MGF Buying Advice...
Discussion
Hello,
My missus is looking at the MGF as her daily motor, a Purple one will do, What will I need to look for as regards to problems or weaknesses these cars have being used daily. I used to own a TVR so be honest about build quality etc. There are many differect Types of MGF's VVC, 160, Trophy etc. where is a good source of info on there differences. Are the hard tops worth having? I don't even know the second hand car values are like. Any help advice welcome.
Cheers
G.
My missus is looking at the MGF as her daily motor, a Purple one will do, What will I need to look for as regards to problems or weaknesses these cars have being used daily. I used to own a TVR so be honest about build quality etc. There are many differect Types of MGF's VVC, 160, Trophy etc. where is a good source of info on there differences. Are the hard tops worth having? I don't even know the second hand car values are like. Any help advice welcome.
Cheers
G.
It's a bit of a pudding in terms of handling, but in this case I don't think that's too relevant.
I had a problem with mine when you touch the brakes one side would bite harder than the other and pull the car to the left. I've heard other complaints about this too. Something to do with the caliper IIRC.
Build quality wasn't too cracky either, but is was reliable, started up first time every time.
Hood leaked like a sinking ship, but it was easy put up and down.
My mother in law had an MX5 and the MG wasn't a patch on that.
This is just my experience of two of them the 1.8i and 1.8vvc, I'm sure others on here will have more favourable views.
Oh and my dealer was excellent.
>> Edited by schueymcfee on Tuesday 11th February 14:46
I had a problem with mine when you touch the brakes one side would bite harder than the other and pull the car to the left. I've heard other complaints about this too. Something to do with the caliper IIRC.
Build quality wasn't too cracky either, but is was reliable, started up first time every time.
Hood leaked like a sinking ship, but it was easy put up and down.
My mother in law had an MX5 and the MG wasn't a patch on that.
This is just my experience of two of them the 1.8i and 1.8vvc, I'm sure others on here will have more favourable views.
Oh and my dealer was excellent.
>> Edited by schueymcfee on Tuesday 11th February 14:46
Hello Prancing
You will find quite a good guide to buying an MGF here: www.mgf.4mg.com/. Select MGF buying guide from top left hand drop down.
There are basically three types of MG F. The 120p.s. 1.8i, 145 p.s. VVC and the Trophy 160. All are powered by varients of Rover's K series engine (also fitted in the Elise).
The Trophy was a limited run of around 750 towards the end of the F production run. As well of cosmetic differences which arguably made it the best looking F, it featured lowered and stiffened suspension (yes it's very stiff!), AP racing brakes, sport exhaust etc. On paper it has a sub 7 second 0-60 time.
The only major upgrade which appeared in the life of the F came in the 2000 model year. I would strongly advise you went for one of these cars or later, as this is when improvements in the engine were introduced to reduce the risk of HGF. There were a host of other minor improvements to.
Oh and they are really good fun to!
You will find quite a good guide to buying an MGF here: www.mgf.4mg.com/. Select MGF buying guide from top left hand drop down.
There are basically three types of MG F. The 120p.s. 1.8i, 145 p.s. VVC and the Trophy 160. All are powered by varients of Rover's K series engine (also fitted in the Elise).
The Trophy was a limited run of around 750 towards the end of the F production run. As well of cosmetic differences which arguably made it the best looking F, it featured lowered and stiffened suspension (yes it's very stiff!), AP racing brakes, sport exhaust etc. On paper it has a sub 7 second 0-60 time.
The only major upgrade which appeared in the life of the F came in the 2000 model year. I would strongly advise you went for one of these cars or later, as this is when improvements in the engine were introduced to reduce the risk of HGF. There were a host of other minor improvements to.
Oh and they are really good fun to!
Well, my missus has an MGF and a purple one at that - with a purple hard top.
Opinion, well it's a woman's sports car to be honest. Light clutch, PAS makes 'em a doddle for your average gel. Don't see too many blokes driving 'em. Handling is OK, always starts, paintwork gets marked easily though I've found from bird crap and the like.
