17th Oct 2005, 04:33

We have had ours since Jan 2005 and are over the moon with it, the space and ride are great.

As my partner is disabled its really easy for her to get in and out and the kids love it.

Inside looks have grown on me, red and black trim and silver dash with white dials. not sure about the boot space with all seven seats up, but you expect that from a MPV.

We have the 1.6i model, although the car is big the power is there, moves well at 70mph with good fuel consumption.

We went on holiday with ours on a 200 mile trip with a full tank, when we got there we hadn't even used half a tank, the trip back was even better full tank again and only used a quarter of a tank... not bad I think.

All and all I'm happy with the car and would buy one again.

Oh the misting of the widows happens with us too, but ten minutes with the heat on full works.

1st Jan 2006, 05:33

I have a new design Zafira, September 05, with approx. 4,000 miles on the clock. After reversing out of my garage on the 31st of december my rear window suddenly, and without prior warning, imploded.

Vauxhall have not heard of any other vehicles with this problem, subsequently I am left with a bill of approx. £700.

This type of problem is not unknown with other vehicles (Smart For-two sunroof & rear window). Mine may be an isolated case, it may also be the start of a series of faults. BEWARE.

6th Mar 2006, 12:54

Hi.

Update to ride / suspension problems.

As stated the ride quality of the Zafira from new was below what we had come to expect from our previous Zafira. Namely the ride was two soft, the car bounced around a lot and showed all the symptoms of worn out shocks or weak springs, this from what was a new car!

The car was checked by the dealer within a few weeks of purchase and they pronounced the suspension A1. Over the next 11 months the ride quality slowly worsened, a number of sounds started to come from the suspension. These sounds became worse and at times we were sure something was about to fall off the car. The car was looked at again and we were told the ride was within limits, but was a bit on the soft side. But the sounds coming from the suspension needed to be investigated.

The car went in for it's first service with some 7500 miles on the clock, and following that it was booked in for work on the suspension. Several components were then replaced, the drivers track rod, fixings for the anti-roll bar to name, but two. The result was no more suspension noise that had plagued the car for almost 12 months, was now at long last gone.

But the best part was the total transformation of the ride quality of the car, by fixing the noise coming from the suspension, which was a symptom of the underlying faults in the cars handling. The ride was returned to what it should have been from new.

Please note: that until we were able to point to the sounds coming from the suspension the dealer was unable to even believe the was any problem at all. But by curing those sounds the ride problems were also cured at the same time.

Two more years to go on the lease, sure hope we can at last have a car that performs to the standard that Vauxhall claims.

25th Mar 2006, 08:20

I have enjoyed driving petrol automatic Zafiras for six years. Very practical, bags of space and relatively cheap to run for the size of vehicle. But I now have a 1.9 CDTi automatic and that has proved to be something of a disaster. Main problem is noise. It rattles and knocks like it's about to fall apart. That's when the trouble really started because although Vauxhalls found a demonstrator 'same spec' car for comparison, which proved to be much, much quieter they do not accept there is any fault. My only option now is to go legal because dealer and manufacturer do not want to know. Buyer beware.

31st Jul 2006, 00:22

Hi, does anyone have a 1.9 cdti auto (new shape Zafira), because I was wondering what does the range on the trip computer read, because when I fill my car up, it only reads 375-390, and I was told by the dealership that this is normal. So I was just wondering what yours reads?

2nd Dec 2008, 08:22

We recently bought a 1.9 CDTi Zafira Club that is almost 3 years old, to replace a 6 year old 2.0 DTi Zafira.

I have several things to say about this car, firstly it is SO much more noisy than the original shape 2.0 DTi, the engine is noisy, the car is noisy.

The controls are completely different and in both my wife's and my mind are screwed up.

It steers a lot more erratically, you hardly have to touch the wheel for it to swerve around a corner rather than drive round like the previous model; also the suspension is very soft and the car seems to roll more around corners.

It doesn't seem to have as much go as the old 2.0 DTi, even though it has more horsepower.

I haven't tried towing the caravan with it yet, but we shall see about that.

I do have 2 worries though:

1st it loses coolant, has done since we got it, it is booked in to get this remedied though.

2nd when you switch off the ignition, there is a loud low groaning noise coming from inside the front drivers side wing. No-one seems to know what this is and the dealer thinks we are making it up. Well I'm going to make sure they know about it when I take it in on Thursday next week.

Does anyone else have any idea what this noise could be?

14th Jun 2011, 08:48

I have a 2006 1.9 D Zafira with a six speed auto box.

I fitted an engine management improvement box and it has improved its performance enormously. Fuel consumption averages 45 around town and up to 52 on motorway runs at 75 cruise.

Unfortunately the auto box is now playing up with dropping out of gear and clonking when kicked down. Worst when in 6th, dropping to 5th. Varies every run, sometimes staying perfect, and this is the best, smoothest and most responsive auto ever. But after a long motorway hold up it gets very clonky.

I have sent it in to a dealer today for a gearbox oil change and a £71 analysis, but I suspect this will be the end of this car.