Just Bought A Ghia

[Guest phillevy]

Hi

I have just bought a Galaxy Ghia 2.3 registered Sept 2003. What I wanted to know was what has changed in the specification since then, as I have only got the latest brochure to refer to and don't want to be disappointed when it is delivered. All the dealer says is that any changes are only cosmetic but I'm not convinced. Also he says I will only get one remote key but the latest brochure says the Ghia comes with two as standard. Any help would be appreciated.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

One remote key as standard until 2004 models launched. You won't get the chrome grille or chrome strip above the rear numberplate lamp either. Other than that, from memory there is almost no difference (different colours of paint and seat fabrics, different rear lamp style but same shape, slightly different alloy wheels, Ghia has dual aircon as standard on 2004 models) - the 2004 update is a very mild make-over.

[Guest phillevy]

Thanks for your quick reply. Are you saying I won't get dual air-con?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Not unless it was fitted as an option. You will get controls for the rear on the climate control panel, but only the dual aircon option gives you the extra vents in the headlining so that rear passengers get their own supply of cool air.

[Guest phillevy]

Thats seems quite a major difference to me. I did assume this would be standard. Do you think this is a popular addition to a 7 seater or is it unlikely I will have it? I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.

[Guest nimrod]

According to the 03 brouchure dual air con is a cost option on the ghia but is standard on the 2.8 ghia

[HJT]

It was fitted in mine and I've seen several others with it while being nosy in car parks so you never know you could get lucky, it is very useful.

The other difference is the material of the seats and trim. The new Galaxy material is nowhere near as nice as the older trim you will have, it looked cheap when I saw the new Galaxy in the showroom.

 

Howard

[Guest Tiggs]

i just bought my ghia last week and had to hunt a LOT for dual air....i would say that we found it in only 1 in 8-10 ghias....it got to the point where we phone up ppl advertising and asked that question first!

 

in the end had to travel from Reading to Sheffield to get one (only after the dealer sent us a pic of the air vents!)

[Guest phillevy]

Does anyone still have the 2003 brochure so that they could list the Ghia standard features? This seems the only way I can be sure what I'm getting. Thanks.

[Guest nimrod]

I have both march 03 and december 03's brouchures, the december one is the later one with the tacky chrome trim!

 

early 03......additional to Zetec

 

16'' 5 spoke alloys

elec opening rear window and rear quarter lights

colour coded door handles

500n radio cassette with 6 disk cd auto changer

air con with ATC

drivers seat lumbar adjustment

leather steering wheel, handbrake and gear knob

trip/fuel comp

graphic info module

 

2.8 v6 additional to ghia

 

heated front seats

dual air con

esp and eba

[HJT]

Nimrod, you need to seek help with this obsessive brochure collecting. Have you considered "Brochures Anonymous" :D

 

Howard

[rwtomkins]

Does anyone still have the 2003 brochure so that they could list the Ghia standard features? This seems the only way I can be sure what I'm getting. Thanks.

Er, with the greatest possible respect, Phillevy, and welcome to the group, wouldn't it have made a bit more sense to be sure of what you were getting BEFORE you bought the car rather than while awaiting delivery? I can't see the point in obsessing about it now, unless you have the means to cancel the purchase. As it is, you'll find out what you've got, soon enough.

 

Sorry but somebody had to say it.

[HJT]

I hardly think it's obsessing. I spent ages going over the specs of the car even after I'd ordered it.

 

Howard

[Guest phillevy]

rwtomkins, thanks for your welcome to the forum. I am certainly not obsessing over this issue, but as I only just discovered the forum thought it interesting to get some of your vast pool of knowledge. As I said in my first post, I did try to find out the spec and the dealer (wrongly) told me that changes were cosmetic. I had no reason to disbelieve him at the time. However, even if he had told me there was no dual aircon I don't think it would have stopped me ordering the car as this was not essential to our needs. I am obviously disappointed though, having only been given the 2004 brochure to refer to by the dealer, but am more than happy with the other features on the car! So rwtomkins I did try to find the exact spec but was wrongly informed. Thanks to you guys I am now (and will forever be) correctly informed. If I am to continue contributing though, I would expect the freedom to ask questions without fear of unecessary criticism (by all means pull me up if it is justified though!). Cheers Phil.

