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MG MGF Technical - Help my confidence !


From exploring this chat platform (both MGF General & Technical) I have been gravely discouraged as a potential MGF buyer (Mpi or VVC - haven't made my mind up yet -help!).

Should I be thinking that as soon as I start enjoying it, my engine will fail...

Should I not be thinking that MkII's, both 1.8i and VVC, are much better products....

Should I think that the 3 year warranty is a marketing trick ? It does not make sense!

Can it be that one engine is more prone to mechanical failure than the other 1.8i as opposed to VVC?

Best wishes,
JM


Jobst Minor

There are many thousands of 'happy' MGF owners and not just MKll owners.

I have been an owner since March 1996 with my 1.8i car and yes it has had a couple of problems but they were speedily sorted.

The car has been great fun and has enabled me to meet some terrific people.

So would I buy another *F* - yes! And I have to say this is not just a 'weekend' car but is in fact our only car.
JM

Copy of my post to Patricia:-

This BBS does tend to highlight any problems and whilst this may seem a negative thing it does serve to help bring these faults to the attention of Rover (and BMW) which in the long term is good for us and future owners and whilst they (Rover) may not run around like headless chickens (to quote casey) I am sure that they do take note.

Finally if you get a group of enthusiastic drivers together they will always moan about the faults of the car - what ever the make.

Ted
Ted Newman

Jobst

Take a look at my web site www.mgfworld.co.uk to give you a more "balanced" view of the car and my experiences - click the "My MGF" link.

As Ted rightly says, this BBS is mainly used as a "I've got this problem, has anyone else had it, how do I fix it?".

Go on, join the "F"un...

Richard
Richard Eaton

Jobst,

After six months of misery with my first f and a refund from the dealer I decided to buy another.

I would not go out and buy a third if the dealer gave me my money back on this one (lots of problems with the second one as well).

I have very mixed views now about the f,

it is a fun car, great to drive and a good design concept (mid engined) with a great engine.

some of the design problems / prone weaknesses of the car are a worry.

It realy depends what you want. If you are a sports car enthusiast with mechanical skills I would recommend a good secondhand car (without a warrenty you will not be disapointed when warrenty work is not carried out correctly and by paying for any work necessary you remain in control, you can also do some bits yourself like the elimination of any rattles or squeeks, or adjusting things to perfection which require time and patients and not a great deal of technical skill)

If you want a fun little weekend car and you are not going to drive it hard and are not too fussy on some of the little squeeks and rattles and will sell the car in three years time for the next fashionable car, buy one from new, go for a MKII and have whatever engine your budget and you want.

If you want a reliable everyday super car at a knock down price and, like me, you will not tollerate the slightest imperfection after shelling out the equivelent of around a years salery for a two seater supposed sports car, give the f a miss.

The MGf is not perfect and what you get out of it depends on your expectations, do not belive the sales line that it is a cheap reliable super car from a mass producer, the sales man may tell you this, but the warrenty department will tell you that it is the oposite.

Do not be miss lead by the problems on this BBS, the car is not crap by any means, but it could be better, in my opinion a lot better for only a little extra cost and effort, but my main gripe is not with the car but with dealers and the standard of their work.

I would advise consideration as to what you want out of the car as the car is as is and will not change, it is not an ultra reliable mass produces car, but then again it is not boring like most of those mass produced ultra reliable cars. Think of it like this, the design effort that goes into a car is constant, if a car is to be reliable then this requires extra design effort at the expense of styling, flair and ingenunity, and vice versa.

i mus emphasise that all of the above is only my opinion, but the fact I don't condem the car outright deapite two bad experiences may give an insight into the complexity of the deceision.

Andrew
Andrew

I think Andrews car is an isolated case I had VW golf (supposedly a very reliable car)same scenario nothing but problems,washed my hands with the marque,I have now had 2 yrs of absolutely trouble free motoring,with
my MGF and I love it!!
I really think you take a chance whatever you buy.
Its the way it has been,and thats the way it always will be, its a machine !
Stuart

Jobst,

As you wish, Here is IMHO for 'Help my confidence !'
All the problems announced here are almost well known by other F'ers and already got the proper countermeasures. It means that the new problems will be rare and will be concerned by many people. If I got a chance to select a roadster again, F is still my best choice.

Ted said is on my side. I live in Taiwan (and not good in English writting). Just like yours, I did lose my confidence on F years ago. My F*(1996) did got many problems but never got the serious problem in engine like gasket failure (Lucky me!). I treated the problems well in Taiwan by myself and still keep enjoying. Many tips were learned from this BBS and did save my time and money. As you see, sometimes the problems announced with complains but also the F'er well expecting. All we F'ers expect the F will be better strictly because we did love it.

