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Very dodgy V6 engine story on new Ford Galaxy - advice sought

Hi all from a drizzly Warsaw, Poland

First post here. Would appreciate your comments on this story:

I bought a new Galaxy V6 in Sep '04. Even though I am not a car expert, I thought something was wrong with the engine from day one ("gaps" in the power curve and generally not much oomph). Four visits to the dealer all ended with the same story "nothing's wrong with your engine, sir" (on the fourth occasion the dealer invited Ford Poland and the Polish Motoring Association to take part).

I started to think it was my imagination. As a last effort, I gave the car to a local car journalist to try out. He shared my view and took it to a local test centre, where the test showed 20% less HP and 25% less torque than there should be. Also the power curve was nowhere near smooth.

I have now embarked on a legal battle with Ford (I want them to take the car back on warranty and give me back my 25 grand). They are having none of it - they took the car to another test centre and won't show me the results. At the end of the test they claim there was a failure in the cooling system and they had the car towed to their garage where it has been sitting for a week. I think they are trying to repair the car without telling me.

The journalist thinks it is something to do with a device that measures the fuel/air mixture coming into the engine.

- What do you think? Is it possible that this car could be repaired without replacing some parts (we are having an independent mechanic check out the car when Ford give it back to see what has been done to it)

- isn't it a bit strange that there was a leakage of coolant fluid in a one-year old car with 15k miles on the clock?

One more strange thing - the service on this car is at 15k km intervals. After about 8k km the service indicator told me it was time to put the car in for servicing. The garage said "your computer's so intelligent, it adjusts the service interval to the driving style". Is this true or utter rubbish? If it's rubbish, could this mean I've been sold a used car instead of a new one?

I would appreciate your views and advice, and also if you could point me to any other sites or discussion groups where I could post this story. I think Ford's behaviour is disgusting and I would like others to know about it (by the way, this is my fourth Ford and second Galaxy V6 in a row, I was a big fan until this car and this reaction from Ford)

Many thanks Adam

Reply to
McChazza
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By the way, the lambda probe has already been replaced - with no effect.

Reply to
McChazza

It's the case with many cars. Cruising down a motorway all day puts a lot less strain on things than short town journeys with lots of cold starts. As does how hard you drive the car. BMW have had service indicators which take into account such things for many a year.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Surely the service interval wouldn't reduce by almost 50%?

When I took it to the garage, Ford reset the counter and told me it was an "error". I serviced the car at 15k km.

And if this is the case, why tell users they should service the car every 15k km? Why not just say "service intervals vary"?

Also, my driving style hasn't changed a lot and since that time this hasn't recurred?

Not that I am into conspiracy theories, but I have heard stories in the local press of used cars being sold as new by dealers.

Adam

Reply to
McChazza

Look in the service manual. You'll see service schedules for average mileage, long distance and low mileage. Not only will it state the mileage but there'll be something like a "6 months or 6,000 miles" meaning the service is due after 6 months even if you've not done 6,000 miles.

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Reply to
Conor

No...in fact it would be INCREASED.

Because they do.

Ah yes...the ever accurate media. Just how do you sell a used car as new bearing in mind it has a VIN number which will be registered to an OLDER car? DVLA won't let them and I can't imagine main dealers "ringing" cars which involves cutting out chassis numbers and welding in new plates then stamping a new VIN number on as well as grinding off the engine number and stamping a new one in.

Reply to
Conor

Didn't read the OP did you Conor?

He's in Poland FFS

Reply to
shazzbat

Sorry, the UK.rec bit threw me.

Reply to
Conor

ISTR that for my old Mondeo as well if it was town driving the intervals were every 6k miles, motorway every 10k miles. That's a fairly huge change in service interval as well.

Reply to
Chris Street

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