My Omega Experience

[TheSneakiness]

Had to take a trip to Melbourne during the week and cause the business that wanted me to come down screwed up my departure point, I asked them for a hire car so I didn't have to get my wife and son up at 3am. Ended up getting a VE Omega with about 31,000km on it.

First impression was that "dammit, you had three FG XR6's available and you gave me the bloody Holden".

Anyway, I get in the car and make my adjustments (mirrors and seating) and take off. Goes pretty alright apart from the two second delay between putting your foot on the accelerator and it actually going (also apply this to kickdown acceleration, but add a second to that again).

Handled well but a little floaty over uneven roads and bumps.

Once you get going (was auto so tried out Sports and Manual mode) it does get up quickly and before you know it you're doing over 120km/h so thinking the hire place will forward on any fines I backed off.

Definitely can't complain about fuel economy. Used 16 litres to do 200km. 8l/100km, which was also relayed on the average fuel consumption. The needle was at the 1/8th point prior to filling so you could theoretically do 850km+ on highway cycle no worries.

Pros - Fuel economy, rolling power, comfortable.
Cons - Initial acceleration, side mirrors, handbrake.

Rating out of 5 - A solid 3.5.

Would I buy one - Definite consideration

[Smoke Pursuit]

For a company hack they arent bad... Was it an SIDI model or the old V6?
I had an SIDI SV6 wagon in Sydney last time I went which has left me considering an SV6 over the XR6 now, better seats, more appointments standard and a little better build quality from what ive seen...

[2011G6E]

Sometimes out here they get in a hire car or two when we run out of work Prados, and I hopped into an Omega with the small 3 liter SIDI motor, and was expecting a crap drive back from where we'd passed on the train to the next crew.

Boy oh boy...have times changed. "Base model" used to mean "boring as batshit and slow as a wet week", but no more. As a Holden salesman said to us when we were tossing up between a new Falcon and new Commodore, "We try not to tell people how small the SIDI motor is before they take it for a test drive...they're usually really surprised when they come back and we tell them it's only a 3 liter in a car that big", and he was right. The economy was amazing as well.

It was only a much better trade-in deal from the Ford dealer that meant we came home with a G6E instead of an SV6...to be honest we'd have been perfectly happy with either one.

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

For a company hack they arent bad... Was it an SIDI model or the old V6?
I had an SIDI SV6 wagon in Sydney last time I went which has left me considering an SV6 over the XR6 now, better seats, more appointments standard and a little better build quality from what ive seen...

Was the SIDI model.

I did drive a VE Berlina when the VE was first released and wasn't overly impressed but it seems Holden got its stuff together and the current crop of VE Commodores aren't a bad drive at all.

[wrongwaynorris]

"Was the SIDI model."

That revolutionary " Spark Ignition " engine , funny I never realised all Commodes up until this model were diesels .

I worked for an ALL Ford fleet company when the original VE was released and Holden targetted us with a free drive car for a week . Being the only guy who was really passionate and actually knew anything about cars I was chosen to drive the thing . All I can say is unless thay have radically changed the thing it is not even within a bulls roar of an FG , hell it wasn't even within cooee of my old BF . I could not believe then and even to this day that the Omega ( aimed squarely at fleets / reps ) did not have a split fold rear seat , a billion dollars spent and noone at Holden thought of this or obviously bothered to ask any reps who need to carry stuff bigger than will fit in the boot . Beggars belief really .

[stevz]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

I could not believe then and even to this day that the Omega ( aimed squarely at fleets / reps ) did not have a split fold rear seat , a billion dollars spent and noone at Holden thought of this or obviously bothered to ask any reps who need to carry stuff bigger than will fit in the boot . Beggars belief really .

IIRC the reason there is no split fold rear seat is because it was seen to compromise structural rigidity. Besides, why would you want to have objects sticking out into the cabin which would potentially become lethal missiles in an accident.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by stevz

IIRC the reason there is no split fold rear seat is because it was seen to compromise structural rigidity. Besides, why would you want to have objects sticking out into the cabin which would potentially become lethal missiles in an accident.

