RE: MG Metro Turbo | Spotted
Discussion
rallycross said:
When I see a photo of a white metro like this all I can see is rusty holes in the front wings (they used to rust through in less than 4 yrs).
I remember seeing Metros raced in the prod stock category at Smallfield (banger track) back in the mid 90's, and every single one of them had no rear inner arches left they had completely rusted away.All cars rusted back then though, I remember scrapping off the rust and painting hammerite onto my 7 year old Mk3 Escort.
ElectricSoup said:
I had a NA MG Metro (white, natch) for a bit whilst I was a student in Nottingham. Those who know the city will be unsurprised to hear I was in the Lenton area. I kept the white wheel trims in the boot because they would be nicked immediately if left on the car, and had to chase off some scrotes trying to break in to it several times. Luckily for me I didn't have it long enough for it to be finally stolen - I rolled it off an M40 junction before anyone managed, almost killing myself in the process. I had just brimmed it with petrol and it aquaplaned as I was leaving a roundabout to join the motorway slip - I left the road, hit a lamppost side on and rolled down the embankment, finishing on the roof. Doors bent and wouldn't open, a passer by in a van stopped and ran down to me, opened the boot and dragged me out that way.
I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
Love stories like this. I too studied in Nottingham and lived in Lenton. As soon as I started reading your post I thought it was going to end with the inevitable TWOC. At least you got to kill it!I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
Hmmm, not getting into the virtues or otherwise of Metro ownership, my main issue with these "low mileage, completely original, time warp condition" cars is that you can't really use them. I've got a mate with a Triumph GT6 Mk1 with 20k miles and one previous owner from new, in showroom condition and I think he's driven it twice in the last ten years.
Blimey that's a blast from the past. I saw this very car in the flesh around 15 years ago and even met the original owner, He's a really nice chap and a real car enthusiast. Shame to see it's now for sale.
My dad had a non turbo MG Metro when I was a kid, and I remember being impressed by the acceleration. It maxed out at 110mph on a few occasions too but wouldn't go any faster than that.
I also remember how uncomfortable it was when sitting in the back on longer journeys
My dad had a non turbo MG Metro when I was a kid, and I remember being impressed by the acceleration. It maxed out at 110mph on a few occasions too but wouldn't go any faster than that.
I also remember how uncomfortable it was when sitting in the back on longer journeys
Honeywell said:
If I win the lottery I’d buy that as part of the collection. I popped my cherry in a Metro and I used to covet a black Turbo that used to be owned locally. He sold it for a Honda CRX VTEC and stole my girlfriend and I’ve loathed CRX’s ever since.
I popped my cherry in one too.Are you a middle aged female and used to live near Borehamwood ???? Just on the million to one chance.... Watford centre NCP car park?
alex.baker89 said:
ElectricSoup said:
I had a NA MG Metro (white, natch) for a bit whilst I was a student in Nottingham. Those who know the city will be unsurprised to hear I was in the Lenton area. I kept the white wheel trims in the boot because they would be nicked immediately if left on the car, and had to chase off some scrotes trying to break in to it several times. Luckily for me I didn't have it long enough for it to be finally stolen - I rolled it off an M40 junction before anyone managed, almost killing myself in the process. I had just brimmed it with petrol and it aquaplaned as I was leaving a roundabout to join the motorway slip - I left the road, hit a lamppost side on and rolled down the embankment, finishing on the roof. Doors bent and wouldn't open, a passer by in a van stopped and ran down to me, opened the boot and dragged me out that way.
I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
Love stories like this. I too studied in Nottingham and lived in Lenton. As soon as I started reading your post I thought it was going to end with the inevitable TWOC. At least you got to kill it!I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
cbmotorsport said:
alex.baker89 said:
ElectricSoup said:
I had a NA MG Metro (white, natch) for a bit whilst I was a student in Nottingham. Those who know the city will be unsurprised to hear I was in the Lenton area. I kept the white wheel trims in the boot because they would be nicked immediately if left on the car, and had to chase off some scrotes trying to break in to it several times. Luckily for me I didn't have it long enough for it to be finally stolen - I rolled it off an M40 junction before anyone managed, almost killing myself in the process. I had just brimmed it with petrol and it aquaplaned as I was leaving a roundabout to join the motorway slip - I left the road, hit a lamppost side on and rolled down the embankment, finishing on the roof. Doors bent and wouldn't open, a passer by in a van stopped and ran down to me, opened the boot and dragged me out that way.
I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
Love stories like this. I too studied in Nottingham and lived in Lenton. As soon as I started reading your post I thought it was going to end with the inevitable TWOC. At least you got to kill it!I found out years later that a design fault on the fuel filler meant that if you over filled it, it would dump the excess petrol on to the back wheel. Evidently this is what happened, and in combination with heavy rain on the road I was toast.
