2001 MG ZT 2.5 V6
Discussion
A trader friend of mine had this car in a couple of years ago and i always had in the back of my mind that i should have bought it - having been a big Rover advocate over the years, its one car i've never owned (and between me and my father we had a fair few of them!)
So roll forward to last week and the cars been traded back in, having had a fair bit of money spent on the suspension and running gear over the two years.
So £750 later i'm the proud owner of a MG ZT 2.5 v6 in Trophy Blue!
The following things need addressed just from the view of sharpening the car up a bit, without spending a fortune :-
=> "Normal" number plate on rear, needs the shaped one
=> Needs fitted mats
=> Quite a few scratches / chips that need touched in
=> Black has come off rear window surround, exposing the chrome underneath (black insulating tape and a steady hand will resolve that)
=> Headlights are cloudy (3M kit ordered so DIY)
=> Front fitted mudflap missing
=> Front anti-roll bar bushes are rattling like a bag full of spanners so going to replace them with polybushes
=> Front and rear badges badly faded (two genuine brand new ones ordered off of ebay)
Otherwise a decent enough driver and a great big cruiser.
So thats my airport runner sorted for over the winter...
So roll forward to last week and the cars been traded back in, having had a fair bit of money spent on the suspension and running gear over the two years.
So £750 later i'm the proud owner of a MG ZT 2.5 v6 in Trophy Blue!
The following things need addressed just from the view of sharpening the car up a bit, without spending a fortune :-
=> "Normal" number plate on rear, needs the shaped one
=> Needs fitted mats
=> Quite a few scratches / chips that need touched in
=> Black has come off rear window surround, exposing the chrome underneath (black insulating tape and a steady hand will resolve that)
=> Headlights are cloudy (3M kit ordered so DIY)
=> Front fitted mudflap missing
=> Front anti-roll bar bushes are rattling like a bag full of spanners so going to replace them with polybushes
=> Front and rear badges badly faded (two genuine brand new ones ordered off of ebay)
Otherwise a decent enough driver and a great big cruiser.
So thats my airport runner sorted for over the winter...
I remember a friend's Dad buying one of these new when they came out, it was a chuffing quick motor when pushed, but then it would be for a twelve year old!
He P/x'd a Lotus Carlton, in hindsight that probably wasn't the best move to make considering what's worth what now! But he was a happy man at the time.
He P/x'd a Lotus Carlton, in hindsight that probably wasn't the best move to make considering what's worth what now! But he was a happy man at the time.
jahbrown said:
I remember a friend's Dad buying one of these new when they came out, it was a chuffing quick motor when pushed, but then it would be for a twelve year old!
He P/x'd a Lotus Carlton, in hindsight that probably wasn't the best move to make considering what's worth what now! But he was a happy man at the time.
I appreciate a ZT as much as the next man. But a Lotus Carlton!? He P/x'd a Lotus Carlton, in hindsight that probably wasn't the best move to make considering what's worth what now! But he was a happy man at the time.
Well two weeks in and some of the updating has been done.
Black fitted mats have made a big difference to the interior which were cheap undersized crappy things with blue trim.
Black insulating tape carefully applied around back window over chrome surround that was now showing.
New number plates fitted
Before...
After...
Also used a 3M headlight restoration kit on the headlights which were yellow and very cloudy.
Before...
After...
Well pleased with that
This week its fitting a new 4 way electric window switch into the drivers door (one switch broken) - got a used one off of ebay for £19, touch in some scratches, fit new front and rear badges then off to my mechanic for new anti roll bar bushings and a general once over.
Black fitted mats have made a big difference to the interior which were cheap undersized crappy things with blue trim.
Black insulating tape carefully applied around back window over chrome surround that was now showing.
New number plates fitted
Before...
After...
Also used a 3M headlight restoration kit on the headlights which were yellow and very cloudy.
Before...
After...
Well pleased with that
This week its fitting a new 4 way electric window switch into the drivers door (one switch broken) - got a used one off of ebay for £19, touch in some scratches, fit new front and rear badges then off to my mechanic for new anti roll bar bushings and a general once over.
Well just like the company itself, the MG is turning in to a bit of a money pit.
Polybushing the Anti Roll Bar didnt remove the clunking, so next steps are new shocks, top mount bearings and drop links.
It failed its MOT retest today as the hand brake isnt braking correctly (partially seized cables were thought to be the original cause), so next step is new handbrake shoes and a good cleanup / free up in round the calipers and discs.
BUT it has to be sorted - its no good to me lying in my back yard with no MOT.
Once its through MOT i'll start in to the alloy wheels one at a time and refurb them.