A Taiwanese say 'I'm not alone'. It is supposed that the F in Europe will never be lonely.

Regards.

Don
http://netcity.hinet.net/donliang
maybe you will know how I love it after you check my site.
Don Liang

>If you want a fun little weekend car and you are not going to drive it hard and are not too fussy on some of the little squeeks and rattles and will sell the car in three years time for the next fashionable car, buy one from new, go for a MKII and have whatever engine your budget and you want.

If this is the case Buy a Lotus Elise, the only reason I got an F instead is that I had to drive it to work every day. So I would disagree with this. I wish I could afford a "little weekend car", just for fun. The F seems to have the same attraction as a British motorbike, not the most reliable thing in the world but it becomes a major part of your life and is very hard to do without.
Tony Smith

>If you want a fun little weekend car and you are not going to drive it hard and are not too fussy on some >of the little squeeks and rattles and will sell the car in three years time for the next fashionable car, buy >one from new, go for a MKII and have whatever engine your budget and you want

I am sorry folks.....
1.I am thinking to buy this car for the long term (first time buyer).
2.I am thinking respecting the car to the max. but I do not see what driving it hard means. By the sound of it I get the impression that once 'pushed' it breaks....???
3.No I don't want to buy the next fashionable car in 3 yrs
3.Is VVC more likely to brake down as opposed to 1.8i.
Bare in mind that dealers in Athens have NO clue about the car's personality.
4.By reading Francis emails on a different thread i got the impression this is a high risk model.....
5.Is the Elise more stable?

Should I forget it altogether ?

Thanks for the additional advice....
MK
Matthew king

Mathew

The car can be driven hard without worries.

The MGF is a great little car and as far as I can see the VVC is no more likely to go wrong than the 1.8i and I am speaking as an MGF owner of almost four years albeit a MPi (1.8i) owner.

I think the Elise is probably as much a 'risk' as the MGF.

You say the dealers in Athens 'have no clue' - surely if they are an official dealer they will have been trained in the maintenance and repair of the MGF as well as other Rover cars. The MGF is a sophisticated car as are most modern cars and requires specialist knowledge and equipment to maintain it.

The MGF is a low volume production sports car so you are not going to find that many garages that have the 'know how' outside of its core market so if that is the prime cosideration then I would suggest you look for a car that is widely available in Greece.

Having said all that I do not think your worries are are too serious and unless you get a 'rogue' car you should not have any problems - and you can get a 'rogue' car from any maker.

Ted
Ted Newman

Hi,
I fully agree with Ted !

>By the sound of it I get the impression that once 'pushed' it breaks....???

Be sure, No it does not. :)
Driving it hardly ... what ever this means. Let me say if you are 25 years old you may have another driving style then with 55. :)
I drive me F i.e. with respect on the material. beginning with worming up the engine until i.e. slowing down on wrong conditioned roads....

>3.Is VVC more likely to brake down as opposed to 1.8i.
IMO it can, but it must not. :)
According to the amount of mechanical parts it may be. The more complex it is, the more parts can fail.


>Bare in mind that dealers in Athens have NO clue about the car's personality.

An important term, but not restricted to the skills of greek mechanics. There are a lot of anones around at several dealers not restricted on a single country.
IMO you need to get sensible yourself for your cars effords. So I did and lots of friends here too.
Including the written instructions of MG ist should be possible to service this car in each place.

Driver and workshop .. needs a relation like a doctor and his patient (Tonys spelling)

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

How long can the MGF be kept for.
Will it be around in 40 years like some other MG's ?
A curious future buyer.

PS: From what I see here I should not be asking this, but it puzzles me how other MG's have survived that long....
Andrew van der Lem

What I think you must remember is that many MGs like other cars have not lasted that long. Those that have, have because of the dedictaion of the owners and the fact that there is a thriving 'after market' industry.

Ans as I have said elsewhere I am sure that you (not me - unless I live to 100) will see *F*s in forty years time.

Ted
Ted Newman

>How long can the MGF be kept for.
Will it be around in 40 years like some other MG's ?
A curious future buyer.

Let me explain it in a technical way...
Depends on the availiability of a PC with an RS485 interface for analysis of the MGFs (and about 80 more other cars) electronics :)

>From what I see here I should not be asking this, but it puzzles me how other MG's have survived that long....

Very simple to answer. They survived because the MG brand and loads of enthusiasts made it possible. Special in Netherland !!

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

Ted,
> unless I live to 100....

see Pauls Gallerie :). Lets talk about that in 15 years again :)
Dieter Koennecke

Well, I have been looking at the Elise BBs recently, and the only problems I have seen are rattles and leaking or broken hoods, I could find nothing major being spoken about. For a fun car the Elise is hard to beat, I just could not put up with the small seats, no soundproofing, lack of boot space (? :-) Etc. long term.

