They Deny All Responsibility For This Design Fault
Something was dangling down below the back end of our Zafira so I had a look and checked what it was, thinking it was a bit of Twig or something. But it was a bit of rope with two hooks on it. Whilst looking at it I realised that there was an empty cage where the spare tyre should have been! Pinched! B*****d!
I wrote to Vauxhall demanding a replacement due to the badly secured spare tyre and this is what they wrote!
"Dear Mrs Graham I was very sorry indeed to learn of the theft of the spare wheel from your Zafira and can certainly appreciate your concern. For a while now, we have become increasingly aware that underslung spare wheels on several different makes of vehicle are being targeted by thieves. The Vauxhall Zafira has always met all European safety and security standards and there is no design fault with the spare wheel bracket. The bracket holds the spare wheel safely to the underside of the car and the release mechanism for the spare wheel is located securely within the vehicle.
The only way in which the spare wheel can be removed without using the internal release mechanism, is by force. Regrettably, it is a very sad fact of life that we now live in an age where vehicle crime is rife and the criminal sees any form of security device as a challenge to beat, regardless of the cost and resultant damage. Vauxhall has responded pro-actively to customer requests for additional security, by evaluating a security lock. This lock is available from our dealership network at a cost of £35 including fitting.
In view of the shock and disappointment you have suffered over the theft of your vehicle's spare wheel, we would be happy to cover the cost of the supply and fitting of the Vauxhall lock, if you wish to have this device fitted. To take advantage of this offer, simply contact the Service Department of your nearest or preferred Vauxhall dealer with the above Service Request number, and the Service Manager will order the part and arrange a mutually convenient time to fit it. The offer to supply and fit a Vauxhall security device is made purely as a gesture of goodwill. For any other claim relating to the stolen wheel, we would respectfully refer you to your insurance company, as theft and vandalism is an insurance issue and cannot be attributed to a manufacturing defect. Thank you for writing and allowing me to assist.
Kind regards, Ginette Pooley, Customer Care.
Please note that in responding to your request for assistance we will store your personal details and respective correspondence on our customer care database. "
(which means junk mail will be sent to you)
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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.