should i avoid French MPV's?

gilbert_and_sullivan

Yes, you can have a 1.6 Diesel Kia Ceed up to around 09 without a DPF, and as a bonus no DMF either.

The funny thing about the increase in oil level problem due to excess Diesel from DPF regens, yoo hoo Mazda we're looking at you, is that no one's taking account of any oil being burned, and as the oil becomes regularly contaminated with unburnt fuel can only lead to faster wear hence a constantly increasing percentage of fuel must be making up the sump contents as time goes by.

Wouldn't entertain a car with this design.

jase1

adjests wrote: »

Japanese cars generally better on reliability, but dull and uninspiring. I’d recommend the Toyota Verso or Honda CRV/FRV.

... because of course the Zafira (or Scenic or Picasso for that matter) are sooooooo exciting and inspiring to begin with :rotfl:

ChumLee

Deleted_User wrote: »

we can get 2 adults next to the baby seat in our Zafira and 2 kids in the back 2 seats. The only way this would not be possible is if the passengers are obese. The Zafira (and many other cars) are designed to carry 3 adults or 2 adults and 1 baby seat or 1 adult and 2 baby seats across the middle bench... If this wasn't the case the car wouldn't be fit for purpose. It might be tight squeeze but is doable and much preferable to the sometimes horrific running costs of larger MPVs unless you can't physically fit in the car because your usual passengers are of a larger frame than tgenso called average person.

Sto giving the OP false hope, the middle seat can fit a child comfortably at best with a full sized car seat, no way will it take three. Also with a proper car seat fitted access to the rear is lost on that side. The zafira is exactly what it is a compromise between an Astra and a full sized mpv.

wazza2004

adjests wrote: »

Make of car
Agree with Gonzo’s comments above. There’s good and bad one whatever make. A friends 5 yr old Audi (premium brand??) spent months in a garage whilst they tried to find the fault. Sometimes even the owner is to blame for not topping up oil, service checking fluids etc.
Japanese cars generally better on reliability, but dull and uninspiring. I’d recommend the Toyota Verso or Honda CRV/FRV.
Diesel
Here I disagree with most posters on >15k miles pa. The 15k is usually based on new car costings. We have a diesel and do 8k mile pa. Annual cost fuel differential is c£400 compared to our previous car which had a petrol engine.
[/F4ONT]

What about Mazxa 5?

societys_child

My son bought an immaculate Focus Titanium for £8K . . . luckily it came with a good 2 yr warranty and free RAC cover. Over £3k worth of warranty work, so far.
It's 21 months since he bought it and it's going back in for even more warranty work. (Any time he gets up to 70mph, the engine cuts out :eek: it's great to drive on motor ways)

Me? I've had a 10 yr old Picasso HDI for almost a year, I just start it up and drive off.
Diagnostic check shows a fault "Fuel heaters not controlled" or something like that.
It needs a new glow plug relay (~£30 on ebay) but starts easily even at minus temperatures, so there's no rush . . .

So, Ford or French :huh: Let me think . . .;)

mttylad

I had a Scenic, wish I still had it and not the poxy little newer car I now have.
It was never a problem as long as it was maintained occasionally.

DUTR

dominate2010 wrote: »

Hi

We are looking to buy a second-hand MPV vehicle as we have baby number 3 on the way.

Have been looking at various makes and models. Renault and Citroen seems to be very popular, but I've never owned a french make car before so i called up my mechanic and i was warned off both of these makes and peugeot due to electrical faults. I was told that if we were buying from new it wouldn't be a problem as they come under a three year warranty. But there's no way we can purchase a brand new car. We are looking at 2009ish years and we only have about 5k-ish to spend. He said to look at ford and Japanese makes such as Toyota Verso.

Any opinions? Is he right? Also any opinions on diesel v's petrol?

Thanks

Wait until Ronnie Pickering comes along, he will tell you how stressed the picaso can get you.

[Deleted User]

The old shape scenic and Picasso's were OK as they didn't have any fancy electrics. But avoid anything French post 2002 unless you less you get a cast iron warranty. I'm speaking from (costly) experience. And don't bother with diesel.
I've ran a 1.8 petrol Zafira for 18 months and average 38 to the gallon. It's not been without its faults but its been fairly cheap to maintain.

motorguy

gonzo127 wrote: »

although a lot of manufacturers did start putting DPF's on cars before 2010, it was not the law, for example, you can get a 2009 Peugeot 308 without a DPF, but it has to be the 90bhp one as they fitted the DPF's to the 110bhp ones as standard, but i dont know which other cars didnt fit them

https://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/euro-emissions-standards.html

shows the euro 4 didnt mean all cars had to have a DPF, but for Euro 5 they did

Its to do with level of emissions. Most cars needed a DPF to pass Euro IV which came in around 2006. Some cars didnt need it until Euro V.

warehouse

My wife has a grand scenic, 57 plate, diesel. Had it since 11,000 miles and is now in the 60,000 range. Mechanically it's been superb, regular servicing and it still flies up and down motorways with ease.

Electrically? A Bl**dy nightmare. As I write this one of the back windows just decided to stop working, again.

One thing that really, and I mean really winds me up about French cars is the ease of changing headlights and sidelight bulbs, (or lack of). Considering it's law there to carry a spare set of bulbs, I've never owned, (or even heard of), a French car where you don't need to have the hands of a child and the patience of job to change a bulb. I know they do it on purpose.

Avoid French cars.