So I said, if you just want weekend fun the Elise would be my choice, if you intend to drive it all the time and do a lot of touring then the F may be a better option. If you want reliability it may be worth waiting for the new Toyota MR2 when it comes out, this way you keep the mid engine layout, from what I have seen of it the new MR2 actually looks quite nice. I'd rather have one than a Mazda, that's for sure.

But in the end, when buying a sports car it is usually a matter of buying with the heart, rather than buying with the head. The word practical does not really exist when you are talking about a sports car.

Tony Smith

Sports car? ;o)

And you didn't mention the S2000 - also a very nice car.

My dealer has been trying to persude me to buy a new F. He says that most of the problems from the past have now been fixed.
Hmmmm.
Dot

Hi Jobst

Nice one for considering an MGF. It is great car, and I love them. I've had mine for nearly 4 years- and I enjoy the car more and more.

A few things do make the MGF unique.

1. The enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm has meant that a huge number of MGBs and midgets have survived the last 20 years- the MGF will be no exception. If you are considering owning the car long term, then consider how many vehicle manufacturers have a historic ("Heritage") arm purely dedicated to the on going production of parts and body panels to keep 20-40 year old models on the road.
More MGs are driven daily than any other 'classic' (20+ years old) car. The signs are that the MGF will be similarly supported- and that is 'a good thing'.
We have an active BBS where problems are freely aired, and solutions are found. The MG clubs offer social gatherings, and cheap insurance. For those who want to race their cars competitively, then the clubs provide a way to do this cheaply. I know of no other make with such a comprehensive back up.

2. The car's design

This is a car that handles well, is remarkably practical and comfortable. If you want to personalise your car, then the MGF provides you with a blank canvass on which to 'paint'. Have a look at the Scarlet Fever web site (from the MGF owners page linked at the top of this page) for one person's vision.
Suspension height is easily modified. New interiors are readily available. Bolt on performance accessories are so numerous that it is almost dazzling. With the possible exception of certain engine management chips, they have no impact upon the car's reliability and result in pleasing changes to the cars personality.

3. The MGF's character

If you want a bland car, then the MGF is not the car for you. It's a car that you cannot fail to love. Even those afflicted with cars with serious problems, with seriously disaffected owners, they all still 'love the car'. Fortunately, serious problems are few and far between. We as enthusiasts would rather that there were no problems at all ofcourse- and we'd rather MG took note than deny problems. That, in part, is what this BBS is about.

If you are considering a Lotus Elise, then test drive them both. Very different cars. The Elise is more compromised than the F, but the Lotus is the only car I'd consider replacing my F with. And I know people who've traded their Lotus for an MGF, so it cuts both ways.

Right, that's enough from me! ;o)

BTW I hate the new MR2- it looks so ugly! A shame, because I'd consider one of those too. Fortunately for MG, Toyota have made a big error. Heyho. Honda S2000? Nice- but in the Porsche market really.

Happy MG hunting

Rob
http:/go.to/mgfgallery
Robert Bell

Nice one Rob!

I think we should put that into the FAQ - under reasons to buy an MGF.

BTW copyright it quick before Rover nick it for their next sales campaign:-)

Ted
Ted Newman

:o)
underlined by Dieter
:oD=

PS. > ofcourse... <g> correct to 'of course' <g>
Dieter Koennecke

Look, I think (and many others here) MGF is a VERY beautiful sportcar. Sexy, image, exclusive (unless you live in the UK ;-), powerful, etc. And when it works, no car from that price category can beat the fun of it (no no, even MX5 owners can shove it)

But the problem is once you own it, you'll have to live with more ("potential" - I'm careful here!) problems than a usual car built in the late 90's.

If I had an uncle in Kuwait who'd pay my never ending flood of MG dealer repair invoices, I'd drive with an F until I'm 80, but since I don't have an uncle in Kuwait, I'm selling my MGF in Spring/2000, totally disappointed by its reliability and customer support.

Dirk,
future BMW328Ci owner (it somewhat stays Rover-related ;-)
Dirk Vael

Jobst,

It matters not a jot what decision you make, get an MGF or not? Go for the VVC or MPI? It's only money (quite a lot I know) and you only live once so you can't take it with you. :)

Something I do when I can't make a decision about what to do is decide instead what I'd regret. - Do something and regret the possible outcome. Or not do something then regret it later when the opportunity has passed you by. Very crude but it does work surprisingly well. :)

http://www.blitzer.demon.co.uk

Home of the MG Dealer Guide and F'ers Gallery. :)
Paul Lathwell

>Do something and regret the possible outcome. Or not do something then regret it later when the opportunity has passed you by. Very crude but it does work surprisingly well. :)


Hey, Paul that is real live. Including Robs 'speach of the day! the best I read today.

