Jeremy Kyle. Zafira, benefits.

[Barry Cade]

Dunno why, but the 3 words in the title always go hand in hand. I'm an Ex Vauxhall fan- had many Cavalier Mk2's and stuff back in the day, but the Vectra and Ecotec  finished my interest in them. Got called to a Zafira last week. 51 plate 1.8 pez. Non start. Nothing unusual about that, but on turning up to a huge house in the country, I found a manky,dirty moss covered green Zafira. Flat battery. Woman came out to fill in the details and let me know they had it since new, bought it from the garage I served my time in, were personal friends with the then Dealer Principal and the car had ferried the family to Southern France a few times and their kids grew up with the car and had now left home, and this Zafira A had been replaced by a new one. I was only called to start the car so it could be taken to the scrappies.

 

 

 

WUT, yer cannae scrap this... says I. Once I'd stuck the leads on to the Original 2001 GM battery, the engine fired easily after sitting idle for 3 weeks, and settled into a near silent idle- no tappet rattle, or puff of reek, nothing. I made it clear that if they were going to scrap it, I'd give it a new home and a new lease of life, to which she was very happy about as the car obviously meant a lot to her, but they thought it was just getting too old and would cost a packet to put through the MOT, which is due today (9th Dec).

 

Collected it last night in the dark and rain, and it drove like a new car. A new car with soft tyres ,a slightly rumbly nearside front wheel bearing and a broken rear wiper arm. All the books were there in a mint Vauxhall wallet, 2 original keys and an assortment of road maps. She told me as we were leaving that they don't wash their cars...ever...? Unused ashtray and lighter

 

Both keys didn't work the remote locking so a late night soldering sesh got them working, and this morning a few buckets of HOT soapy water to get rid of the lichen, some Autoglym, bumper care, some time with the Vax and some elbow grease and I end up with this. My goal is to get it legal, MOT'd respectable and reliable for less than a Ton. Wish me luck!

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Restecp!!!! I've never drive one of these but I rate the Mk4 Astra as an exceptionally well made, well engineered car.

[ShiteRider]

Good luck, it'd be nice to see one of these that isn't totally fucked.

[Lankytim]

The one I delivered to Tamworthbay from cavette was royally fucked and had been abused to death but it was still lovely to to drive. Rated!

[drum]

One owner car + cheapness = good

 

Are these the ones that spontaneously self combust?

[beko1987]

I prefer this shape to the new one, it's a car I would. Keep trying to get Amy to have one.

 

Nice find!

[Cavcraft]

My work here is done.

[320touring]

Just a shame its not a 1.6 pezzah so we could have ran a book on whether the headgasket would have out lasted a free Laguna II...

 

 

looks ok and 1 onah is fut ah wuhn:)

 

I can read the 670 word advert already

[cort16]

Cavcrafts 10 year gm funded cell to infiltrate autoshite is starting to pay off.

[Barry Cade]

Cavcrafts 10 year gm funded cell to infiltrate autoshite is starting to pay off.

Good job he's not CEO of GM though, people only have them when they're free.Or has he got covert shares in the RAC I wonder. Cavcraft, you is genius.

[Timewaster]

They are actually pretty hopeless for the 5 kids and counting types.

 

If you fit a baby / child seat to the rear bench, then you can't slide the bench forward to access the seats in the boot.

The rear bench is also pretty narrow, so 2 kids seats max.

 

Shame really else I'd have bought one.

 

I think the later ones have a split bench so you can still tip half (or 60/40 whatever).

 

This is why Picassos are popular, they are only 5 seaters but they are 5 proper seats.

[Barry Cade]

I have 3 kids, and when they were of an age to need car seats and all the rest, we had a Lancia Y10. Now the kids are all growd up with their own transport, we have a 7 seater for 2 of us and a minature Dachshund. Maybe we should go on Jeremy Kyle and demand someone else's kids.

[Hendry]

Going by the Vectra B GLS style wheel trims it looks like its a decent spec one like a Comfort or Design spec one, not the usual council estate Life/LS poverty spec one.

 

I had one of these for a few weeks as a courtesy car, 51 plate 1.8 Design and absolutely loved it to drive, didnt feel any different from the 52 plate mk4 Astra 1.6 Comfort I had at the time to drive, only better. Other than the usual drinking oil like its going out of fashion issue probably caused by worn valve stem seals or piston rings that all 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 Vauxhalls seem to suffer from they are bullet proof, easy to fix and cheap to fix. One thing i do recall is both the Zaf and Astra suffered from an issue with the ignition barrel being really worn to the point the key wouldnt turn in it and it took about 50 attempts before you eventually got the key to turn, i think both had to have their ignition barrels drilled out and new replacements fitted at Vauxhall.

