Discussion
Well it was about time i posted up my latest purchase, after the sale of my old yellow MG ZR!
As you can see its a 2002 MG ZS 120 hatch in trophy blue, one of my personal favourite colours for the ZS and has been kept in pretty good condition by the guy I brought it off, who had got it back in 2004! Got a nice wedge of service history and a few reciepts, and for 125k miles it's absolutely sound with no issues... Touch wood!
Heres some pics!
So all in all it's in great condition! (and yes I know the number plate light was out whilst taking the photos..!)
Have done a few bits already since owning her :
Full valet and 3x polish and autoglym HD wax - awaiting DA polish however to remove finer paint swirls!
Debaffled and reskinned backbox with 3 inch slash tip, sounds and looks a lot better than OEM pea shooter!
New MG front badge and Centre Caps that are very similar to the promo shot press release pictures when the Zed cars were first launched by MG Rover!
Oil change 2 weeks ago, still need to change coolant as its very murky and I'm a bit OCD with things like that!
But yeah I'm overly quite happy and very impressed with the ZS and it is probably one of the better cars I have owned! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and just a 'tarted up Rover'
but I can see past that and it's very good to drive with a sharp turn in and loads of grip, quite practical, good looking and has a nice K series exhaust note! 
I reckon it'll be a keeper for a while yet!
As you can see its a 2002 MG ZS 120 hatch in trophy blue, one of my personal favourite colours for the ZS and has been kept in pretty good condition by the guy I brought it off, who had got it back in 2004! Got a nice wedge of service history and a few reciepts, and for 125k miles it's absolutely sound with no issues... Touch wood!
Heres some pics!
So all in all it's in great condition! (and yes I know the number plate light was out whilst taking the photos..!)
Have done a few bits already since owning her :
Full valet and 3x polish and autoglym HD wax - awaiting DA polish however to remove finer paint swirls!
Debaffled and reskinned backbox with 3 inch slash tip, sounds and looks a lot better than OEM pea shooter!
New MG front badge and Centre Caps that are very similar to the promo shot press release pictures when the Zed cars were first launched by MG Rover!
Oil change 2 weeks ago, still need to change coolant as its very murky and I'm a bit OCD with things like that!
But yeah I'm overly quite happy and very impressed with the ZS and it is probably one of the better cars I have owned! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and just a 'tarted up Rover'
but I can see past that and it's very good to drive with a sharp turn in and loads of grip, quite practical, good looking and has a nice K series exhaust note! I reckon it'll be a keeper for a while yet!
Kitchski said:
I love my ZS180, even if it is a bit rough around the edges.
I'll let you know if I end up having to break it if I can't sell it...you need some skirts!
Hi Kitchski,I'll let you know if I end up having to break it if I can't sell it...you need some skirts!
I've got a project 180, if you decide to break yours please may you email me? I'll have a couple of bits from you!
Thanks, Steve
Hi OP,
Great colour! I very nearly went for a 120 originally, but the sound of the V6 swayed me :-)
YesItsARover said:
Kitchski said:
I love my ZS180, even if it is a bit rough around the edges.
I'll let you know if I end up having to break it if I can't sell it...you need some skirts!
Hi Kitchski,I'll let you know if I end up having to break it if I can't sell it...you need some skirts!
I've got a project 180, if you decide to break yours please may you email me? I'll have a couple of bits from you!
Thanks, Steve
Hi OP,
Great colour! I very nearly went for a 120 originally, but the sound of the V6 swayed me :-)
What do you need?
YesItsARover said:
PAS pump, engine mounts, pads/disks and working VIS motors/inlet manifold
I already have one MG-shaped storage unit in the garage at the moment!
Don't have VIS on mine....ripped that sI already have one MG-shaped storage unit in the garage at the moment!
t out!I'll see what happens. Would rather sell it whole, but it looks like I will be selling it
Been a while since ive updated this thread... But there been a fair few goings on with the ZS!
Firstly she had a little (ish) service a out 2 weeks ago which I carried out myself, Just a set of Champion Spark Plugs, new HT leads and a new paper air filter! A few months back I also noticed a small coolant leak from the back of the engine which turned out to be a slightly cracked thermostat housing. Will admit anyone familiar to K series engines news what this job is like.. Wasn't the easiest anyway!
And then the inevitable happened and it became all Roverish on me.. The Head Gasket Blew
Luckily I managed to notice early and didn't have to drive the car too long with the Oil mixing with the coolant - was about 3 days so about 90 miles, no more than 3k RPM and plenty of water and oil in reserve incase it properly went, luckily it didn't
And in a way it was lucky as I needed to change the waterpump as that too had developed a slight coolant leak, plus I could get a new Cambelt fitted at the same time! So lots of jobs to be done there!
And then it was MOT time!
ZS sitting on the ramps!
And it was a straight pass! good times! Tester commented on how well looked after the car was bodywork and underneath! So that was all good and only cost me £40! Good ol family freind MOT places 
Even passed the emmisions with a blowing HG
Then later that evening, one of my mates from mg-rover.org forums agreed to change the Head Gasket on the car!
Head off!
Managed to complete the Gasket change and also a PAS belt in about 3 and a half hours which was bloody impressive considering he was doing it mostly solo! Just oes to show how easy the K series is to work on and I guess the general lightness of parts does help with the more bigger jobs!
Anyway with a fresh MOT, new gaskets, scorpion backbox, cambelt, waterpump and new fluids, And also the addiction of my ZS 180 side skirts and front splitter, I must say that my ZS has come a long way from when I first set eyes on her a few months back! I think I'm almost done modifying it to how I want her now! So I'm one very happy owner!
There may be a few more upgrades down the line such as:
Rover 45 leather steering wheel,
Better tires
Get the bloody aircon working!
