Petrol or diesel Zafira?

Hello - me again.
Sorry to ask - but this a Vauxhall newsgroup after all!

Given the choice between a 1.8 petrol and the 2.0 diesel engine
on a Zafira, which would people choose?

I've always had petrol cars, never diesel.
I don't want a sports car, but I do like something with good pickup
for (say) joining motorways.
How is the diesel to drive?

I had a 1.8 Elegance on hire from Easycar, and liked it.
I'm guessing the 1.6 is not powerful enough for a long motorway journey.

I gather from reading What Car that the 1.8 petrol engine has
a timing belt, which has a replacement schedule.
The diesel has a timing chain (?)
Anyone know what the difference in servicing costs is between a
diesel and and a petrol on the major services when the belt needs
replaced?

I'm hoping to keep the car for a long time. What's the feeling
on older diesels vs. petrol engines. When diesels go wrong are
they more expesnive/difficult to revive?


In the past I used to gap plugs, do the timing, set the idle revs
etc. on my old cars (Pug 205, VW Jetta, and (yes I admit it)
Chrysler Alpine and an SII Landy).
I guess I still think that petrol engines are more understandable -
though I'm under no illusions that you can tinker with a modern
engine with electronics and a catalyst. Last car was a Scenic,
and all I did was check the oil.

 

Diesel without a doubt. The 1.6 will be a bit sluggish.
Whatever you get make sure it has air/con. One of the hardest cars to
sell on is a 1.6 Zaferia without air/con.
The 2.0l diesel has a camchain and long service intervals of upto 20K
miles depending on the model year.

Dave

 

Dave, thankyou.
All but the very basic model now come with aircon,
which I think would be important in an MPV with the larger glass area.
I was certainly grateful for aircon when I had a Renault Scenic.

 

I can't comment on the Zafira, as I haven't even been a passenger in one,
but I've just returned to diesel after several years driving petrol engined
cars.
I've just got a Corsa CDti and I'm absolutely won over by the ease of
driving it, the smooth pull of driving using torque rather than revs, and
the soothing quiet hum of the engine. The Corsa follows two Fiestas' with
the 1.25 petrol engine, which were great fun, zippy and revvy. But with an
eye on even more economy, with no penalty on performance, I picked out the
CDti and think its a great all-round engine.

So I'd say go for diesel. It'll feel a bit 'diesel-ly' at first, after
petrol, but I think you'll soon learn to appreciate the qualities of derv
power.

Andrew

 

The Zafira diesel is not the brand new CDTi engine but it is still a decent
engine. Performance, economy and cost of maintenance are better than the
petrol. The secondhand value will be too.

It is well worth paying for it if you intend to keep the car for a while.

--


Alan Steele

Steeles of Worthing
www.steeles.co.uk

 

Given the choice between a 1.8 petrol and the 2.0 diesel engine

Petrol. I tried a diesel and hated the vibration through the accelerator
pedal - most annoying. I guess you could get used to it, but it put me off.