.......and you know what not the mass disappointment I was expecting.

There are a few stand out things.....

* It actually drives way better than a car it's size ought to. It has soft suspension but corners quite flat and grips well. Steering isnt bad either. Its a bit floaty but it's a big soft car. I think it probably handles better than my Mk3 Octavia Elegance.

* The 1.6 CDTI 136ps motor is pretty lame at getting it off the mark quickly but once up to a reasonable speed drives like a good 2.0 diesel....has v good in gear go. Only real negative is epic off-boost lag. Certainly doesn't feel leagues slower than the 2.0 CDTI 165 Astra I had some months ago as a rental on the move.

* The seats and driving position are absolutely A1. The seats dare I say it are more comfortable and supportive than the GTD'S despite being less heavily bolstered. They are orthapaedically approved so goes some way to explain why.

* It's so versatile....with two child seats in the back I can actually sit in the middle rear seat in relative comfort....can't do that in the Golf or Octavia. Not that I'll use them much having the 7 seats will be handy.

* I have absolutely no emotional attachment with it....I like it but I don't feel at all precious about it like I did with the Golf. None of that fear of car park damage, kerbed alloys is present...whilst the car is no Mk7 Golf GTD it's actually bloody refreshing having a car that I won't get gutted about if it gets damaged or it gets pranged.

Not one to big up Vauxhall's...I don't dislike them but I didn't foresee myself having one as a daily drive any time soon but I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised by the Zafira....it is not a bad car at all.

Read the title and thought "What? Why? Madness!", but then read the post and have to admit I understand your thinking.

Think I'd still rather have the GTD though....

Read the title and thought "What? Why? Madness!", but then read the post and have to admit I understand your thinking.

Think I'd still rather have the GTD though....

Me too!

It was rather a head over heart matter in the end....I had to acknowledge the Golf just wasn't very practical for carting around two young kids and all their gubbins...might be going down to the one car or a much smaller 2nd car best case when the Octavia goes so the Golf wouldn't have cut it.

The GTD was epic fun to drive (for a diesel car...VW really did get it about as right as they could do) and I'll miss it....but I was so anal about it I found that in itself quite stressful...when the car has to be driven and left all over the place and inevitably gets wrecked by the wife and kids despite my better efforts :-)

Still I got to have two GTD's and enjoyed covering 16k miles in them for 10 months....I'll probably treat myself to a BMW next time!

The Golf was a company car by the way

...so is the Zafira. I certainly wouldn't see myself parting with my own money for a Zafira....but now I don't think I would a GTD either. Cracking car but not 28.5k good.

Edited 20 April, 201610 yr by pipsypreturns

I used to drive for Vauxhall Fleet, and the Zafira was always the car I preferred to drive, the seat position and steering wheel adjustment always seem to be the best that the company offered on any model, even the base version.

 

I never liked the GM diesels engines though, they were all weak and thirsty compared to other makes, and needed rev'ing hard to get ANY power, even for just pulling away.

 

It may have changed, but the best engine long term was the 1.8 petrol, the 1.6 got a bit breathless after it had a few miles on the clock.

 

The worst?? Well the 2.5L V6 Calibra had a gear change stolen from a 1950's tractor and no head room; I once had to drive one across North Wales in a blizzard - with my head poking out of the sun roof.

 

Strangely, the same engine dropped into the Vectra got a really nice gearbox.

* The 1.6 CDTI 136ps motor is pretty lame at getting it off the mark quickly but once up to a reasonable speed drives like a good 2.0 diesel....has v good in gear go. Only real negative is epic off-boost lag. Certainly doesn't feel leagues slower than the 2.0 CDTI 165 Astra I had some months ago as a rental on the move.

* I have absolutely no emotional attachment with it....I like it but I don't feel at all precious about it like I did with the Golf. None of that fear of car park damage, kerbed alloys is present...whilst the car is no Mk7 Golf GTD it's actually bloody refreshing having a car that I won't get gutted about if it gets damaged or it gets pranged.

 

 

I'm really not a fan of these low capacity turbo engines, as you describe they are totally fine as long as the turbo is spinning, but it's it's not the lag and lack of power is really awful.

There really is no replacement for displacement.

 

I know what you mean about not worrying about a car. I was pretty precious with my VRS when I had it. It was the first car I'd had since new and the most expensive thing I'd ever bought (houses exluded) and it was a factory order so mine all the way through.

