding on the admin fee.  It is now reasonable to assume that, far from recommending Churchill to anyone, I shall be actively boycotting the company and encouraging everyone I can influence to do the same.

Churchill can fuck off if they think they'll ever get any business from me in future.

It'll have a crap crash rating compared to the much more modern Jaguar you replaced . The Omega structure dates from 1994 but the Jaguar is 10 years further ahead in terms of stability control, number of airbags and impact absorption technology. My Vectra B was the same, quite expensive to insure compared to my Astra G Coupe which was 4 years younger.

They're still a shower of bastards though, all the same 😂

[eddyramrod]

Oh and... Desmond will be getting dressed up for a wedding in the summer!  One of the chaps at Andy's Man Club is getting married, and was struggling with the arrangements, so I offered my services.

[Split_Pin]

I'd love to do that! Not sure any of my cars are suitable though 😂

[lesapandre]

7 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

Oh and... Desmond will be getting dressed up for a wedding in the summer!  One of the chaps at Andy's Man Club is getting married, and was struggling with the arrangements, so I offered my services.

That sounds really lovely - what a great idea.

[eddyramrod]

9 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

It'll have a crap crash rating compared to the much more modern Jaguar you replaced . The Omega structure dates from 1994 but the Jaguar is 10 years further ahead in terms of stability control, number of airbags and impact absorption technology. My Vectra B was the same, quite expensive to insure compared to my Astra G Coupe which was 4 years younger.

They're still a shower of bastards though, all the same 😂

Thanks for that rabbit hole Iain!  I've just been scouring EuroNcap.  The only listing I can find for the Omega is dated 1998, which may or may not be the facelift model; I can't find a Jaguar XJ at all!  The Omega scored 3/5 for driver safety and 2/5 for pedestrians, if I'm reading the chart correctly.

7 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I'd love to do that! Not sure any of my cars are suitable though 😂

Rover 75?  

[Split_Pin]

1 minute ago, eddyramrod said:

Rover 75?

Sadly black is the wrong colour for a wedding ! You never know though, my brothers having a Gothic wedding this year.

[loserone]

37 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Sadly black is the wrong colour for a wedding

This black lacquer peeled SAAB was borrowed for a wedding whilst in my possession.

[danthecapriman]

Only done one wedding.

The guy whose wedding it was gave me the ribbon. Which wasn’t long enough to go higher up the pillars! Top tip - make sure you get enough! Also, avoid the motorway with ribbons on!

And yes, insurance companies are a bunch of cunts. They’re a law unto themselves. 
I got charged just to change my address on one recently then the other tried increasing my premium at renewal by £40 despite no claims etc. went elsewhere at £30 cheaper than last years price in the end. Arse holes, the lot of em.

[Split_Pin]

Someone from my insurance company robustly accused me of having an SP30 on file and tried to increase my premium by £150. I had to submit a form from the DVLA to prove I had a clean licence. I did complain and after the handler had listened to the conversation I got £25.

Never do business with First Central!