Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Shopping

From everyday essentials to big purchases, swap tips and recommendations. For the best deals without the hassle, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

car choosing advice needed.

26 replies

daisy1999 · 23/06/2006 20:16

We need a new car (second hand). We used to have a Vectra which we loved but which was too low a seating position for the kids in the back, the seats were low and the windows high which made them car sick. We have been looking at the zafira today - does anyone have any good or bad thoughts on the car? Or has anyone got another suggestion?
If anyone has the zafira I would love your opinions on the engine size/type.

OP posts:
Auntymandy · 23/06/2006 20:21

I had a Zafira and loved it.
How many children do you have though?

Original poster
daisy1999 · 23/06/2006 20:22

hi aunty - only 2 children which makes me question why I want one?

OP posts:
Auntymandy · 23/06/2006 20:27

ha!
I have 5 and it was a bit too small!! I loved the versatility of it.

Original poster
daisy1999 · 23/06/2006 20:33

5 fgs have you no self control woman

OP posts:
Auntymandy · 23/06/2006 20:40

lol

Original poster
daisy1999 · 23/06/2006 20:44

what engine size did you have aunty?

OP posts:
longwaytogo · 23/06/2006 21:15

We had a Zafira with 4 kids and it was too small. If you have 2 or 3 kids its brill as you get a huge boot, extra seats if your taking kids friends anywhere, high driving position. We had a 16000 that was a bit greedy and a 2ltr diesel which was much better.

We now have a Fiat Multipla which I love, love, love.

cat64 · 23/06/2006 21:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
daisy1999 · 23/06/2006 21:35

cat what engine size do you have?

OP posts:
cat64 · 24/06/2006 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

purpleturtle · 24/06/2006 17:09

Another Zafira lover here. 3rd baby on the way, and I think we'll have to relegate one of the older ones to a seat in the back because it only has a lap belt in the middle, but I don't have much to complain about at all.

purpleturtle · 24/06/2006 17:10

BTW I think the newer Zafiras have diagonal belts in the middle rather than lap belts - may be worth looking out for.

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 17:13

Yes ours is an 05 and it has 3 diagonal belts in the back. Newer model is more flexible IMO.

SparklyGothKat · 24/06/2006 17:21

I have a 06 zafira and it does have all diagonal belts, I have a 1.6 petrol engine and it can pick up speed fast. Love the extra seats if we have other kids. The boot is huge, and DS' wheelchair fits in lovely with plenty of room for shopping etc. Haven't been on holiday with it yet, but I think we will be able to get everything we need.

JanH · 24/06/2006 17:37

The middle seat shoulder belt on the Zafira came in with the 03 model - I bought a second-hand 52 in June 03, and the new ones at the dealer had them in then.

There are still drawbacks though - nowhere in the car to store the rolled up load cover or the carpet when you have the 2 back seats in use, and everyone sitting in the middle row has to get out for it to be rolled forward to allow access to the back row, because the seat doesn't split (the back does but that's not enough space to let someone through).

There are several new Zafira-type cars where the 3rd row goes under the floor the same way - I think the Ford S-Max does, can't think which others do atm but could have a look. If your budget is limited then the Zafira will have the biggest range of prices because it's been around so long.

Mine is the 2 litre diesel, it's great to drive and very useful, I just seem to spend ages lugging stuff in and out of the car when I need to rearrange the seats!

SparklyGothKat · 24/06/2006 17:40

my 06 model's seats do split, so only one peron has get get out so the back row can get out

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 17:46

The seat in the middle of my 05 model is one piece, but the backs flip down independently. If you have people in the back, you can flip one of the outer seat backs down and they can get out. There's not a huge amount of room to do this, but kids manage no problem.

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 17:50

If you roll the middle seat forward as JanH suggests (it's on runners) there is more room. We manage by having the seat partially rolled forward (just a couple of inches) to give the kids room to get out. This doesn't compromise the leg room in the middle too much.

Our load cover has lived in the cupboard under the stairs since we got it!

JanH · 24/06/2006 17:55

Parker's list of MPVs (all sizes)

The ones that have 5+2 seats that I'm aware of are VW Touran, Toyota Corolla Verso (not shown there for some reason), Peugeot 307SW, Mazda Premacy, Mazda 5 & Renault Grand Scenic. You could also consider the Toyota Picnic, Honda Stream or Honda Shuttle which all seat 6 (I think).

(The Zafira seat might move far enough forward with small children sitting in it to let more small children into the back but trust me, it doesn't work with bigger ones - not if you value their knees anyway )

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 17:57

We looked at the Mazda 5 and were fairly impressed. The boot was not quite as big as the Zafira, IMO.

JanH mine are olnly 4 and 6 at the moment so making the most of it!

JanH · 24/06/2006 17:58

Some of the newer ones in that list have 3 separate seats in the middle row and the backs fold down flat (eg Touran )

JanH · 24/06/2006 18:02

Gillian, I just looked at the pics of the Mazda 5 and was quite disappointed, I thought the interior looked really complicated and messy - see here and here - the only good point seems to be that the carpet rolls up neatly!) (and then you'd squash it with all your goods and chattels)

vickiyumyum · 24/06/2006 18:03

we have 3 children and had tog et rid of the zafira (54 reg) because it wasn't big enough! to have the 3 children in the back in car seats meant using the back row, which meant there wasn't enough room for the pram, especially when we went away. we now have a vectra (05) and that fits the 3 children in the back, one baby car seat and 2 boosters and plenty of room in the boot to fit our m&p 3in1 dh's fishing box, a holdall and a double quilt for when we go away at the weekends.

would the children not be ok on boosters for the travel sickness, ds1 and 2 can see out of the window when on their boosters (aged 8 and 4) but if you only have 2 children then a zafira is probably fine as you wouldn't need to use the third row of seats which gives you a tiny boot.

JanH · 24/06/2006 18:05

The S Max interior is very neat but it's so new it'll be expensive for ages.

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 18:17

If you're not averse to a Renault, the Grand Scenic is quite versatile too. The middle seats all operate independently.