But apart from that I'm all happy!
Here's some pics of her after a full wash, polish, wax and detail.
Close up / arty? Shots
Under Bonney pics after a quick spruce up - not perfect as my header tank is filthy from where I'm still flushing the remnants of the HG failure..
interior..
Scorpion Exhaust.. Will admit, for it's size tailpipe it's not overly loud but emits a nice note when on throttle. Sounds just right and not to mention the quality is really good.
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I really do still like the car and is just something a bit different for my age I guess!
Firstly she had a little (ish) service a out 2 weeks ago which I carried out myself, Just a set of Champion Spark Plugs, new HT leads and a new paper air filter! A few months back I also noticed a small coolant leak from the back of the engine which turned out to be a slightly cracked thermostat housing. Will admit anyone familiar to K series engines news what this job is like.. Wasn't the easiest anyway!
And then the inevitable happened and it became all Roverish on me.. The Head Gasket Blew
Luckily I managed to notice early and didn't have to drive the car too long with the Oil mixing with the coolant - was about 3 days so about 90 miles, no more than 3k RPM and plenty of water and oil in reserve incase it properly went, luckily it didn't
And in a way it was lucky as I needed to change the waterpump as that too had developed a slight coolant leak, plus I could get a new Cambelt fitted at the same time! So lots of jobs to be done there!
And then it was MOT time!
ZS sitting on the ramps!
And it was a straight pass!
good times! Tester commented on how well looked after the car was bodywork and underneath! So that was all good and only cost me £40! Good ol family freind MOT places Even passed the emmisions with a blowing HG
Then later that evening, one of my mates from mg-rover.org forums agreed to change the Head Gasket on the car!
Head off!
Managed to complete the Gasket change and also a PAS belt in about 3 and a half hours which was bloody impressive considering he was doing it mostly solo! Just oes to show how easy the K series is to work on and I guess the general lightness of parts does help with the more bigger jobs!
Anyway with a fresh MOT, new gaskets, scorpion backbox, cambelt, waterpump and new fluids, And also the addiction of my ZS 180 side skirts and front splitter, I must say that my ZS has come a long way from when I first set eyes on her a few months back! I think I'm almost done modifying it to how I want her now! So I'm one very happy owner!
There may be a few more upgrades down the line such as:
Rover 45 leather steering wheel,
Better tires
Get the bloody aircon working!
But apart from that I'm all happy!
Here's some pics of her after a full wash, polish, wax and detail.
Close up / arty? Shots
Under Bonney pics after a quick spruce up - not perfect as my header tank is filthy from where I'm still flushing the remnants of the HG failure..
interior..
Scorpion Exhaust.. Will admit, for it's size tailpipe it's not overly loud but emits a nice note when on throttle. Sounds just right and not to mention the quality is really good.
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I really do still like the car and is just something a bit different for my age I guess!
Bear Phils said:
Very nice 
, good to see you caught the head gasket early.
Out of curiosity, which do you prefer out of the ZR and ZS?
Thanks , good to see you caught the head gasket early.Out of curiosity, which do you prefer out of the ZR and ZS?
Yepp, glad I caught it early too! Just one of those things I guess that happens when you own a K series engined car! At least it's now running the uprated MLS style one so it should run a good while longer! Fingers crossed!
Ooh... ZR or ZS..?
For me, ZS. Or I'd have kept the ZR in the first place!
I guess it's a personal choice but the ZS just feels that bit more of a complete car really over the ZR.
The handling is really good and nowhere as near as nervous as the ZR would be when pressing on, it's that bit more refined, better driving position, better built and more practical - not that it matters..!
But the ZR was more of a fun car I admit and handling wise, on par with my old MK2 golf GTI, ie lots of lift off oversteer can be provoked and they can really be chucked about. Really good handling car but the ZS is just that bit more progressive and really does just grip and grip! Guess the fancy double wishbone front and independant rear suspension set up greatly helps with that!
RikZS said:
Thanks
Yepp, glad I caught it early too! Just one of those things I guess that happens when you own a K series engined car! At least it's now running the uprated MLS style one so it should run a good while longer! Fingers crossed!
Ooh... ZR or ZS..?
For me, ZS. Or I'd have kept the ZR in the first place!
I guess it's a personal choice but the ZS just feels that bit more of a complete car really over the ZR.
The handling is really good and nowhere as near as nervous as the ZR would be when pressing on, it's that bit more refined, better driving position, better built and more practical - not that it matters..!
But the ZR was more of a fun car I admit and handling wise, on par with my old MK2 golf GTI, ie lots of lift off oversteer can be provoked and they can really be chucked about. Really good handling car but the ZS is just that bit more progressive and really does just grip and grip! Guess the fancy double wishbone front and independant rear suspension set up greatly helps with that!
This does seem to be the general thoughts on the cars, guess I'll just have to try both and find out which I prefer. I've heard I may not fit in the ZR to well...Yepp, glad I caught it early too! Just one of those things I guess that happens when you own a K series engined car! At least it's now running the uprated MLS style one so it should run a good while longer! Fingers crossed!
Ooh... ZR or ZS..?
For me, ZS. Or I'd have kept the ZR in the first place!
I guess it's a personal choice but the ZS just feels that bit more of a complete car really over the ZR.
The handling is really good and nowhere as near as nervous as the ZR would be when pressing on, it's that bit more refined, better driving position, better built and more practical - not that it matters..!
But the ZR was more of a fun car I admit and handling wise, on par with my old MK2 golf GTI, ie lots of lift off oversteer can be provoked and they can really be chucked about. Really good handling car but the ZS is just that bit more progressive and really does just grip and grip! Guess the fancy double wishbone front and independant rear suspension set up greatly helps with that!
Thanks for the reply
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