Our hard top leaks more than the soft top due to fit of the front windows, and since hardtop has been fitted, INSIDE of screen gets iced up this time of year, not just the outside. Interior quite hard wearing if treated gently.
A lot of fun and quite reasonable handling. No engine problems - 1997 P reg - 21k FSH.
Servicing light on the wallet through Rover dealers in my experience.
Get her one soon. Ours is probably worth £7500 but that was an off-top-of-head figure without researching it. May be less.
Opinion, well it's a woman's sports car to be honest. Light clutch, PAS makes 'em a doddle for your average gel. Don't see too many blokes driving 'em. Handling is OK, always starts, paintwork gets marked easily though I've found from bird crap and the like.
Our hard top leaks more than the soft top due to fit of the front windows, and since hardtop has been fitted, INSIDE of screen gets iced up this time of year, not just the outside. Interior quite hard wearing if treated gently.
A lot of fun and quite reasonable handling. No engine problems - 1997 P reg - 21k FSH.
Servicing light on the wallet through Rover dealers in my experience.
Get her one soon. Ours is probably worth £7500 but that was an off-top-of-head figure without researching it. May be less.
huge_ego said: Hi Prancing,
A hard top gets my vote. You can neither demist the plastic rear screen nor scrape it to remove frost.
Depending on where it's parked, the extra security of a hard top can be reassuring too.
I'd agree - but we had to have the connector and switch fitted for the HRW - if the car didn't come with a hardtop they don't fit one from new either.
£60 from Rover dealer.
>> Edited by MikeyT on Thursday 20th February 14:10
What is it with women and the purple colour of MGFs?
I've been looking at one with my missus, and she really likes it, VVC, hard top, low kms, bloody good nick.
But it's green and not purple.
BLOODY HELL.
Think we'll wait a couple of years, and the price with have dropped quite a bit me thinks.
I've been looking at one with my missus, and she really likes it, VVC, hard top, low kms, bloody good nick.
But it's green and not purple.
BLOODY HELL.
Think we'll wait a couple of years, and the price with have dropped quite a bit me thinks.
To be honest i really wouldnt bother with buying an F. I had one for just over a year and it was pants! Boring to drive, looks dated now and has shody and drab interior.
I never really drive my cars particularly hard but before i sold it the thing just gave up. It was a 96 P with under 30k on the clock when i bought it. In my last two months of ownership it failed its MOT and cost me about £1000 in engine work to sort it out. From the start there was a dodgy exhaust note that never got sorted, ever time it went to the garage another new thing popped up. The final straw was the roof leaking .... washed the car, drove it into the garge and got a very wet bum!
If you want a soft top roadster for the missus i would look at getting the new shaped MX5 or going for the MGTF (apparently its a lot better now). Im still of the opinion MG is flashy rover (and we all know how crap they are), I certainly will never go back.
I never really drive my cars particularly hard but before i sold it the thing just gave up. It was a 96 P with under 30k on the clock when i bought it. In my last two months of ownership it failed its MOT and cost me about £1000 in engine work to sort it out. From the start there was a dodgy exhaust note that never got sorted, ever time it went to the garage another new thing popped up. The final straw was the roof leaking .... washed the car, drove it into the garge and got a very wet bum!
If you want a soft top roadster for the missus i would look at getting the new shaped MX5 or going for the MGTF (apparently its a lot better now). Im still of the opinion MG is flashy rover (and we all know how crap they are), I certainly will never go back.
Big Chris said: To be honest i really wouldnt bother with buying an F. I had one for just over a year and it was pants! Boring to drive, looks dated now and has shody and drab interior.
I never really drive my cars particularly hard but before i sold it the thing just gave up. It was a 96 P with under 30k on the clock when i bought it. In my last two months of ownership it failed its MOT and cost me about £1000 in engine work to sort it out. From the start there was a dodgy exhaust note that never got sorted, ever time it went to the garage another new thing popped up. The final straw was the roof leaking .... washed the car, drove it into the garge and got a very wet bum!
If you want a soft top roadster for the missus i would look at getting the new shaped MX5 or going for the MGTF (apparently its a lot better now). Im still of the opinion MG is flashy rover (and we all know how crap they are), I certainly will never go back.