We ended up going for an Octabia estate and then to a Yeti. And I don't regret getting the Yeti at all.

I've almost got my kids trained to look after it...

That V6 was a nice engine though. I have a soft sport for them.... And actually, the ones in the Ford Probe and the VR6 or 4Motion. Something about the smoothness and quietness until you push the go pedal.

 

I did a cycling holiday 5 or so years ago with 2 friends. In a Zafira Elite TDI. The bodywork was so bashed to sh!t they hardly even checked it over on start of contract.

I found it drove well and the engien was strong enough, even 3 up with all the kit.

 

The utter, utter, utter worst thing about it was the indicators. they required the fine motor control of Lewis Hamilton to get right. These days I smile when I see a vaux of that vintage crazily indicating one side then the other as it goes along. back in the day we had to resort to calming measures to prevent one mate going back on his bike, rather than drive it.

watching French tv earlier today there was a report about "Opel dieselgate" showing a 1.6 diesel Zafira I think. So maybe they'll be buying it off you in 6 months...

Totally know where you are coming from with the Golf, I stay sat in mine at certain out of town shopping centre car parks, while the wife goes and shops. It is very stressful :(

Enjoy the Zafira

watching French tv earlier today there was a report about "Opel dieselgate" showing a 1.6 diesel Zafira I think. So maybe they'll be buying it off you in 6 months...

 

Read a story yesterday but it was the Insignia 2.0d. Emission limit was 180mg/mi, it was doing 1900mg/mi

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3552232/Shocking-inquiry-finds-cars-tested-Government-broke-emission-rules-vehicles-pumping-pollution-TEN-TIMES-worse-stated.html

Swapped a Mk7 GTD for a Zafira Tourer today...........

 

Read the title and thought "What? Why? Madness!"

 

Wanted to prove there's no emissions smoke without an air conditioning fire?

Edited 22 April, 201610 yr by StevesTruck

Fair enough. They're not a bad car at the end of the day they're just nothing special/exciting... but then the same can be said for the Golf!

 

With regards to the engine... this is the only downside to smaller engines we're seeing now. Yes they can achieve the same power/torque as a larger capacity engine of old but at a slight cost of where in the rev band that is achieved... takes a little longer to get up and going and into it's power band.

 

Found the same when driving a 1.6 CR105 for a while... didn't have the same punchy delivery of the 1.9 with the same power and torque.

I'd agree with your comments based on the fact you've changed from a hatchback to a tourer. It's common sense that you'd have more room and nothing to do with the specific models listed. 

A bit remorseful folks...only because the GTD really was my kind of car and was a lot of fun to drive.

But it was bloody stressful trying to keep it nice when everyone (including myself at times...by accident of course) was conspiring against me. Last straw was I kerbed the shat out of one of the wheels completely unnecessarily...just wasn't paying attention. Got so cross with myself and also thought...company car...either gonna have to make do with looking at it all day long or get some dodgy smart repair that won't look right....almost right there and then I decided enough was enough.

It also needed two new tyres and I dreaded getting them done in the event KwikFit knackered them.....dare I say it

..so refreshing having a car you still quite like but don't really give a monkeys about...far less stress and hopefully far fewer arguments with the missus!

The Zafira is a good car, so damn practical too rather makes the Octavia estate seem not such the great hauler I always thought it was. 710 litre boot without the rear seats up is pretty impressive.

RE the 1.6 CDTI it's pretty good to be fair. I had a 2.0 CDTI 165ps Astra for a bit whilst waiting for my first GTD and have to say whilst the 1.6 is laggy off boost its nothing like as bad as the 2.0....also it doesn't give a lot away in terms of pace despite its lack of swept capacity....at speed (and considering it weighs over 1600kgs) it goes like the Astra and I don't think it's much slower than the Mk6 140 CR Golf I used to have.

It has SCR technology unlike most of the other variants so unlikely it forms part of Opel's dieselgate...not particularly bothered anyway :-)

Well all....now firmly decided I've made the right call.

The Zafira has exceeded my expectations so far....it's v pleasant to to drive and handles far better than an MPV has any right to, goes perfectly well for something so large with a 1.6 diesel engine, is very comfortable and it's versatility are already proving a massive boon to family life.

Almost certainly the much better practicality and diminished stress of no longer treating my car with kid gloves make up for the loss of the Golf.

That I see GTD'S absolutely everywhere and it was probably only a matter of time before some goon breaks into my home to try to take it (which I'd be very surprised if that ever happened with a Zafira) only reaffirms that feeling.

