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Jul 23, 2018 17:20:03 GMT
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I'm sure you've considered this, but having had a 52 plate Galaxy a few years ago, the engine access wasnt brilliant. I had the windscreen wipers seize up and what should have been a couple of hours to get the mechanism out, greased and back in turned into an all dayer plus needing gynaecologist-esq hands/arms to get to back of the engine bay.
If you're intending doing a lot of DIY, probably worth checking on the access first.
FWIW mine was a 115bhp auto so never really bothered about a remap. We had a few minor issues (aside from the wipers) - one was the MAF getting dirty and going in to limp-home mode - 9 times out of ten, it just needed the engine stopping and restarting to be ok. On the tenth, it needed was a wipe over with some solvent cleaner. Ran for 20k miles until it got to happening every few hundred miles so bought a replacement. The drop links to the front ARB seemed to made of chocolate, didnt matter if I got dealer OEM or eBay cheapest, they all lasted about 5k. Luckily only a few £s and easy to change - once you've done a couple you can actually change them without taking off the wheel if needs be.
The last thing, which was a right PITA and could have been quite serious is the spare wheel is underneath the boot floor and held on with a 'winch' type thing operated by a big nut just inside the boot lid. Ours was completely corroded to curse word and the steel wire rusted quite badly. Had I not checked, as best I wouldnt have been able to get the wheel off if we'd had a puncture, and at worse the wire might have broken and dropped the wheel on the road in front of someone following.
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Jul 23, 2018 17:22:57 GMT
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Oh and just remembered, ours was a six seater (possibly cos it was Ghia trim). Which actually worked out quite well cos you could have the two kids one behind the other and still get long things in the car without needing the roof rack.
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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Jul 23, 2018 17:40:05 GMT
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If you get a 130, a map alone gets you 180. Cat gut and air filter, slightly lowered on springs and some brakes from an Audi or Passat. Done. That, is exactly what I wanted to hear 😍
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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Jul 23, 2018 17:55:35 GMT
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Oh and just remembered, ours was a six seater (possibly cos it was Ghia trim). Which actually worked out quite well cos you could have the two kids one behind the other and still get long things in the car without needing the roof rack. I'll reply to both posts in 1. ACCESS: yeah, I'm aware. We had a 2007 galaxy, and it was curse word to work on. Brakes were fine, did them solo. Battery was a nightmare. RUST: again, something I'm familiar with. Had 5 Fords 😂 SEATING: most I've seen are 7 Sears. The rear 2, would be skipped on day one. Middle seats, I'd keep LHS for jnr.. probably remove the other 2 when we went away. Get bikes etc in the car, save dicking about with a bike rack.
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Jul 23, 2018 22:19:24 GMT
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If you get a 130, a map alone gets you 180. Cat gut and air filter, slightly lowered on springs and some brakes from an Audi or Passat. Done. That, is exactly what I wanted to hear 😍 Researching this made me go outside this evening and start making the adapters for my AMG brembos to for my 345mm R36 discs
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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That, is exactly what I wanted to hear 😍 Researching this made me go outside this evening and start making the adapters for my AMG brembos to for my 345mm R36 discs That's a lot of brakes... I saw an Alhambra on banded steels on the Facebook page.... Looked awesome
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Jul 24, 2018 21:03:48 GMT
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They will fit 16” steelies with a 40mm spacer (no thanks!) or 17” (just!) with a 10mm. Matte black for stealth. Drilled and grooved discs, i needed something to stop 240bhp, even though it’s only a bit more than my TFSI Eos (and same 312mm brakes), it feels like flying an Me162...
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Jul 24, 2018 21:32:39 GMT
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Frankly I would look for a 130 and add sensible lowering springs which do help if towing. Bearing in mind you are looking for a cheap, economical and RELIABLE workhorse adding bigger injectors, cam, etc etc doesn't appear to be the direction you want to go in. The 130 can safely do 160 going 180 is do-able , I wouldn't though. The 115 can go to 140 . Avoid automatics and check the 6 speed isn't whining madly on the overrun. Also remember under new MOT rules cat and EGR delete are fails. The egr can be neutered without coding or removing.