Well our experience has been just the opposite.
Granted they're a bit of a women's car (see my other posts below) but we've had no trouble with ours other than the leaky hardtop. And even that;s in the top of the garage now and the missus has had the wind in her hair ... she loves it.
And the purple ... it's just one of THOSE colours ... the current IN thing ... just like Changing Rooms etc, every bleedin' room is purple!
Mind you, makes a change from BRG, said he with a Cooper Green Chim
GF has just brought from new a TF. She's had it since the start of April, it's been back 4 times now. Mainly due to a leaking roof, seems to be in the corner where the door mirrors meet the door, as the rain runs down the passenger door trim panel and sits in the speaker, the heater switch failed.
The build quality is not up to, what I believe to be that of a new car. We had to sort out the trim fitting behind the seats, as none of it was fitted correct. Various rattles from the roof, and a squeaking dash console. The gearbox seem to be quite stiff (but I think this is the norm). Although beware that reverse gear can sometimes be hard to select.
Other than that, it's not a bad little car, it (IMO) looks nice and for the GF for a soft top, she loves it.
If you go shopping in it, make sure you don't live to far from the shops, as anything in the boot that is frozen - wont be buy the time you get home (it get's a little warm back there)..
jj
The build quality is not up to, what I believe to be that of a new car. We had to sort out the trim fitting behind the seats, as none of it was fitted correct. Various rattles from the roof, and a squeaking dash console. The gearbox seem to be quite stiff (but I think this is the norm). Although beware that reverse gear can sometimes be hard to select.
Other than that, it's not a bad little car, it (IMO) looks nice and for the GF for a soft top, she loves it.
If you go shopping in it, make sure you don't live to far from the shops, as anything in the boot that is frozen - wont be buy the time you get home (it get's a little warm back there)..
jj
jj_work said:
The gearbox seem to be quite stiff (but I think this is the norm). Although beware that reverse gear can sometimes be hard to select.
Other than that, it's not a bad little car, it (IMO) looks nicejj
Hi there,
Like many gear boxes in the marque, the TF has no synchromesh on reverse gear. So you need to fully select reverse before you can then select reverse. In other words, you have to double declutch (without worrying about matching revs, obviously) for reverse gear.
I really like the TF's gear box, which I find responds well to a smooth and deliberate gear change.
You probably know that either a double declutch or sustained revs gear change will produce a smoother change that's more mechanically sympathetic (i.e. less gear box wear). As you know, smoother = safer too. Anyone interested can check out Margaret Stacey's Advanced Driver's Handbook for the various gear changes (and other good stuff):
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0749415010/qid=1056568944/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/202-7628478-3756668
Hope this helps!!
Huge
Edited to say please excuse me if this is letting a grandma know about sucking eggs!
>> Edited by huge_ego on Wednesday 25th June 20:34
Hey, that's fine for me. But as for the GF I wont even start to explain or show heel n toe, double de clutch, etc... I'll just let her moan at me about the fact she can never find reverse 
...!!
jj
...!! jj
huge_ego said:
Hi there,
You probably know that either a double declutch or sustained revs gear change will produce a smoother change that's more mechanically sympathetic (i.e. less gear box wear).
Hope this helps!!
Huge
Edited to say please excuse me if this is letting a grandma know about sucking eggs!
>> Edited by huge_ego on Wednesday 25th June 20:34
jj_work said:
Hey, that's fine for me. But as for the GF I wont even start to explain or show heel n toe, double de clutch, etc... I'll just let her moan at me about the fact she can never find reverse
jj
Hi again,
OK, hmmm
The TF's gear box has no synchromesh on reverse gear. So your GF has got to put it in neutral before selecting reverse otherwise she will damage the gear box, as well as continuing to get frustrated.
You could try suggesting to her that she puts in neutral, waggles the gear stick about to be sure that it's properly in neutral, then selects reverse.
Otherwise point her in the direction of the nearest RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association (or IAM) group to learn to drive "with sympathy for the vehicle"; then she will be in mechanical sympathy heaven
Hope it helps this time (!)
Huge
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