nick205
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 01:47 PM |
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Alhambra / Galaxy / Sharan - experience and opinions
Looking at changing SWMBOs faithful old 306 for one of the above. Having had a Seat Leon and been very very happy with it and the local Seat dealer
and the fact that they seem to be better value than the VW and less plasticky than the Ford, the Alhambra is the leading choice.
Been to see a couple - one v. tatty and one pretty tidy. Both 02 plates with 90-100k miles and reasonable service history.
Anyone had any of them and can offer an opinion or advice?
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britishtrident
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 02:33 PM |
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Look at the Kia Sedonna as well.
Don't touch automatics of any of them they all use the JATCO 5 speed transmision at anything over 70,000 they can go ecpensively bell up.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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bilbo
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 02:50 PM |
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My father-in-law has had a turbo-diesel Galaxy for years - he's been very happy with it. It must be pushing 160000 miles now and the VW engine
is still going very strong.
Main problem he's had is the diesel burning aux heater system - It's mounted under the car and fords/big puddles destroy them.
Parking sensors have also packed in.
[Edited on 23/11/09 by bilbo]
---------------------------------------
Build Diary: http://bills-locost.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://locost.atspace.com
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bbwales
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 03:08 PM |
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Hi,
I had the Alhambra for 5 years TDi model and I would say it was one of the best cars I have had, Totally reliable and very cost effective, I averaged
45 MPG and considering how heavy my right foot is that was good.
Regards
Bob
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stevec
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 03:17 PM |
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I have a 03plate 130bhp 6speed TD Galaxy, great car if you want to shift people or stuff but you will struggle to 6 people and all their holiday stuff
in. Over 43mpg even at motorway speeds. Only probs I have had and my mate had the very same problem is spline wear on the two piece drivers side
driveshaft, a £300 job if you DIY.I reckon the splines are cabbage after about 50k. You can get at least two pushbikes in the back with no
dismantling and a load of gear aswell, as said dont touch a auto, definatley get a diesel with the higher BHP. They handle really well and have loads
of grunt. CD autochangers rarely work Some suffer with odd tyre wear. I think its the best all round car I have ever had.
Steve
[Edited on 23/11/09 by stevec]
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nick205
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 03:51 PM |
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This is sounding more positive than I thought 
The better one we looked at was (I think) a 115 bhp and TBH felt a bit gutless compared to my 140bhp Passat as you might expect. Looks like I'm
hunting for a 130bhp model.
Auto box is out of the question anyway - I'd rather walk
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snapper
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 04:18 PM |
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2.0L petrol Galaxy totally underpowered and gutless
V6 Auto Galaxy R reg great power gearbox broke £2000
and its broken again also 12 mph round town, 18 mph average although i could get 24 mph on a gentle run to France 6 up with top box and a ton of
stuff.
Have used the 6 speed diesel and whilst very good, only did 35 mph on a run to Scotland, also experienced a very strange no power event a couple of
times, had to stop and let the ECU reset a couple of times.
I second the "don't go for an auto" statement very expensive.
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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McLannahan
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 04:44 PM |
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Some of the ECU's are mounted underneath the passenger seat. Often water can find its way into here. Have a good look to check that
they're not in standing water and it's nice and dry in there.
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nick205
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 04:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by snapper
2.0L petrol Galaxy totally underpowered and gutless
V6 Auto Galaxy R reg great power gearbox broke £2000
and its broken again also 12 mph round town, 18 mph average although i could get 24 mph on a gentle run to France 6 up with top box and a ton of
stuff.
Have used the 6 speed diesel and whilst very good, only did 35 mph on a run to Scotland, also experienced a very strange no power event a couple of
times, had to stop and let the ECU reset a couple of times.
I second the "don't go for an auto" statement very expensive.
So the diesel is considerably faster than the V6 petrol then...?  
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nick205
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 04:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Some of the ECU's are mounted underneath the passenger seat. Often water can find its way into here. Have a good look to check that
they're not in standing water and it's nice and dry in there.
Good tip - will check this!
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MautoK
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 05:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Auto box is out of the question anyway - I'd rather walk
<<<<<
He's whittling on a piece of wood. I got a feeling that when he stops whittling, something's gonna happen. (OUATITW/Cheyenne)
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Werner Van Loock
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 07:25 PM |
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we've just bought a new alhambra as we were tired of the 4year old espace that we only had for one year and costed us in excess of 5 grand of
breakdowns
the alhambra/sharan are soon to be replaced by a new model so seat has reduced the engine/option list to 1 engine and a base set of options. To me
that sounds as they only put on what they really trust/can keep supplying. So get a car that's near to the current model sold, can't go
too far wrong then.
It's the 115bhp engine, and if you look up the specs, the 115 bhp model has the same torque as the 130bhp model, so for driveability the 130bhp
adds nothing
one thing that i vote for the alhambra is the no nonsense design, especially compared to the espace, that one was full of useless gizmo's that
all went wrong like automatic headlights, auto wipers, auto handbrake, auto everything untill it stops working = £££
http://www.clubstylus.be
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Wheels244
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 09:22 PM |
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Had an Alhambra for 4 years.
Great car - went for this over the VW and Ford simply because you get all the toys as standard - mine is an SE and very highly specced. They are the
same car made on the same production line.
It's a Tiptronic - Auto - which is great, horses for courses and all that.
Aux heater has packed in - I know how to repair it ( replace the heater plug ) but haven't got round to it yet.
PD engine so expect to pay more for the oil.
Mines an 02 and I'll be keeping it to run into the ground - although properly serviced the TDI lasts for ages.
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jonesier1
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 09:39 PM |
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the p d diesel vw engine is good for well over 200k but they do suffer with cam followers wearing through at high milage resulting in a missfire and
thumping noise,also as mentioned the aux heaters cock up,the glowplug fails inside and they belch out smoke in cold temps.They go through track rod
ends,parking sensors corrode,cam belt intervals are low at 40k,and rear washer pipe comes apart in the passengers foot well making it wet.Oh and
finally the varible vain turbo's do suffer from sticking giving you an overboost problem with flashing glowplug light and power loss,ign off/on
will reset till it happens again.Thats about all i can think of at the mo
im in my own little world...its ok though they know me there
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 23/11/09 at 10:17 PM |
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Wierdest set of (normal) photos in an ebay car advert???
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-SEAT-ALHAMBRA-TDI-S-BLUE_W0QQitemZ180436103778QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item2a02d47262
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bj928
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| posted on 24/11/09 at 02:20 AM |
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i'm looking at getting one as soon as i can find the bloody rare one i want, its the sharan mk2, v6 4motion (4x4) 6 speed, apparently they are
about but i can't seem to find one, will be running it on LPG, so it'll have the power from the v6 but cost the same (or better) as diesel
to run.
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nick205
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| posted on 24/11/09 at 10:39 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by bj928
i'm looking at getting one as soon as i can find the bloody rare one i want, its the sharan mk2, v6 4motion (4x4) 6 speed, apparently they are
about but i can't seem to find one, will be running it on LPG, so it'll have the power from the v6 but cost the same (or better) as diesel
to run.
I get the feeling you NEED a V engine - a straight 4 just won't do
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nick205
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| posted on 24/11/09 at 10:41 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
Wierdest set of (normal) photos in an ebay car advert???
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-SEAT-ALHAMBRA-TDI-S-BLUE_W0QQitemZ180436103778QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item2a02d47262
 They're really not trying too hard to sell that car are they!
Do you think it comes with a free parking ticket or maybe you have to collect it from Dagenham car pound
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