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Having had ultra-reliable Honda’s for year, our imminently expanding family required a bigger car. Bought a 3.5 year old 50k mile Zafira Tourer 1.4t recently and driving it home the engine warning light came on. Then it lost all its oil. And it was pulling oddly and just being weird.
Dealer collected it, replaced a pressure release valve on the cam cover and the coil and plugs. They still weren’t happy so it went to a Vauxhall dealer. They recommended a new turbo so it’s had that done and all related ancillaries. Original dealer was still not happy so it went to an engine specialist. They’ve done lots of diagnostics and concluded it’ll cost so much to sort the myriad unclear issues that instead of a full rebuild the engine should be completely replaced, so now that process of sourcing and fitting an engine has begun.
We’ve been without a car for coming around to four weeks, which is quite tiresome, with two small children and a heavily pregnant wife.
The question is, would it be wise to keep this car from a longterm reliability perspective or should we reject it and buy something else?
Reject
reject it. get a new one
Reject
I dunno - are you getting a brand new engine?
You're lucky.
It hasn't burst into flames.
Yet.
New engine I might keep it. 2nd hand one, no way.
Not a new engine, a secondhand engine.
We appear to have a rare STW consensus!
Could anyone expand on why we should reject it with the engine replaced (with a secondhand engine) vs buying a similar (or identical) car which is also used?
We fear change
For my own sanity i would reject it.
If you keep it youre just waiting for it to die in you and when it does the voice in your head is saying i told you so.
If you reject it and something else goes wrong on a new car the it could have happened anyway.
OTOH the warrenty must be pretty good and its a new engine.
OTOOH Id not put much value on a new engine. Engines last far longer than the car or ancillary parts these days. When did you last hear someone getting the big end ground and new bearings?
Reject it. I considered a second engine for my car when it failed. Pretty much everybody told me that there would be issues with other systems around it.
Well I'd be wondering why the replacement engine isn't still in its original body.
Better off getting another car that isn't a Zafira hasn't been mashed together.
Could anyone expand on why we should reject it with the engine replaced (with a secondhand engine) vs buying a similar (or identical) car which is also used?
Mostly because it's a Zafira.
You can do much better than a Zafira. Like walking to the bus stop.
I would reject - you are in no better a place (ie, by having a brand new engine). Can they even guarantee the mileage on the replacement? Then you have to consider potential issues arising from the fitting.
Sounds like a reputable dealer for a change if nothing else.
Reject.
No idea of the history of the new engine or knowledge of how well it has been fitted.
Replace with something >=100% less Zafira.
All makes sense, we shall reject it and hope for better luck!
The dealer has done their best, they’ve been good to deal with and clearly are going to be a long way out of pocket.
(Warning - we may buy the same again, sorry! Unless anyone can suggest an equally compact seven seater that isn’t overpriced like a Touran?)
New engine keep, secondhand reject it. Its a pup!
Reject.
Get another larger Honda.
Have a look at a Ford grand c max.
Reject it.
It's likely the quicker way to resolution, it shouldn't cost you anything, Vauxhalls are plentiful.
Also, sounds like your dealer is trying to do the right thing - well unless they were hoping for a cheaper fix than the replacement turbo, but this is usually the point they go all "ending up on watchdog" a new engine with turbo with all the ancillaries will be thousands and corners will be cut,
I'm very cynical of car dealers, but they will have little incentive to do the right thing by you, that dead engine has wiped out the profit on that sale and probably the next 3 or 4 replacements you might buy from them if the 4 week wait so far hasn't destroyed all the goodwill, I know plenty of dealers who would spend the absolute minimum to get you out of the door with it, and stonewall any arguments later.
(Warning – we may buy the same again, sorry! Unless anyone can suggest an equally compact seven seater that isn’t overpriced like a Touran?)
Toyota Verso.
Renault Grand Scenic.
Citroen C4 Picasso.
A wheelbarrow.
I'd have all those before the Zafira.
What is your budget?