The replacement car, a Ford Orion 1.6L (purple, natch), was stolen one night and used as a getaway car in an armed robbery.
Rich Boy Spanner said:
They were fun, and had a lot of character, and made you smile. The non-turbo MG Metro looked better, mainly because of the wheels. The Metro was very good at dealing with becoming airborne over humped back bridges, must have been the hydro-pneumatic suspension giving the soft landing.
Quite the opposite for me. The hydragas pipes burst when I yumped my MG Metro 1300. Cue a very slow and careful drive to the nearest garage with chocks of wood sellotaped to the bump stops 
Mine was a Stone Grey Mk2 version (E reg). I might've felt like a squashed frog driving it but I absolutely loved that car.
Yes it is punchy for a Metro, but I think with a couple of grand off it's quite reasonable. I personally like them, although remember seeing them about as a kid and thinking metros in general were embarrassing cars to own.
Another similar classics dealer had an E30 318IS with nearly ten times the mileage this has, for around £4k more than this.
Include a reasonable discount for this and you'd be able to buy a couple of sheds for the difference in cost between this and a classic 3 series, so the price is consistent at least!
Another similar classics dealer had an E30 318IS with nearly ten times the mileage this has, for around £4k more than this.
Include a reasonable discount for this and you'd be able to buy a couple of sheds for the difference in cost between this and a classic 3 series, so the price is consistent at least!
t keyed it full length hence trading in for a 3yr old at the time white turbo. We used to go to donnington in it and watch the turbo cup cars hurtling ...
andymadmak said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
NCAP 1 starThe BMW 3 series of the same era scored 1.5 stars...
I was involved in testing the Rover 100 the first time round - I remember marking up the centre line in readiness for pedestrian protection testing of the car, and being slightly perplexed that even straight out of the showroom the car was about an inch off being 'straight'. Front passenger wing had a big bend towards the junction by the A pillar, where the flat section was supposed to follow the profile of the inner wing. It had also missed being painted as a result. That car was one of two bought from a dealer specifically to test as a 'showroom' example!
I do recall when the first batch of test results were launched (and it was a UK Department for Transport project that kicked off EuroNCAP) it pretty much killed sales of the Rover overnight.
Interesting curio but there's other 80s tat I'd rather own as a garage queen
untakenname said:
When I clicked on the thread I thought it was going to be the insane rally Group B 4x4.
Don't see the appeal these days, would have made a good sleeper when new but its under 100hp which is on par with 1.0 shopping car power these days and has no protection in the event of a collision.
Yes, but the average 2019 'shopping car' as you so delicately put it doesn't weigh 800Kg either. Also, crash protection was probably adequate for its time which I must remind you was 1983! Don't see the appeal these days, would have made a good sleeper when new but its under 100hp which is on par with 1.0 shopping car power these days and has no protection in the event of a collision.
PH has probably written an article on the 6R4, but you won't see many articles on the MG metro Turbo so I actually praise them for posting it
I had a Mini 998cc City E for my first car, so metros were always viewed as nothing more that parts stores. I bought MG Metro seats and a MG 1275cc engine only to sell them years after selling the Mini.
Also, not sure about the 'delicate' gearbox. I know some Minis running 110bhp in 13800cc trim with no much more than altered gearing diff and and HD clutch.
I had a metro van back in the early 90s with an MG (non turbo) motor in it! With the no back seats, it was a quick bit of kit in it's day, spent many hours hooning round the roads of Dorset with a a few mates rolling around the "boot" behind the mesh bulkhead! Looked bog standard on it's 155/12 tyres wheels, bright orange, but made over 100hp on the tweaked A series. Surprisingly decent on the turns with the hydrospastic and subframes with not too many rust holes!!
I actually bought a White 1987 e reg MG metro 4 years ago, it was mint, standard, with the white alloys and turbo arches, still felt a decent laugh to drive, and took it to Le Mans where it had a bigger crowed around it consistently that the Lambos and McLarens! But lost my indoor storage, so let it go. Paid £1800, sold it 2 years later for £4,400 and only added a decent set of tyres to it! Wish I still had it tbh!
I actually bought a White 1987 e reg MG metro 4 years ago, it was mint, standard, with the white alloys and turbo arches, still felt a decent laugh to drive, and took it to Le Mans where it had a bigger crowed around it consistently that the Lambos and McLarens! But lost my indoor storage, so let it go. Paid £1800, sold it 2 years later for £4,400 and only added a decent set of tyres to it! Wish I still had it tbh!
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