Please read this if you are considering buying a Vauxhall Zafira

You could also be buying a new wheel every other week. This is because no one tells you that the spare wheel can be stolen with ease. I here you say this can't be Vauxhall's leader of the MPV class.

Well this is a fact they know. They have a problem and all they can say is, 'it is in line with EEC guidelines' and it is a 'social problem' and it is the 'dealerships problem'.

So with all problems why don't they tackle what they can influence i.e. add a lock or tell us when we buy this model. This would be like admitting a security floor, which there is, but any manufacturer will not admit there is a design fault with a car in thier range, especially a top seller like the zafira.

The Zafira is a good all round family car

Based on the Vauxhall Astra chassis, there are quite a few similarities between the two cars, such as the general driving ride and the quality of the car as a whole.

There have been a few problems that general users have seen with the cars, such as:

• The engine cutting out when idle.
• The In car radio not functioning correctly.
• A squeaking noise from the brakes after only 10,000 miles or so use.
• Spare wheel thefts.
• A necessity to keep refilling the oil on diesel models (1 litre every thousand miles or so).
• Small storage space.
• Strange engine noises which can not be located or fixed.

Saying this, however. The car is very practical and does have some very good points. The innovative ?Flex 7? seating system makes it very easy to switch the car from 5 to 7 seats without too much hassle.

Other nice features include easy access to the car thanks to the wide opening doors, ideal for families with small children, and an anti-stall device. Designed to stop the car from stalling a low revs.

The car is generally very good and although a minority of owners have had some problems, it represents extremley good value for money and provides a great means of getting the whole family from one place to another.