Why is the Opel Cora more expensive than the Meriva?

Is the 2004-2005 Opel Meriva a good car? I find it strange that the smaller Oper Corsa (of same year/mileage) is more expensive in the classifieds.

Maria Ferrari (Sligo)

Jul 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Maria,

The simple reason for Merivas being worth less is that they're just not as in demand as the mechanically similar Corsa. The Corsa has always been popular with learner drivers and first time car owners so its values hold up. The Meriva, as a compact MPV, just isn't as popular so its prices are softer.

As for reliability, like all Opels it's decently well made, but being a mass-market car, there are issues. The most serious of which is a persistent power steering failure, which prompted a recall, so make sure any car you're looking at has had that done. Other than that, watch for fuzzy engine management systems, broken turbos on the diesel models, fragile cabin trim and timing chains that need too much attention at low mileages.

Hope that all helps

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe