|
A work collegue is selling some of hos cars and is offering a couple of MGFs, one a T reg manual and the other a 02 tiptronic.
How expensive are they to keep?
I have a modern saloon car for everyday use.
There is also a 03 Alfa Spider but that is more then four times the price of the MGs.
Wanted a MGF since they first came out.
|
|
Ooh. What a choice.
18 year old car, 15 year old car, or 14 year old car.
None of which had any great reputation for reliability when they were new. All of them being complicated wnough that you've either got to be pretty competent with electronics, or pay someone to be able to diagnose and rectify faults
|
|
|
|
Sorry for spelling mistakes, hit Post before I checked and the system would not allow me to edit :(
|
|
|
|
I think you really need to be asking on an MG forum or owners club.
There are couple of things I remember about the MGF though. It uses MG/rover K series engine, which has a well documented history of overheating and subsequent cylinder head problems. And while I believe most of the issues were down to poor maintenance, it is definitely something to think about given the inherent problem of keeping the engine in a mid engined car cool. Also, the seating position is higher than you'd expect a mid engined sports car to be, which isn't much of an issue if you are, up to, average height. But if you are taller than average, it may be a problem.
|
|
|
They've little to no value. There's loads that goes wrong with them but most notorious issue is head gasket failure with some cars failing as early as 30,000 miles and most are repaired on the cheap due to the low value of the car. There is a permanent fix for it using an upgraded multi layer steel gasket designed by Land Rover for the Freelander which also shared this engine but most are botched by backstreet garages on the cheap and fail soon after. I've seen these with 3 and 4 HGF's in their life.
The 99 car will be an origional Hydragas model which rides vastly better than the later TF that came in 2002 but the Hydragas spheres are now next to impossible to find, there are firms which can refurb them but most just convert it to springs like the TF which ruins the ride. The early car was better made and much nicer to drive on the road but it's likely rot will be well into the subframes and sills.
The 02 car will be either a late MGF or an early MGF TF, the latter is brick hard on the road and cost cutting means cheaper plastics and poorer quality all round. Fun on a track mind. Still suffers HGF, in fact they seem to be worse than the early cars for some reason. The auto box robs it of any driver appeal at all however and was understandably rare.
The K series engine was never meant to be larger than 1400cc but it was hastily upsized to replace the bombproof Honda motors as they were withdrawn post BMW takeover. The KV6 2.5 was plagued with issues at first and customers cars had to be recalled and re-engineered but worst culprits for HGF are the 1.6 and 1.8 4cyl K series motors, particularly in the mid engines MGF and the turbocharged 1.8 75. With the upgraded gasket it's otherwise a good motor but like so much that went wrong with BL/Rover they were never willing to spend a few quid on each car to preserve the firms longterm reputation.
My advice to you would be leave well alone and go buy a solid Mk II Mazda MX5 instead. It's vastly more reliable and great fun to drive. The engines are almost indestructible but they do rust like it's the 1970's over again so buy with care.
Edited by SLO76 on 16/10/2017 at 21:34
|
|
Slo76 is right...stay away unless it's an itch you really need to scratch.
I used to work for MG/Rover...and saw the intro of the MGF....(and the 75)....the routine was a simple one.
Give the customer the keys to his new car...and then send him to the service department to book it in for HGF.!!...lol...it was a very common failure on the K series engine. (shame because it was basically a good tuneable engine)
My guess woud be that most MG's would have had "the HG fix"..but the worry is... has it been done properly.???
I'd agree about the MX5...good fun car. and great to drive....but yes, it CAN and does rot...so always do some serious checking.!!
Edited by nellyjak on 17/10/2017 at 10:29
|
|
If you do buy an MGF, there is a lot of info on the owners forum, and interestingy, lots of bits from the modifed chinese MGTF engine bolt on, (manifold) stainless steel rad pipes too.
|
|
The head gasket change referred to above was developed by Ford when they owned Land Rover.
|
|
All depends on the price. If it's got some MOT, the suspension isn't knackered and the headgasket hasn't gone then one or the other is probably worth a punt for the price of a slap up meal for 4.