How would you compromise structural integrity on a sedan, when a much larger and continuous void (no support) is evident in the sportswagon (and you are able to fold down these seats). The omega sedan rear seat comprises of $40 in foam, $8 of plastic, $20 of frames and $50 in trim. To add split fold rear seats (that complied with standards) to a commodore sedan would have nearly tripled the rear seat costs. These cars werent built up to a standard, that were built down to a price.

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

I worked for an ALL Ford fleet company when the original VE was released and Holden targetted us with a free drive car for a week . Being the only guy who was really passionate and actually knew anything about cars I was chosen to drive the thing . All I can say is unless thay have radically changed the thing it is not even within a bulls roar of an FG , hell it wasn't even within cooee of my old BF . I could not believe then and even to this day that the Omega ( aimed squarely at fleets / reps ) did not have a split fold rear seat , a billion dollars spent and noone at Holden thought of this or obviously bothered to ask any reps who need to carry stuff bigger than will fit in the boot . Beggars belief really .

if i was running a business the last person i would have test a potential fleet car is a car enthusiast.
One things for sure you will never get an unbiased view from a car enthusiast.

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by ray38l

if i was running a business the last person i would have test a potential fleet car is a car enthusiast.
One things for sure you will never get an unbiased view from a car enthusiast.

100% correct.

Like it or hate it, I got to drive a car that I thought was worth a small review and being the opposition naturally here I knew I would get the nitpickers.

Maybe I should purposefully get hold of an FG and nitpick that to bits and see how many people I get crying about it.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by ray38l

if i was running a business the last person i would have test a potential fleet car is a car enthusiast.
One things for sure you will never get an unbiased view from a car enthusiast.

Lately I've actually tried working out who does give an unbiased view of cars
It may not be car enthusiasts, but it sure ain't people with little interest in cars because they put all sorts of emphasis on things like 'ooh i like the red one' and 'i don't like that one's mirrors' and 'the bum of that one looks kinda funny' or 'well a camry, of course!'

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by ray38l

if i was running a business the last person i would have test a potential fleet car is a car enthusiast.
One things for sure you will never get an unbiased view from a car enthusiast.

So if you needed brain surgery youd use a dentist would you ? God forbid we would actually have someone who knows what they are talking about involved .

[lownloud]

I owned one for a while and pretty much agree with your findings. It drove and went really well. A bit floaty and also had some nice features the equivalent Ford hasn't got.
I did however find the build quality was ordinary as far as trim and carpet coming adrift really easily and some external fittings were really cheap and plasticy feeling. Also paint finish was orange peel all over!
We currently have Aurions as work cars and general consesus is they are pretty damn good. Only downside is 200kw with front drive, which makes overtaking maneuvers entertaining sometimes when you put the boot in and it torque steers towards the car you are overtaking!

[Mr Hardware]

Omegas are decent cars. They are the most Falcon-like Commodore I've ever driven.

Finally holden have fixed a lot of the gripes I've had about Commodores over the years - exhaust is now on the right side, seats are no longer over bolstered, torque in the low rev range is decent enough.

They are a decent car and deserves anyone's decent consideration if you're looking at a modern e-segment car.

[stevz]

I drive everything form Omegas to Statesmans at work and I would say they are great cars and fantastic value for money. You read a lot of childish and mindless criticism about them but after you've actually driven one you learn to quickly take it all with a grain of salt.

[Ben73]

I drove an omega 500 metres. Not long review but I reckon it was about a 2/5. I didn't like it much at all.

Drove an SV6 100kms. That was a 3.3/5

Drove a fg Xr6 and that was way better then the SV6 by miles.

All of the above cars had less then 20,000kms on them

[Falcman0o7]

It could cost 99% less than a falcon and i still wouldn't buy one :P

[Mr Hardware]

Wow, they STILL don't have split/fold rear seats????
And i thought my list was down to 'fuel filler on the wrong side' and 'why do they insist on using strut front ends' and 'why aren't the electric window switches on the doors'

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Wow, they STILL don't have split/fold rear seats????
And i thought my list was down to 'fuel filler on the wrong side' and 'why do they insist on using strut front ends' and 'why aren't the electric window switches on the doors'

Don't forget the boot release in the glove box.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Don't forget the boot release in the glove box.