 

What dealer did it come from new? SO is Edinburgh/Lothian/Fife area isnt it, so back then it wouldve been Premier of Edinburgh, Belmont, Woods Garage, or Curtis Motors In those areas i think.

[Barry Cade]

It came from Curtis. Who I hate as I worked for Reekie Cupar, who were effectively put out of business by Curtis. Happily Curtis are gone now too. It's comfort spec, with Working Aircon! Ignition barrels are still a problem- I see a few a month with this issue. My Vauxhall knowledge is more CDi/ SRi/LXi/GLSi rather than Club/Life/Sad/Skint.

[Cavcraft]

Pretty sure all the 1.6 petrols in these were 16V (X16XEL?) but could be wrong. It's just the usual throttle body/EGR/IACV thing with them and the oil burning issues a few seemed to have, though like modern diesels I think a lot of it is down to how they're driven.

Pretty tough car though, certainly the interiors are better than a Galasharalambra and still very poplier. 

[fordperv]

That looks a nice thing, you've done well there

[beko1987]

The 1.6 in our meriva does 1l every 1k, it's in the manual. I count 5-6 topups then change the oil and filter, then it gets done every 5-6k

[lisbon_road]

Firstly, well done for saving it, looks very good, throw away society etc etc.

 

Secondly, I went to school with Jeremy Kyle, same class etc.

 

Thirdly, I also think Zaf As are ok.  The 1.6 might burn oil but the 1.8 in my experience is ok.  We have one on lpg, just repaired from a write off.  Did have a problem with the water pump shaft shearing.  Proved to be a pattern water pump someone had fitted so lesson for me is to always fit the most expensive water pump you can get. 

 

Fourth, I think I have a front bumper in that colour

[taxi paul]

Not a bad car. My daughter had one , a1.6 it liked to drink oil. She drove it with the oil light on back home from Blackpool,55 miles. It died. I considered one for my 7 seater needs now my modern Is getting the elbow, due to being a pain . The Mazda 5 won in the end due to the sliding doors and sliding middle seat. I don't really need the 4x4 option on my modern now has caravan Is staying put on site.

[cort16]

Good job he's not CEO of GM though, people only have them when they're free.Or has he got covert shares in the RAC I wonder. Cavcraft, you is genius.

 

Cheap Zafira's are a gateway drug. In a few months you'll find yourself stumbling out of a Vauxhall dealership, eyes blinking after dropping a deposit on a new 1.2 Corsa.

[lisbon_road]

There was a question up there about whether these are the ones that spontaneously combust.  This is a Zaf A, those were Zaf Bs from about 06 plate onwards. 

 

The fan speed controllers do fail on these though.  Not too hard to replace, just loads of torx screws.

[PiperCub]

One owner + Big House + 'It's getting old' mentality = Big win (usually) 

 

Don't want or need a Zaf but this is still winner-winner-chicken-dinner all the way.

[R9UKE]

Anyone who intercepts something like that from needlessly bring cubed is a shite hero in my books. Well done.

 

Also a lot less likely to catch fire than than the B!!

[Guest Lord Sward]

Krypton Green with black interior.  Nice. Cheap and easy to run 18XE engine.  Built in Bochum on 1st December 2001.  No customer satisfaction issues, no technical issues, only 1 warranty claim in relation to trim when new, and a load of dealer service history.  8 speaker Bose stereo.  That one should be a keeper.

[dollywobbler]

Zafira AND Picasso love? Chuffing hell we're bad.

 

For the record, never driven one but I've always liked the looks.

[eddyramrod]

I used to drive a 2004 Zaf at work.  Pretty sure it was a 1.6 Life, but I found it perfectly acceptable for ferrying people about, collecting Christmas trees, etc.  Some of the handles operating the seats didn't seem very well-made, but apart from that, it was hard to fault.  Verdict: wood, at the right price.  And this one certainly seems to have come in at the right price, well done.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I ran a 2004 Shakira 1.8 a couple of years ago. I found it to be a bit under geared but well built, reliable, very easy to work on and well designed. Not exotic or even interesting but excellent transport and ultra practical.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'll leave this here.

[cort16]

I just see this. And see what child services say when you try to drive your kids to school in one of these. beep beep.

 

[New POD]

My work here is done.

 

Not yet. Keep on. Not al Vaxails R Shite.