Mikef

Too late I'm afraid...my wife pronounced.... I'll let you know if it works. Though if it doesn't, you'll hear the sobbing... mikef

Hmmm mine is at the garage today, having the heater looked at. Just had a call, needs an entire new heater unit, which is

I haven't taken my Gal to a garage yet..but does anyone know if there is a way to 'fool' the aux heater into action? Is it more effective if you put the air con on? cheers mikef

Thanks Chaps, I seem to be getting the turbine noise but no heat....so looks like a trip to the garage again... ta mikef

I know...another heater question... We had the first real frost of the winter this morning, and the aux heater on the Galaxy just didn't seem to kick in. It took me 30 mins to get to work, and things were only just heating up then. I seem to recall last year it would heat up the Gal quite quickly, just sitting on the drive with the engine running. I'm sure I couldnt hear the 'clicking' noise, which I think is the pump. How long does it take to heat up other peoples cars? cheers mikef

Cheers Seatkid, I thin my auxiliary heater is just slow to kick in...took 8 miles this morning before anything resembling warm air was blowing. I'll mention at my next service. mikef

I have a 2002 TDI, (with an aux/boost heater), that also takes quite a while to warm up...at least 10 minutes, maybe 10 miles or so, to get any decent warmth out of it.... Sounds like I should go talk to the dealer while it is still under warranty? cheers mikef

Guess I don't know my own strength...it was a bit embarrassing when bits of wiper blade went flying all over the driveway...the old one is back on now.... mikef

Thanks both. I get so much road noise I doubt I will notice the difference! cheers mikef

I'm whizzing off to Cornwall this weekend, two adults, two small kids, and enough stuff in the boot to make you think we were off on an amazonian expedtition... So, for the trip down I'll inflate the tyres up to the max setting. While I'm actually there, and driving around with an empty boot, I wasn't planning on reducing the tyre pressure for the sake of 2 weeks before I head back home. Does the team think thats a good idea? Or should I reduce the pressure, then pump them back up again for the trip home? cheers all mikef

Well, the Champion blades fit, tho they don't seem as sturdy as the Ford ones. I guess the proof will be when I drive down to Cornwall in the rain this weekend. BTW, I tried bending the rear wiper....now have one totally wrecked wiper blade...ho hum. Might just look see if I can fit new rubber to the old blade instead.... mikef

Gave in and got the Champion blades, cost

OK Fredt...will try the bending approach later.... This kind of thing really puts you off buying non-Ford blades for the front screen doesn't it? Still don't know whatto do abou thte Champion blades...am going to have to take a step soon I guess... cheers all mikef

And...I got a new rear wiper for the Galaxy, a Bosch one... At the top of its arc, the top two inches or so of the blade are not in contact with the windscreen, so it doesn't clean the screen properly. It's not curved or flexed like the Ford one, just straight, so doesn't stay in contact when the windscreen bends. ho hum Beginning to think I should just go and pay Ford lots of money... mikef

HI - yes was just in 'Halfrauds' this lunchtime..lots of old style fitting blades (the clip/arm stylee), but none of the new 'spindle' type. If I go up to Reading I'll stick my nose into Halfords there, they are on the way to the GSF branch. cheers mikef

I've been looking for wiper blades again (new spindle style fit...). I've found a place in Basingstoke which stocks a brand called 'Champion'. They look OK, but don't have the Galaxy with me to test if they fit, so I'll go back tomorrow. Anyone heard of Champion and have any opinions on qualty? They cost

If anyone in the Basingstoke area wants to do a comparison on noise anytime, drop me a note....the wind noise through my door and road noise coming up through the cabin drive me batty...but maybe it's me that has the problem rather than the car (se my note on wind noise and warranty in the general forum). cheers all mikef

THanks for the replies...I won't be doing any 'yanking' myself...it's going back to the dealer to get them to put it back how it was. Over the weekend, neither myslef or my wife could not face driving the car because of the noise...ho hum. Me and my big mouth, I shouldnt have complained in the first place.... mikef

No, sorry, the car is 2 years old, so just had it's second service. I've only owned the car for one year... mikef

Yes, I think youre probably right, it wasn't something I noticed on the test drive...theres probably something to be said for having cars over 2 or 3 days when you test them.... mikef

My Galaxy had its two year service this week, it's first service since I got it. I asked them to have a look at the drivers door, as I got a lot of wind noise coming in. They kept the Galaxy overnight, and seemed to spend a lot of time working on it. They have adjusted the door slightly - it doesn't seem bent at all, which I know has been a concern with other noters here, but seems that the hinges have been adjusted somehow, so the door is in a slightly different position. It's only slight. Anyway, if anything the noise now seems worse...the 'swish' of traffic driving in the opposite direction seems a lot worse. Speaking to the garage, they say that 'adjustments' like this are not covered under warranty, and I had to pay for some of the work they did (though to be fair, they did work on it for more hours than they charged me for). What does the team think? Has anyone else been charged for this kind of work under warranty? If I want the door reset, should I argue it should be covered under warranty? Be interested in others opinions Cheers all mikef

Galantlad...have you seen the bosch wipers in Halfords? I was looking in two local stores last week, and could only see the old style wipers (the ones that fit on a clip rather than sliding on and off the pole, if you see what I mean). cheers mief

Are you guys getting the MPG figures from trip computers? I have to calculate the hard way - how may litres did I top up with, then working it out. The best figure I have ever had is around 45mpg (lots of motorway cruising in sixth). just curious... mikef

Not sure I would use cooking oil....extra virgin olive oil maybe.. I'll give the stuff a miss till I understand more. cheers all mikef

My local Tecos has just started selling BioDiesel (can't remember what they brand it as...but the pumps are blue). Has anyone ever used it? It says it meets the standards (5750?), having 5% biological content, which the manual says is ok to use. Just wondered if anyone had any experience/comments? If I read the literature correctly, the benefits (less pollution) all come from the manufacturing process, not a change in the fmes actually produced by the engine. cheers mikef