Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Viral_Jim on 28 July 2021, 23:23:10
-
I'm looking for an mpv that will double up for moving a load of stuff out of my old house over the coming months. Zafira B seems good value compared to others (s-max for example) and I'm already ruling out anything french).
I know a few members on here run these and I was wondering what things I should avoid/look out for when buying.
I know that the 2.2 petrol can have expensive fuel pump issues and my personal view is that a 1.6 seems inadequate for moving a shed around. So I guess that leaves a 1.8 petrol or a 1.9 cdti. Of the two I guess the diesel would have more grunt, but what are the turbos, clutches, dmfs etc like?
Any advice welcome. :y
-
If you are looking for a short term cheap solution then consider Zafira A ,MOTed for the time span you need it for .
We just dropped a Zafira B 1.6 petrol from the fleet because no one used it .
Zafira A 2.0DTI is used a fair bit .(astra G parts ,so cheaper than Zafira B/Astra H parts)
factory undersealing and rust proofing on Zaf A is much better than B
however , don't dismiss the 1.6 petrol engine either way , if you are using it to transport many people or lots of junk then you won't be driving like a bank robber get-away driver anyway :P
Zafira A 2.0 DTi whilst slow by TB's standards of driving :-X is robust
1.6 petrol can return 35MPG 1.8 is more thirsty ,2.0 DTI near 40MPG
Zafira B 1.9 eat gearboxes
comon issues with 1.6 and 1.8 petrol is PCV valve (inside the rocker cover) failure ,causes rough running ,dipstick and oil cap suck air when removed if the PCV is duff.
ultimately though , finding the right car ,local, at the right price and CHECKING IT OVER WELL is the way to go
-
Is it TB who is a Zaffy fan?
-
If you're feeling nearly 40 then don't rule out a GSi/VXR 8)
-
I wouldn't say fan; he scarcely admits to being an owner of one :y
Dave, thanks for this, I had noticed that there were a couple of diesels advertised with noisy 'boxes. Doesn't seem like many horror stories of these around.
-
If you're feeling nearly 40 then don't rule out a GSi/VXR 8)
There's that galaxy with the 2.5T focus ST engine in it too, that could be a wheeze 8)
-
Not for Zafira money :-\
But yes, a bit nippier than your average Mumsybus 8)
-
Its a 21st century Vauxhall. Run and dont stop until you see a Toyota for sale. :y ;D
-
I wouldn't say fan; he scarcely admits to being an owner of one :y
Dave, thanks for this, I had noticed that there were a couple of diesels advertised with noisy 'boxes. Doesn't seem like many horror stories of these around.
The 6 speed in the 1.9cdti 150 doesn't take abuse well in the Astra platform... The bearings aren't as robust as the Vectra because the casing is smaller for packaging purposes. Driven hard they get noisy within 50-60k miles.
-
So I ran a Zaf B 1.9 150 CDTi for 197k miles.
It was on original swirl flaps and gearbox (non modified type, there are many affordable upgrades and its a good bargaining point), had the DMF replaced at 59k miles under warranty (as a just in case and because I could).
I changed the turbo at 120k miles, it was not bad but I had one so seemed sensible.
Had to clean the EGR every 12 months (as part of the service schedule) and also repaired the DPF pressure sensor pipe a few times(they cracture by the sub frame.
It did have very regular oil changes.
Had one set of rear springs
Pretty good all round vehicle which owed me nothing.
-
I wouldn't say fan; he scarcely admits to being an owner of one :y
Dave, thanks for this, I had noticed that there were a couple of diesels advertised with noisy 'boxes. Doesn't seem like many horror stories of these around.
The 6 speed in the 1.9cdti 150 doesn't take abuse well in the Astra platform... The bearings aren't as robust as the Vectra because the casing is smaller for packaging purposes. Driven hard they get noisy within 50-60k miles.
