MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Cracked Bumper/Grill

Having Saved up for 3 years for went I turned 25 (Last Sunday) & PX'd my Car & Motorbike, I've bought my dream car an '03 MG TF 135.

Yesterday was the 2nd Day I had it and my work hasn't got a car park and I park in the street & It looks like a 4x4 with a tow bar has reversed into the Front!

Luckily the Plastic has all cracked & No metal was damaged from what I can see. I've pulled it out and taped it up & The left headlight went back a bit and I've straightened a plastic bracket. Any good places in Essex to get it fixed and what am I looking at money wise (On my Producer's Wage or just over £5 an hour am I gonna be saving for a long time)???
Peter

The same thing happened to me a while back, but luckily the old fella that reversed into the front of my MGF was honest and I got it fixed on his insurance. I guess you didn't get any details?

Can you not get it fixed on your own insurance? If you have Fully Comprehensive it should be ok, especially if you have protected your bonus.

Nick
Nick Atkins

There is a metal 'crush bar' behind the bumper that I would expect to have been damaged from what you've described. The only way to inspect this properly is to remove the bumper.

Regarding replacement - it depends on whether you want to replace with new, attempt to repair or replace with second hand.

The latter option would probably work out cheapest - especially if you can find a bumper in good nick in the right colour. There are a number of sources you could try for this - see http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group4/MG_specialists/specialist_autobreakers.htm for a listing.

Really sad news Peter, I hope that your new pride and joy can be repaired soon.
Rob Bell

pete
try nsec on 01702230268 near swf
sr foster 81

Thanks for all your support and contacts!

Nick, I didn't get any details, by the time I leave work Mine is the only car left in the street (I park 5minutes walk away from work) I've been back since and haven't seen the the 4x4! I reckon he's leg it!

I took it back to the garage, where I bought it & They gave me the number of their repair guy so he gave me a price to replace it new...All just under £500.

I was thinking of going through the insurance, but My XS is £550 - £600 and I'm not sure if my no claims is protected, so I thought If I did this, next year the insurence might be about £2000!

At the moment I'm Paying £102 a month with a very very high XS. So I think it works out to over £1000 insurance a year....Surely it has to be chaeper!!!!! I need to have a good phone round very soon.

Steve, thanks for the number. I think you was the guy that gave me a Copy of Total MG Magazine and introduced me to all your MGF Buddies at either the Dick Turpin or Halkway House! I'm the young guy who brought in a folder of potential MGF's I was gonna buy and the group gave their thoughts on them! It was a really fun night!
Pete

Rob,

I think the Crush Bar is okay???!?!?! But the metal bit under the bonnett was best back a little bit and I tried straightening that out as much as possible.

The bonnett is OK (I Think) but it looks like its up tiny bit on the near side, but I'm putting it down to the Bumper and grill being a little out of place HOPEFULLY
Pete

I suspect that if the bumper has moved relative to the body, the armature mounts will have been partially crushed in the incident... sorry, but replacement is straightforward enough. :o)
Rob Bell

Hi Pete, a similar thing happened to my wife caused by a poor ride height, the car settled on a low curb whilst parked up, my wife reversed off and practically ripped the thing in half! We've since had the ride height adjusted back to norm.

I bought a new bumper from MGF Centre (which happened to be in the same colour). What is of more interest to you potentially, is that the chap that bought the split bumper off myself (through ebay), was a plastic welder and said he could stitch the split together again. I got £16 for a nackered bumper! :)

Check out whether you have any plastic repair or plastic weld specialists in your local area.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Tony
Tony

Hi Peter,

Join the MGOC and try Lancaster for your insurance next year, they do a cracking deal for members and might save you a few quid.

Cheers, Russ.
R D Mellor

Cheers Rob, I'll tell the mechanic who is sorting it out.....Actually I don't think I will because I doubt I could afford more work on the car. But I'll definitly inspect the crush bar a bit more.

Tony how much did you pay for the Plastic Bumper/Grill? eBay sounds good, I'll let the mechanic know and he can have it, lets hope he brings the price down for that gem of information. But I think its slightly beyond weld repair as there were a few bits that flew off when I was driving home down the A120. Glad your MG is looking her best again.

Thanks Russ will defo check out that Insurer, its mental the cost, by the way is there a joining fee for MGOC? I think I cut out an Advert in Practical Classics Magazine which my Ol' Man sometimes gets. Anything to get the price down.

Put it this way I could just about afford everything when I bought my dream car last week at a very very tight push i.e. Car/Insurance/Petrol. Now after some Noggin has crunched the front I can't really afford it, So I've been borrowing money left, right & centre. Plus I think I must be the slowest MG TF Driver out there as I just do 50mph - 60mph because I can't really afford the petrol & the repair work!!!

Goes in Thurs or Friday! Fingers crossed she looks as good as when I picked her up!
Peter

Hooray She goes in tomorrow!!!
Peter

This thread was discussed between 02/03/2006 and 10/03/2006

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.