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Subject: French Zafira Author: Geoff Husband [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 02:07:12 01/22/03 Wed Hi All Great website - this is what the net is doing for the consumer... I live in France and so run an Opel Zafira. After about 6000 miles I took the car on a 500 mile motorway journey, directly after it's service, averaging 90+ for much of the time. On arrival the oil was off the dipstick - took 2 litres... However took that as a 'running in'. Since then the car has consumed oil, I guess at a rate of a litre every 2000 miles. She's now done just over 20,000 miles and interestingly the motor had quite a noticeable change in performance at around 15000 miles, pulling much better below 1700 rpm - this I put down to an extended running in period. I'm hoping that oil consumption may settle now, and there is some evidence for that but she's still an oil guzzler compared to my old 1986 CX diesel estate which NEVER needed oil (and had 180,000 miles on it). Here in France the service interval is 5000 miles and they obviously don't use 'running in' oil (first service after 5000 miles). This shorter service interval means that you top it up once between each service and you're OK which rather hides the problem. I was warned by the dealer when we bought the car that she'd drink oil to start with and to keep an eye. I also had a call later from the main distributor asking about oil consumption so it looks like GM France is rather more on the ball and honest... I also haven't had brake problems and wonder if the salting of roads can be blamed? Otherwise the car has been 99% without fault (wheel out of balance and toe in incorrect), and does over 45 mpg. As it has no direct competitors and in (almost - see below) every other respect is brilliant, the oil consumption is a price I'm willing to pay. In France the Zafira is incredibly popular - the French generally buy French cars so it's high praise. However one major design fault is that the Zafira really redefines 'blind-spot'. The pillars are immensely thick all round most dangerously the screen pillars which can totally obscure the car (or lorry!) in front of you on a roundabout. More dangerously, when you approach a T-junction, a car on the main road can be completely obscured if it has a certain speed - this means you end up dodging your head all round the place like a maniac. It could be argued that it is for roll-over protection, but the Espace doesn't suffer and the chances and danger of a T-bone accident far outweigh any safety gains - I think it's a styling feature of GM, just look at the rest of the range... If I drove in town more I think I'd consider something else - I'm hoping the new Renault small MPV will have 7 foldable -seats (rumours say it has) and be as easy to see out of as the Espace. Regards Geoff Husband [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]