M32 was never fitted into the Vectra, it had the F28, it was also irrelevant which power plant it was connected to, it was not torque that was the issue :y
-
I wouldn't say fan; he scarcely admits to being an owner of one :y
Dave, thanks for this, I had noticed that there were a couple of diesels advertised with noisy 'boxes. Doesn't seem like many horror stories of these around.
The 6 speed in the 1.9cdti 150 doesn't take abuse well in the Astra platform... The bearings aren't as robust as the Vectra because the casing is smaller for packaging purposes. Driven hard they get noisy within 50-60k miles.
M32 was never fitted into the Vectra, it had the F28, it was also irrelevant which power plant it was connected to, it was not torque that was the issue :y
Do you mean the F40 box :-\
-
Its a 21st century Vauxhall. Run and dont stop until you see a Toyota for sale. :y ;D
Says the man who drives a.......... ;D
-
Not for Zafira money :-\
But yes, a bit nippier than your average Mumsybus 8)
Very true, and if I wanted to romp around at 20-22mpg I'd do it in something more entertaining than a ducking s-max 😂
-
I had an "A" 1.6 16V, good if you kept to a maxiumum 65mph after which it used a lot of fuel. Very sprightly for size with that engine.Did 60k in three years. Moved onto a "B" 1.8 XP 140 which has the button to get 138bhp.
Perfect to 120k when it then started using oil. So, started to put semi synthetic in it and that stopped the burn rate. 38 mpg for my style of mixed driving.Did 50k in three years with this one. Nothing untoward went wrong with either of them, just the normal maintainance items, tyres, brakes, exhaust etc
-
Its a 21st century Vauxhall. Run and dont stop until you see a Toyota for sale. :y ;D
Says the man who drives a.......... ;D
Well yes, mine is just about a 21st century Vauxhall, bit it was designed well before that. In fact the chassis / suspension design can probably be traced back to the 1970,s. ;D ;D
-
Its a 21st century Vauxhall. Run and dont stop until you see a Toyota for sale. :y ;D
Says the man who drives a.......... ;D
Well yes, mine is just about a 21st century Vauxhall, bit it was designed well before that. In fact the chassis / suspension design can probably be traced back to the 1970,s. ;D ;D
Well..my 21st century Vauxhall has never missed a beat in the four years I have had it. It behaves impeccably and does whatever I ask of it. No hefty repair bills either.
-
Tomorrow.........BANG!!!,......wtf didn't I keep my mouth shut? ;D
-
I have to say, after a god awful experience with a 1.9 cdti 150 Vectra C I was quite impressed with the later 1.8 petrol.
The only thing that let it down was the lack of a sixth gear. But otherwise faultless. :y
-
If its a shitbox to use as a van, and a great "van" for tip runs, the Zaffy A seems indestructible.... ....and by god I've tried. It has an ultra annoying habit of just always working.
The Zaf B is marginally more roomy inside, but having never owned one, can't comment on reliability. Other than the well documented busting into flames of the non Elite variant due to the heater fan resistors.
The Zaf-A DTi has the well hated VP44 fuel pump that was all the rage in the mid 1990s, with its well known issues which effectively write the car off.
The DTi is also woefully slow, though I'm fairly convinced mine is knackered, and only giving me about 2 bhp. It will touch a ton, but getting there takes some effort. Its also a bastid to start when cold, but I think its down to 1 working glow plug. I think its the shittiest car I've ever owned....
....but I've kept it for over 7 years, its one of the very few that has never left me stranded, and because it is so glacially slow its a hoot to drive because you daren't slow down ;D
Its never a car you would desire, but can't knock its versatility.
I kinda agree with the dodgy Derby builder - if its a short term requirement, get the cheapest you can that runs and has a long MOT.
-
Cheers TB, I've started the process of looking for one, but given the used car market ATM, even absolute sh!tters seem to be commanding more than a grand, anything less than that seems to be buying trouble (noisy gearbox or similar).