What made me really see the light......we went to see a puppy which we've now bought....the farm was 1.5 miles down an unmade (and pothole ridden) track which would have either utterly destroyed the Golf or caused me to get in a huff and turn back. The Zafira bar some grounding of the rubber flap on the front bumper (suppose that's what it's there for) and knocking a single PSI out of the front right tyre after overzealously driving through one of the said potholes (more like moon craters) got us there utterly fuss free...given how bad the road was, wasn't even uncomfortable.

Arrived fuss free...absolutely wouldn't have done in the Golf..not even the Octavia. Now I have a gorgeous Springer x Patterdale pup to look forward to (which can trash the Zafira as much as she likes) and the return journey that I'd either have dreaded or perhaps never made in the GTD. Sounds silly but it's completely altered my rather daft car OCD problem...it's simply gone!

Perhaps the only gripes I have so far....the bloke who had it before me must have done a DIY dash can install....left loads of bits of sticky back velcro everywhere which have made a bit of a mess of the passenger side windscreen pillar. Also the middle rear seat seems entirely reluctant to slide back and forth...Guessing the mechanism is jammed..but thankfully back far enough it's entirely usable...still folds as well.

Missing sat nav and bluetooth but is nothing a decent vent/dash mounted Garmin for not a lot of cash won't fix.

For those of you who experience mass "nice car OCD" I can thoroughly recommend the change...v therapeutic!!

To resolve the lack of excitement...as soon as the Octavia can be sold or handed back looking to take a low miles 2/3 year lease on a Polo GTI 5 door manual....probably be better than the GTD too! Now just to work on the missus!!

Edited 24 April, 201610 yr by pipsypreturns

BIL put a deposit down on a 2l cdti insignia on friday.. its a 160ps liftback.

And a bargain.. €13000 inc the 2k vrt for a 2012 80000mile 1 owner car imported from the uk.

i was impressed when i test drove it for him, looked everywhere for corrosion etc as its a vauxhall build, found none.. got a full vehicle history check done and its clean as a whistle..

its back on my shortlist of possible replacements for the octy

That seems a lot for that car.

Dealers ask around £8,000-£8,500 for those (under 11,000 euro). 

Was it not worth cross the water to get one in Ayrshire?

 

EDIT,

Doh sorry,  Ireland not NI.  Not thinking,.

Still lots for a 4 year old Vauxhall Diesel.

Edited 24 April, 201610 yr by GoneOffSKi

Comparable irish regged cars

are 15k+

And finding a 160ps? Very limited esp with low milage. Most people here go for the cheapest spec engine (slowest) and rarely go above med spec

OK i Understand.

 

As to Low Mileage, then the Reps cars do plenty miles or km, and 20,000 miles a year is Low Mileage to some, 

80,000 miles is not normally considered Low Mileage on a 4 year old car except when buying reps cars.

True, but... he looked at quite a few cars (mondeos, octavias passats etc ) around same age and price - most had way more miles and lower spec. It was a good deal.

Simple really,  usually nice cars, Vauxhall, Ford, BMW, Mercedes, VW-Audi-Skoda-Seat, Volvo,Toyota, Honda etc etc,

Business use Diesel Engine cars for Travellers (Sales Reps) etc,  the Ones the Major Manufacturers Build to PIle High and Sell / Lease cheap.

Designed to have the bits people using them for long hours in the working day driving.

 

Good value used cars usually in the UK, but it looks more expensive with miles on them in Ireland.

Everything is more expensive over here... the irish consumer is a mug... i drive a 12yr old mk1 because it was a very good value purchase. Havent updated it as theres nowt for sale in my budget range that floats my boat. Nearly all mk2 octys are 1.6 cr's, which i dont want.. and even they are imo over priced, including the imported ones..

Nice place to live though, lots of benefits and standard of living, just like Norway, you pays your money and make your choices.

I think most mainstream cars are just as good as each other, even if the consumer is rather biased to a particular brand.

 

I wasn't a fan of Vauxhalls of old but think their current offering are not too bad

I had a second generation Vectra 2004 ish IIRC, which was the 150 PS petrol version for a week long loan.  That went fairly quickly and was a good driver if a bit dull.  I bought an Astra afterwards, big mistake. Definitely dull and totally uninspiring to drive. Ditched that for a first generation Octavia and had them ever since.