MG ZT 190+ - Should I?

Author
Discussion

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

150 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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Did these engines get a name for eating head gaskets? Or did that end with the K series?

SebastienClement

1,952 posts

142 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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BFG TERRANO said:
Did these engines get a name for eating head gaskets? Or did that end with the K series?
Ends with the I4 K series.

If you'll see my post on page one the previous incarnation of this engine did build up a reputation for head problems, but not the revised engine fitted to the 75 & ZT cars.

MGgeordie

939 posts

186 months

Monday 12th November 2012
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I am seriously tempted with one of these. I currently run a ZT, albeit a 1.8 non-turbo which I love but its too underpowered, thats why I'm tempted with a V6 as I do live in a hilly area & make a journey across the pennines each day to work.

If I were to go from a 1.8 to a 2.5V6 would I see a drastic increase in fuel consumption? Its just I do have to give mine some beans to get it up inclines and feel that with the power to weight ratio I may not be that much worse off? Anyone care to enlighten Me otherwise? According to the trip computer, my 1.8 is doing 25mpg round town, 42mpg on a run (60 - 70mph motorway) and combined is around 34mpg.

Also, whats the road tax per year on the V6? The one I was looking at is a 53 plate, same age as my current 1.8

T84

6,941 posts

196 months

Monday 12th November 2012
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Drive it first, I REALLY wanted to love it but I couldn't get on with the driving position.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

192 months

Monday 12th November 2012
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BFG TERRANO said:
Did these engines get a name for eating head gaskets? Or did that end with the K series?
Or you could have tried reading the posts above yours... rolleyes

john2443

6,353 posts

213 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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I've just seen a black ZT 190, 51 plate at our local indy garage (Brighton) for £500 - looks tidy but the notice in the window says 'Runs well but very smoky in the morning'. Valve guides?

It's not mine, just though I'd mention it in case anyone handy with a spanner was interested at that price, PM me for details if you are.

chris watton

22,477 posts

262 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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BFG TERRANO said:
Did these engines get a name for eating head gaskets? Or did that end with the K series?
rolleyes

I can't believe you actually hit the submit button with that post.

chris watton

22,477 posts

262 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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We bought a 53 plate ZT-T 190 when we arrived back in the UK and sold our left hooker in 2010. I bought it for £3k, thinking it would last a few months while we moved stuff around and settled in. We ended up keeping it for three years it was so good. The only costs we had during that three years, over and above basic servicing was a new SS exhaust.

StefanVXR8

3,603 posts

200 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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I've had a couple of ZT's in the past, granted when they were fairly new and they were both totally problem free.

I currently have my shed Rover 75 which has the KV6 2.5 Auto and has 146,000 miles on it. I picked it up for £500 with 143,00 miles on the clock and I was aware the cambelt needed doing as it was last done 70,000 miles ago. It cost about £750 inc. all belts, water pump and an oil change and I was told that the belt most definitely needed doing after its last 70,000 miles!

The KV6 is a great engine, it's smooth, quiet and mine will return 35mpg on a run at 70-75mph, and that's recorded via a proper full tank and refill test. I currently use mine as my daily runner whilst on a contract in Scotland and when I'm home for a couple of weeks I do bring it back with me, like yesterday for example.

It was an absolute pleasure do the 400+ mile trip in it. The ZT's were just the same, comfortable long distance cruisers.

I bought mine with the plan of using it in Scotland to save the cost of a hire car each week as I didn't want to take my VXR8 and when the contract is finished I'd sell it on for whatever it makes. But to be honest, I've become quite attached to it. It's fully loaded with special blue leather, every option and everything works. Now I've had the cambelt done I'll probably keep it as a daily runner when I return back to the south for work and keep my VXR8 as my low mileage weekend car!





Stef

davepoth

29,395 posts

201 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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Lovely bit of kit. Almost makes me want to clean the inside of mine. smile

TwigtheWonderkid

43,690 posts

152 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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jamieduff1981 said:
There are 3 belts to do, but 2 of them are an absolute dawdle.
Well do them quicker then!

lincsls2

3,359 posts

142 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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Yes you should. Nice cars and now bargain basement price, a lot of car for the money.
Amazing how things change, 15 years ago £1000 would buy a rough 2nd hand car with plenty of rust. Now, as you say £1000 gets a really tidy, I bet completely rust free, sports saloon with years left in it.

wildcat45

8,081 posts

191 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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As a wafty thing , mine is great. It's not a performance car though.

I needed a big cheap car to shift stuff while renovating a house. The ZT-T does the job just fine.

The only problem I have had in nearly a year is that the telly/SatNav/radio has stopped working along with the elec mirrors. The local garage couldn't find the cause.

Plenty of nice ones with good spec out there, and some fun colours if you find a Minogam edition like mine.

It's a cracking engine and mine sounds great with the X power exhaust that it came with.

I use mine to potter around our holiday home in Galloway. 20 year old Barbour on and the dog in the back it fits in perfectly with its surroundings, more so than my 2013 Freelander.

mine has 170 k on it, with a FSH. A recent service and new discs all round, I'll keep it for a while. It suits me as a nice weekend car, but it's nice on a long trip.

If MGR had not gone tits up, I would probably have bought one new in 2007 and would be driving a new version of whatever would have replaced it now. Not an MG6.

An indication of the sort of car it is is this. My business partner who has Saab 900 and 93 Turbos borrows it and loves it. I've another good mate who I lend it to when he comes home to visit family. He's got a Z4M but is looking at a ZT-T as a replacement for his elderly Volvo hack.



Edited by wildcat45 on Sunday 22 December 10:33

Synchromesh

2,428 posts

168 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
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StefanVXR8 said:
I've had a couple of ZT's in the past, granted when they were fairly new and they were both totally problem free.

I currently have my shed Rover 75...
How do the ZT and 75 compare? At the moment, an auto one of these seems to be strongest contender for my next car, either the CDTi or a KV6 on LPG.

wildcat45

8,081 posts

191 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
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They aren't bad looking cars. Mine washed and polished the other night.


fourpointsixgt

513 posts

166 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
jamieduff1981 said:
There are 3 belts to do, but 2 of them are an absolute dawdle.
Well do them quicker then!
Is it a quad cam V6?

wildcat45

8,081 posts

191 months

Sunday 22nd December 2013
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It is.

sjc

14,046 posts

272 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Absolute belter here for £2500 top spec, nice colour, belst done, and from a proper specialist dealer.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-05-MG-ZT-2-5-190-V6...