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What about an MX5 ? Get some reliability programmed in as well !
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But I don't like the MX5, which defeats the object of buying it! :-)
Blue
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if you fancy it (mgtf) buy it .............simple...........
its only money........................
you know the pro"s and cons.......
good luck........
consider a gold type warranty ......
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Go for it. But be very fussy.
I write down my "musts" and refuse to compromise on them. It takes months but eventually you find what you want - providing you are realistic on price.
Buy in haste etc..:-)
madf
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For piece of mind, why not ask an automotive engineer to fit a coolant level sensor linked to a buzzer on the dash? That way you'll eliminate most of the risk of gasket failure
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"....it shouldn't be too expensive to put right if caught early I hope!"
That's the problem - things can get very messy very quickly with the K Series due to the very small coolant capacity.
Brommers advice is good and a while back someone posted a link to a company that offers this service. Maybe someone can find it.
Personally I would not have any car with a K Series.
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If it was my money, id stick it in the BMW convertible you suggest, pref a 320 as its a good combination of running costs and performance.
Older BMWs dont depreciate anything like a newer car and much as I like the TF ( my sister has a mint 51 plate MGF too ), if it was my money and I wanted some of it to be left in two years, cant beat a german convertible. Plus no worries about HGF either. Just buy with FSH and keep it up and its a safe place to put your money.
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From the car-by-car breakdown...
"..S and T platers 10th from bottom in 2001 Top Gear / J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. Second worst after FIAT/Alfa for breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. 11th from Bottom of 100 models for reliability in Auto Express 2002 survey. 1.8 K Series head gasket failures website link www.shame.4mg.com Replaced by much improved steel-spring MGTF early 2002. 15th from bottom out of 137 models in 2003 Top Gear survey. MGF/MGTF 4th bottom model in 2004 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey..."
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If you want one, then go for it.
I owned an MGF for 9 years and don't regret it - even though it was an expensive car to own.
I traded it when I couldn't be bothered to put the roof down anymore.
The head gasket problem is fixable - if it happens.
Brown and Gammons (and others) can sell you a coolant level alert.
I would check the bodyshell over very carefully and reject any modified cars (unless you really want the mods). Some MGs will have been on the track - these may be well sorted, looked after cars - or they may be thrashed. I'd be looking for the former over the low mileage, dry sundays only type car.
Try as many as possible - they will vary considerably
Make sure that you use the car as intended - join 'MGs on Track' and have some fun.
The boot is much more usable than some other small 2 seaters.
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I disagree with the dry sundays cars totally - when I was in a Rover service department back in 2000, the troublesome cars were the low mileage sunday cars doing head gaskets, pistons, even new engines in a couple of cases at 16,000 and 19,000 miles on cars that were 3 years old then.
The early cars (1995/6 ) with 60k + may have had worn trim, but they were the nicest to drive and never needed anything more than routine servicing - I know, I asked the customers as I had assumed they would be awful at that mileage, but not so according to them.
MGF/TFs need using and correct servicing - sitting them in garages for long periods of time is asking for trouble.
Id aim for something that has averaged 10k a year if you really must buy a TF and that has main dealer or specialist service history, even better owned by club member.
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stunorhants - I think we agree on the 'avoid dry sundays' cars - I just didn't put my point across very well.
I would be looking for a car that had been owned by a MG car club enthusiast, and had been driven as intended.
I really would recommend driving as many as possible - they really do differ. Even when brand new, two different MGFs could be quite different !
I also agree with regard to the 'MGF/TFs need using and correct servicing ' Make sure the cooling system has been serviced (check the radiator and underfloor pipes) and the cambelt has been done
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MGF/TFs need using and correct servicing - sitting them in garages for long periods of time is asking for trouble.
I'm approaching 150k miles in my F. I can confirm proper routine servicing is all that's been required - except for two corroded radiators, corroded under body pipes and a head gasket failure. The latter coincided with the second cambelt change which offset most of the cost if not the inconvenience. The first replacement clutch went in just this week, tyres last seemingly forever (70k on the fronts), insurance is reasonable at group 12 and I get approaching 40mpg on my commute. As for depreciation, I considered offloading mine 2 yrs ago when it hit 100k miles. The cheapest F was around 2k on Autotrader. Check now and there are still none advertised for under 2k. The price floor for convertibles with an MoT is significantly higher for most other cars, especially at this time of year.
The one downside at present is the heat. Some days I'd kill for aircon.
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For piece of mind, why not ask an automotive engineer to fit a coolant level sensor linked to a buzzer on the dash? That way you'll eliminate most of the risk of gasket failure
I think you mean a mechanic, or garage - or maybe, just maybe, a technician - almost certainly not an engineer!!
Number_Cruncher
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I think you mean a mechanic, or garage - or maybe, just maybe, a technician - almost certainly not an engineer!!>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>.
>>>>>>>>>but someones got to hold the oily rag......
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I wouldn't be too confident on the depreciation front. The engine is highly susceptible to failure and there must be some question mark over future spares availability. Will you be able to get a replacement cylinder head in two years time ?
The long term values for any product fitted with a K-series engine from Metro to Freelander should give cause for concern.
If you can't bring yourself to buy an MX-5 then the BMW or MR2 should be the way to go.
I have 2 colleagues who recently bought cars with K series engines, one a 5 year old MG-F one a 55 plate Freelander demonstrator. Both have had to replace the head gasket in the last 2 months. The MG has a persistent problem with petrol fumes and the Freelander has the worst drivetrain of any car I can remember driving.
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Apologies for the confused terminonlogy, at the back of my mind I had this chap down the road who used to perform aftermarket modifications (alarms, electric windows etc) as an income booster. Used to call himself an "automotive electrical engineer" - but in this case you are quite right, a mechanic will do just fine!
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>>at the back of my mind I had this chap down the road who used to perform aftermarket modifications (alarms, electric windows etc) as an income booster. Used to call himself an "automotive electrical engineer"
I know a chap that does this and works for a national co-well did-he messed up so many times they sacked him,In fact he has a Rover that spends more time on driveway than on the road, because the HGF problem wont go away..I did tell him what he was doing wrong But he knows better,I feel sorry for his private customers who keep coming back because of problems with installations he has performed
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Steve
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Sorry,forgot to mention they do a thermostat mod for this car which should clear any poss of HGF
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Steve
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>>Apologies for the confused terminonlogy...
Sorry!, there's no real need to apologize - it is such a common misconception, but the pedant within me couldn't let it pass.
In some ways, calling a mechanic an engineer is akin to calling a bricklayer an architect.
Of course, jobs at all levels are valuable, and are different, many qualified and chartered engineers despite their technical knowledge are utterly useless with a spanner!!
I think that engineers themselves are somewhat to blame, because we don't tend to really communicate what we do, and the television programmes which attempt to cover technical subjects tend to gloss over the really interesting technical bits to present the populist and sensationalist parts (which of course they must to attract an audience).
In fact, I think the only other profession which suffers more from this promotional terminological inexactitude is librarianship - the people who set-up, manage, and run libraries are librarians, the people on the counter and re-stacking shelves usually aren't.
Apologies for diverting and hi-jackingthe thread.
Number_Cruncher
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I think Brown and Gammons do an oversize header tank too, although it might not fit into an F engine bay
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