Polybushing the Anti Roll Bar didnt remove the clunking, so next steps are new shocks, top mount bearings and drop links.
It failed its MOT retest today as the hand brake isnt braking correctly (partially seized cables were thought to be the original cause), so next step is new handbrake shoes and a good cleanup / free up in round the calipers and discs.
BUT it has to be sorted - its no good to me lying in my back yard with no MOT.
Once its through MOT i'll start in to the alloy wheels one at a time and refurb them.
daemon said:
Well just like the company itself, the MG is turning in to a bit of a money pit.
Polybushing the Anti Roll Bar didnt remove the clunking, so next steps are new shocks, top mount bearings and drop links.
It failed its MOT retest today as the hand brake isnt braking correctly (partially seized cables were thought to be the original cause), so next step is new handbrake shoes and a good cleanup / free up in round the calipers and discs.
BUT it has to be sorted - its no good to me lying in my back yard with no MOT.
Once its through MOT i'll start in to the alloy wheels one at a time and refurb them.
Have you looked at any of the owners clubs (e.g. Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club) on those faults?Polybushing the Anti Roll Bar didnt remove the clunking, so next steps are new shocks, top mount bearings and drop links.
It failed its MOT retest today as the hand brake isnt braking correctly (partially seized cables were thought to be the original cause), so next step is new handbrake shoes and a good cleanup / free up in round the calipers and discs.
BUT it has to be sorted - its no good to me lying in my back yard with no MOT.
Once its through MOT i'll start in to the alloy wheels one at a time and refurb them.
If you have, ignore the below, but otherwise...
Clonking over bumps - always droplinks. Originals last forever (think 100k) but replacements last 15k if your lucky - best seem to be the MG7 ones from DMGRS. Try it first before spending £££ on new shocks!
Handbrake - handbrakes are generally rubbish, but can be adjusted to be passable (but it's fiddly). If adjustment fails (i.e. it must be excessively adjusted at the handbrake lever end), the compensator has stretched - based on age I would change this anyway - it's not expensive. The cables never brake, and the shoes rarely go wrong. Again - I'd start with the common solutions first than the more typical approach - lots and LOTS of owners have thrown money away in the past repairing common faults that have literally been misdiagnosed hundreds of times!
Lastly - Was window switch actually broken? The rubber contact sheet normally gets some crap on it that causes a poor connection - dissemble, clean and re-assemble and good as new. I seem to always have at least one mirror direction button non-functional at any one time!
(owner of a 2004 ZT CDTi for 6 years / 110k miles)
I've always liked these, nearly bought one when they were current but the depreciation put me off (the 18 month old car I was looking at in SMC was almost half the price of the new one they were trying to sell me). I was impressed with it though.
In the years since, I've not been brave enough when the opportunities have arisen so well done.
As others have said, a lot of car for the money. I hope the problems are easily solved and that you get to enjoy it to the full.
In the years since, I've not been brave enough when the opportunities have arisen so well done.
As others have said, a lot of car for the money. I hope the problems are easily solved and that you get to enjoy it to the full.
Jakg said:
Have you looked at any of the owners clubs (e.g. Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club) on those faults?
If you have, ignore the below, but otherwise...
Clonking over bumps - always droplinks. Originals last forever (think 100k) but replacements last 15k if your lucky - best seem to be the MG7 ones from DMGRS. Try it first before spending £££ on new shocks!
Handbrake - handbrakes are generally rubbish, but can be adjusted to be passable (but it's fiddly). If adjustment fails (i.e. it must be excessively adjusted at the handbrake lever end), the compensator has stretched - based on age I would change this anyway - it's not expensive. The cables never brake, and the shoes rarely go wrong. Again - I'd start with the common solutions first than the more typical approach - lots and LOTS of owners have thrown money away in the past repairing common faults that have literally been misdiagnosed hundreds of times!
Lastly - Was window switch actually broken? The rubber contact sheet normally gets some crap on it that causes a poor connection - dissemble, clean and re-assemble and good as new. I seem to always have at least one mirror direction button non-functional at any one time!
(owner of a 2004 ZT CDTi for 6 years / 110k miles)
Thanks for the comprehensive response and pointers If you have, ignore the below, but otherwise...
Clonking over bumps - always droplinks. Originals last forever (think 100k) but replacements last 15k if your lucky - best seem to be the MG7 ones from DMGRS. Try it first before spending £££ on new shocks!
Handbrake - handbrakes are generally rubbish, but can be adjusted to be passable (but it's fiddly). If adjustment fails (i.e. it must be excessively adjusted at the handbrake lever end), the compensator has stretched - based on age I would change this anyway - it's not expensive. The cables never brake, and the shoes rarely go wrong. Again - I'd start with the common solutions first than the more typical approach - lots and LOTS of owners have thrown money away in the past repairing common faults that have literally been misdiagnosed hundreds of times!
