Things Most Likely To Go Wrong

[Jimbo73]

I have a V reg Gal 85,000 miles. I have done the wiper motor and linkage, sorted out the underlink - stabilisers, and these seem to be the jobs that every Gal needs doing.

 

So the question is - What is most likely needed to be done soon.

 

Just so I can prepare myself in advance. I did read somewhere on the forum about the driveshaft at about 100,000 miles. Whats that all about?

[NikpV]

air con - about 50% chance, umm driveshafts - seem to have beens a spate (of 3 recently) but up to now its not been a common post on here :ph34r: - well up til now :blink: ;) that'll start them off .

[Andrew T]

All driveshaft issues have been on Diesels, never heard of problems on the 2.3 which is a different transaxle. No booster heater on 2.3s nor does the MAF cause problems generally, don't let let a tyre fitter near the spare wheel winch and you're gauranteed 100% reliability(by Galaxy standards).............unless of course you've got Airconditioning.

 

Also, if you want to be really paranoid whip the Battery cover off and look inside the Fuse box by the washer bottle neck. Check for any charring on the connection to the (top) 150amp alternator fuse.

 

Oh and look at the condition of the wires in the offside tailgate boot which may be chaffing.

[NikpV]

All driveshaft issues have been on Diesels,

 

 

well thats cheered me up no end ;) :ph34r: :blink:

[Guest gooner52]

All driveshaft issues have been on Diesels,

 

 

well thats cheered me up no end ;) :lol: :lol:

 

 

me 2 im going outside now :blink: :ph34r: :lol:

[mumof4]

Ah yes..main fuse feed box..know it well..mine has gone poof twice now..last time took out the alternator...remember it so well....ah the memories of everything going doolally when that went. :ph34r: rev counter..speedo...bloody bleeping everysecond..then the silence ...oh the memories. :lol:

[Guest gooner52]

Ah yes..main fuse feed box..know it well..mine has gone poof twice now..last time took out the alternator...remember it so well....ah the memories of everything going doolally when that went. :ph34r: rev counter..speedo...bloody bleeping everysecond..then the silence ...oh the memories. :lol:

 

 

:lol: :lol: :wub:

 

im not part of that club yet mine still nice and clean :lol:

[Jimbo73]

If there was charring what could be done about it?

 

By the way it has got Air Con which (fingers crossed touching wood) is working fine at the min. When I get a service done I know the Ford Dealers will change the fluid in it, or they should, but I dont know wether to let them coz its working great.

 

I got it about 3 months ago and it had been fully serviced by Fords so I dont know wether to keep that up.

 

Spare wheel winch? I haven't even looked where that is meant to be? I am scared now? Stupid question but where is it?

 

Going to check the fuse box in the light of day at the weekend and see what that is like.

[mumof4]

if there is charring i would replace the main fuse feed box...easy job and cheaper to do it yourself..

The spare wheel winch is in the boot..open the tail gate and on the floor in front of you is like a flat horse shoe shaped handle..pull that up and under there in the bolt type thingy that you unwind and the spare wheel drops from below the car..

[NikpV]

if there is charring i would replace the main fuse feed box...easy job and cheaper to do it yourself..

The spare wheel winch is in the boot..open the tail gate and on the floor in front of you is like a flat horse shoe shaped handle..pull that up and under there in the bolt type thingy that you unwind and the spare wheel drops from below the car..

.....or not ....

 

keep the wire in tension as you lower it and as you raise it - less chance of it snagging inside - course you have checked your spare wheel :ph34r: jimbo73

[Jimbo73]

Believe it or not I havent checked the wheel....

 

I wanted to get money over as soon as I could to buy the car after walking past and seeing the guy put the ad in the car window

[Guest gooner52]

sounds like you got a good deal m8

 

:ph34r:

[Guest Cepheus]

Reading all this makes me glad I've got a MK1 petrol Gal even more!!! :D Looking at where most of the faults lie, it might look like Diesel fuel = diesel fool :blink:

 

Oh and don't expect Fraud dealers to do anything to the air con, unless you specifically ask them to and pay them through the nose. Air con service is an added extra to even the major service. :wub:

[Bigjeeze]

Reading all this makes me glad I've got a MK1 petrol Gal even more!!! :D Looking at where most of the faults lie, it might look like Diesel fuel = diesel fool :blink:

 

Oh and don't expect Fraud dealers to do anything to the air con, unless you specifically ask them to and pay them through the nose. Air con service is an added extra to even the major service. :wub:

 

 

 

 

 

Oh you foolish man!!!

