gnomeot Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I drove it in today for the MOT, and you know what... I quite like it... It's nice to drive, rides well, it's actually quite lovely... Gearbox is quite notchy, you have to line the gate up to the mm before it goes in, but it's nice... I'm not sure how to think at life now, it needs to do a vauxhall quite quickly now so I can go back to not liking it... mpg is 26.9 now, but I have a large ill to boot it up to get to Maidenhead so we shall see what happens there!Time to hand in your man card and admit that you've given up on life... ...next you'll want a narrow boat, handles about the same as a Vauxhall Lacquer Peel, purplebargeken and beko1987 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Time to hand in your man card and admit that you've given up on life... ...next you'll want a narrow boat, handles about the same as a VauxhallIt has less body roll than the Xantia, I tested it going up the hill to maidenhead in 3rd at 45mph... Once the Xantia is sorted though, that should change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendry Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Reading this thread has just reminded me I need to stock up on more clay bars, quick detailer, iron x and autosmart tardis before i can get tore into giving the Jetta its first proper valet since September 2015 as as much as its clean its a bit grubby. Im tempted to buy dragons breath for the wheels, ever used it? oldcars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sterling Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I drove it in today for the MOT, and you know what... I quite like it... It's nice to drive, rides well, it's actually quite lovely... Gearbox is quite notchy, you have to line the gate up to the mm before it goes in, but it's nice... I'm not sure how to think at life now, it needs to do a vauxhall quite quickly now so I can go back to not liking it...Yo! Zafiras ain't bad, I've driven a few (in fact, tomorrow I've got a 13-plater to drive home then to Aldershot for Wednesday) like a lot of the 00s Vauxhalls, they feel solid and purposeful. I guess though they have had thier fair share of problems, we always had them over at Mahmouds garage which is partly the reason I drove so many of them. Actually, I was over at Bruntingthorpe today where BCA have a MASSIVE car buying/selling process and storage facilities. Because the site is so big, BCA Bruntingthorpe have a couple of Zafiras to ferry thier own drivers up and down the facilities, sadly they are very unlooked after, very dirty, bashed etc... one has a half a tyre nailed to front where a battery jumping pack is tied down in case any of the cars batteries go flat. Also, your cleaning has reminded me that I need to stop being such a lazy barsterward and get cleaning the Sterling, it's filthy having been sat up for ages. I keep meaning to but laziness takes over. beko1987 and Cavcraft 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 It has less body roll than the Xantia, I tested it going up the hill to maidenhead in 3rd at 45mph... Once the Xebra is sorted though, that should change... FIFY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 So of course, being a modern it's been very reliable and since washing it I have done zilch to it, not even finished hoovering it out. But Amy really misses her old headunit, and doesn't like just having a CD Player. Talking to her, she never uses the steering wheel controls, and having driven the thing a few times I agree, it's pretty crap tbh. She also said she doesn't really look at the on board computer, as it's comically unreliable. The miles to empty display, in her words is 'a wanker', it can show 200 miles left, she can do 40 gentle miles and it says 180 miles left. Equally she can boot it out of a junction in sports mode then settle down and it looses 40 miles for half an hour. The only other display I ever have it on is the average MPG which has been 28.2mpg for ages. She's perfectly happy to look at the fuel guage. Is it possible with these new fangled vauxhalls to just not have the display connected up to the canbus? The Meriva was OK, but it only has a 2 line display, and only ever shows the radio station. I can't actually hook the steering wheel radio controls into the JVC anyway as the bluetooth module/remote plugs into the port. I can either: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Zafira-B-2005-2015-Car-Stereo-Radio-Wiring-ISO-Harness-Aerial-Adaptor-/161737081973?hash=item25a8480475:g:hlAAAOSwMmBVgXFN and find an ignition live, and loose the display or spend out and buy the proper canbus adapter http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CANbuz-SWC-8414-16-CAN-BUS-Stalk-Adaptor-for-ISO-Radio-Opel-Zafira-B-05-14-/401281885591?hash=item5d6e43a597:g:D6oAAOSwCU1YsVlH and keep the screen and on board computer-ma-bob Hendry - any knowledge of this area? I'll also need a fascia adapter which tbh will probably be this kit http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-ZAFIRA-B-2005-ONWARDS-SINGLE-DIN-SILVER-FASCIA-PANEL-ADAPTOR-FITTING-/400847568565?hash=item5d54607eb5:g:TisAAOSw2s1Uv6CB so it matches the dash and I can stick the bluetooth remote to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcars Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Reading this thread has just reminded me I need to stock up on more clay bars, quick detailer, iron x and autosmart tardis before i can get tore into giving the Jetta its first proper valet since September 2015 as as much as its clean its a bit grubby. Im tempted to buy dragons breath for the wheels, ever used it? Yes, its great stuff, works a treat on wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bub2006 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 If it's anything like my citroen and my wife's vectra you need some sort of lead to plug it in as electronics can go tits up. With just shoving an aftermarket head unit in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendry Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 The Range display in ALL