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Buying a Vauxhall Zafira - some advice please


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Is the Vauxhall Zafira sold in France?  I looked on the Opel website (thanks SD) and couldn't find it.  We have found a good one to buy in the UK, which we are intending to re-register and use in France.  Would you recommend that we did this, if it is not easy to find here (difficult to service, expensive parts etc)

There is also a good Renault Grand Scenic that we could buy, but the price is not as competitive and the write ups for the make (on whatcar.com) not as favourable.

We don't want to buy a French car because of the value of the pound against the euro.

 

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[quote user="Cathy"]

Is the Vauxhall Zafira sold in France?  [/quote]

Well it seems that the Opel version was, according to this site, where there are quite a few for sale secondhand, but they seem to be dated around 1999 and 2000;

My daughter has an Opel Zafira in the UK - Opel as it was imported from Ireland in 2001. She couldn't afford a Vauxhall version!

Sue

Edit: just looked at Le Figaro article quoted in WB's post in the 'Buying a car' thread and it seems Opel Zafira are still for sale;

"Sur une Opel Zafira, après une remise de 4 000 €, un week-end dans un Relais & Châteaux a été proposé à un éventuel acheteur !"

from here 

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[quote user="Cathy"]

Is the Vauxhall Zafira sold in France?  I looked on the Opel website (thanks SD) and couldn't find it.  We have found a good one to buy in the UK, which we are intending to re-register and use in France.  Would you recommend that we did this, if it is not easy to find here (difficult to service, expensive parts etc)

There is also a good Renault Grand Scenic that we could buy, but the price is not as competitive and the write ups for the make (on whatcar.com) not as favourable.

We don't want to buy a French car because of the value of the pound against the euro.

 

[/quote]

Vauxhall Zafira is magic, we have a 2005 breeze diesel with the extra computer and its great. Service by the local Oel dealer in Caen. No probs.

ps see my thread on buying cars in France. We will probably take the Zaf back to UK to sell it.

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[quote user="suein56"][quote user="Cathy"]

Is the Vauxhall Zafira sold in France?  [/quote]

Well it seems that the Opel version was, according to this site, where there are quite a few for sale secondhand, but they seem to be dated around 1999 and 2000;

My daughter has an Opel Zafira in the UK - Opel as it was imported from Ireland in 2001. She couldn't afford a Vauxhall version!

Sue

Edit: just looked at Le Figaro article quoted in WB's post in the 'Buying a car' thread and it seems Opel Zafira are still for sale;

"Sur une Opel Zafira, après une remise de 4 000 €, un week-end dans un Relais & Châteaux a été proposé à un éventuel acheteur !"

from here 

[/quote]

Hells teeth, I havn't translated all the article but are they really talking about up to 50% discounts??????????????

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[quote user="powerdesal"]
Hells teeth, I havn't translated all the article but are they really talking about up to 50% discounts??????????????
[/quote]

The article is talking about next year when it looks as though 40% discount might become the norm and 50% discount might be on the cards for certain models. And not luxury models either just the normal car for M Tout-le-Monde - love the phrase.

"Il s'attend à proposer en 2009 un niveau général de remises de 40% sur la plupart des voitures, et à des discounts de 50% - oui, à moitié prix - sur certains modèles."

Sue [:)]

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Don't buy Vauxhall/Opel!!!!!!!!!

Sorry but I have had a terrible experience with a General Motors car!!! I have a 4 year old Astra with 30,000kms on the clock and have had NOTHING but problems with it. Do Opel want to know? NO!! Do GM want to know? NO!!

Great cars just so long as you don't have a problem - if you do then you are on your own!!

My Astra needs more money than I have spent on it just to make it right - and I can't even get the parts from an independent person because GM have the market completely tied up and the parts are ONLY available through Opel!!!

 

 

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Lucinda, you have my sympathy, however, we have had a number of Vauxhalls from Cavalier through to the present Zafira and we have never had any problems, and I mean any. Not all have been new by any means but all have been comfortable and reliable.

The Zafira is basically built on the Astra floor an and, I suspect, Astra running gear. We have done about 28000 miles without a hiccup, OK, its relatively low mileage for a 05 reg model but it has, in that time, averaged 40+ miles per gallon of diesel (shows on the in car computer, from new). It is certainly fast enough, it is comfortable, convenient and I wouldn't even consider changing it other than we want a bigger car for caravan towing (and 4WD).

It is, I believe, the most popular 'people carrier' sold in the UK and, as indicated by RH is very popular as a taxi. Taxi drivers do not make a habit of driving unreliable cars, they can't afford to.

I suspect you have been very very unlucky but that, of course, doesn't help you.

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Thanks so much for all your answers.  Just read them all out to my husband, who is in the UK.  We can't wait for the discounts next year as the car that I have now is knackered. In any event, I'm not fond of new cars - I don't like the smell....yuk... - or the fact that they depreciate so quickly.  I guess that second hand prices will come tumbling down as well.

 

 

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I have some sympathy with Lucinda. We had one of the early Fronteras and it was nothing but an expensive nightmare. To say Vauxhall were evasive would be putting it mildly. At the time I swore I'd never buy another Vauxhall. That said, when I was looking for another car in spring this year I test drove a Zafira deisel and liked it so much that I bought it. As Powerdesal says the running costs are comparatively low and so far (fingers crossed) we've had no problems.

Hoddy
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[quote user="Cathy"]

Thanks so much for all your answers.  Just read them all out to my husband, who is in the UK.  We can't wait for the discounts next year as the car that I have now is knackered. In any event, I'm not fond of new cars - I don't like the smell....yuk... - or the fact that they depreciate so quickly.  I guess that second hand prices will come tumbling down as well.