 

 

 

You cannot seriously be starting up the old "what's better a diesel or petrol!" argument can you!!

 

 

 

 

 

DIESEL IS THE ANSWER!!!!!

 

 

 

Everyone knows the diesel is more economical, more reliable and longer lasting (theres always a few exceptions!!) Do a poll and see what the ratio of diesels to guzzlers - sorry petrol Gals there are in the forum.

[Guest gooner52]

im with bj

 

on this,would never of bought galaxy if petrol engines was the only option

 

as 4 aircon service its extra where ever u go /..or does soemone service yrs 4 free :blink: :D

[Andrew T]

It's rather a generalisation to say Diesel is the answer, nobody would argue that a Diesel is cheaper to fuel than a Petrol, but if you look at total cost of ownership the picture is far less clear. I even did a thread about it

 

Before I bought a 2.3 I did a cost benefit analysis for my own circumstances and concluded that over the 5 years I intended to keep it I would be lucky to see a saving ( and I was unaware then that a petrol wouldn't need a cam belt every 40K). Whilst I often regret having bought a galaxy I've been very happy with the 2.3 bit.

[tim-spam]

but if you look at total cost of ownership the picture is far less clear.

Now, you really are joking - the petrol versions have only one significant advantage - initial purchase price is lower. That's it, although I suppose you could make that two if you talk about the ultimate performance and refinement of the VR6.

 

The 4 cylinder petrol versions average around 25mpg, against 40mpg for the diesel. Working on an average annual mileage of 12000, that would equate to a saving of over

[Andrew T]

At the risk of being pedantic I make the savings

[tim-spam]

From my own observations (I live along the road from an MPV 'specialist' seller), your figures for price and depreciation are way off the mark. However, if we assume that the initial purchase price makes the critical difference (and that is what you are claiming), then why on earth did you choose a Galaxy over an Alhambra?

 

Anyway, this purchase price argument is pretty tenuous at best. For example, you have said that anyone buying new would be mad to buy the 2.3 petrol version over the diesel (which leads to the interesting conclusion that 2.3 Galaxy owners are either mad, or rely on others being mad...). When buying seconhand, most people will be buying within a budget, and so the purchase price will be the same whether diesel or petrol - it's just that the diesel may be a little older and / or have slightly more miles on it. If you also consider that depreciation slows down as a car gets older, and that diesels depreciate more slowly anyway, by buying a slightly older diesel, the depreciation will be much lower - so, savings all round.

 

As regards noise, the diesel is not at all unpleasant ( although opinions are obviously subjective and differ from person to person), and is quieter when cruising at the legal limit (2000rpm).

 

As regards overtaking performance, consider the following (very common) scenario:

You are following a lorry at 40mph along an A road, and you pull out to overtake. What gear would you use? I would guess that you would use 3rd or 4th, and, in this case, the diesel would leave the 2.3 petrol for dust. The only way you could keep up is to use 2nd gear (which is the gear that is used at this speed during 0 - 60 and 30 - 70 through-the-gears tests), and then any noise advantage has disappeared as quickly as the fuel through your injectors. Don't be deceived by what you feel - changing down and revving the engine may feel faster, but it often isn't.

 

For most drivers, the diesel would also accelerate to 60mph more quickly, because the power and torque are much more accessible.

 

To quote some actual measured figures:

40-60mph in 5th - diesel = 9.5 seconds, 2.3 = 12.5 seconds.

40-60mph in 4th - diesel = 7.3 seconds, 2.3 = 9.7 seconds.

50-70mph in 5th - diesel = 10 seconds, 2.3 = 13.5 seconds.

50-70mph in 4th - diesel = 8.7 seconds, 2.3 = 10.5 seconds.

