Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 cdti towing

Mr Flibble · 13 January 2009, 22:44

Hi,
Anyone ever used a Zafira for towing? I'm looking at a 1.9 cdti (150hp) Zafira Elite as my possible next car. Has a towing limit of 1500kgs (1200 ish kgs at recommended 80%). It will need to be able to tow around 1000kgs (something like a 5.3m Humber Destroyer or 5.4m XS, looking at getting boat later in the spring). Anyone towed something similar with one of these? Any views appreciated.

parm · 13 January 2009, 22:50

yea i tow ribcraft 585 + 140 suzuki with 2.0 dti zafira which has a lower towing weight than yours i think. No problems, needs a bit of revs on a steep slipway but always gets me home

JSP · 13 January 2009, 22:51

Have had a 1.9 TD on a 05 plate but not sure what BHP it was. Didn't tow anything with it but it felt allot less torquey than the 19TD in my VW Shuttle.
Things change though and this one was one of the first of the newer shaped zafira's with the strange handbrake. Yours will be a whole new engine speck I should imagine.

codprawn · 14 January 2009, 03:15

I had a Vectra with that 150bhp engine. It has a nice even spread of torque - would have thought it would be ideal for towing unlike the Renualt Laguna GT which was 175bhp - all top end - nothing low down.

Mr Flibble · 14 January 2009, 22:53

Thanks for the advice. Looks like it will be fine for towing. Been reading a few owners reviews and quite a few are having problems with EGR valves and Diesel Particulate Filters. Funnily other reviews of the same engines in Vectras, Astras and Fiats (the cdti is a rebadged Fiat JTD) don't mention these problems. I'm putting this down to the fact that the Zafira will most usually be a school run car doing short journeys which Diesels don't like. Valves sooting up and filters blocking etc. Or at least thats what I'm hoping. It's either a Zafira or a Honda CRV so I'll do some more rooting about.

Thanks again.

parm · 15 January 2009, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Flibble

Thanks for the advice. Looks like it will be fine for towing. Been reading a few owners reviews and quite a few are having problems with EGR valves and Diesel Particulate Filters. Funnily other reviews of the same engines in Vectras, Astras and Fiats (the cdti is a rebadged Fiat JTD) don't mention these problems. I'm putting this down to the fact that the Zafira will most usually be a school run car doing short journeys which Diesels don't like. Valves sooting up and filters blocking etc. Or at least thats what I'm hoping. It's either a Zafira or a Honda CRV so I'll do some more rooting about.

Thanks again.

New EGR valve fitted at about 45000 miles

m chappelow · 15 January 2009, 14:04

i have a zafira 1.8 automatic as far as driving and power wise and handling with a boat trailor its fine i cannot fault it ,just the crappy e.c.u unit and the common warning lights for no reason comming on syndrome even after spending hundreds of pounds ,or and the thing running out of fuel even with over a quarter of a tank full if parked on hill .another common fault is burning oil which on some was due to a manafacturing fault with other the oil takes a while to go into the sump even after 10 mins and so people think there is less oil in the engine than there is when dipping it and over fill it causing other problems with egr ect, its the low milage cars that seem to have the problems than the higher ones .what i cannot see is its basically the same running gear as an astra but just a lager body yet astras vectras dont seem to have the problems

Mr Flibble · 15 January 2009, 14:29

Yeah the EGR valve seems to be a very common fault, they get sooted up easily. I've had a root about on t'nternet and they are very easily replaced (6 bolts) and fairly cheap to buy. If I do go for the Zafira I'll probably buy a spare and fit at about 6 months, service/clean the old one and refit this 6 months after. Might even occasionally run some of that engine cleaner stuff through it periodically.

codprawn · 15 January 2009, 17:02

That engine cleaner stuff is basically just kerosine or parrafine - just watch the tax man!!!

I suspect a lot of hard motorway driving will have the same result.

Mr Flibble · 18 January 2009, 11:45

Thanks for the advice. Bit the bullet and bought a 1.9 diesel Zafira Elite yesterday. Pick it up tomorrow. Here's hoping I don't breakdown on the way home. Just need to fit a towbar.

Searider · 06 February 2009, 21:36

Hi Mr Flibble,

Can I be so bold as to ask what you paid for it?

My Mum is looking at buying one - a 1.9cdti auto elite.

Just wondering what an actual "sold" price might be.

Cheers

Duncan