New Galaxy Owner - Car Needs A Few Bits Sorting...

[nickcockman]

Hi all. I have been reading this forum for a while whilst trying to get hold of a galaxy. Some really useful messages. Own a Vectra at the moment, but with the fourth child on the way need we need some more seats :)

 

Anyway, I managed to buy a private Galaxy that was in my budget. Taken a bit of a gamble on it as it doesn't have much history and the MOT had two days remaining! It's an 03 tdi Ghia 115 (well I think it is 115 - that's what autotrader said and it's got a silver badge with red round the edge!). It's in silver, just to be original and is well loosened up at 123,000 miles :wacko: Paid 4,250 for it, which hopefully will work out to be a good price. Have allocated 750 to sort any bits out on it - it has had a recent cambelt (previous owner had receipt) as the water pump failed about 10k ago.

 

I have a few questions about various bits, but maybe this isn't the right bit of the forum to ask them :) I did attempt to put one in the questions area, but seems like I don't have permission :(

 

Anyway, hello to all :) I'll sort my profile out as I don't think I have put much in it.

Cheers for now,

Nick

[jkspoff]

Welcome to this plethera of information that will no doubt prove invaluable for your ownership of the Galaxy, they are great cars and with a bit of TLC it'll see you right for a long time, and with 4 kids its ideal ! Fire away with any questions.

[gregers]

welcome to the forum nick,do a search for any problems most have already been posted/covered

but fire away with any questions you have and someone will do there best to answer as quickly as possible.good price for a 03 ghia gal.

[nickcockman]

Thanks for the warm welcome :) I have already made good use of the info on here to check the parking sensors were all working correctly (turned out to be a user error :unsure: ). The 'ticking' is actually very easy to hear - sounds a bit like static electricity.

 

These are a few of the things that I need to look into (in no particular order)...

 

1. Cruise control not working. The controls are on the steering wheel (user guide is from 2001 and shows it on the stick!?). Rear brake light was out when I purchased the car, but sorted that and cruise control still not working - no lights showing on the dash either (not sure if there should be light or not). The book suggests the fuse is shared with clock amongst other things, and that is ticking away nicely...

 

2. Climate control flashes when I put the ignition on, then stops flashing after about 10-15 seconds, which I understand means there is a fault. It seems to 'work' after finishing it's flashing, but doesn't blow cold. I am hoping it is just a regas - I might cry if the compressor has gone! Is there an easy way to check the compressor is working?

 

3. Rear discs look well worn. Is there a good place to get discs and pads, and how much should I be paying? Is it an easy job - changed the Vectra's a few times and that was fairly straight forward.

 

4. Looks like no haynes manual for MKII galaxies - is it worth getting a MKI book? Failing that might have to investigate getting t i s (am I allowed to mention that?).

 

5. I would like to get VAG-COM, would welcome feedback about which cable and how much of the galaxy you can diagnose with it - can it diagnose cruise control problems? :) I am assuming VAG-COM would be a really useful tool to have, especially if I intend to service and maintain the car myself.

 

6. Car came with one remote key, one normal, and the plastic pattern key (+some code). I am slightly confused about getting another remote key - which ones will work, can I source them cheap off ebay etc.

 

7. How can I find my engine number. I understand with this I can determine if it is the 115 or the 130 engine - I believe I have the 115. Still pulls exceptionally well for a little 1.9.

 

Anyway, that is pretty much it for now :) They are my main things to work through. Car is really good, fingers crossed it will pass the MOT ok. Really impressed with the flexible seating in the back - nice touches like two levers to drop the seat backs, levers for the outside middle seats to pop them forward (might ever work with our car seats attached!). Amazingly spacious - makes the vectra look like a toy car parked next to it :) I have to admit that when backing the galaxy it feels rather bus like, but normal driving feels little different to a standard car.

 

Cheers,

Nick

[stevie m]

Hi nick welcome. I find that gsf (German Swedish French) are very good for parts. You can find them online and they might even have a shop near you. They are very reasonable and helpful.

[nickcockman]

Thanks Stevie - I keep forgetting that the Ford Galaxy is more VW than Ford :unsure: I guess on GSF you search based on the VW Sharan?

[gregers]

cruise has been covered loads of times on here within the posts may have what your problem could be,air con lets hope it is just requiring a regas(iirc)kwik fit are doing a deal at the moment.TIS not allowed to mention this :unsure: very useful bit of kit,vag com is a good thing to have as well been mentioned recently about which lead to buy,remote key can be obtained from ebay,i got a remote and a new blank and had it cut at timpsons just make sure it has the same code as the 1 youve already got(stamped on the side of the remote) and you should be able to program it to your car as you all ready have 2 keys.hth a little.

 

whereabouts in the south east are you?

Edited July 12, 2008 by gregers

[stevie m]

Thanks Stevie - I keep forgetting that the Ford Galaxy is more VW than Ford :unsure: I guess on GSF you search based on the VW Sharan?

 

Yes, but if you can ring them base it on the gal.

[nickcockman]

Good suggestion - calling is probably better to get the right thing as well :unsure:

 

Gregers - I am just south of Cambridge, not really proper south east. There needs to be an east anglia or something :) Also, thanks for the notes about my queries. I'll dig around the forum and hopefully this will answer a lot of my questions. Thanks for the info about the keys. I found some on ebay with the right code. One thing that is puzzling me slightly is... I have one remote key and another non-remote key which both work fine. This must mean that the non-remote key has the imobiliser moulded into the plastic - is this correct? And also when you reprogram a remote key, you must also be reprogramming the imobiliser code as well?

 

I'll keep on reading... :)

Cheers,

Nick

[nickcockman]

ok - I have already found the PATS programming which is for the imobiliser chips (here) which is done in the ignition and up to 8 keys I believe - but I think you need two working keys to program more. The Remote programming is done in the door lock and you can add up to 4 Remote keys I believe. So I just need to find a Remote key on ebay that has the same number as mine, and also includes an imobiliser chip, and then get a blade cut to match the orig and pop that in..

 

All good fun :unsure: