Vauxhall Zafira (2005 - 2014) 1.6i Design 5d Owner Review

If you buy this car expect:- 1) The Coil pack to go at some point - unless it has already been replaced. Apparently a common flaw. 2) The Central locking will break at some point. I owned a previous 06 Life (same model Zafira) and it broke on the petrol cap (sealing it shut), and the back door (which stayed locked). On this 10 plate Design it broke on the back door leaving it permanently open. I didn't bother to fix it. Who would want to steal anything from a Zafira? They certainly wouldn't want to drive one! 3) VERY slow engine:- The engine was supposedly 'uprated' in the 1.6 from 103bhp to 115bhp. Its is still very VERY slow indeed. I had to fit a K&M airfilter to inject some 'punch' but even this only made it bearable. If you need to overtake, it takes planning and you have to 'carry your speed' in advance. 4) FRONT PILLARS ARE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. Had a few near misses to due HUGE blind spots because of them. 5) Heating is VERY poor on such a large car. In the winter set at fan 4 + full heat, it takes an AGE to warm up. Pitiful screen fan means to have to wait 20 minutes + for it to melt any ice on the screen. 6) Equally in the summer the Air Con is TERRIBLE AND STINKS - even after a 'Vauxhall freshen up'. Again like the winter - the air con cannot cope with a big space, and you are almost never cooled in temperatures above 23C. 7) If you have 'part leather' - the leather is GUARANTEED to split on the drivers seat entry because it sticks up. Vauxhall said 'they always do that' as though thats OK then!