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Original poster

**Possibly the most exciting thread ever to appear in 'Products'..** Is it a 'product' ? I suppose it is...... <ramble> <mutter>. Renault Grand Scenic Vs Vauxhall Vectra

28 replies

nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:37

My car is due for a change. I currently have a 5 door hatchback (a Focus), it has been good, but now that the DSs are teenagers it is getting a leetle cramped in the back. It's time for a [deep breath] 7 seater [sound of weeping].

I've narrowed it down to the Grand Scenic or the Zafira.

Aesthetically speaking the Scenic wins hands down, the styling is less 'Mum Bus' than the Zafira and the cabin is a nicer place to be. The Zafira is attractive because it is alledgedly very reliable and a sensible buy [spit]. I do have concerns about the relaibility/build quality and servicing/parts/maintenance costs of the Scenic, but my heart would prefer one over the slightly souless feeling Zafira.

I haven't driven either vehicle as yet and obviously I will do before making my final decision, but I wanted to hear your views from the pov of owners of either vehicle.

I have had a look on honest john and he prefers the zafira.

The car we buy wil not be new, it will most likely be on an 04, 54 or an 05 plate (older shape Zafira).

TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:38

Vectra ????

ZAFIRA

[tit emoticon]

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 05/08/2007 20:39

I don't think you can get a Grand Scenic that old though, can you?

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:40

Yes, they are in our budget. Most likely an 05 plate

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WendyWeber · 05/08/2007 20:41

Scenis is more adaptable I think - has individual seats you can whizz back & forth? Zafira just has the bench and getting in the back is tricky unless you evacuate the middle seat or climb in from the boot. (obviously I'm not meaning you here )

WendyWeber · 05/08/2007 20:43

I have a Zafira (2.0 TDi) and I do love it but I am the first to admit it lacks style!)

Peachy · 05/08/2007 20:43

We ahve an esapce and the Cm has a zafira

Personally i rpefer our Espace (not a gransd scenic as ours is prehistoric), I know there have been horror stories on here but despite ours being an L reg its good and reliable, and just a damned good car. We will replace with same when the time comes.

Cm loves her Zafira though, has 2 (one for her DH) and would get another.

So its taste- and safety, have you checked the safety ratings?

the Espace does seem to have a bit more space than the Zafira in the 'boot' from what i can see, for us as campers that matters

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:43

I have quite bendy children

I much prefer the scenic, but I think DH will need some convincing really. He has an aversion to French cars (for reasons mentioned in OP).

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Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:45

Thanks wendy & peachy

The Grand Scenic scores much higher than the Zafira NCAP wise. Ths Zafira is rated the same as my Focus (3*) and one of the reasons I wanted to chop mine in was the safety rating.

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Ceolas · 05/08/2007 20:46

How many children? I really think the Zafira back seats would be useless for teenagers.

Nemo2007 · 05/08/2007 20:46

I have a 03 plate Zafira and I love love love it. I had a renault scenic[not grand] which I did like but things kept going wrong on it. I do like the look of the grand scenic but at the same time the Zafira for me is a smart car, and it does feel a lot more 'sturdy' a drive than the renault did.

Peachy · 05/08/2007 20:47

Personally that would do it for me

Its not something you want to regret after all is it?

Peachy · 05/08/2007 20:47

NACAP I emant LOL)

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:47

The Grand Scenic is 5*

The safety is my only real concern in the Zafira (aesthetics are obviously a fairly minor concern)

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Nemo2007 · 05/08/2007 20:49

Oh and the boot space in the zafira is comparable to the grand scenic as it is essentially the same type of thing[fold up seats in boot] which also means the leg room is similair. Dont know if the scenic back seat moves forwards/backwards or not but the zafira does

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:49

Ceolas - 3 children. 15, 13.5 & 5 . I'm aware that both of my choices are only really 'part-time' 7 seaters. I don't feel I can justify (or indeed want to drive) a true 7 str.

Thanks all, keep the opinions coming.

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Ceolas · 05/08/2007 20:51

Well if you don't need the 7 seats it might be OK. I don't like mine but it's a space issue rather than safety/reliability. Ours is the newer model though.

lou33 · 05/08/2007 20:52

ndep, i have a grand scenic for my brood and i love it, honestly it's a great car to drive

i mostly have the back 2 seats down, but the extra 2 are really easy to put up and down

i love it

i could have got a zafira, but they just seemed really bland to me (apologies to all zafira drivers)

bagpuss · 05/08/2007 20:54

We've had a few renaults in the past and our last one (dh's car) was a megane. When it was just under 3 years old we took it for a service which cost us over £500 . It was cheap to buy but the servicing over the years was astronomical plus the hidden cost of replacing the coils every time they go wrong (a problem denied by renault). Having said that the scenic is a very safe car - we were in a motorway collision a few years ago and ours saved our lives.

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:55

Ooooooh Lou, they are soooo much nicer to look at than the older Zafira (I quite like the new model Zafira but they are out of my price range). It's bad enough that I have to drive a sodding MPV, a bland mum-bus just feels like adding insult to injury.

As an aside, I have only ever heard good things from Zafira owners.

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WendyWeber · 05/08/2007 20:56

DS2 is 14 and hates going in the back - when the middle bench is pushed back as far as it will go, legroom is in the boot seats is minute.

Take the big boys with you when you go to test drive and mess about with the seat combinations.

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:57

bagpuss, thanks for that. I wouldn't have it serviced etc by a main dealer, so it is really the parts etc that I'm a bit fearful of. I used to work for Renault and at the time their parts were similar prices to Audi

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Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 20:59

Oh they'll love that Wendy

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Ceolas · 05/08/2007 20:59

Yes the Scenic is a bit more adaptable in terms of legroom in the back. My friend had one and the middle seats all slide back/forth independently.

lou33 · 05/08/2007 21:00

i know zafiras are supposed to be nice to drive but i really love hte look of the scenic, plus it has great hidden storage compartments, controls ont he wheel for the cd player, various little bits and bobs that make it fun to be in and braking is v good.

i tend to put ds2 aged 8 in the v back row if i have more than 5 in hte car, but usually it is myself driving dd1 in the front, and the other 3 in the back, which is fine even tho ds2 needs a big sn car seat and ds1 is still on a booster chair

i really love it, can you tell?

Original poster
nomdeplume · 05/08/2007 21:01

So you have the new model Zafira, Ceolas ? What do you wish you'd got instead ?

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