How bad can a £500, 20 year old MG ZR be..?

[MRMNB]

I recently purchased a 2005 MG ZR 120, for the princely sum of £500, amazingly it had ¼ of petrol and 4½ months MOT.

BUT...
As you might guess theres a whole host of issues from the radiator bursting on the drive home, the wings and bumper being rusted inplace all the way to one of the flakiest respray I've ever seen.

More to follow...

[Nickp82]

You’re forgetting the most important thing, which colour is it?

[MRMNB]

Nickp82 said:

You’re forgetting the most important thing, which colour is it?

I think its Starlight Silver, will check the doorplate soon. First choice would've been the green or fire red TBH

...95% Starlight Silver anyway, 4% rust brown, 1% duct tape silver

[MRMNB]

After dumping all its coolant on the first drive home... I narrowed down the source to the radiator. So since the fasteners holding the bumper and wings were rusted I had to do everything through the bonnet.

Things that need to come out; airbox, battery, fan, hoses
Things that need loosening; AC pipe joint near radiator, air intake tube
Things that need bending; the top flanges of the old radiator

The new radiator is a bit smaller than the old one so goes back in easily & still sits in the factory mounts.

Everything out and I noticed the coolant is very glittery, looks like someone bodged an old leak with some K-seal.

[Wicker Man]

Good luck! I think you’ll find they are pretty easy to work on, especially compared to anything more recent. And the parts cheap & readily availability. I changed the rad on my 160 shortly after buying it (via the bonnet opening); £65 off eBay, IIRC.
That compares favourably with £1457 that BMW have just charged me to swap the rad on my latest car!

Edited by Wicker Man on Sunday 8th December 13:37