Mk2 Vs Mk3 - Did They Improve It?

[Scope]

Hi,

 

I've been driving a 2003 mk2 for 7 year now and are generally very pleased with it, however time has come to buy a new (2010/2011) car and I keep coming back to the Galaxy as the best option.. (The S-max not having a spare tire is really putting me off it)

 

I've got a couple of questions regard the current version of the Galaxy vs the MK2 version:

 

1) Is the new one better insulated for sound driving down the motorway, etc?  The Mk2 is pretty loud and one of the complaints we've got with it.

2) How is fuel consumption on the Mk2 vs the Mk3?  My Mk2 does 450 miles on a tank if I drive carefully.

 

Hopefully some of you have owned both and can tell me if the Mk3 is any better. :)

[chrispb123456]

Having had the MK3 now for nearly two years still not convinced it's a better car but bare in mind the MK1&2 is really a VW and the MK3 is totally Ford.

 

No spare on galaxy or s-max, in reality never needed one in my ten years of galaxy's.

 

MPG is not better in fact going by the computer 37 to 38 and that's driving really miserly,start using the power and this reduces drastically.

 

Steering is very precise on the MK3 (electronic power steering)

 

The ride is not so good on bad roads, suspension is much firmer on MK3

 

We went for the six speed manual box because I'm not that keen on the powershift auto but with hindsight it may have been better choice as I can really struggle to reverse up my driveway without stalling it especially when loaded up, seems reverse gear ratio is to high, OK if you want to do 40 MPH in reverse lol

 

Personally if I had the choice I would prefer a new MK2 as I think the overall experience and drive is better.

 

Don't let that put you off this is only my opinion have some test drives before deciding.

[gregers]

i now have an smax,and as chris says a lot of these type of new cars only have the inflation kit as they have no room provided for a spare,but i bought 1 and store it in my boot.

again like chris im also not getting anywhere near the mpg i did in my old mk2 but the standard of kit on my titanium is very nice,even compared to the ghia i had.

you will get differing opinions from all and sundry over these cars.do your research test drive a few then make your mind up.

[Scope]

Thanks guys.. I will arrange some test drives, and might as well consider the s-max if the galaxy doesnt have a spare either. :(   I find it shocking that a family car does not have space for a spare tire.  I must say though, that the reviews of the S-max is even more all over the place, it seems very hit and miss.

[gregers]

auto express rate or did.the smax very highly.

[Scorpiorefugee]

I agree with everything that Gregers and Chris have said and you may like to have a look at the post I started in this section over six months ago. I hate the front seats - somewhere between a bucket and a commode and the back end does a jig if you hit even a small bump on a bend but that has improved somewhat after letting a bit of air out and with the effect of warm weather on those awful run flat tyres. Try to keep away from 17" wheels and run flats. The steering is actually great and it does stay nicely level on a smooth bendy road - just so long as there are no rough patches - then it can get nerve wracking. The interior is nowhere near as tolerant to rough use as the old ones and the third row seating is a waste of time for adults. I saw someone visiting a neighbour a couple of days ago with the same model as mine and he made exactly the same comments. In fact his actual words were "It's Bl00dy awful on corners." 

My biggest issue is the stalling problem and that seems to be to do with the throttle set up. The throttle movement seems to be about half that of the MKI/MKII and then most of the action is at the top half inch. Today (I rarely used the damned thing) I tried to increase the revs smoothly from tick-over to 2000rpm and it seems to jump from 1100 to 1500 being virtually impossible to get it in the middle and it also seems to have a bit of a delay in the process which I put down as the cause of the fact that I either stall it on take off or set off in a squeal of tyres. This also has the unfortunate side effect of suddenly taking off just after winding it up to 30 in a built up area and dropping it in 4th when after about a second or two without any movement of the throttle it surges and unless you ease up quickly ( and it's only a hairs breadth movement of the throttle) you can find the speed rapidly approaching 40. This was mentioned in a post by a 1.6L owner about a year ago so I have assumed that it is a standard 'feature'

I am trying hard to get to like this thing and every time I get in I think "What am I complaining about?" but it is just these stupid "improvements" that the idiot designers seem to be putting on all new cars that are making life an absolute misery and I am just pleased that I still have my MKII - when I can get my son to  let me have it back!

If Gregers reads this, and I am sure he will, I should be interested in his thoughts on my comments about the throttle.

Also, slightly off topic, I went into a Ford dealer to try a road test on an S-Max 2.0L Titanium Manual but they only had the Auto and unfortunately I couldn't get into it unless the seat was fully down and then I couldn't drive it until I put the seat back up because of the damned arm rest but then I have to drive the Galaxy with it up and open.

I have come to the conclusion that, as a fit and healthy 6'  14 st fully grown adult male I am now considered to be severely deformed by most car designers. :(   

And finally, I did look at a lot of other options and I liked them even less. I guess it's progress.

Edited August 23, 2013 by Scorpiorefugee

[gregers]

scorpio,

 

i too am 6' and to be honest have no probs getting in and out of the smax or finding a comfortable driving position nor does my eldest who is 6'4",did you adjust the steering rake and reach aswell??.

as for the throttle,we have 2 smax's in our house(missus 1 goes back end of september)AND i was forever stalling the bloody thing,she hardley ever stalls it,i put this down to being a spanker rather then mine which is WELL run in or that she perhaps knows how to drive properly :35: .on mine its faster and gets better mpg,hers has got about 25k mines got 107k,trouble is its a long for customers to wait to get the best out of there cars.

[Scorpiorefugee]

Gregers, I think one of the problems is that the specs on the Titanium have "evolved" and the 2 litre 140 engine is the latest "more efficient" version which may account for the possible discrepancies. I am a little longer in the body than the newer leggy generations but have never had problems with any previous cars - including an original Fiat Panda. I can get into the S-Max but then, as I said, the arm rest becomes a nuisance. It's not just me anyway, my passengers much prefer to travel in the old Gal and Picasso. There have been several comments about the roof boxes rattling. In fact, just about everything rattles on our typical country roads. I may be old fashioned but I cannot see the point of a sporty set up in a vehicle intended for 7 especially when we spend most of the time in slow moving traffic or cruising down motorways etc. Give me a MKI Ghia anyday. I could then travel more than a couple of miles without wondering why my backside is in a hole and the seat seems to be totally lacking in padding.

The sad part is that all manufacturers seem to have the came mindset.

Just for the record, I have managed 43mpg over the last 1400 miles (nearly 5 months!) wheras the old MKII was doing around 50 and on one recent trip it did 57 but there were a lot of 50mph speed restrictions.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Scorpiorefugee