Taliska

Hi Tigger, Funny you mention that about the rear wiper - I wondered about whether it would damage it too so avoided doing it. I did at one point lose concentration and did actually switch it on with the bike rack attached and loaded - I just kept on driving and pondered about it. Nothing untoward happened to the rear wiper in my case. I too would like to know if the motor is protected against this - does any one actually know? Thanks, Taliska

VIDEO CDs are a slightly different kettle of fish when compared with DVDs - they have a lower bitrate hence a lower quality. They hold significantly less so aren't so useful for backing up movies onto. I hasten to add that you will still need 'Burning' software to put the 'shrunk' DVD onto DVD Media - and Nero can certainly do that. :-) I'd not be so confident as nelse about an in-car DVD player's ability to play VIDEO-CDs. There are two ways to check this - look in the manual for the DVD player or simply stick one in and see. Basic advice would be to skip burning VIDEO CDs and go straight for DVDs - you won't lose as much quality transcribing your precious home video to DVD as you will to CD! I've never bothered with VIDEO-CD (as I've only had a DVD burner) but I understand that they are worse quality than standard VHS tapes! Taliska

Hi all, Always used to cut out the sticky black ones while on the Shuttle... Things might have progressed since I bought the last kit (which I used over and over again). Any thoughts for the best available and cost-effective option for a 2003 Galaxy... Thanks all, Taliska

Use DVDShrink to copy DVDs - it's free and it's excellent! As said, it can strip bits you don't want (like Ads and foreign sound track) and will remove the finer detail from the images to squeeze it onto the single-sided DVD blanks. Best of all you can easily just lift and squeeze the main film - so you put the disk in and it plays straight away - good for cars as you won't have to fiddle through the menu system! BTW it removes macrovision and region protection - no worries there. I use Verbatim -R media, with no problems for my backups. I'd recommend getting a -RW disk as well, so that you can test out your backup of the film, before wasting a real bit of -R media. Write the film in one hit though to the -RW disk. Basically, you're not going to notice the slightly lower quality video due to shrinkage on the main film - especially on a small screen. Some main films actually fit on a single-sided disk without the need for shrinking! Despite the illegalities of copying DVDs - it would be insane to take the originals in the car and I wouldn't hestitate to back them up for use in cars. I guess the problem that you might run into would be if you tried to play a 60Hz NTSC DVD (i.e. those from USA) in a unit that couldn't cope. Best of luck, Taliska You can download it from here in the 'VOB Tools' section: http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/software2.htm

Alas, no picture. We'll be taking the bike carrier and topbox over to Spain on SpeedFerries this summer... With the topbox on I've clipped rather a few height warning barriers! Ooops. (about 2.30m high) Taliska

Hi, Got the Halfords-own 'high level?' bike carrier in black metal with yellow joints. Sits on on top of bumper with 4 clasps to hold onto tailgate and 2 to hold on under the bumper. It works very well. As it says in the manual, don't open the tailgate with the carrier on - you may do what I did - have to move the car quickly, slam the tailgate down and catch a clasp in between the door and the frame and, ooops, you've got a slightly bent car. I'll see if we've got a picture of it - it fits 3 bikes - no need for additional numberplate. Taliska

Dead good the multi-function steering wheel!!! Taliska

Personally I wouldn't mind driving any of them around - don't care that much what it looks like - point proven by the fact that I've got a Neptune Green Gal! :( Taliska

True that the warranty is shorter, but the cost of an additional year's warranty comes nowhere near the price difference! The dealer quoted 250 quid for the extra year's warranty - granted that this would not be a pucker Ford warranty, but I'd look into it closer when I've seen how reliable the Gal is when the two years are (nearly) up... I was under the impression that the 3rd year of warranty is actually a 'different' warranty - i.e. possibly a Ford UK warranty as opposed to the Pan-European warranty of the first two years. Taliska

Please enlighten me as to the problem with owning an import. I felt that a heathy few grand discount (was it 3 or 4k?) puts paid to any import worries. Taliska

Seat has fewer and smaller dealers when compared with Ford - perhaps that's why they have a lower market share... Taliska

Difficult reading text messages when phone is in pocket B) Taliska

Photo from a weekend away...

