Ok think insanitybeard has found my problem, seems the clutch is slipping, tried the 4th gear test and car sits there and doesn't stall and it explains what the burning smell I get in the cab occasionally too, thanks for the help guys, will fit a clutch in the next couple of weeks and post a update.
2.8 in the sharan and yeah i know it was a bad comparison really lol, one thing to note though other cars are gone from lights way before me, even the automatic galaxys etc, I know the car is heavy so I wouldn't expect to see much of a pull off but this is bad.
I'm wondering if anyone can be of help, the car seems to lack power at bottom end and sounds like i'm racing to pull off some times, as soon as i'm in second, the power seems to be there but first is rather flat if it makes any sense, is this normal, has I had a sharan and that seemed ok.