Auto expert Zinoviev criticized the Opel Meriva for its voracious and problematic engines

Prices start at 600 thousand rubles, but before you shell out money for a compact van with unusual doors, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the typical faults.

The most durable engine is the naturally aspirated 1.4 (100 hp). It calmly covers 300 thousand kilometers, but does not shine with dynamics, said “Behind the Wheel” expert Sergei Zinoviev. Turbo versions (120 and 140 hp) are more problematic: the piston rings and sometimes the cylinder walls suffer from overheating. The turbocharger may also be damaged.

Diesel 1.7 l. (100 hp) runs 250-300 thousand kilometers, but the youngest 1.3 liter. (95 hp) is capricious in cold weather, it has a weak timing chain and thermostats leak. The most modern 1.6 l. (110/136 hp) difficult to repair.

Manual gearboxes (F13, F17, M32) can begin to shift difficultly by 100 thousand kilometers – the bearings and synchronizers are weak. The six-speed automatic transmission of the Aisin AF40 is strong, but with age the heat exchanger becomes clogged – it is better to install an external radiator and change the oil more often.

Little things: in winter the electric parking brake drive and the trunk lock get sour, and sometimes the electronics get capricious. The fuel consumption of all engines is not small – 8-12 liters. for “hundreds”, the trunk is a modest 400 liters. But the body resists rust well, and the suspension lasts more than 100 thousand kilometers.

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