As said previously I used blacksmoke.co.uk/ for remaps DIY loaded with a Galletto lead and am/have been really happy with the results.
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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Frankly I would look for a 130 and add sensible lowering springs which do help if towing. Bearing in mind you are looking for a cheap, economical and RELIABLE workhorse adding bigger injectors, cam, etc etc doesn't appear to be the direction you want to go in. The 130 can safely do 160 going 180 is do-able , I wouldn't though. The 115 can go to 140 . Avoid automatics and check the 6 speed isn't whining madly on the overrun. Also remember under new MOT rules cat and EGR delete are fails. The egr can be neutered without coding or removing.
As said previously I used blacksmoke.co.uk/ for remaps DIY loaded with a Galletto lead and am/have been really happy with the results. Cheers, sensible advice. 130 is preferred. Remap to 160 would be fine I suspect. Lowering.. 30mm, stiffen up. EGR etc isn't a concern w/r removal, I'm happy to leave it in. Just need the classic gone so I can go shopping ETA: I'd go for a manual
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Last Edit: Jul 25, 2018 8:51:18 GMT by mgmrw
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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They will fit 16” steelies with a 40mm spacer (no thanks!) or 17” (just!) with a 10mm. Matte black for stealth. Drilled and grooved discs, i needed something to stop 240bhp, even though it’s only a bit more than my TFSI Eos (and same 312mm brakes), it feels like flying an Me162... Nice. Agree on spacers. Some nice shiny silver steelies would do. Brakes would be upgraded for towing IF they proved to be an issue. We like north Yorkshire and Cornwall, also Scotland. All 3 have lots of hills. Big twin axle caravan, family kit, bikes.. I'd like to KNOW that it'll haul it's ass to a stop. I run 314mm on my 9-3 for similar reasons. The 28Xmm ones were useless on hills, laden.
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I nearly crashed mine coming over the old road between Uppermill and Huddersfield a few years ago on a visit home. Turns out that lots of hills and big heavy car don’t match. Didn’t get a chance to go fast in Cornwall in 2016, too much traffic. Never driven in Scotland. I think most galaxy come with 16” steel wheels, if not 16” Passat ones fit too. That’s what I bought to try and make Passat look Q-car but big brakes > hiding power. Fitted 17” Macau wheels instead, can’t see the brakes almost at all! Didn’t want the wheel wobble with big spacers. Think Passat is ~1450kg. ShaGAlhamba are about 1650kg AFAIK. Mate bought one to move house from Cork to Swindon in one, a 2.3 petrol galaxy. Thirsty barsteward, but cheaper than a one way removals lorry.
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mgmrw
Part of things
Posts: 701
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I nearly crashed mine coming over the old road between Uppermill and Huddersfield a few years ago on a visit home. Turns out that lots of hills and big heavy car don’t match. Didn’t get a chance to go fast in Cornwall in 2016, too much traffic. Never driven in Scotland. I think most galaxy come with 16” steel wheels, if not 16” Passat ones fit too. That’s what I bought to try and make Passat look Q-car but big brakes > hiding power. Fitted 17” Macau wheels instead, can’t see the brakes almost at all! Didn’t want the wheel wobble with big spacers. Think Passat is ~1450kg. ShaGAlhamba are about 1650kg AFAIK. Mate bought one to move house from Cork to Swindon in one, a 2.3 petrol galaxy. Thirsty barsteward, but cheaper than a one way removals lorry. Oh aye, I know how useful they are. Our MK3 Galaxy was so useful, but the most unreliable car I've ever owned. And it was a £5k car. W/r brakes, the Saab was always too heavy for the 280mm setup. 2up, dog, weeks luggage, 3bikes... Scotland. Motorway was fine, but twisty stuff, no confidence and Pagid discs and pads were curse word.
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