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MG MGA - Need a rest?

Do our cars benefit from a rest on a long journey, and are they less likely to break down if they do have a rest?
I appreciate that the fluids will cool down, but do the moving parts actually benefit?
I would love to travel abroad in my 'A' but am concerned about breakdowns, as I have limited mechanic experience!!
Nigel Munford

Nigel, I would think that once you've got about 20 miles behind you, everything is about as hot as it is going to get. Personally, I wouldn't consider stopping to let things on the car cool down, but I would stop if I felt tired! In the 25 years I had my ZA Magnette (a similar beast), mostly used as daily transport, we only ever had one breakdown, when one of the carb float chambers fell off. We did some very long trips for our holidays including the West Country and the Scottish Highlands. On the way back to Burwell, near Newmarket from Inverness, we only had a couple of brief stops and did it all in the same day, no problem at all. If your MGA is properly maintained, it should be just as reliable, and shouldn't need treating any differently to a "modern tin box".
Lindsay Sampford

Having just completed a 2400 mile, 8 day trip to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, I can say that our A seems to do just fine with no "rest periods". The last day was 565 miles, with stops just to get gas and check the oil. It used a total of 1.5 quarts of oil, most of it coming out around the valve cover gasket - I found the front bolt not completely tightened at about 1200 miles - tightened it and used less than 0.5 quarts the rest of the trip.

- Ken
Ken Doris

I find that the only thing that tends to overheat in my car is "me".
Particularly on a hot summer day, the heat tends to soak through the bulkhead and the transmission tunnel and it kind of feels like you are driving in a hot tub, but without the water.

Also, I am probably a bit on the tall side for the MGA and I find that between 100 to 150 miles is about my limit for continuous driving before my Rt leg loses all sensation and I have to stop for a rest.

So I think you will find that the car will cope well with long periods of driving and that most of the restrictions in your driving time will be caused by the limitations in the design of the human behind the wheel!

Colyn

Colyn Firth

I did 1,350 miles in 30 hours once. The car did just fine. That was a long time ago and I was much younger. It was in the heat of summer too. I can remember holding my leg away from the transmission tunnel because of the heat. Now 300 miles just about does me in. The car can go all day but the driver wimps out.
Ed Bell

Nigel
I recently returned from Scotland after touring the Western Isles -on the last day we did 350 miles with only a half hour comfort stop for petrol and eats.This was a fast run down the A1 The MGA ran well all the time - likewise I would not call myself a mechanical expert.If the car is looked after and all the usual items are in good condition I find the A is very reliable
Paul
P D Camp

I have one a few long trips (800km) with my car, stopping infrequently and only for a toilet break. No problems

Also, the Beijing-Abingdon guys did not have any problems that were related to driving long distances, driving every day, and they put us to shame with their trip.

The basic fact is that if the car is well maintained, it should be problem free. If the thing gets minimal attention and the hoses and wiring are 50 years old, it's inevitable that when things get stressed that they give up the ghost.
dominic clancy

In my experience with MGs (MGTC and MGA) I have found it is the unlikely things that give up the ghost under stress as Dominic suggests. I did the Lands End to John O'Groats run and back in the old MGTC in a very cold December snap (1600 miles round trip in 6 days) and suffered just one electrical fault to one headlamp (salt contamination). Le Mans and back in the MGA, again about 1600 to 2000 miles and one broken speedo cable. The engines on these cars just clatter on for ever. All the major problems I have had usually occur from cold in the first 30 mins, so I side with Lindsay on that score.

In the flying game, the USAF discovered that most of its operational aircrew attrition (Vietnam War) occurred in their first 10 combat sorties. They then set up an operational range in the Nevada desert to simulate those sorties (Red Flag) and, hey presto, their operational attrition rate in Vietnam dropped right down. Reading this across to the MGA, if you are planning a long trip do a number of 'longish' shake down drives in your own back yard where any failures can be comfortably recovered to base and rectified.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, along those same line, I make a point of not doing any work on the car (other than checking the levels and making sure that all the lights work etc.) just before a long trip. It is very tempting to do a major service a couple of days before that 1500 mile jaunt, but don't! Better to go 1500 miles over an oil change than have an oil filter seal fail on the motorway because you didn't quite fit it properly! If it's running well, leave it alone and do your service when you get home.
Lindsay Sampford

Hi Nige I take my MGA touring into France every year, sometimes twice) and whilst I do have problems from time to time they are all pretty minor. The last one was a duff battery when in Brittany. (Easy fix as my car has a 12 volt 063 battery which waqs readily available in a Frent supermarket.

Most of my other problems have been vibration related as I tend to travel at 80MPH plus which does cause a far bit. (Front pulley rivets came loose, oil cooler cracked etc.)

I think the main pieces of advice I would give is take you car on lots of long journies in the UK over the next few months to iron out an bugs. Do not tamper with it prior to your holiday!! And a steady 60 MPH ought to keep everything tickerdy boo!

Take lots of wine to bribe the local garage staff to help you :) GL
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Taking wine to France Bob? Now there's a novelty!
Lindsay Sampford

Or buy plenty of wine when arriving at Calais

LOL nice one mate!!
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Living in Herefordshire, I have to travel over 200 miles before I reach La Manche.
Nigel Munford

I have to travel 250 miles before I reach it. North Lincolnshire
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Nigel, i have found that the limit of my 1500 roadster is the nut behind the wheel coming loose !
The tough little car will run all day in the hot summer sun. The most lightly thing to halt procedence is the electric pump, but only if it getting long in the tooth. NO WATER LEAKS AND A FRESH FAN BELT AND CHECK THE POINTS GAP and off you go. Sean
S Sherry

Nigel,

Not an MGA but we have taken both the MGB and MG TD on extended runs. We just did 2700 miles through Canada in the TD. Prior to leaving, the fuel pump gave some warnings but I was too busy to give it more than a half hearted swipe to the points, which temporarily masked the real problems. Although we still did the trip as planned, the fuel pump needed attention everytime we went through any road construction. When we returned home I put it on my bench and did the correct repairs and settings. The rest of the car ran all day without missing a beat. Our last day was over 500 miles. Shake down your A, listen to the smaller things, and check the things that Sean mentions. Stop when you need to, and just fire 'er up again and go.

Have fun!
warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 06/08/2010 and 09/08/2010

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