cars is totally useless, not just Vauxhalls, the MPG will always be slightly out, probably needs reset which can be done by pressing in the left scroll wheel, don't scroll it, press it in. I believe in order to connect the steering wheel controls to an aftermarket head unit will require a connects2 wiring adaptor to enable them to work, im actually not sure if the buttons will still operate the trip computer functions even if they don't control the aftermarket HU without the adaptors, but it is possible to hook up an aftermarket without the need to hook up the wheel controls too, all I know is without a pukka OE Vauxhall head unit there is no way of adjusting the clock on the display as it's done through the head unit on them. If none of this bothers you and you just want the aftermarket stereo fitted then all you should need is a quad lock to ISO wiring block as all canbus Vauxhalls use a quad lock connector to plug the stereo in while the pins on the back of an aftermarket stereo will almost certainly be the common ISO connection, you might also require an aerial adaptor between the cars radio aerial plug and the aerial plug on the back of the head unit. Having never done it personally I'm only going by the various threads I've read from other owners on the Astra forums at the time. Kiltox might be able to advise better as I'm sure he had an aftermarket Clarion unit in his Astra H back in the days?? beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Just ignore the range display. Helpfully* when the yellow fuel light flickers, you've got between seventeen weeks of daily use and 1/4 of a yard before it runs out. beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bub2006 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I don't think vauxhall is too bad with aftermarket stereos but the citroen has a complete mental breakdown involving erratic locking, Windows and much flashing of lights beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 The current wiring is quadblock, the fascia adapter, quad block and fuckra to normal fm aerial adapter sounds good. We can deal with the clock not working, the radio has one. The Meriva's clock was wrong for about 2 years, it updated itself when I plugged the original HU in to sell it to Tom! Amy will put an anti slip mat infront of the screen and cover it with twiddly bits anyway. I'll double check she doesnt want the computery stuff and buy the cheaper wiring adapter. As said, I can't make the steering wheel controls work anyway short of loosing the bluetooth on the stereo as the bluetooth is worked with a seperate KSBTA100 adapter that plugs into the remote socket for track skip and call answer etc. Which reminds me, I ran out of bullet connectors the other month, so will have to solder the wires together when re-fitting it. And hope there's a big void behind the dash somewhere as the bluetooth thing comes with 5 miles of wires, but she wants it to sit right next to the radio rather than up on the roof as it was in the Meriva. Hopefully behind the glovebox will be a good place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 I don't think vauxhall is too bad with aftermarket stereos but the citroen has a complete mental breakdown involving erratic locking, Windows and much flashing of lightsThat's one of the main reasons I haven't got rid of the tape player in the Xantia! I just bought a bluetooth thing that connects via aux. I should at least get another citroen tape player, half of mine doesnt light up and apparently that's not fixable (I only have presets 1 to 3 filled up on the radio, can't see 4-6 in the dark!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bub2006 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 The xantia will be fine with an aftermarket unit. The c2 has a bis computer what operates every fucking thing! beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 The xantia will be fine with an aftermarket unit. The c2 has a bis computer what operates every fucking thing!But it'll look shit! (it may happen though, but it's not top priority) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendry Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Beko there must be a way of keeping the steering wheel controls AND not losing the Bluetooth because I've seen it done on loads of Astra Hs and although it's not canbus equipped I fitted a Bluetooth enabled Alpine stereo to my old mk4 Astra and with the right connectors kept the Bluetooth function and made it work off the steering wheel controls. If I remember rightly if it's done properly even the call/end call steering wheel buttons will work to dial/end calls on the aftermarket stereo. If you aren't used to steering wheel controls then you probably won't miss them but I've had them on every one of my previous cars since my 2nd car in 2006 and I really miss them in the car I've got now (which was the most expensive car to buy new out of all of them and is the only top trim level spec car I've ever owned, typical cheapskate VW) because you get so used to changing volume, track, making and ending calls without taking your hands off the wheel that it's a must have for me now that I'm actually gathering the parts to retrofit a mk6 Golf GTi wheel with the buttons on it I miss it that much. Lazy yes probably, but it's so convenient. EDIT: some digging on the Astra forum has revealed something I didn't know, apparently if you buy a Connects2 patch cable, holding the "phone" steering wheel button takes you into the same menu you get when you press settings on the OEM stereo which means you will be able to adjust the clock time shown on the info display. Don't know how accurate this information is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I had my aftermarket unit wired up with Connects2 kit like Hendry says - not cheap though if I remember right Steering wheel controls worked, pretty sure the trip computer did too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 I'm on my phone so this post isn't as good as it could be, apols in advance! If you look at the picture on this ebay