RE: Shed of the Week: MG ZS180

[Blackpuddin]

Chiefbadger said:

trying desperately to convince myself it’s worth getting the belts done despite knowing it’s probably not worth it.

Won't be worth it financially but sounds like it would be worth it 'fun-ancially'.

[PistonTim]

All of this Honda Integra talk is valid but a little rose tinted, it's closest Honda is actually the MB6 Civic in VTi or VTi-S form, which in itself had some parts sharing with the DC2 including the basic engine, brakes and LSD.

170bhp from a 1.8 DOHC VTEC with 8,400rpm redline.

Although dated now and most examples are properly tired I had one years ago and loved it.

Random google image!

[Jimmy Recard]

The base Rover 400 and Honda Civic we’re both damn good cars in their day.

My main experience is with a Rover 45 1.6 and even that was a better car than the numbers suggested. Lovely engine, ride and handling for a family hatchback. That particular car is gone but something keeps nagging me to get another 45 or a ZS before it’s too late.

I would actually quite like a Rover 420 saloon in green with the green leather interior. I thought they looked seriously smart in their day. Slightly old man ish, but smart nonetheless

[carinaman]

Jimmy Recard said:

I would actually quite like a Rover 420 saloon in green with the green leather interior. I thought they looked seriously smart in their day. Slightly old man ish, but smart nonetheless

I liked that olive green metallic they did the 400 in.

[GC8]

PistonTim said:

All of this Honda Integra talk is valid but a little rose tinted, it's closest Honda is actually the MB6 Civic in VTi or VTi-S form, which in itself had some parts sharing with the DC2 including the basic engine, brakes and LSD.

170bhp from a 1.8 DOHC VTEC with 8,400rpm redline.

Although dated now and most examples are properly tired I had one years ago and loved it.

Random google image!

I have DC2 Type-R rear links, as theyre difficult to find new. Fitted unmodified.

The 400 is a Euro-Civic developed by Honda alone. Rover were given a take it or leave choice - it wasnt a co-development like previous ventures and whilst it isnt identical (beyond the obvious Roverisation), it is far, far more than being 'close to'.

[Chris71]

alorotom said:

I hate all these rebadged rovers, they are so bland and basic

They're actually very different to drive.

Yes, a Rover 400 is pretty dreadful, but an MG ZS feels to the underlying Rover as, say, a standard Renault Megane does to the Renaultsport version. And you don't see the standard Megane winning too many group tests.

I owned one back in the day and my take on it still stands: Not as good as a Civic Type R or Peugeot 306 GTI-6 of the period, but damn close and a third of the price. Great shed.

[dunnoreally]

I used to really fancy one of these back when I was running and old, gold Rover 45 1.4 when I was 18. It was going to be a pre-facelift hatch in black, modified with the chrome bodywork accents and interior "wood" bits from a 45 and the leather sports seats from the post-facelift 75 sport classic up front...

I like to think my taste in decor has improved a bit since then!

[832ark]

Wonder how hard it would be to chuck a decent Honda B series in?

[Jester86]

Guilty pleasure. I think these look really good.

[kambites]

832ark said:

Wonder how hard it would be to chuck a decent Honda B series in?

Why on earth would you want to replace a rather lovely V6 with four pot of pretty much identical weight and power?

[832ark]

kambites said:

Why on earth would you want to replace a rather lovely V6 with four pot of pretty much identical weight and power?

Well, I wouldn’t chuck a standard B series in it. But a 220-240bhp one would probably be quite a laugh.

EDIT: google suggests approx 55kg weight saving with a B Series.

Edited by 832ark on Friday 3rd August 18:53

[kambites]

832ark said:

Well, I wouldn’t chuck a standard B series in it. But a 220-240bhp one would probably be quite a laugh.

I'd far rather get that out of the V6, which would probably be no harder.

[kambites]

832ark said:

EDIT: google suggests approx 55kg weight saving with a B Series.

Are you comparing the KV6 with gearbox to the Honda B-series without? The KV6 is about 155kg dressed without the 'box. The B-series appears to be about 145kg by the same metric? I think the Rover gearbox is marginally lighter (the PG1 is about as light as FWD transaxles get) so the overall weight should be very similar.

In fact from what I can see the K20 is lighter than the B20?

Edited by kambites on Friday 3rd August 19:03

[832ark]

kambites said:

I'd far rather get that out of the V6, which would probably be no harder.

Hourses for courses, I’d take the screaming VTEC every time.

