SunnySideUp

And I know someone is going to say, "DONT DO IT!"

But, give me a moment or two ....

I have been offered a car, my head says don't touch it - my heart says it could be a great buy ...

The car, don't laugh, is a MGF Special Edition in Ice Blue Metallic - X Reg - 16,000miles (yes 16,000) - 1 Owner, I have been offered it for a couple of grand and, I must admit, I'm tempted (was looking for a MX5 for my daughter, this could fit the bill instead?).

I appreciate that a MX5 is way better and that a MGF could bring heartache and expense and misery - I know the K Series engine suffers from overheating ... but, my question is this really:-

"Has anyone any first hand experience of these cars? What should I look for? Did they cure the issues by the time 2000 came and went? Is it a gift I should grab with both hands? 16,000miles is very low, but it may still be a pile of pooo - what do you think? What area on the car should I look at very closely?"

Thanks in anticipation!

Brun

With no experience of them - i say go for it. How bad can it be with 16k?
Regardless how good MX5s are - they still look bland compared to the F

David Lock

"Any tips?"

Yeah - post in the correct forum

what would scooby do

Any tips?

Yes the one you should drive the MGF to

I would knock £500 of the price to sit in the bank for repairs.

Head Gasket Failure should be about £300 to fix.

I had a Rover 200VI with the same engine, revved the blocks off it all the time and never had an issue. The VVC is a better technology than the honda vtec IMHO

Graz

MGF = My Gay Friend

dpb

'Lucky Penny' 2.50 at Haydock

David_Dickson

The problem with a car on such low mileage is that it probably has all its original parts, which after 8 or 9 years of occasional use, will be all starting to show signs of wear.
Shocks, bushes etc, possibly even the tyres, will all be the original ones.
At least buying a higher mileage car will mean that most of the niggles will have been ironed out and there shouldnt be a spate of stuff needing replaced as there could well be with this one.
You need to view it an assess it on its own merits though.

Coffin Dodger

Still here then loser boy

Buying an MGF for the daughter, pull the other one Pete, we know it's for you, you big homo

Why don't you trying posting your question on an MGF forum, rather than this one, as none of us are likely to own such a sh*te car (or own up to it if we ever did). You never know you may even like it there, can take up trolling full time on their site, and you won't need to post here ever again

Here's one I found for you www.big-gay-boys.com

mrtheedge2u2

Here's a tip......... look in the mirror and give your head a wobble! ......

If you do not have to maintain it then fair enough, but if your daughter is expecting you to maintain it then get her a bicycle

Jamescsti

goto MG - Rover.Org -||- The ultimate site for MG and Rover enthusiasts! you will get all the info you need there.

SunnySideUp

Thanks for the decent replies

As for the others ....

Coffin Dodger

You reap what you sow Pedro

robby

Common problems were head gasket failure (£300 - £500), Hydro gas(metro) suspension leaks - hard to find a garage who still has a pump these days

Has the car been dry stored? check the roof for damage, rear window was £200 to replace (they go very hazy), hard tops get damaged on corners by clumsy storage

check pipework for corrosion as it runs front to rear of car

check for rust/ corrosion, water leaks (especially through tops of door windows), they all had rattles/ creaks

not sure if mike satur is still around as he used to be the main tuner/ knowledgeable guy?

dunx

iTrader: (3)

The pop-up add at the bottom just showed one on "e-buy" for £0.99

LOL

DunxC

jjones

sister in law had one, head gasket went after a few thousand miles.

story is they have a crap battery standard fitment, this went flat, RAC man came and jumped it, told her to leave it running on the drive for 30 mins to charge it. 50 miles later the gasket went.

SunnySideUp

16,000 miles

MGF Wedgewood Special edition - X Reg.

1 Owner

It's cheap as chips, I'm looking at it tomorrow afternoon - looks immaculate on their driveway.

I want to walk away ............................................ but can't!!!

dpb

Hip playing up again .??

SunnySideUp

Very good!

paulwrxboro

i had one , bought it to sell it had 70 000 miles with full history and had 3 head gaskits... nuff said

mrtheedge2u2

Pete... if it is sooooooo good, buy it and then sell it again to some mug who has more money than sense

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

The Hadgasket thing , £300 wont get it done properly, £500 will but sometimes it buggers the rest of the engine, I had a BRM (same unit) and that went cos the liners had sank, second time it had been off.

They actually drive quite well, the engine is nice when it works but you spend all your time looking for the telltale wisps of steam, so consequently I wouldnt ever touch one with that K series again, the lower powered versions fare better as there is less stress on what is a very small engine, it was designed like that for quick warm up and low emisions both due to the quick warm up and light weight, would have been an utter winner apart fromt he HG issues which apparently have now been fixed on the new "MGF".

My uncle has a TF in Grey, looks really nice but he has had niggles.

As for the MX5, yes, they are better but they arent without issues, a girl at work had massive problems with hers, every few weeks, utter liability but thats may be down to bad luck or female "maintenance", also I have seen unserviced Rover 214s drag their sorry ***** round for decades and pass an MOT with only minor issues.

I would stick with an MX5.

Steve vRS

I had an Mx-5 for about 3 months. It was 14 years old but I soon found that their legendary reliability was just a myth....

I was pleased to get shot of the bloody thing!

Steve

Dracoro

I don't think a sample size of 1 on a 14 year old car is representative though!!!

Do you honestly believe the reliability is all myth and that they are unreliable cars????

Steve vRS

Of course not. There are bad ones out there though, something people forget when talking about the 5.

I'd have one again but only when I have the time to tinker and reapir it i.e. when my pre-school children have grown up!

Steve

paulwrxboro

Pete just give her your mx5 and get yourself a real mans car

SunnySideUp

Well, been to see it .... it drives like new (it should at 16,000 miles) - really nice car. I was really, really, impressed how tight everything was - the leather still had that smell.

Needs a good polish and clean up in the inside ..............

No sign of any rust, no sign of HGF, stamped Service Book ... 10 months tax, 10 months MOT.

I've left an offer with the owner, may be the worst thing I will ever do - but it's small money to risk really, isn't it?

OH, well .... life is about risk!

robby

Check the tyres as well - common problem was the alignment was always out even from the factory, 4 wheel alignment is approx £50ish