We have ben looking at upgrading our 03 megane hatchback for something a bit bigger.

I have a chance of a 55 plate Zafira SRI 150 CDTI for 7.5k with 40k on clock. We dont hav kids but we are thinking of starting a family next year – im also thinking it would be great for our mad springer spaniel and of course biking trips and when I go off sailing.

Opinions on the zafira sri – read some reviews online and seems to get 4 of 5 stars from most places.

Going to go to th garage tomorrow morning with wife for a test drive.

Your thinking of starting a family next year? Starting the process or a view to having one by then? I’d buy a car ‘fitforpurpose’ late in the stage. Zafira drives awful, like all Vauxhalls IMO- a dead-electric steering feel. Your not connected to the road/distant. The touran does it better, so do other cars and you’ll only have one kid next year so could still drive a fast estate instead. If you must have an MPV why not the Mazda 5 or Altea?

I had a non SRi CDTI as a hire for a while, pretty roomy and covered distances at decent speeds well. Handled like a barge. Doubt stiffer springs will turn it into a cornering demon. Seats all fold out of the way very quickly.

The newshape Octavia estate TDI falls into your budget. Much better and the STW car of choice? 🙄

150bhp Zafira hire car got me into a bit of trouble – under steers like a boat and I had a little off road excursion…

…mind you I’m a useless driver with a history of write offs. Drive it like you are meant to and it’s honest transport. Did 20k in mine and it never went wrong (apart from going round corners).

If it was my own money I would go for the Altea – only 5 seats but a much better drive.

db

I’d like to add, if you like ‘steering’ the Altea is great (although stiff, sometimes jittery ride on some surfaces). The Honda FRV is similar to the Zafira (I err tore a tyre off one of those over the moors) when I slid it wide an had the car on two wheels 🙄
Ps. If your having 2/3 kids get a MPV, if your only having one for the next two years get a normal car. You don’t have to drive a mini bus when you have a kid?!

You dont have to drive a mini bus with 3 kids, never mind 1.

Only after the fourth do you really need to think about a 7 seater IMO, unless you like to take gran out with you a lot.

Used to be a big vauxhall fan (cavys and old gsi red tops)….
New Cars and mpvs are shit now…

Stay well clear..and buy an estate till you and the missus have more screemers..

well in true singletrack style I ignored you all and bought it today.

We got a good deal on ours in fact 1k up on any other deal we were offered – went to look at focus etc but the space for our dog is excellent in the zafari – we are not gona use the rear 2 seats but got a 55 plate for only 7.5k with 3k for our car. We are intending to get a dog cage setup for the dog in the back to keep the car clean inside and im ordering the roof bars for the bike later this week. I was impressed with the build quality for a vauxhall it was quite good – better then the renault and it was quite quick at 150bhp.

We went walking with family and the dog at weekeend and thats what made us decide we need space for walking boots and bags in boot and dog and room for at least 4 adults.

also the kerb weight will tow the boat at 1400kg so thats spot on too.

carbon, you do realise you’ve waved the greenflag to start banging out lots of kids now 😀

nah thankfully her sister is having one on friday which will occupy her for another year – then i will get her a new springer puppy which will get me another year.

Good on you mate. Nowt wrong with a people carrier. We’ve got a Toyota Verso. They lose out a little bit on refinement but more than make up for it on practicality. Our view is probably skewed though by having 2 kids. We did run a Corolla for a few years, & yes, a 5 door hatch is perfectly good transport for 2 adults & 2 kids, but they just don’t compare to an MPV if your lugging kids round. £7.5k sounds a good price. Enjoy.

You have a car that big yet still want to put the bikes on the roof? How many bikes do you have?

I paid just over 7.5k for my 06 Toyota Verso few months back, though it did have 50k miles on the clock.

Best car I’ve ever had for practicality..

we got a zafira last year – 2 kids and 2 dogs was too much for the poor little fiesta. It ain’t cool but whe cares. It does it’s job very well. Look at doggiesolutions.com for the cages. They have one that fits half the boot perfectly and you can still use one of the back seats.

I have got Zaffira cdti elite, had a month or so now and love it, 150bhp, went out on day out other week 6 of us fit in easily with plenty of room for rucksacks, boots etc. To sum it for me its a practical car especially how quick and different way you can rearrange seats, its got the power, and looks quite well only downside i have found is mpg just getting over 34, but i have been flogging it went on a run the other week and was getting around 43mpg

We have one dog, me and the missus. When I had a FRV we sat on the front three seats. I say three, the missus ALWAYS sat right next to me and naturally the dog on her lap. I told them to spread out but always it ended up with us squashed into the drivers corner and the rest of the vast vehicle empty. Sheesh.