Lastly - Was window switch actually broken? The rubber contact sheet normally gets some crap on it that causes a poor connection - dissemble, clean and re-assemble and good as new. I seem to always have at least one mirror direction button non-functional at any one time!
(owner of a 2004 ZT CDTi for 6 years / 110k miles)
I've had the droplinks checked and they seem fine - also would they not be an MOT fail? We have council run MOT centres here in NI, and they didnt comment on them. Also, its a real heavy clunk from both sides and happens when it hits any sort of pothole, rough surface or speed ramp. I've a drop link away on my 01 Merc and its a much much heaver noise than that. The shocks thats in it are aftermarket ones and seem to have been in there quite a while. Having had a couple of mechanically minded people drive it, the general consensus seems to be that its coming from the shocks. The view also is to replace the top mount bearings and drop links, (a) as a precaution and (b) if we're in there anyway, we may as well put the top mount bearings in too.
No one has given me any great amount of confidence on an absolute diagnosis which worries me....
I had a look at the main forums and the common consensus seemed to be with regards to front clunks - ARB bushes, drop links, bottom arms, top mounts (maybe) or shocks. It cant be bottom arms as they'd have picked that up in MOT. I'm probably using a sledge hammer approach now but (a) its driving me nuts and (b) i really need to get the car on the road so i can dispose of the Merc. Another limitation i have is that i am only home at the weekends so time is valuable to me and i dont want to be spending it running around after cars too much!!
With regards to the handbrake - thats v interesting, i'll have a look at the compensator and replace it but i think i'll get the shoes put in as well as i've only time for one more MOT retest otherwise i've to go through a full test again.
Yes, the window switch seemed to be broken. It was flappy and didnt do anything at all. I got a good used one off ebay and just popped it in and its been great.
I'm going now to google "mg zt handbrake compensator"!!
daemon said:
I've had the droplinks checked and they seem fine - also would they not be an MOT fail? We have council run MOT centres here in NI, and they didnt comment on them. Also, its a real heavy clunk from both sides and happens when it hits any sort of pothole, rough surface or speed ramp. I've a drop link away on my 01 Merc and its a much much heaver noise than that. The shocks thats in it are aftermarket ones and seem to have been in there quite a while. Having had a couple of mechanically minded people drive it, the general consensus seems to be that its coming from the shocks. The view also is to replace the top mount bearings and drop links, (a) as a precaution and (b) if we're in there anyway, we may as well put the top mount bearings in too.
I don't think it's an MOT failure, as they aren't actually worn to any real excess (i.e. they don't really "feel" worn or affect the handling) - but they make one hell of a knocking noise.You can change the droplinks removing nothing but a wheel and two awkward bolts, to me it would make sense to do that first rather than mess around taking shocks and springs off and spending hundreds on parts.
I had to change mine twice on both sides during my ownership.
daemon said:
I had a look at the main forums and the common consensus seemed to be with regards to front clunks - ARB bushes, drop links, bottom arms, top mounts (maybe) or shocks. It cant be bottom arms as they'd have picked that up in MOT. I'm probably using a sledge hammer approach now but (a) its driving me nuts and (b) i really need to get the car on the road so i can dispose of the Merc. Another limitation i have is that i am only home at the weekends so time is valuable to me and i dont want to be spending it running around after cars too much!!
I'm not saying your wrong but I've never heard of anyone actually having faulty ARB bushes - I only say that so confidently because I tried to find an example of one to justify myself fitting the powerflex ones until I just bit the bullet and did it anyway!The top mounts only clonk when turning the wheel from side to side and make the steering feel heavier - not over bumps or anything.
Obviously I do understand the "change everything to guarantee a fix" approach - I had to to the same to get rid of an ABS fault I couldn't fix (4x new sensors and bearings) and have accidentally embarked on a full front suspension refresh on a new car in the same vein.
daemon said:
With regards to the handbrake - thats v interesting, i'll have a look at the compensator and replace it but i think i'll get the shoes put in as well as i've only time for one more MOT retest otherwise i've to go through a full test again.
The shoes aren't a bad idea anyway - I found one shoe 90% missing when I last changed the discs - but you'll probably want to think about replacing the springs (typically described as a "fitting kit" on eBay) and perhap even the adjusters at the same time. The shoes secure to the car via a rather weak pin through the backplates, which get very rusty, so it might be a good idea to assess if the whole lot will fall to bits before you actually mess them too much and end up with a much bigger job on your hands...Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff