HOW TO GET ONE IN YOUR GARAGE
An owner’s view
JULIETTE CUMMINGS
“We’ve had our Galaxy 2.0 TDCi 140 auto for five years. It was registered in 2013 and has done 60,000 miles, mainly around town. It has been super-reliable but for one thing: three years ago, we had to have the gearbox replaced. It just stopped working! The new one cost £2500. People asked me why I didn’t just sell the car, but it was cheaper to replace the gearbox. It has been fine since and now we make sure it’s serviced.”
Buyer beware…
■ ENGINE
Short journeys can gum up the 2.0 TDCi’s exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. Awarning light will come on. A 20-mile blast up the motorway should clear the blockage. Camshaft oil seals can fail prematurely, which is why a cambelt change at 65,000 miles is recommended. Some 1.6T engines have suffered cracked cylinder heads. On all versions, let the engine idle. If it’s uneven or won’t start, the engine control unit (ECU) may be at fault.