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MG MGF Technical - My car doesn't like hills

My 97 VVC performs well in every area except that when it comes to long gradients and hills there's a noticeable drop off in performance. It behaves more like a removals truck getting slower and slower so I change down to 4th. I guess my old 2.8i Toyota Supra spolied me as this cruised everywhere with ease.

Although the F is 'only' a 1.8i, it's lighter and also a true sports car (isn't it?) so technically what's the problem?!

Dimo

My '97 VVC has no problems with hills. The VVC pulls fairly low gearing of about 20MPH/1000RPM (not very different to my old 1.4Litre Seat Ibiza).
Assuming you've got at leat 3000RPM on the tacho, then it should romp up the hills - it certainly shouldn't be slowing down. A session on a rolling road should show if you're down on torque.
Steve

Very little torque in the K Series

I would guess your Supra 2.8i (Turbo???) had a sh*tload of torque
Bob Millar

Never had a hill problem, not even in the French mountains. Of course, I've always made a point of being in the correct gear for the conditions. Also, as I ride a bike a lot I am not worried about revving an engine.

Having said that my VVC takes A and most B road inclines in 5th if I want to without noticable difficulty. Never noticed a lack of torque in real life.
JohnP

I've never had a problem with hills, mine's not a VVC either. Obviously it depends on how steep the hill is, but usually i can just put my foot down a bit and it'll leap up the hill lol, loadsa fun!
Emma Jackman

John P ,
Did,nt realise you were also a biker, just gave it up March, getting too old ! GSXR7500 K1, Already missing it.
Robert
R J Hemphill

Robert

Gave up when family started, restarted for 40th birthday pressie. 18 years later still loving every bike ride. French trip already organised for July with SWMBO on the back.

You are never too old to ride a bike - it's just the knees getting stiffer. Dump the GSXR types and get a nice British Triumph Sprint ST; it was designed by a man with real world joints.

A friend rode through Italy and found his way to Turkey a few years ago, rode home and died, at the age of 82, just 4 weeks later.

A BMW bike dealer once told me that if I sold my bike I would regret it forever. He was so convinced of this that he lent me a bike from his sales forecourt for a month rather than see me you without.

I repaid him by buying my first modern Triumph in 1992 and am now on my 5th.

JohnP

>>GSXR7500 K1<<
Bet that had no problem going uphill - probably liked to lift its front wheel just for fun !
John's right - you just need a different type of bike.

Steve (another Suzuki owner)
Steve

Nothing to do with the thread.., but I've got a gixxer 750 too!!
Blimmin' marvellous! - I am also thinking of getting rid though as its just not comfy enough!
Neil H

Fazer 600!! After riding it for a while the MG seems soooooooooo slow!!! :-)
Chris George

The only time your car won't feel slow after getting off the bike is if you sell up and get one of these puppies...


http://www.zcars.org.uk/z100wr.htm
Neil H

Steve,
Just a thought. When I first got my F, under hard accelartion it use to loose power. It was down to a dodgy sparkplug. Might be the same problem,
Rich
Richard P

accelartion? = Acceleration
Richard P

Yeah get it checked over if you think that it's wrong!

I have never thought that my F is short of power, far from it, (but it's a different story on the racetrack!) No I have managed to scare myself and many passengers rigid in the F, uphill and down dale.

The 1.6 should rev very well so dont forget to give it loads up the hills!

Neil

> I have never thought that my F is short of power

I dont notice it's fast anymore as i havent driven anything other than it for over a year. Just seems normal. Average on a motorway but on a back road it's exceptional. Had a great run with a Golf Gti last week. He just couldnt live with me over the twisty stuff.

Everytime I've got a new passenger though they always without fail say "F*ck me this car's got some acceleration!"

I just take it for granted I guess but I'm itching for more power! DVA here I come ;-)
Bob Millar

All this talk of bikes I love my f to bits but can no longer ride a bike as broke my back in three places and Doc said one more fall and you might not walk to think you can red line a nija 6 and thats quick
but a volvo at twenty mph can do so much damage
Kieran

>but a volvo at twenty mph can do so much damage

Yes, a former colleague wrote off two VW Beetles with a 245 estate. Apparently he pulled out of a junction, turning right, and lost it on some ice. The only damage to the Volvo was a bent wing and the tracking needed resetting.

Dimo, I know its a silly question, but I'll ask it anyway, is the clutch slipping? Other possibilities include the timing being out, weak spark (HT leads, spark plugs, distributor cap, etc.) and fuelling problem (blocked jet, failing fuel pump, etc.).

Ralph
Ralph

Yeah Bikes are poo really

I had four in a row before I got into cars.
rode them everywhere and in all weathers.
Is it my perception, or were winters colder in those days?

Anyway I fell off them enough times to know that all the wet and cold and pain just isnt worth those few moments of pleasure as you blast off at warp speed. Speed is always reletive anyhow, you can make a 850 mini feel fast.
Neil

Never really understood why people insist on repeatedly falling off bikes; ice round a blind bend is almost acceptable but suggests the bend was taken too fast, diesel should be smelt before getting there, mechanical failure is OK, finding a VOLVO on the same piece of road is also OK.

Knowing that is will hurt is also a dissincentive to falling off. I've been lucky: 125,000 miles in last 11 years with one off when I stopped in the car park and was too cold to put the side stand down. Heated gloves were fine but socks or boots were needed that day.

Gary Player said (and many others claim to have said) "The more I practice, the luckier I get".
JohnP

I guess biking isn't for everyone and there are days when I just can't be bothered to get suited and booted. But then the most rewarding thing is doing battle with the 'cagers' and filtering through stationary traffic on the A1M! (carefully mind you, not like some bikers).

However, on a day like today, blue skies, bit of a nip in the air, nothing beats top-down driving round country lanes :-D


... especially with my new K&N!!! :-D
Chris George

I almost agree Chris.

We agonised for 2 years about buying an F; would the bike still get used etc.

Bike mailage has dropped from 12k per year to about 3k, but at least they are now pleasure miles even if not always pleaseure weather. Next decent bike trip (other than runs out with the lads) is July to Angouleme in SW France, 2-up in a group.
JohnP

Biking is a lot like having an MGF in the first place.
You can ride and drive all year round and choose to derive small pleasures from what you can..., but now and again, on the hot sunny days, empty country lanes and the wind in your hair, the mere pleasure of being free makes you smile ear-to-ear.

On those days, when I have the roof down.., or when I'm on my bike... - I just couldn't give a rats thingy about anything or anyone else in the whole wide world...

wonderful.

Quite simply put.., very few cars will ever offer you that.., the MGF does, and I am not in the remotest bit surprised that most of us here do or did own a motorbike.

Neil H

well said!
Chris George

Me - midget, just been out for a blat... nice - very nice 8-))
Will Munns

Well today is a brilliant day
and I am in the West Country, nice roads etc
but I have a rush hour drive home to Surrey...in the Labrat!!

GRRRRRRR

this weekend MOSTLY we will be REASSEMBLING THE F FOR SUMMER
Neil

This thread was discussed between 15/04/2004 and 23/04/2004

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