ad Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370777287663 The steering wheel adapter plugs into the back of the jvc with a 3.5mm plug. And those 3 bare wires join up to the iso block for the radio. The Bluetooth adapter plugs into and connects to the exact same 3.5mm connection, and I imagine if I splice them together it won't work very well! So the steering wheel controls will be lost. Its no massive deal, as the radio is proper close to the driver anyway, it's no strech at all, I have to stretch further in the xantia to reach the radio! Still not double checked the computer situation, I will before I buy anything (the ebay ad I linked to above isn't for a Zafira B, which is a shame cos it's cheaper, it just had the first picture showing what I mean that I found! Saying that, the wiring loom has a blue/white 'remote' lead, but all the patch leads I've found use the 3.5mm type. I'll keep looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/connects2-ctjvclead-universal-stalk-lead-for-jvc-headunits.html Now I'm not sure though. The above lead seems to work either or, and that would be handy... I found the installation manual too, and it lists the blue/white lead as remote/power aerial... Im getting confused now, I don't want to spend £50+ quid on a bunch of wires that don't work, and over the steering wheel controls/obc and Bluetooth, Bluetooth will win every time! The stereo is a jvc kd-r521 if that helps anyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 Oh, and the steering wheel doesn't have a phone button if that helps. Infact I'm not sure what the buttons bar volume and skip do, I press bc on the cd30 and then left or right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I didn't have Bluetooth in my Astra so didn't have your dilemma - I added it with a Parrot kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 I did think about buying her a parrot kit, but the Bluetooth audio on the jvc is top notch. Several times I've had to ask where she is as its so quiet. Driving is the answer I got. I want a Parrott kit, was watching a few but they hold their value a bit! One day... Unless the kit to buy becomes clear soon, I'll buy the 'dumb kit' and set the clock on the head unit. Can always upgrade if we find the combination that works! Half the bloody problem is all these sellers either don't give a picture of the patch lead, or use a bloody stock photo. And I'm not buying shit willy nilly and hoping it's right, I've messed up that way before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 If the JVC unit has Bluetooth who cares about what the car currently has? Patch in steering wheel controls and it'll work fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 The jvc Bluetooth is a seperate module that plugs into the remote out socket (the same socket that all the steering wheel interfaces I've found plug in), so we loose the wheel controls. Choices are: No on board computer or steering wheel controls, and I find a switched live somewhere (fag lighter iirc) Connects2 kit to keep the on board computer, clock still updates via the left hand steering wheel buttons, radio steering wheel buttons don't work,no switched live needed as the box sorts the can bus out Find a way of dual running the Bluetooth adapter and wheel controls from the same plug Set fire to the lot and buy her a diesel maestro Im heading towards choice number 1, then if she hates it she can pay for choice number 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Buy another Bluetooth head unit that doesn't have such a stupid setup? I have a couple of Aldi ones you can have for much cheap beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony30 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Last image should be this one IMG_20170122_125827.jpgA Saab B204 engine will cure that oil leak. Buy 3 more snowflakes, and it should look half decent for a family bus. beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Guess you might struggle for a patch lead for the Aldi unit actually - also have a Kenwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 It's not a stupid headunit, it's lovely! Was also a steal as it was listed in the wrong category on ebay so I got it for £30, the bluetooth adapter goes for £80 on it's own (well, went for, can't find one for sale anywhere now). I'm on the laptop now, so have sussed it. The 'Proper' Way 1x CTSVX002.2 Canbus fucklock to ISO adapter1x JVC2Lead that connects to the blue/white steering wheel wire from the radio (and hope it works)1X Silver din adapter£47.84 delivered The 'cheap and killing lots of features' wayhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-ZAFIRA-B-2005-ONWARDS-SINGLE-DIN-SILVER-FASCIA-PANEL-ADAPTOR-FITTING-/400847568565?hash=item5d54607eb5:g:TisAAOSw2s1Uv6CB for £13, and I have to go removing the centre console to find the supposed ignition live wire (of which apparently there is only one on a canbus zafira, for the fag lighter light up ring on the 'smokers pack' She's paying for it, so I'll let her choose, but I sort of hope she chooses the £50 one, as it will be more satisfying to fit. The clock can apparently then be changed with much prodding of the steering wheel buttons, which I will probably only do when I've had the battery out, otherwise it can be right 6 months of the year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltox Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Any head unit that needs a separate Bluetooth adaptor plugged in the back is pretty special Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 A Saab B204 engine will cure that oil leak. Buy 3 more snowflakes, and it should look half decent for a family bus. I had a look on ebay a while ago and it's £100 for 4 matching alloys in a size that means cheaper tyres and possibly a better ride, and I'd probably get that back listing the pentas even in their fucked state! Ill wait for the tyres to need changing first though, with a rotation halfway through the year they should last a fair while yet Anthony30 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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