Richmond

Mine is the same as Mr T's (2002 model).

It's not feedback, unless something very weird is happening. It sounds like a damaged speaker (shouldn't happen, but might have) or perhaps a loose speaker mounting.

The deflector pattern I was sent by Ford customer services (presumably off the TIS disc) consisted of two different shaped deflectors for each side, four different shapes in all, none of which look anything like the deflectors you can buy. Making them up out of reflective tape was a major pain. Given all the superfluous bells and whistles on the Galaxy, you'd think they could manage a simple way to convert the dipped lamps. There's no need to paint the lamps yellow these days, but you do need to deflect the beams.

NikpV, yes, I know you're right. I've racked my brains and I think that I saw the hydrogen/air/balloon experiment on some kids' science TV programme about a hundred years; the kids had done the experiment and found that hydrogen diffused more slowly than air. I also remember that Prof Heinz Wolff (a mad TV professor with wild hair, of central European extraction (all of him, not just his hair)) was sceptical about it. The dangers of a poor memory! Does anyone think that diffusion of gas through the tyre wall is a significant contribution to deflation (other than when the tyre is punctured!)? Since tyres don't usually fail because the rubber has been attacked by oxygen in the air, I don't see that replacing it with nitrogen will improve tyre life. I suppose that in F1, having a rubber bag containg hot pressurised oxygen at each corner of your car might be regarded as undesirable in the event of a crash.

I have a V6, and it is without doubt the fastest car I've owned ;) . I'm all in favour of being disgraceful, and the kids like the car. But it does lack that certain something ... I think the problem is that it looks like a loaf of bread :rolleyes: , especially from the back (a loaf of bread with a 4 bike carrier on in my case). Vroom vroom.

NikpV, I'm not sure that gas diffusion through a barrier is dependent only on molecule size, although I cannot understand why it isn't. I seem to remember seeing an experiment years ago (I have no idea where) which showed that hydrogen (tiny little molecule) diffused out of a balloon more slowly than air! I'm probably misremebering, it's certainly counter intuitive. I doubt that much of the pressure loss in a tyre is due to diffusion through the tyre; they're not exactly designed to be porous and they're pretty thick. I'm sure it is almost entirely due to leakage around the rim and through and around the valve, and I doubt that the size or weight of the gas molecues makes any difference to that.

I'm sure that converters are needed even if you are visiting during daylight hours only. What did change several years ago was that it stopped being compulsory to make your beams yellow in France if you were there on hols (the French have now realised that yellow beams are ridiculous and no longer use them). Ford customer services faxed me a template for the masks. I made them out of metallic tape - 2 per headlamp, all different shapes, pain in the arse. There must be an easier way B) . They worked OK so far as I could tell.

I think that you may have bought the wrong car, emjay. The Galaxy is for sedate family men, like myself (I'll be driving in a hat once I've chosen the tweed to match the upholstery). That's why it has 7 seats, cup holders, fold down trays and so on, instead of grab handles, roll cages and 5 point harnesses.

Sounds a bit pricey to me from what I've seen. The potential for expensive repairs seems endless, so the lack of FSH is a concern. The sophisticated engine management and so on can mask quite serious faults until they become catastrophic (or so I've heard). Would it be a good idea to have a diagnosis done before buying if you can? Do the RAC etc inspections include that?

As well as the effects mentioned by Nimrod, in the case of dents I think that expansion of the metal may (if you're lucky) cause it pop back into shape. It works best on small closed volumes (which does not include car doors) where the expansion of the internal air forces the bump out. Hot water seems to work best on cars in v. cold weather; I suppose that the expansion is greater. One of those carbon dioxide spray jobbies used by plumbers can help. Since it appears that Ford make their cars from aluminium foil, I doubt that it will work at all; the entire door will probably soften and end up draped over the sill (a Ford 'Dali' to rival the Citroen 'Picasso', perhaps).