 

50-70mph in 5th, the diesel is 3.5 seconds quicker!

 

So, amazed though you may be, the real life overtaking performance of the diesel is much better than the 2.3 - fact.

 

I have also driven a 2.3 Galaxy (and a 2.0 Sharan), and with 5 adults on board, there was far more gearchanging needed when driving through the hills of the lake district - in these situations, my diesel was vastly superior and far more relaxing. The other owners were highly impressed by the way my diesel accelerated up hills in 4th gear for which they needed to use 3rd gear to maintain speed. To be honest, although the performance of the 2.3 Galaxy was better than that of the 2.0 Sharan, the difference was nowhere near as big as I expected. I have also recently tried the latest 2.0 TDI Sharan - if you get the chance, try one. If you do, and still have any doubts about diesel afterwards, I'll be amazed.

 

But, if you bought your car because you like it, then that's great - enjoy it. If I was going to be irrational and buy a petrol version, I would definitely go the whole hog and get a VR6 - although you would be spending even more at the pumps, at least you would be able to enjoy the pinnacle of performance and refinement.

[El Dingo]

I love my 2.3 too. :) (Would like a 2.8 though!)

 

The 2.0 TDi (as fitted to my Audi A4) is over boosted, hard to drive smoothly and noisy, and averages 40 mpg with a mix of motorway and back-road driving. I got better out of a 1.8 petrol Toyota Avensis last week (42.5 mpg). On this basis, the petrol car is more carbon friendly than the diesel (against all the current politically-correct thinking). Of course the Avansis is lighter (1,200kg against nearly 1,500kg), however, energy costs (and hence carbon emmissions) in the build are higher for diesels.

 

Watch out if you have a non-particulate-filtered diesel, even if it is Euro IV compliant. I predict that we are going to get hit with heavier company car tax, due to the particulate pollution issues. I expect the treasury to wake up to the pollution issue next budget, and slap some extra duty on diesel. :)

 

The future is bioethanol - carbon neutral and (relatively) clean! :)

 

(Oh, and low capacity twin charger designs, like the VAG 1.4 fitted to the Golf GTI.)

[Guest gooner52]

vote 4 lower tax on diesel owners

and high tax on 2.3 owners

 

 

:) :) :) ;) ;)

[Guest Cepheus]

vote 4 lower tax on diesel owners

and high tax on 2.3 owners

 

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ;)

 

Vote for lower tax for people that HAVE to own people carriers due to the number of dependents you have and higher tax for the people that have people carriers just because they can afford to!!!!! :angry2: :huh: :lol:

[Bigjeeze]

To be honest I was just being silly - when I said that Diesel is the answer! It all depends on the question - I am on my third diesel and am very happy with it for all the reasons quoted by Tim & others .

 

 

 

Me admit a possible mistake!! Never!!!!!!! :lol:

 

 

 

One other major benefit is that with a diesel I can stay out of garages for longer as I can get 600 miles to the tank.

 

 

 

Bet you can't do that in a petrol model! :angry2:

[El Dingo]

To be honest I was just being silly - when I said that Diesel is the answer! It all depends on the question - I am on my third diesel and am very happy with it for all the reasons quoted by Tim & others .

 

 

 

Me admit a possible mistake!! Never!!!!!!! :lol:

 

 

 

One other major benefit is that with a diesel I can stay out of garages for longer as I can get 600 miles to the tank.

 

 

 

Bet you can't do that in a petrol model! :angry2:

 

That' something I can't disagree with... I HATE standing at the pumps filling up. :lol:

(Probably due to the fact that I was born in a garage, and worked the pumps as a part-time job.)

[teresa]

To be honest I was just being silly - when I said that Diesel is the answer! It all depends on the question - I am on my third diesel and am very happy with it for all the reasons quoted by Tim & others .

 

 

 

Me admit a possible mistake!! Never!!!!!!! :lol:

 

 

 

One other major benefit is that with a diesel I can stay out of garages for longer as I can get 600 miles to the tank.

 

 

 

Bet you can't do that in a petrol model! :angry2:

:lol: dunno never actually filled mine up fully :lol: but got 280 miles out of her on