We got another SMax to replace the SMax that expired because I didn't get the timing belt changed. I'd recommend an Smax. I like my SMax.
SMax.
I'm pretty impressed with your dealer.... I'd stick with them anyway.
From what you said I can't see why they'd replace the engine if they thought it was just going to go again... since they have at this point been (depending on viewpoint) either exemplary or doing what the other 90% of dealers should do!
I know nothing specific about Zafira's though but surely its just a standard vauxhaul engine. No better or worse than if it was in a Corsa or Insignia?
I'd say another dealer has a higher chance of being (depending on viewpoint) crap or normal than the replacement engine turns out to be a dud?
“ well unless they were hoping for a cheaper fix than the replacement turbo”
They replaced the turbo last week, under Vauxhall’s instructions! This week it’s been with the engine specialists who’ve declared it ****ed. It’s been rather unfortunate for all.
I’d like an S-Max but my wife insists they’re too big. Had one on holiday a few years back, good car! C4 Grand Picasso’s style over substance interior was annoying and it handled like a boat.
We’ve been without a car for coming around to four weeks
Why aren't they giving you a courtesy car?
We had a zafira 1.4t, no issues with car whatsoever, however the 3 car seat wouldnt fit properly (all high back boosters) so we switched to an sMax. Never looked back much better in everyway. Cost us quite a few quid as my wife insisted on staying as small as possible too!
If they give you a warranty with the new engine I would consider it .
“If they give you a warranty with the new engine I would consider it .”
It would have a three year warranty and they claim they’ll have the full service history of the replacement engine.
We’d have fought harder for some kind of courtesy car but we didn’t know we were going to be without a car for so bloody long!
Why aren’t they giving you a courtesy car?
I think I've only ever had a courtesy car once. I think it's only folk who buy or rent cars from new that get them now.
I was chatting to a car mechanic I know earlier and he said that his friend had a similar problem with an Astra with the same engine, which he’d serviced at his garage. And googling the issue let me to this:
https://www.astrakforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3604&start=140
I’m now thinking that I need to reject this car and find something totally different.
We only do low mileage so would normally avoid diesel engines. But if the other option is a fragile tiny petrol engine is diesel actually wiser?
Reject it.
Walk away.....
People keep talking themselves into needing a SUV/MPV to suit there so called needs. We were lucky if we got to sit in a seat with a seat belt when we were kids. It was cool to ride in the boot with the spare wheel and a bag full of spares and tools. We managed for years without SUV’s and MPV’s. Get a nice big estate. They handle better, they are more comfortable, cheaper, have more useable storage, more economic. They’re just better in every way. Did I mention it’s easier to put the bikes on the roof.
“We were lucky if we got to sit in a seat with a seat belt when we were kids”
Unfortunately the law decrees that children go in car seats etc nowadays. Not a lot of cars can fit three of these side by side.
I prefer big estate cars. My wife thinks all cars should be as short as possible to maximise parallel parking opportunities. We both agree that cars should be as low as possible for better ride and handling and that SUVs are stupid, even though we regularly take our car down a track that requires thoughtful consideration of attack and break angles after a wet erosive winter.
Have formally rejected the car. Any suggestions of relatively compact seven seaters with non-imploding engines for about £10k, 2015+, <50k miles?
Have formally rejected the car. Any suggestions of relatively compact seven seaters with non-imploding engines for about £10k, 2015+, <50k miles?
Other than the ones already mentioned?
In the STW spirit of recommending exactly what you have.....
A Mitsubishi Outlander. A red one. The diesel ones have 7 seats
Get a Ford Galaxy or if that's too large, Smax. I'm now on my fourth Galaxy.
£10k should get you an SMax. Might not be the Titanium spec with the bigger engine though.
My last one was the Zetec spec and, whilst it had less toys, had everything I wanted including parking sensors.
Titanium additions are a better stereo with Aux plug ins, cruise control and a screen on the instrument cluster.
Reject
Have you considered the Multimac car seat system that allows you to fit 4 kids in the back of a normal car?