At the value of them these days if the headgasket goes stuff in some k seal. If it works, great, if not call the scrap man.
MX-5 is a much better drive and cheap to run if they don't rust and fail MOT spectacularly but aren't quite as cheap to buy as the MG.
Edited by pd on 17/10/2017 at 12:26
|
|
|
The head gasket change referred to above was developed by Ford when they owned Land Rover.
And was signed off for production engines when MGRover went bust, but the chinese replaced the poycarbonate inllet manifold with an aluminium one and a few other mods.
|
|
I owned an MGF VVC from new, in 1997 till 2005. I regard it as a metro for porsche money. I had engine failures, gearbox failure (it was delivered with a bust gearbox), brake failure, and the bodyshell was showing problems in its later years - like it was best to keep the hardtop on at all times.
It's a well-packaged and very usable car - and any that's still going is likely to be one of the reliable ones, there were some ! I wish I'd bought an MX-5 (actually, I wish I'd bought my Primera brand-new rather than at 7 years / 4 owners - it's been an absolute delight to own in contrast to the MGF)
|
|
|
The head gasket change referred to above was developed by Ford when they owned Land Rover.
And was signed off for production engines when MGRover went bust, but the chinese replaced the poycarbonate inllet manifold with an aluminium one and a few other mods.
To date it's proved reliable in the MG6 which uses an updated K series, shame Rover under BMW and Phoenix were looking only to the short term.
BMW weren't interested in making the massive investment necessary to make Rover viable again and Phoenix never had the resources to do it, they knew they were only stringing things along. By the time the firm failed Rover were building 16 cars per employee compared to over 330 at Nissan's Sunderland plant, there was no way back from that. I believe BM should've looked at VAG for influence back at the start, especially at Skoda which is where Rover could be today. The problem was that VAG had suitable fwd running gear and platforms to use and BMW would've had to develop everything from scratch at huge cost. I don't believe however they ever had the intention of doing so, with the half hearted but not unpleasant 75 being the only car they developed and on a shoestring.
Despite the criticism they took what they wanted from Land Rover then sold it on to Ford and then TATA who've made a huge success of it, they created the new standalone Mini brand and again made a massive success of it. There are thousands of people employed in the U.K. who might otherwise not be thanks to BMW seeing the potential in parts of the old BL empire.
Again software glitch on the site won't allow posting in paragraphs when copying last post...
Edited by SLO76 on 17/10/2017 at 13:28
|
|
As a former "F" owner, I have to defend them, they're great fun cars.
The only drawback, aside from the engine engine, is maintenance. Its such a faff having the engine in that position, that makes it so time consuming to work on, and added labour costs if you need to take it to a garage.
If they'd put the engine in the front, no doubt it wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun to drive, but would have been a lot simpler to care for.
And, for balance, I did have an MX-5 a few years later. Easier to maintain but nowhere near as much fun to drive.
|
|
May be irrelevant, but a acquaintance was killed when his MG was rammed in the side, at a lowish speed, by an Audi of some type.
|
|
Many thanks for all your replies and views.
I am reluctant to spend to much on a car I will rarely use. Not really a fan of the MX5, I find the MG far nicer and completable.
Looked at a X reg Audi TT today but it has covered 120,000 miles and if the engine goes on a MG I have £2,300 to put it right which is the difference in price between the two cars
|
Many thanks for all your replies and views.
I am reluctant to spend to much on a car I will rarely use. Not really a fan of the MX5, I find the MG far nicer and completable.
Looked at a X reg Audi TT today but it has covered 120,000 miles and if the engine goes on a MG I have £2,300 to put it right which is the difference in price between the two cars
Forget the TT. Defintely get the MG, preferable the automatic.
|
|
|
|
|