It sounds as if it might respond to very hot water, if it's not too deep; it sometimes works.

Talisker, I did what you're intending to do and used a lap top to road test the DVD player idea. Although my kids (10 years old) enjoy watching films at home, they did not enjoy doing so in the car. My son soon felt sick (he sometimes does anyway) and my daughter, who will watch the test card at home, lost interest after 20 mins or so. I find story tapes or CDs good news for long journeys. We scratched the surface (not literally, I'm pleased to say) of 'His dark materials' on the way to Tignes last month, making 700 motorway miles tolerable. We've had 'The Lord of the Rings' (not my idea of fun, but OK), 'The Hobbit', 'The Chronicles of Narnia' (good stuff), various H.Potter (OK the first three times, but the novelty wears off), 'This sceptered isle' (OK in short bursts), to name but a few. Even the ones I don't particularly like are better then nothing, interspersed with a bit of music and chat. Portable DVD has to be a better bet in a car than permanent, surely; you can use it when you get where you're going (or at home) and theft risk is reduced. Mind you, Nimrod's Visteon effort looks very neat.

Yurir, thanks for that. I think I need to have a look at the output before I spend the money.

I can understand that; thanks. Yurir, if I wanted to a bit of diagnosis on my 2002 Galaxy V6, exactly what hardware (inc leads) and software would I need? Cost -ish? I'd be running it on a Sony Vaio lap top, Windows XP Prof. What info would I get, and how is it presented on the screen? Is it comprehensible to a non-computer person? I suppose it must be, given that it's used by mechs.

If V6s are allowed to enter they'll have to build a petrol station at Hawthorn bend.

Yurir, Any chance of you posting an English translation?

I think 'straight' is the important word here; taking it round a corner at a third that speed is an interesting operation. Is there a simple upgrade to the suspension etc which makes the thing a bit less like a hippo when cornering at speed, does anyone know? How about a Galaxy race series? The sight of a dozen MPVs wallowing around Brands Hatch would be entertaining; if they can do it with tractor units and caravans, why not with Galaxys?

I've no experience of a 2.3. Mine gives about 26 mpg (according to the trip computer) on long motorway runs at highish speed. I dread to think what it's doing around town; about half that I guess. I'm not sure I'd say the V6 was fun to drive, but it's a comfortable car to drive at any speed (within reason; I haven't taken it up to the advertised 135 mph or whatever it's supposed to do; the idea that it would be safe to drive it at anything near that speed, even in the absence of any other traffic, is ridiculous).

Do you need it? Sod's Law is pretty clear on this one; the day after you replace it, you'll drive into some weird protruding thingy, unseen by the parking sensors, and break it. Better to do without it if you can until you need to sell the car.

Dally, Blimey; I can only suggest that you get older. It's easy enough to do, but once you start, you can't stop ;) . If you haven't done so, try Direct Line. To my surprise they are the cheapest I could find for both my cars. I have buildings insurance with them as well, which I think gives a me a small discount. I used them some years ago and made a claim, after which the premiums went through the roof, and I changed. I suspect they are only after (what they perceive to be) pretty low risks.

It's not too bad (

A word of warning. We test drove a 2.3, seemed fine to me but my wife decided that she needed a bit more power and that we should buy a V6, which we did, obviously, and we have been paying for it at the pumps ever since.

What is a single unit (according to my Ford dealer) is the mirror housing and the mounting arm; it costs about

I hesitate to disagree with Ivor, but I paid a Ford main dealer about

You'll need snow chains. Depending on your tyres, ordinary snow chains may not fit; I have 215/55s and few if any ordinary chains fit. I hired Spikes Spiders from The Roofbox Co. (http://www.roofbox.co.uk/index.html); they're pricey, but they're very quick and easy to fit (5 mins start to finish) after you've fitted the mountings to the front wheels before you leave home (these stay on for the duration of your trip). I believe that chains are compulsory in the French mountains in winter, and any way if you need them (we did), you need them.