An Angus man whose Vauxhall Zafira turned into a fireball has said he will never buy another car from the company.
Alan Fraser’s seven-seat 2006 Vauxhall Zafira spontaneously exploded in Carnoustie in January and he’s been without a car ever since.
The dad of four from Monifieth said there would have been a tragedy if his children had been in the car at the time.
Mr Fraser said belongings worth more than £1,000, including a pram, car seat, phone and games console, were left inside when it went up in flames in Burnside Street.
His insurance company have agreed to pay out £400 for the pram and car seat but he said he’s no closer to knowing what they’ll stump up for his car.
Mr Fraser said: “It is now a case of waiting to find out what the insurance is going to pay out, but it won’t be worth much with all this happening.
“I won’t buy another Vauxhall ever again that’s for sure.”
Mr Fraser’s car was the latest victim of a problem affecting the Vauxhall Zafira that has led to several models being recalled.
The manufacturer advised drivers to only use heater fan speed 4 “sparingly” in short bursts and to demist.
Mr Fraser said he only used the fan in fits and bursts as he drove to his mum’s house in Carnoustie six miles away.
He could smell smoke and the windows started to mist up before he gave another blast of the heating fan to clean them.
The smoke got worse and Mr Fraser parked up and got out of the car just before it burst into flames.
A Vauxhall spokesman said: “Normally if an insurance company suspects that the vehicle has a fault they will come to us and request a joint examination of the vehicle.
“If that hasn’t happened, they will pay him off. They effectively own the vehicle now.”