 

 

[/quote]

I love the smell of a new car.

Its a pity the 2nd prices will come down but I am hopeful that the discount on a new car will more than compensate.

How much am I bid for my fabulous 2nd hand Zafira?

Sorry mods, ignore that, I am just being bored.

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we have had a nearly new zafira for 3 months now and I LOVE it.....last 4 cars were Peugeots. We took a large squishy sofa down to the Vienne on the roof recently. There is just so much room inside, and it is really comfy...shall I go on. Saw loads of Opel Zafiras on the road in France
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Had a Vectra  a few a years ago, which is what the Zafira is based (same engines, floor pan etc.) The steering rack went at 10,000 miles.

Tried to go round a roundabout  couldn't turn the wheel, luckily it was in the early hours so no traffic and managed to stop.

At 36,000 miles, just 1,000 miles out of warranty The diesel fuel pump went. Vauxhall refused to do anything about it said it was out of warranty and wanted £2,000 to replace it.

I wouldn't touch Vauxhall with a barge pole.

Dave

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[quote user="OldyamYams"] Vauxhall refused to do anything about it said it was out of warranty ..........................................I wouldn't touch Vauxhall with a barge pole.
Dave
[/quote]

And I have had the exact same attitude from Opel even though the car has had problems from day one. I even contacted GM France who effectively gave me the gallic shrug over the phone and refused to put any reasons for refusing to help in writing.

 

 

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hi

Early zafira diesels were known for using oil.  Personally I have more faith in vw sharans.  Their old 1.9 pd engine (best in lower power versions) is as near as bombroof as you can get.  Its the zafiras seating system that is most appealing.  I've spent years carrying unwanted seats in and out of my house.  I've a ford transit 7 seater at the moment and am not a great fan of fords. 

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If we're into dredging up old car problems to justify a total condemnation of a vehicle manufacturer....

I had a Mondeo fleet car back in 1994.  The diesel pump failed, followed by the power steering pump, followed by the brake servo.  OK after that with no more pumps left to go wrong.

Fords?  Pah, wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.................. [;-)]

 

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Oh dear.  Seems every body will have a "bad car" story. I once had a British Leyland Friday afternoon pillar-box-red Mini City - the hand brake came off in my hand at traffic lights.  A load of burly men just picked up the car and put it on the pavement for me.  I would still buy a Mini though, especially a red one.

The latest news is that I'm not likely to be getting a Zafira after all.  One of my (careful driver) brothers has a large car to sell (4 years with only 30,000 miles on the clock).  I dare not tell you what it is, just in case you come back with some horror stories about that make and model....

(A Nissan Terrano ....)

 

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When I used to come on holiday in France it always was upsetting to see the number of RHD cars in garages with the front smashed in.  I would not risk using a RHD car in France on rural roads, particularly if you drive a lot on your own, its not worth any amount of discount you can get in the UK on a car. I know lots do and that is their choice, but if you can get a LHD Zafira, in the UK that we would be the best option IMHO.
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Interesting point, Ron.  The problem is that our money for a car has been earned in the UK and is presently in an English bank.  Buying second hand cars France is always more expensive and with the 20% drop in the pound, they are even worse value.

Are there any UK LHD websites?

 

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I agree with Ron on the safety angle, I know that there will be loads who disagree, but that is my opinion!

We had a Zafiera for a week, just a few thousand K on the clock, while our Citroen Grand C4 Picasso was in for remodeling after a nice French idiot decided to modify the left hand side. I was very glad to get our C4 back because it is much more confortable and being asemi auto 6 speed sequencial gear box it's a lot easier on my arthritis in my hands!

Given the choice the C4 is a much better and nicer car in my book! Self leveling suspention too!!

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[quote user="Cathy"]

Are there any UK LHD websites?

[/quote]

Cathy

There are a number of UK websites advertising LHD cars for sale and delivery to your home address too. But when I looked at buying  a LHD in the UK  I found that nearly all of the the cars on offer were over 4 or 5 years old with very high mileage and, because they have to be sourced from other countries they were all very expensive as well.

I've  ended up buying a 1 year old RHD Espace with only 8,000 miles on the clock. I know they have a bad write up for reliability but it was an extremely good deal from our our local car supermarket, an ex demonstrator with only the dealers name on the V5.

Sunday Driver

It isn't the fact that the car was total  C**P, it is more to do with the fact that the car was less than TWO years old and Vauxhall were the embodiment of complete indifference. There attitude was ' Tough! We've had your money and we couldn't care less about you. Give some more money and we'll fit a reconditioned pump, not a new one".

It is all to do with what some one else said in another post about customer service. If they had have just shown a little bit of understanding and offered  a compromise, maybe offering to fit it half price or something along those lines, then that would possibly have made all the difference.

We wll never know now, will we?

Dave

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As Jonzjob says, 'there will be loads who disagree...' Having the steering wheel on the other side doesn't seem to stop LHD cars colliding frequently and spectacularly!

We have a RHD car, a LHD camper and middle-hand-drive Moto, and each is best at some junctions and some situations around us.

Low traffic density, generally excellent roads, 90kph limits and plenty of dual carriageways and autoroutes mean that overtaking is a rarity (for the four-wheelers anyway) and I really wouldn't bother if my next car was LHD or RHD. A LHD one might bother my bank balance unless it came from Germany or Belgium, but that's another story!

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