stevie1982

iTrader: (16)

Guys just need a little help

looking to get my other half a MG ZR, nothing special just the 1.4ltr on a 02-03 plate as she is learning to drive finaly after 4 years of agging her to do it so was looking at a cheap run around for her for evenings and weekends as i will use it to and from work as we live a 10 min walk from her work.

so had a little look on the web and these seem cheap enough and she likes them so it is a go'er

was wondering fi anyone has one, has driven them and knows of any major problems with them that i shoul dmake sure i look out for wehn viewing one.

cheers

steve

austinwrx

try some insurance quotes first. my wife only passed her test at 29- (this year)

had sorted out buying her a little focus as a run around- even ins group 5/6 was too costly.

ended up with a 1.2 punto as its ins group 2. still cost me 550 for ins. this is of course putting it all in her name.

no point getting a cheap car and then paying a grand to insure.

figured although coz its a fiat its crap, it'll do for a year to build no claims up and of course for her to scatch it- as shes a learner driver/only just passed.

wasn't having my 20 perfect years of NCB etc messed up with scooby ins being what it is !!!

Jamescsti

Get yourself over to MG - Rover.Org -||- The ultimate site for MG and Rover enthusiasts! and have a browse around, I drove the Diesel version years ago, was quite a nice car, I own a ZT now.

Jamescsti

ROVER 25 200 PINK MGZR MG ZR LOOKS FULL MOT ALLOYS CAR on eBay (end time 13-Sep-09 21:00:13 BST)

Just found this for you

Andy M3

Punto's are not that bad, esspecially the MK1 base 55 - dirt cheap to run and maintain, little to go wrong......

I have only ever experienced the Rover 200, but I know head gaskets seem to be a bit of an issue, and the fact there are no dealers may make it difficult to get parts?!?! I would do some research, find a specialist and get typical costs for service, new brakes / exhaust and an insurance quote and see how it compares to an alternative car.

HTH

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

I have had two 1.4 MGZRs, I say two as I returned the first one after two weeks and demanded another one...

I hated every second of driving them, bad brakes, bad suspension, and just terrible interior. I had so many problems with it you wouldn't believe. trim just falling off from both inside and out.

And it was slow as ****.

Jamescsti

Parts are very easy to source for Rover cars loads of independant's have sprung up and doing a good trade now dealers have all but gone

stevie1982

iTrader: (16)

ok well i may have to think again about this

cheers fellas

IanW

My missus loves her one, it is only off the road because with the litlte one it was not easy to get her in/out the back of the 2 door version.

s70rjw

iTrader: (2)

I'd steer clear of anything Rover based. My wife had a 200 from new. The gearbox wouldn't go into 1st when cold, rust on bonnet edge and wheelarch, it would rarely start in the damp/ wet. Rover dealers said the non start in damp conditions was a characteristic of the car!

austinwrx

like I say, the car is academic, get some insurance quotes first. you don't want to be paying a grand to insure a rover !!!!

and like my wife, she will scrape it....... you forget what new drivers are like.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I think they drive quite nicely, nippy-ish, handle quite well, just make sure there are no head gasket issues.

StickyMicky

My old man had a 200 when they were new and the build quality seamed a bit iffy, i am not sure how well they were upgraded/modernised into the ZR model, as above, i think the main problems with them were the headgaskets?

Personally i think the older models with the twin headlights look nicer then the updated facelift they did.

I actually really rate my ZS180 now, i just really love driving it, nothing has broke, nothing has fell off, and it has less interior noises then my old scooby did, it is a shame IMO that they have such a stigma attached to them, shame it feels slow really.

I have just recently repainted the full car in RAL5002 Ultramarine Blue synthetic enamel paint (cheap as hell, not worth spending good money on a car that's worth a few K at the most)

I was meaning to get rid of this about 6 months ago, it is a credit to how well it drives, that i kept hold of it! i was looking at getting a ZT at some point as they look a bit nicer, although thats probably far to big for your missus

The only cash i have spent on my 180, was the clutch hydraulics (known fault, so replaced them regardless just in case) and the front lip spoiler was missing, so i sourced the cheapest aftermarket one i could find
And £40 on some cheap blue paint to make it all pretty

Apart from that, its cost me nothing, nowt has broken, and it has never let me down.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Sticky, steady on, some wont cope with someone driving one and it not breaking down or killing them in some way !

StickyMicky

Mine must have been made on a Monday morning

Jamescsti

I have to say my ZT has had nothing go wrong with it (touchwood) apart from the Catalytic convertor inards collapsing which cost £120 to replace with a nice custom stainless steel one, It is a very nice comfy car for driving up and down the motorway everyday, and better now I have replaced the dodgy chequer interior with proper leather/alcantara seats