Then again, if things weren't totally mental, I wouldn't be looking to get rid of the BM for only about £1000 less than I paid for it last year (18000 miles ago).
I can see a place in my long term fleet for something like a zaffy. As you say, not at all desirable, but excellent for putting all the things in you wouldn't want in a nice car. Garden waste, plasterboard, children, that kind of thing.
-
And humans of course
-
Cheers TB, I've started the process of looking for one, but given the used car market ATM, even absolute sh!tters seem to be commanding more than a grand, anything less than that seems to be buying trouble (noisy gearbox or similar).
Then again, if things weren't totally mental, I wouldn't be looking to get rid of the BM for only about £1000 less than I paid for it last year (18000 miles ago).
I can see a place in my long term fleet for something like a zaffy. As you say, not at all desirable, but excellent for putting all the things in you wouldn't want in a nice car. Garden waste, plasterboard, children, that kind of thing.
Now its Mrs TB's daily, I keep toying of being shot of it, and getting something a bit nicer for her 80 mile commute...
...but would really miss the flexibility of the Battlebus.
-
She's a very lucky woman. :D
-
She's a very lucky woman. :D
Indeed she is ;D
-
She's a very lucky woman. :D
Indeed she is ;D
I bet she doesn't realise how lucky she is? ::) :)
-
She's a very lucky woman. :D
Indeed she is ;D
I bet she doesn't realise how lucky she is? ::) :)
I am sure TB reminds her at every opportunity ;D
-
She's a very lucky woman. :D
Indeed she is ;D
I bet she doesn't realise how lucky she is? ::) :)
I am sure TB reminds her at every opportunity ;D
I reminded her just an hour or 2 ago.
-
Surly fitting a magic tree air freshener (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234076848236?epid=21024776161&hash=item368011406c:g:SaUAAOSw-Slg4io0) to the Zafira would be enough of an "upgrade" to keep Mrs TB happy :-\
just remember to remove it from the windscreen at MOT time ;)
-
Surly fitting a magic tree air freshener (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234076848236?epid=21024776161&hash=item368011406c:g:SaUAAOSw-Slg4io0) to the Zafira would be enough of an "upgrade" to keep Mrs TB happy :-\
just remember to remove it from the windscreen at MOT time ;)
I think she'd be happier with a couple more working glow plugs....
-
Surly fitting a magic tree air freshener (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234076848236?epid=21024776161&hash=item368011406c:g:SaUAAOSw-Slg4io0) to the Zafira would be enough of an "upgrade" to keep Mrs TB happy :-\
just remember to remove it from the windscreen at MOT time ;)
I think she'd be happier with a couple more working glow plugs....
the world is melting with "global warming " apparently ,so I'd hold fire on those :P
-
Surly fitting a magic tree air freshener (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234076848236?epid=21024776161&hash=item368011406c:g:SaUAAOSw-Slg4io0) to the Zafira would be enough of an "upgrade" to keep Mrs TB happy :-\
just remember to remove it from the windscreen at MOT time ;)
I think she'd be happier with a couple more working glow plugs....
the world is melting with "global warming " apparently ,so I'd hold fire on those :P
I was never going to change them, the car would be scrapped first ;)
(one defo needs drilling out, and a 2nd likely does)
-
Surly fitting a magic tree air freshener (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234076848236?epid=21024776161&hash=item368011406c:g:SaUAAOSw-Slg4io0) to the Zafira would be enough of an "upgrade" to keep Mrs TB happy :-\
just remember to remove it from the windscreen at MOT time ;)
:(
I think she'd be happier with a couple more working glow plugs....
the world is melting with "global warming " apparently ,so I'd hold fire on those :P
I was never going to change them, the car would be scrapped first ;)
(one defo needs drilling out, and a 2nd likely does)
£125 each on my astra
-
These ones are only about a tenner each, if that. And easy enough to change if they don't shear off....