Who was more embarrassed? (Zafire 1.6 oil story) -- Vauxhall 2.0Dti Forum

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Subject: Who was more embarrassed? (Zafire 1.6 oil story)

Author:
Stephen

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Date Posted: 12:40:02 05/23/07 Wed

So about a week ago I hear a noisy tappet on our Zafira. If it was my beetle, I'd do it myself, but as it's still under warranty we arrange to go back to the dealer in a few days. Anyway, I'm pretty confident the valves are self adjusting, so it sounds like a serious rebuild job to me.

Before we get there the engine warning light flicks on (in outside lane of motorway, with an embarrassing loss of power). After a bit of mutual head scratching with the AA chap we figure out the computer was spooked by us asking for loads of power that the engine could not deliver as a valve must be sticking.

The new girl on the services desk promises it will be ready by 1430 if we drop off at 0830 - I'm skeptical. But read on...

I make a fuss about various things at drop off, including the fact they waiting list for a courtesy car is 3 weeks - are vauxhalls so bad that loads are in the workshop that often?

Anyway, head mechanic comes out to reassure me, which is brilliant because I describe the symptoms and he immediately diagnoses low oil. And a few minutes later with an oily rag...he's right. He looks embarrassed though, as he says (1) the dipsitck is unreliable to read when the engine is warm (2) the oil consumption on the Zafira is well known to be huge, and low oil will trigger a fault light and casue noisy tappets.

Of course I'm embarrassed for not checking something so obvious more than once a month - what was I thinking on a modern car! But my point is I've always driven and rebuilt beetles and vans from 1971 vintage or thereabouts. Is anyone disturbed by the fact that with me used to an engine designed in the 1930s, I was still shocked at the oil consumption of my so-called modern car?

Another thought - why didn't they slip me a hint when I bought the car, rather than waiting for me to come back.

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