Goddamn it do they still do this?? How stupid.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Don't forget the boot release in the glove box.

Why do they persist on letting yesteryear's technical limitations influence their clean-sheet designs?

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Why do they persist on letting yesteryear's technical limitations influence their clean-sheet designs?

I'm not quite sure why they do it. I have a VR work hack that has a little lever on the floor for the boot, but my family's VS had the release in the glove box. I think it's a GM thing because a lot of old Chevys had the same thing. Maybe they think it's something that buyers expect from Commodore and thus continue?

[2011G6E]

I imagine it's in the glovebox after all these years because that's where people "expect" it to be. We had a 1984 VK Calais for many years, then went to a Ford Fairmont XC-Update GXL. After six years of owning that, we went to a 2002 VX Lumina. I was looking for the boot release when we brought it home, and wondered if it was in the glovebox...sure enough, just like the VK, there it was where I expected it to be.
A bit of common placement of unimportant stuff like boot openers between makes couldn't hurt could it? Hell, at work we have Toyota Prado's, and sometimes rent Pajeros, Falcons, and Commodores...and the odd Mitsubishi 380 that's still hanging around (great car by the way and very underrated). All of them have things like fuel filler releases and boot releases in different places. Why?

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Don't forget the boot release in the glove box.

I guess it's better than no boot release?

[Hulsty]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Wow, they STILL don't have split/fold rear seats????
And i thought my list was down to 'fuel filler on the wrong side' and 'why do they insist on using strut front ends' and 'why aren't the electric window switches on the doors'

I am pretty sure the reason for no split fold rear seat is that the Commodore is/was sold in the world market and to meet North American safety standards the fuel tank was moved from the boot floor to be more up behind the rear seats.

Earlier commodores had the center seat fold down to allow carrying of long items.

My mums Mitsubishi Lancer has a totally solid rear seat, no fuel tank behind it either, stupid design I reckon.

[phillyc]

The lack of split fold rear seat. GMHolden have long said it was to do with structural integrity. I read about 2 weeks ago in a review (where that was escapes me), that the decision has in fact been about cost cutting alone...

[GS608]

Originally Posted by Hulsty

I am pretty sure the reason for no split fold rear seat is that the Commodore is/was sold in the world market and to meet North American safety standards the fuel tank was moved from the boot floor to be more up behind the rear seats.

Earlier commodores had the center seat fold down to allow carrying of long items.

My mums Mitsubishi Lancer has a totally solid rear seat, no fuel tank behind it either, stupid design I reckon.

The center seat still does fold down..its just not 60/40

[My32Doors]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Wow, they STILL don't have split/fold rear seats????
And i thought my list was down to 'fuel filler on the wrong side' and 'why do they insist on using strut front ends' and 'why aren't the electric window switches on the doors'

I'm guessing window controls are in the centre console because they are exported as LHD. If I remember correctly Galaxies and such had window controls in the centre console

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by onetonfun

I'm guessing window controls are in the centre console because they are exported as LHD. If I remember correctly Galaxies and such had window controls in the centre console

Yes, I suppose that would be one less thing to have to change, keep the same door cards.
But Galaxies were from the 60s where most cars had their switches in the centre console. Electrics in doors? That's preposterous!

[TheInterceptor]

Boot release in the glovebox? Ahaha as rediculous if not more than the handbrake.

But yep, its no wonder people dont mind going over to Holden for a wagon nowadays, GMH picked up their game a lil. (still cargo capacity is a letdown imo)
Cant say much good in the way of trim...even the door clunk sounded cheap. (and that was on a calais)

[1TUFFUTE]

people must have low expectations ...we had an omega and it was not much to talk about...the throttle ,gearbox,trim falling off and suspension all felt very second grade. Thats not mentioning the non split seaats which is so annoying these days. MEH..The FG is miles ahead realy