1997 Opel Omega CD 2.5 TD (BMW engine) from Slovakia
Summary:
Comfortable ride, if you can see the road and if the electricity supply works
Faults:
Always some problems with electricity.
I have bought it at 160000km, after some 15000 I had to replace the starter, after 2000 I had to replace it again as the contact in switch box were broken. After another 15000km I had to replace the alternator. Now again problems as the cables between starter and alternator are melting other cables.
Also turbo has to be replaced. The valve from side of exhaust pipe remained fully opened and caused higher fuel consumption. As the turbo was damaged, also oil was leaking and being consumed with huge clouds from exhaust pipe.
Last, but not least the front lights are made of some strange plastic material, which is getting yellow and dirty after some years of using the lights. Also will be replaced now.
General Comments:
Very comfortable... really. I like this 1994-1999 model of Omega B, because of its ball-shaped exterior and interior design. I like it much more than newer ones.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 13th June, 2005
6th Oct 2026, 13:36
Some of these BMW-powered Omega diesels were used as taxis, both the sedan and the estate versions. I remember riding in a few of them back in the early 2000s.
I don't know much about this BMW engine, nor do I know if it was used in any of that brand's own cars. This is the first review I've seen of an Omega with this engine, which is why it caught my eye.
I imagine that, despite potential issues (which always depend on the specific car), it should be quite reliable.
13th Oct 2026, 21:20
The BMW diesel engines of this era were pretty good, as good as diesel engines of a similar age, without the extra complexities that make more recent diesels a liability.
12th Jan 2006, 18:19
All plastic headlight lenses turn brown or yellow with age. This is especially true if you live in a hot climate. The cheap/easy fix is to have a painter rub and clear coat the lenses restoring them to an almost new condition. This is cheaper than replacement. I should also point out that the replacement lenses will also change colour. They will do so faster if you have replaced them with used lenses.