[Richmond]

If it turns out that you don't have dual air con, I shouldn't worry too much. I have it and almost never use it even with rear passengers, although I use the air con almost all the time, and there's more kit to go wrong. It would be more useful to have separate air con for the driver only so that the driver could be cooler than all the passengers (obviously most of us are cooler than our passengers anyway B) ).

[HJT]

How do you never use it? If you mean you always have the front and back temps the same, you are still using it because dual aircon supplies conditioned air through the rear vents even with both temps set the same. Single aircon only supplies conditioned air through the front vents and ordinary ambient air to the floor vents in the back.

 

Howard

[Richmond]

How do you never use it? If you mean you always have the front and back temps the same, you are still using it because dual aircon supplies conditioned air through the rear vents even with both temps set the same. Single aircon only supplies conditioned air through the front vents and ordinary ambient air to the floor vents in the back.

 

Howard

Yes, well, quite B) . What I should have said is that I rarely take advantage of the possibility of having the front and rear air cons running to different temperatures. I do sometimes, for example when driving at night and wishing to encourage the kids to kip (by keeping them warmish) while keeping myself at the peak of alertness (by keeping coolish). My wife falls asleep instantly in cars at any temperature (including notably in a Triumph Spitfire at a very, very noisy 90 ish, at night, in winter, with the top down and no working heater).

 

The max temperature difference is only 3 degs C, IIRC, so it hardly seems worth the expense and increased risk of problems (already high enough by the look of it). I wouldn't miss it.

[HJT]

My wife falls asleep instantly in cars at any temperature (including notably in a Triumph Spitfire at a very, very noisy 90 ish, at night, in winter, with the top down and no working heater).

Thats not sleep, it's a hypothermia induced coma B)

 

Howard

[Richmond]

My wife falls asleep instantly in cars at any temperature (including notably in a Triumph Spitfire at a very, very noisy 90 ish, at night, in winter, with the top down and no working heater).

Thats not sleep, it's a hypothermia induced coma B)

 

Howard

That'll be why she hasn't woken up yet (the journey was in 1998).

[Dally]

Like that banter guys!!

 

But Richmond I would disagree on the dual aircon bit. Even if you don't select a temperature gradient between back and front, I know that the whole vehicle cools down far more effectively.

Also I think you agree that it's better but then deny this as you yourself find that it's good just to keep the back a little warmer to encourage the kids to nod off - this always works for me!

 

Whilst 3 degrees is the maximum gradient, this is sufficient and in any case it would be very difficult to have any greater variance in such a confined space.

 

New buyers of ghia specs (not just the V6) will also find that it's now included in the spec at no cost (extra cost I should say).

[Guest phillevy]

I have spoken now to the dealership and they apologised for mis-informing me but feel that very few pre 2004 2.3 Ghias that come their way have the dual air-con. Therefore my only options seem to be either buy a new model (ouch!) or wait for some early 2004 cars to reach the market. As I said earlier I don't think it is worth cancelling the deal over this (they are also doing a good part-ex on my Espace) and I will just have to look forward to having it on my next one! The dealer does feel though that the basic air-con with ATC is still efficient in cooling the car and I hope it will be better in this respect to my Espace which has never been very good at this.

[Richmond]

But Richmond I would disagree on the dual aircon bit. Even if you don't select a temperature gradient between back and front, I know that the whole vehicle cools down far more effectively.

I thought of that after I'd written my earlier reply. I have nothing to compare it with, but you're probably right. Does the dual air con have 2 compressors? I suppose it must. Given the fairly weedy nature of the Galaxy air con, an extra compressor could be a big help.

[seatkid]

IIRC the dual a/c has one compressor and two evaporators.

 

I wonder if phillevy has confused the dual temperatue control c/c (standard on Ghia) with dual a/c?

[HJT]

Dual aircon is now standard on all Ghia models not just the 2.8.

 

Howard

[Ivor_E_Tower]

I wonder if phillevy has confused the dual temperatue control c/c (standard on Ghia) with dual a/c?

No, but I think his dealer has!