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Chickvic

Vauxhall Zafira.

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We've been out looking at second hand seven seater cars. We test drove this 1.6 Club Vauxhall Zafira and were impressed. Kids loved being right down at the back as well :wink: has anyone heard anything good or bad about these cars? We obviously haven't committed to anything yet and would be interested to hear what you think. :D

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Is it specifically seven people you want to move around or five plus all their luggage?

 

We recently needed to change cars, and needed plenty of storage space, so ended up with a Seat Altea XL which is pretty hard to fault. However, it's only a five seater, despite its cavernous boot. If we'd really needed the extra seats, we'd have had to look towards a true MPV like the Zafira you've seen, but didn't want to have to wear the insurance premium MPVs require.

 

A colleague of mine at work has had a Zafira for a couple of years and is very happy with it. The only significant criticism is that it's not good in snow according to him.

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We love our Zafira too. However visibility is not great to the right. The pillar which comes down from the roof to the door seems to me to be huge & I have to be really careful approaching zebra crossings and mini roundabouts. However this may only be an issue with our particular model '06.

The only other downside is the lack of luggage space if you need to use 6/7 seats

 

Apart from these issues it's pretty well perfect.

 

Alli xx

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Is it specifically seven people you want to move around or five plus all their luggage?

 

We recently needed to change cars, and needed plenty of storage space, so ended up with a Seat Altea XL which is pretty hard to fault. However, it's only a five seater, despite its cavernous boot. If we'd really needed the extra seats, we'd have had to look towards a true MPV like the Zafira you've seen, but didn't want to have to wear the insurance premium MPVs require.

 

A colleague of mine at work has had a Zafira for a couple of years and is very happy with it. The only significant criticism is that it's not good in snow according to him.

 

Specifically 6 people, occasionally, we have a roof box and trailer for luggage :wink: .

Already looked at insurance and it's not much different from what we pay now.

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I love our Zafira 1.6 comfort. :D

 

We bought it when my 3rd child was born in 2002. I love being high up when driving, there is loads of space in the back for my dads 3 lurchers and my 2 cavaliers, plus 3 kids and bags of various shopping.

The only downer is the corner front window support which actually creates quite a large 'blind' spot when approaching say, a roundabout. This I have adjusted to by leaning forward for an extra look when crossing a roundabout.

Unfortunately when this Zafira is worn out we won't be in another financial position to purchase another. Our next car will have to be small and cheaper..........how can I explain to my old dad that I cannot take him and his 3 lurchers to Wales because we can no longer fit them all in the boot. :(

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Have you tried any other MPVs? The Galaxy/Sharon/Seat are also great to drive and very spacious, and for true comfort try out an old style (pre 2002) Espace (the newer models have had problems!). The Espace has a good NCAP rating - my hubby and sons were in ours when it was hit by an armoured security van. The family were completely unhurt but the car was a write off :shock: The Toyota's are also well rated - my step daughter is on her second Toyota. First a Previa, now a Picnic. The Picnic is nice, only has 6 seats. Both of the Zafira owners I know would never have one again and couldn't wait to get rid.

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....Specifically 6 people, occasionally, we have a roof box and trailer for luggage :wink: .

Already looked at insurance and it's not much different from what we pay now.

 

That's good news. Personal injury is one of the important payout costs and MPVs, theoretically likely to be carrying more potential claimants, therefore often get hit in insurance premiums.

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I really like the Zafira and we've already decided we will buy another when it comes time to replace this one even though we won't still be doing school runs by then.

 

Pros

Can fit in 7 people at a moments notice which is great when doing a school run where I'm not always sure who will turn up for a lift :shock: (although the boot cover is a pain when you have to pull up the seats in the boot. I think newer models handle this better).

The extra rear seats are suitable for adults (although I wouldn't put old/very tall people in there.

 

So flexible you can fit in all kinds of things (and lots of whatever you are carrying). The guy at the local tip was admiring it's 'stuff carrying' capacity last time I went :lol: . Ikea is easy however much I buy, and with buying built-in wardrobes for 2 rooms so far it's had some very large heavy loads (I love the fixing pts to strap in heavy loads).

 

Cons

Boot cover doesn't fit into the remaining boot area when extra seats are pulled up so it ends up in the footwell or the porch. (I think this has been sorted for later models)

 

Visibility could definitely be better at corners of the car, I double check before pulling out

 

It is not as quiet or comfortable as a good car.

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I absolutely 100% love my Zafira - it's the first car I have ever felt was perfect for us. Ours is an 04 1.6 Club and has just got back from a weekend Ooop North (200 miles round trip) effortlessly.

 

We go camping quite a lot and it takes all the gear and the 3 of us without problem. The extra 2 seats are a bonus but they are not used that often.

 

I would not hesitate to recommend them and I would certainly have another.

 

Dawn x

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Used to have a sharan and it was great really comfy.But if you wanted tochange the seats you had to lift them in and out and they were very heavy! We now have a zafira 1.9 and it's not quite as comfy but it ismuch more flexible. Had it 2 years now and no problems (touch wood!)

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Thanks for all the replies :D I think we have decided to go for it (subject to finances :roll: ) We went and had a look at some morey at Car Craft yesterday, same model and year but £3-4 thousand more :shock: and also looked at a VW Touran, in which I struggled to get out of the back seats :lol: and cost quite a bit more.

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we have one, and I agree the visibility in the front right annoys me, (but not my OH who is taller than me...) and it's totally useless in snow. but the boot space is amazing when the seats are folded away and I love the flexibility of just pulling up the seats, and not having to store the spares seats. my children get a little car sick if they right in the back though, just another thing to consider, and it nowhere near gets the mileage we were promised it would. still thinks it's a good drive though.

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A colleague of mine has one and loves it. I have a Berlingo Multispace and think it's the dogs doodaas. I am regularly driving around with multiple children (despite only having one of my own), dogs, chickens and various other gubbins.. it's like a bottomless pit when it comes to hauling stuff.

 

We were looking at the 7 seater Berlingo originally but as it is only a couple of years old secondhand ones are rarer than hens teeth and the few that do appear are too expensive :(

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