Zafira brake pipe KNIGHTMARE!!!

A bit of a story first.... went to renew tax online yesterday to find that the MOT was expired. So booked in for MOT to have it fail on ALL the brake pipes with rear ones leaking but surprised as was the MOT inspector as to why a 7 year old car would have such corroded pipes.
If that wasn't bad enough, my local garage wouldn't touch the pipes mainly because the front ones are so difficult to do with it being extra cramped in the engine bay and around it. Managed to find a garage that will do them at a cost of £250 and an all day job. Are the brake pipes as difficult as they make out for the zafira and similar later vauxhall cars due to spaces being tight and is that a good price?? Along with 2 front tyres, middle exhaust and rear spring broken being the other big things.

supersterl wrote:

i have 53 plate Zaf , and when it went for mot last november i looked underneath while it was up in the air and all my pipes were like new...

Mine is a 03 DTi so it's still unbelievable from the condition of how bad the pipes were. Just hope it's a job done well and worth it.

hi mate aint bad price can be tricky but you can strip out the bulk head for better access all off my brake pipes are good condition just out off curiousity do you live near the sea as sea air and water can be nasty to your car

heritage74 wrote:

hi mate aint bad price can be tricky but you can strip out the bulk head for better access all off my brake pipes are good condition just out off curiousity do you live near the sea as sea air and water can be nasty to your car

To answer your question supersterl, the rest of the car is fine, it was just the brake pipes that were so badly corroded. Hopefully they'll be finished tomorrow along with the rear spring and have done the tyres today. That just leaves the exhaust that needs a new piece of tubing welded and hopefully re-test on Saturday to eventually pass. Phew!!
The Zafira is now in West Yorkshire but was originally from Scotland from new. IT's done approximately 100,000 miles in it's first 5 years, so a lot of mileage covered in a short period of time. I've had it for 2 years and has been lovely to drive.

Suprised all the brake pipes are coroded unless you live near the coast for reasons stated above. I live a minutes walk from the north sea and have had to changed fuel tanks etc on some of my previous Vauxhalls .My Vectra failed it's MOT 3 years ago for 3 coroded pipes , the 2 pipes running the length of the car and the one above the fuel tank . Garages wanted to charge just over
£200 for the 3 pipes .I have owned the flairing tool for 30 years and changed every pipe on the Vectra myself buying 2 rolls of 'bundy ' piping . The pipes around the bulkhead were very difficult to get at to replace , I think this must be the case with most Vauxhalls.

I took Zafira in for a retest on Saturday and it passed with flying colours and so it should after costing me £510 all in for the pipes, 2 springs, 2 tyres exhaust welding and a few minor bits.

Thanks to everyone who contributed and helped. I'll try and upload some photos if I can figure out how. I managed to do it a few years ago on the Vauxhall Owners site for my Cavalier GSi which I still have so wouldn't think it'd be that different.

Glad you got it through the MOT ,well done..
follow the how to on the HOW TO section..to put your pics on...

Vauxhall love making things difficult have been a vx man for many many years now and the simple things to change are a bugger to do. you always need 10 mm thick hands and stuff oh and to be a contortionist would help.....