So, in essence, it's a good place to see and use the phone, it may be awkward to fit and it may interfere with the indicator controls. Hope this helps anyone considering the Dashmount vent kit. B) Taliska

And another shot... I'd say that when the full beam is on, the use of the indicators is slightly compromised - I'm not sure how often one actually needs to indicate when the lights are on full...

So I removed the joint and the holder went backwards towards the dash. There's room for the fingers to get behind the indicator lever.

Now as you can see, I had the movable joint between the bracket and the holder still in and the holder was quite a way up off the dash and I felt that it might interfere with the controls...

And where to push it...

After eventually deciding that I couldn't fit the Nokia holder without a bracket - I capitulated and bought the Dashmount one for the centre vent. All looked good, but it didn't quite fit. B) Now the fit is very tight and after pushing it in, it got stuck after about an inch. The reason - well there's a lip (on mine) coming in from the dashboard mounting and the bracket catches on that. Now I ripped the vent surround off to see what was happening inside - I don't recommend doing it as the plastic moulding suffered as a result and it's not in quite as good a shape as it was originally. B) I modified the bracket and it fits - now I superglued mine in as I reckon that any mobile phone holder will bolt to the bracket (with or without persuasion)... Here's a shot of the modified bracket...

Just like to add... bought a new 115bhp Ghia Galaxy from a car supermarket at a price that was very hard to beat (for me anyway). This is the first time in my life I've had a new car but Ford garages were selling 1 year old LXs at the same price as what I paid for mine! Driving one changes your attitude to the road, journeys are just eaten up comfortably. I'd personally say that Cruise Control is essential these days with the number of speed cameras - click it on at the limit and don't worry about your speed creeping up (it will rise going down hills though!). Best of luck finding one, Taliska P.S. I figured that I'd find a better deal on Galaxies as there are more of them around - Sharans were simply too expensive for what they were, and Seats, though well speced, were harder to find and dealers were few and far between.

Looked on the Ford website and found these listed... Rayco Ford - Romsey Ford House, Winchester Road, Romsey. SO51 8HX. Tel: 01794 512576 [Ford Accident Repair Centre] [Motability] [Rapid Fit] [Ford Direct Used Cars] [Nectar] Nicklens Garage - Fordingbridge 22 Provost Street, Fordingbridge. SP6 1AY. Tel: 01425 653145 [Rapid Fit] [Ford Direct Used Cars] Hendy Ford - Southampton 360-364 Shirley Road, Southampton. SO15 3UF. Tel: 02380 701700 [Motability] [Rapid Fit] [Ford Direct Used Cars] [Nectar] Go to http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/service_repair/-/...rvicing/-/-/-/- and put in your postcode - click on the map and have fun. Hendy looks as if it has it sewn up over the south - I'd imagine that some will be better than others. I wish I could take my Galaxy to my last Audi dealer - they were very good. The car's practically a VW/Audi, after all I can find Audi rings on some of the parts.

There may be a connection between them Handy people and the problem with the wrong oil in my TDI. Taliska.

Personally I wish they'd remove them entirely for zero percenters - it can't be that difficult. It is patronising after all. I'm going to swear now... Renault Espace! Wait a mo and I'll look at the blocks! Taliska Follow up: No change!

:P

T120... I don't know if your comment was aimed at me !?! :P But, I've got out our trusty pyrex jug (litres and pints marked), plus scales (imperial only) and weighed a pint of water - and the old rhyme was right... Are you weighing yours on the moon? ;) Have you got an American jug? :ph34r: Bemused... Taliska P.S. My pint is 0.568 litre and my pound is 0.453 kilo.