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MG MGF Technical - New Year MG Blues

Being an MGF owner for just over a year i've come to realise that no problem on an MG is a small problem. Had a tiny water leak, so i thought it was time to look into the cause and took her to the shop for a check-up.

The result? Now car-less (perhaps unitl new year), and biting my nails in anticipation of the bill... : (

New water pump, new radiator and new timing belt (fair enough it was due for a change) and a prescription for a well needed engine flush (you should see the colour of my coolant water!).

Add that to the list of, need for new catalyst (actually passed my MOT with a shattered cat!!!!), a replacement of the rear tie-bar (i think that's what it's called - a part of the shassi that bolts onto the rear left wheel?), a squeaky suspension, rotting interior... new disc brakes... sigh....

The year has not even begun and i'm counting me pennies...

Sell her you say? Never! ; )

Find me a car with no problems and i'll show you a pig that can fly!



JW Ioannou

JW

I'm glad you are keepng cheerfull. Starting the new year with a large bill is never good unless the money is spent on an MG.

Is the rotting interior caused by the hot sun that you get in Cyprus? My steering wheel was covered in frost this morning and the inside of the front screen was covered in ice.

Best wished for a happy and MG filled 2005!
JohnP

<<Is the rotting interior caused by the hot sun that you get in Cyprus?>>

Yup! My door pods literally melted away, and i now have red foamy gratings litering my interior. The dash is also cracking away...

I get through 2 sun-visors a year but it doesn't make much difference. And to think... i actually want to leather her... doh! : )

JW Ioannou

174 pounds in parts so far, plus labour : (

On the bright sight... looks like i may be getting my car back by Thursday evening...

JW Ioannou

Your not the Ioannou that was into broadband in the uk in the 80's are you?
jim kenny

Sorry Jim, if that were me i'd be a wee toddler : )

A case of mistaken identity...
JW Ioannou

Hopefully you'll be on top of things now JW - fingers crossed for the new year! :o)
Rob Bell

Just spent a horrifying morning rushing around like a headless chicken. Arranged for parts to be delivered to shop (actually got away paying cost price 174 and confirmed that MG dealer here was asking for 350+ vat for the exact parts!), and they arrived 3 hours later than expected (typical!).

I left the shop after settling the bill for the parts, only to recieve a call at the office 1 hour later asking where the key to the wheel locking nuts are since he needs access to the water pump from the right rear wheel. I told them it should be with the wrench, jack etc in the front bonnet, but alas, disaster strikes again. The last to work on the car was the MG dealership who naturally claimed ignorance. So i asked if i could purchase a new one...

1 hour later and after much shouting about and foot tapping, they said i'd have to wait 2 weeks for the delivery of a new key! They gave me 4 new nuts and bolts and advised that i use brute force to remove the locks and replace them with normal nuts. Paid 36 pounds (only!) for 4 bolts and nuts (sheesh) and headed back to the shop. 1 more hour later and the wheel was off the car, undamaged and without the need to replace any nuts or bolts.

Frantic, stressed and with little hair left on my scalp, i stopped at a car dealership on the way home. With nearly 3 grand spent on my mg this year alone, i'm having second thoughts... : (
JW Ioannou

Ignore the second thoughts - you know the first thoughts were right. If you still have doubts then try a third thought.
JohnP

I agree with you John; why let someone else benefit from your investment JW? :o)
Rob Bell

Thanks Rob and John i really appreciate the support.

Went pass the shop this morning to check up on the car. Went a tad overboard on the repairs but she needed loads of work. Spanking new radiator, new timing belt (you should see the state of the old one!!!!!), replaced the belts on the a/c, had that warped piece on the rear axle replaced, proper wheel allignment, engine flush... Still not picked her up though, but when i do, i plan to stop by the car dealer, show him my car and explain that THIS is how a real car looks!

Besides, where else could i find a caring community such as that of the MG world! Many thanks to all for proving my thoughts wrong (even though i knew deep inside me that there is no way i could ever get rid of my baby... :)))
JW Ioannou

Just got the car back from the shop. A fat bill awaited me and a grand total of 460 pounds spent in all. Was it worth it you ask? Most certainly!

The car has never handled like the way it does now, in the year i've had it. Just last week, it seemed that whenever i hit the brakes the car would instantly swerve left. I've read many threads on bad handling on an F but this was ridiculous! Part of the problem was attributed to the fact that i had that warped part (the mechanic doesn't even now what to call it - "wishbone thing" were his exact words), which means there was something like a 17 degree offset! on my rears, but the rest was also due to ride height, which has now been adjusted to the proper factory setting. And would you believe it if i told you that the one who had quite recently adjusted the height was the official dealership in Cyprus? (i cannot stress how useless they are!!!)

All-in-all a wonderful job done, and now i knock on wood and prey i don't have to fork any more money out before the end of the year... (that's 34 hours to go!)

;0)

Leaving me wishing everyone

"A Happy New Year to one and all!!!"

John
JW Ioannou

This thread was discussed between 27/12/2004 and 30/12/2004

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