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Tue 1 Feb 2011 18:17

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - beatle2078

I have been driving my Zafira Comfort 1.8 petrol for the last 11 years, and it has done 195,000 miles and has been a wonderful workhorse. Nothing flashy, but has been everywhere.

Just before Christmas I had 4 new tyres and a new exhaust. On Saturday I had new brakes, disks and springs. On Sunday it died, it looks like it needs a new engine. So the dilemna.

Do I get a new engine, given all the new bits that i have bought, or do I scrap it and see if I can sell it for parts for a few quid.

If I buy a new car what do I buy? I need something that will carry skis, be comfortable to drive across Europe in the winter and will fit the roofbox (2.30m) and even better the chains that I already have. I drive about 15-20k miles a year

I only have a maximum of £3000 to spend

Any suggestions

Edited by Avant on 01/02/2011 at 23:36

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Tue 1 Feb 2011 23:38

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - Avant

Maybe you should first get a second opinion on the damage to the engine: you haven't told us much apart from 'it died'. Try a small independent garage for an honest answer.

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Wed 2 Feb 2011 07:21

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - beatle2078

I have had two reports that the head gasget has gone, and the engine has seized. The symptoms were driving on the motorway, air flow went very cold, then stalled on the exit slip. Car just gave the briefest of coughs on turn over. Water hose had blown off the engine, and it looks like it had overheated. he suggestion is that it could just be the gasget, but the feeling is that it is more than that, as the engine is turning over very fast indicating no compression.

The first was from the RAC on site, the 2nd from the independent garage that has been servicing the car for about 8 years. The do not sell cars, so the fact that they are turning down work is good, plus I have a very good relationship with them and they are honest

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Wed 2 Feb 2011 10:08

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? Replace or repair? - beatle2078

Just changed the title to see if i get more hits

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Wed 2 Feb 2011 16:48

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? Replace or repair? - Dutchie

Have you had a price for a new engine? If the car is in good condition I would look at the engine option first.For £3000 another Zafria maybe four five years old or look at a Hyunda Kia option some warranty left.

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Wed 2 Feb 2011 21:32

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? Replace or repair? - oldtoffee

Geez you've done well! Given the money you've spent on it on tyres, brakes springs etc versus the value of the car I'd look towards an engine repair or replacement so that you get some "value" out of your recent spend and get rid in 2 to 3 years. Had you not spent the money, dump it and buy another one given your luck!

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Wed 2 Feb 2011 21:45

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - Big John

It's worth pricing a recon engine up. It's a relatively straight forward engine so shouldn't be too expensive. If you spend 3k on another car you stand a reasonable chance of buying someone elses problem. Better the devil you know?

Edited by Big John on 02/02/2011 at 21:46

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Thu 3 Feb 2011 08:30

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - beatle2078

My local garage who have kept the car on the road for so long have said that it will cost about £800 to £1000 to sort the engine out with a second hand engine. Then they have suggested that I might want to consider doing the cam belt and the clutch at the same time. The former needs changing every 40k miles on a zafira and the latter has never been changed!

Only other issue is that the central locking is shot and I havent been able to lock the car for over a year and no one can find the problem.

Beginning to think replacement, at the moment the hot favourite is a HONDA CR-V 4x4 2.0 VTEC SE, or perhaps a Nissan X Trail - probably about 8 years old. Or another Zafira, but many people have not had the luck that I have had with mine! Hmmmmmm........

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 00:35

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - Avant

If you decide to replace, and don't need 4wd, you'd get a newer Toyota Verso for your money. There are some good Zafiras around, but you've a better chance of getting a good Verso.

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 00:46

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - unthrottled

Deciding when to call it a day with an old car is very hard-especialy as it usually occurs after a steady trickle of money has been spent on it. I don't envy your position! But sometimes a major repair can help make that decision easier. Heck, I bet your cost per mile is better than 90% of cars on the road!

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 08:07

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - beatle2078

I have loved my Zafira, and this is a toughie, but thinking it through my needs have changed. Kids are growing up and I rarely need to carry 7 people any more, but I do carry stuff - not least up to 10 pairs of skis.

We do head off to the snowy parts of europe on a semi regular basis, hence the 4 x 4. CRV isn't a full 4x4 but will hopefully help to keep me on the road in the snow. Also with one child going to uni I can see the need to keep a large boot with the need to do a 300 mile round trip on a regular basis as well. The Zafira is great for smaller kids, but just isnt comfortable on very long journeys.

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 17:08

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - unthrottled

There's always the Hyundai santa fe. Big, comfy, should be reliable. similar part time 4X4. A lot of scandanavians manage with 2 wheel drive (with the right tyres). I only mention it because adding a 4 wheel drive system (even a part time system) adds weight, bulk, and complexity-none of which are helpful to cheap motoring. A good estate will be nicer and cheaper to drive than a 'soft roader'.

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 18:07

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - mlj

At any price we all want the best car we can get! For 3K can I suggest you might get a better Berlingo than a Verso, good vehicle that the Toyota is.

For what it's worth we nearly bought a Zafira three years ago but chose the Citroen instead. We didn't need seven seats but we did want huge carrying capacity. I didn't think the Berlingo would be as good as it has been. Cross Europe journeys (800-1000 miles) have been problem free and entirely comfortable. No aches, pains or strains.

It is citroen's most reliable car and, as a colleague asserted, a very middle class car. I was nonplussed when he said it, but I sort of know what he means. For those in the know, it is a utilitarian but robust and reliable means of transport.

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Tue 8 Feb 2011 20:44

Vauxhall Zafira - Replacement for a Zafira? - barchettaman

.........We do head off to the snowy parts of europe on a semi regular basis, hence the 4 x 4. ...........

In which case you don't need 4x4, you need a set of winter tyres and FWD. You will be amazed at the performance of a FWD car on fresh winter tyres.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to get.

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