[kambites]

832ark said:

kambites said:

I'd far rather get that out of the V6, which would probably be no harder.

Hourses for courses, I’d take the screaming VTEC every time.

Fair enough but why wouldn't you just buy Civic Type-R? It'd be far cheaper.

I love high reving engines, but I'd take a 7000rpm V6 over an 8000rpm i4, all things being equal.

[rallycross]

PistonTim said:

All of this Honda Integra talk is valid but a little rose tinted, it's closest Honda is actually the MB6 Civic in VTi or VTi-S form, which in itself had some parts sharing with the DC2 including the basic engine, brakes and LSD.

170bhp from a 1.8 DOHC VTEC with 8,400rpm redline.

Although dated now and most examples are properly tired I had one years ago and loved it.

Random google image!

These MS Zs180 are surprisingly superb to thrash down a twisty B road or track day - who'd have thought Aunty Rover could have produced such a good hot hatch in the 2000's?!

I'd never driven one of these until the last time it came up on SOTW there were some really good comments on here about them so I randomly bought a tidy 2004 zs180 from ebay for £350, with fsh and working aircon but a short MOT.

On the drive home across some of East Anglia and Cambridgeshire's best back roads/fen roads this thing blew me away by how much fun it was (I had low expectations). That old MG got used for a year and a half as a spare car/5th car and never had any problems, had some great drives even though it was just a sub £500 shed.

I love hot hatches have been driving them on and off since the late 1980's so I know a good one when I drive one and these ZS 180 were good (I've owned most of the great and good hot hatches from 80's to late 2008' age range (everything from Clio Williams, Golf Gti mk1-6, 205 Gti's 306 Gti6, Cooper S Type R's, Clio Cups, DC2 etc).

Not long after having the ZS I bought one of the mentioned above Civic 1.8 Vti to compare them back to back (as a DC2 fan I was expecting something quite special) and that Honda was an absolute dud, a stonking engine mated to the wrong gearing to blunt its performance, and dreadfull bouncy suspension and light steering, just no good in any respect, which surpsied me but also made me appreciate just how good Rover made that MG ZS180 in terms of handling, grip and grunt.

If anyone needs some spares I still have a load of bits like K&N, stainless, ex, clutch upgrade etc that I kept afer the ZS got scrapped. And that is the problem, they are worth nothing and can be quite expensive to fix and after leaving my one sitting around for a few months long it was not worth reviving for the next MOT, was quite sad to send it off to the crusher but no one wanted it and I was not going to spend much to save it (it got quite rusty from sitting about and the clutch failed and its belts were well past doing again - rip ZS180).

[AlexC1981]

Jex said:

My 1988 XR4x4 had 150 bhp from a 2.8 litre V6

And a 1988 Rover 800 would have had 169bhp from a 2.7 litre V6. Manufacturers tend to tailor the engine output to suit the application, not go for all out power.

[AlexC1981]

832ark said:

kambites said:

Why on earth would you want to replace a rather lovely V6 with four pot of pretty much identical weight and power?

Well, I wouldn’t chuck a standard B series in it. But a 220-240bhp one would probably be quite a laugh.

EDIT: google suggests approx 55kg weight saving with a B Series.

Edited by 832ark on Friday 3rd August 18:53

You could buy the cheaper 1.8 K series engined ZS and tune it to 230bhp if for some weird reason a four pot was preferred. It would be lighter than a KV6 which is essentially two K-series engines mashed together.

The standard power output of the 1.8vvc was 160bhp.

[danllama]

My sole experience of a ZS180 is a test drive of a facelift in what must have been around 2013. It was a minter and for sale around £2500. I ended up buying another MR2 turbo though. The MG sounded great but was slow and I wasn't desperate for 4 seats. It also wasn't as comfortable as it looked. Shame because I really wanted to like it. To be fair, i'm sure it would come alive on some empty B roads and I'd certainly consider one if I ever do need 4 seats.

[832ark]

kambites said:

Are you comparing the KV6 with gearbox to the Honda B-series without? The KV6 is about 155kg dressed without the 'box. The B-series appears to be about 145kg by the same metric? I think the Rover gearbox is marginally lighter (the PG1 is about as light as FWD transaxles get) so the overall weight should be very similar.

In fact from what I can see the K20 is lighter than the B20?

Edited by kambites on Friday 3rd August 19:03

fk me! I managed to misread the weight of the B series lol.

EDIT: 185kg dressed including transmission.