:)
Cheers
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

I'd buy the car. Just go and do it. I did, and I love it to bits - don't ever want to get rid of it.

Stefan
Stefan Gibney

Thanks Dieter. :)

Like Stefan I find it hard to imagine life without my F and I've been unfortunate with a series of niggling problems in the first year of ownership. Still can't help grinning when I go for a blast though. :)

http://www.blitzer.demon.co.uk

Home of the MG Dealer Guide and F'ers Gallery. :)
Paul Lathwell

Of course MGF is not the only one for bringing sheer joy amongst car-owners:

Check the Porsche Boxster fans BBS: many smiling faces if you start reading comments (and of course, some niggles too):
http://www.boxster.net/board/active/bbindex.cgi
http://www.boxster.org

For the official Porsche website:
http://www.porsche.com

Do you hear me singing: "I'm thinking of an 'S'" ;-)

Luc
GHC216
Luc

>Suspension height is easily modified.

By anyone except an MG dealer :-)

>Check the Porsche Boxster fans BBS

But, Luc, the basic Boxster is half as much money again as an MGF, some of us don't earn enough to get the Porsche.

>future BMW328Ci owner

Not quite a sports car and everyone has one on the continent, I'm sure you could find something more interesting at the price :-)


Tony Smith

>future BMW328Ci owner

More a wappon then a car ;-)

Dieter Koennecke

Jobst,

Mate, I've just bought an MGF - the 75th Anniversary LE - it looks bloody good and if you want to pickup the women, you can't go wrong - unless the Italian chicky babes are more fussy and prefer Ferrari's, Merc's or BM's. The first thing to do though, is to contact the MG Car Club nearest you and ask if any of the members own an MGF. If there are, speak to them dear boy. These folks want you to know everything about the car, so I reckon you're more likely to get too much information than too little. The other point to note, is that they are less likely to give you the salesman's pitch. Just the facts Sir.

My wife saw the car first and fell in love with, so I had no choice anyway. Just as well I loved it.

For your info, I traded in my trusty 7 year old Subaru Liberty with about 190,000 klms on it for the F. Apart from a boot lid problem and a squeaky dashboard, I've not had any major problems. But I did have 6 (count 'em) windscreens on my Liberty when it was brand new, squeaky front end that took several months to fix (and it still had the same problem 7 years later), exterior rear view mirrors with rippled glass and this was a Japanese car who are renowned for their attention to detail.

Hope my story puts some perspective on the situation.

Good luck mate and let us know how you go.

Phil
Phil

>Suspension height is easily modified.

>By anyone except an MG dealer :-)

Do I detect a note of sarcasm?

For interest, some of us have invested the necessary funds in a full 4-wheel alignment system.
MG dealer

The trouble is Mr MG Dealer if you will not tell us who you are how will be know where to go?
Patrick


>>
For interest, some of us have invested the necessary funds in a full 4-wheel alignment system.
<<

Ahh, buts is not the equipment that is important - its the tracking settings - IMO.

And until you sling Rovers tracking specs out the window the problems will still be there.

I (and I suspect Dieter and Rob) will be intrigued to learn what Brown & Gammons set Martin Woods car to at the Technical Day.

My car has now done 7,000 miles on the current set of front tyres having had the car set up by a non MG garage, its the most I have ever had out of the fronts.

Was the car set up to Rover specs? NO

Was the car tracked with a 4 wheel alignment system? No

They just put a piece of string put down the side of the car and used a simple rule to measure the distance between the string and the front of the wheel and the string and the back of the wheel.

The best the previous six sets managed was 6,000 miles - each time the tracking and ride height were set by MG dealers, the tracking using Hunter equipment.

Paul
P9 VLS
Paul

Ah... that piece of string seems to be a common tool for setting up other Cup cars also!!

Mention was made today to the effect that there have been five changes to the specs for the F since launch, sounds like a new spec accompanies every birthday card!!!

Rog
Roger Parker

well ... the old nugget eh?

I had a dodgy VVC, they rpeplaced it without me even asking, the new one had a couple of silly things wrong with it, similarly fixed. despite spinning it a few weeks ago (seems bad tyre pressure/wear was partly to blame ... oh and probably a bit too much r. foot on a greasy wet road) I think the F is great!

it's pretty cheap to run, works well as everyday transport. looks nice, drives well (not as quick as I'd like, but there you go ... it doesn't cost what a 911 probably does to service!)

the dealers seem to respond well if you have a problem (forget chequered flag though .. they don't even respond to faxes asking them to sell you a car!)

David
David F

This thread was discussed between 25/10/1999 and 07/11/1999

MG MGF Technical index

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