Vauxhall Zafira (09) worth buying?

[thebullettrain]

I have sold my BMW and looking at another car to buy. I need something that will be good for local journeys together with regular 500 mile round trips on the motorway.

I have seen Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTI SRI 150 bhp with the body kit. I would appreciate some comments on the car please.

[VR46]

Dont do it!

[martin84]

Friend of mine has a Zafira 1.9 and they've not had any problems with it, apart from the washer bottle freezing up in the winter which proved irritating.

Not a very PH sort of car though, sporty version or otherwise. I hope you have children to justify such a purchase or at least are obliged to regularly carry large pieces of equipment?

[danjama]

My mate has a 2.0L turbo (petrol) in blue in mint condition, and it is really quick but also ridiculously smooth and comfortable. I approve.

[Codswallop]

5 series to Zafira is quite a big change - has your other half suddenly produced quintuplets?

I'm sure a Zafira is a decent car, but unless you need the space, there's plenty of better cars to get. Do you have any more specific requirements to help narrow the search?

[martin84]

If you don't need the extra space then a Vectra is probably a better bet if you're determined to have a Vauxhall.

[danjama]

martin84 said:

Friend of mine has a Zafira 1.9 and they've not had any problems with it, apart from the washer bottle freezing up in the winter which proved irritating.

Not a very PH sort of car though, sporty version or otherwise. I hope you have children to justify such a purchase or at least are obliged to regularly carry large pieces of equipment?

My friend doesn't have any children, but he is in a trade so needs room for his tools etc and we do a lot of long journeys to different skateparks etc. The above is ridiculous IMO, they are very quick and quite sturdy, as well as comfortable.

[martin84]

danjama said:

My friend doesn't have any children, but he is in a trade so needs room for his tools etc and we do a lot of long journeys to different skateparks etc. The above is ridiculous IMO, they are very quick and quite sturdy, as well as comfortable.

It's still a people carrier

[Codswallop]

danjama said:

martin84 said:

Friend of mine has a Zafira 1.9 and they've not had any problems with it, apart from the washer bottle freezing up in the winter which proved irritating.

Not a very PH sort of car though, sporty version or otherwise. I hope you have children to justify such a purchase or at least are obliged to regularly carry large pieces of equipment?

My friend doesn't have any children, but he is in a trade so needs room for his tools etc and we do a lot of long journeys to different skateparks etc. The above is ridiculous IMO, they are very quick and quite sturdy, as well as comfortable.

Huh, you're new here

A diesel Zafira is not "very quick", and there are plenty of sturdier and more comfortable cars out there

[morgrp]

Personally I think they're nasty - if you're coming from a BMW then the slip shod Interior quality and rough diesel lump should be enough to put you off - mrs morgrp had a 1.9cdti (admittedly not a 150bhp Sri) the other day as a hire car for work and it was ste

[danjama]

Codswallop said:

Huh, you're new here

A diesel Zafira is not "very quick", and there are plenty of sturdier and more comfortable cars out there

Sorry i'm talking about the 2.0L turbo petrol model (GSi).

[thebullettrain]

Haha thanks chaps.

We have two kids now and the 5 series for some reason wasn't offering enough space - we also often carry my mum around so need lots of space.

The idea is to buy a relatively cheap runaround for the family and the other half and then a nice little weekend number for me. However, car number 2 won't come around until the end of the year really.

I think a move from a 5 series to anything will be a shock. The other cars my misses likes is that funny shaped Toledo (yes I know!) and the Altea. However, given that this will become her car I am pretty ambivalent but I want it to be a good car.

[martin84]

thebullettrain said:

We have two kids now and the 5 series for some reason wasn't offering enough space - we also often carry my mum around so need lots of space.

[V8LM]

We've an '02 Zafira on 125k miles. Doesn't owe us anything - so much so we've given it to the dog.

[danjama]

Another friend had a Toledo a couple of years ago and again it was quite nice. No bigger than a 5 series though.

[r1ch]

Can't say i've owned one, but drove a few hundred miles in a newish one last year and I really liked it.

[rumple]

r1ch said:

Can't say i've owned one, but drove a few hundred miles in a newish one last year and I really liked it.

Im the opposite, had a hire car and thought it was garbage, O.P have you considered a vectra, large roomy cheap barge, far better than a zafira

[VR46]

Caravelle v6 4motion is a far better car, or a ford smax.

[glassspares]

Just don't do it i had one on a 59 plate would rather have a car and trailer than a Zafira again. Slow, boring, uncomfortable on long journeys and the turning circle of a cruise ship in a pond couldn't sum this up better. I have Insignia now and can't fault it at all defo look around before buying a Zafira.

[odyssey2200]

glassspares said:

uncomfortable on long journeys

defo look around before buying a Zafira.

This

I had a 60 plate 2.0 CDTI SRi

Couldn't wait to get back to an Astra.

Wife has a Mazda5 2.0 Diesel 146bhp and whlie it's by no means perfect it is head and shoulders above the Zafira.

In my experiance th SMax is the best (and on the shopping list)