For those that are thinking of purchasing a newer car - Page 2

RobSun · 10th September 2021, 10:24

Overall bangernomics spending a low amount on a car can and is usually financial sense. I was very disappointed with the last two new cars I had purchased so went down this route and got an MG ZTT 135+ with 160 map.

But there can come the time when you have to decide if you are just throwing money away. My ZTT now moved on to another owner had had a lot spent on it by the previous owner with some components fitted of very poor quality, that needing doing again. Then the dreaded clutch component failure at 3000 miles after quality parts used only to fail again after a further 3000 miles. Added to this all the other jobs we all know these cars throw up that needed to be done. That added up to a fair total and it came to me that I was throwing good money away, and question could it be relied upon any more as a daily driver.

I replaced it with a Volvo, certainly not a banger, which kept its value and cost in repairs far far less than the MG and was totally reliable never letting me down. Cost effective ownership that worked out overall cheaper than the MG

This has now been replaced a few months ago with a nearly new Renault launch day car. This car has WiFi connection and downloads software updates on the go as they become available. All the modern kit and safety and 5 years warranty, AA cover etc. So far no issues to speak of and full confidence in it, really amazing fuel consumption and cheaper to run than the Volvo, which loved petrol. Its petrol consumption is actually better round town than the ZTT 160 diesel and about the same on a run.

Yes it cost a lot more than a ZT or 75 to buy and it will depreciate (although in today's market it has gone up and the insurance trade value as of this weeks renewal is £400.00 more than I paid retail) but for me it makes sense because my monthly out goings are still cheaper than paying out all the time on the MG to keep it going.

However I still look out for the right 75 because they are special, but for me like my Dolomite, weekends only now.

victorgte · 10th September 2021, 13:58

This is a thread very close to my jugular.

In late 2019 I decided no more 75/ZT or any other MGR cars. Just the TF would be kept for summer fun. Not entirely happy with the TF. Great fun to drive but has quality issues so no more after this one.

October 2019 I bought a Peugeot 308 SW and then February 2020 I bought my wife a BMW 318.
Both great cars in different ways. Clean, modern and reliable.

So far the bills have totalled £4500. That’s a ridiculous amount of money for work on engines and brakes.
Coil packs, injectors and ABS.
I’ve now decided not to sell the Peugeot as it owes me too much. The ZT will no longer be replacing it as was the plan.
Just waiting for another big bill for the BMW.......

I’m not selling the ZT at anytime. It’s my reliable and economical car to run.

Kevin Williams · 10th September 2021, 15:34

Just to add to this discussion regarding new petrol cars.

I've previously highlighted, in another thread, my neighbour's issues with a new 67 plate Fiesta [1 litre ,3 cylinder turbo engine I believe], principally with the battery constantly running down flat and the conclusion by the dealer that "you're not using it enough or going far enough and need to drive it like an F1 car". Totally different to someone used to plodding around locally with the odd longer trip. Unsurprisingly the Ford dealer ceased trading soon after but no joy with other Ford dealers in sorting the problem...

So the Fiesta was traded in last October for a new mid range Golf with the 1.5 petrol engine. No battery run down problems, but the electric handbrake either seized on or didn't work at all [not good in a hilly area!] and the clock would never show UK time, just German time. Neither ever sorted by the dealer when given the chance. It got worse: the wipers came on of their own accord in the dry at random unless the car stopped and engine switched off and restarted [not good when happens on a Smart motorway...] and the final straw was when the dash display failed completely: no speedo or no mileage etc..

The car was returned to the dealer after 9 months and neighbour felt they got a good price in view of the difficulty in obtaining new cars at the moment. But it didn't end there. A letter arrived a few days later from one of the car buying protection companies advising that they'd committed a fraud as they'd signed off the car mileage to be 2000 when it was actually [after the dealer had sorted it] 2500! They heard no more after it was pointed out how can you put down a mileage if there is no display on the dash, and the dealer bought it back knowing that...

A sorry saga. They've gone back to using the back up 2008 Fiesta for local trips plus buses, trains and the odd taxi and might consider a hire car for holidays if it isn't a Golf!

They've stopped pointing out that my 75 and ZT are getting old in terms of age!!

Kevin

victorgte · 10th September 2021, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Williams

Just to add to this discussion regarding new petrol cars.

I've previously highlighted, in another thread, my neighbour's issues with a new 67 plate Fiesta [1 litre ,3 cylinder turbo engine I believe], principally with the battery constantly running down flat and the conclusion by the dealer that "you're not using it enough or going far enough and need to drive it like an F1 car". Totally different to someone used to plodding around locally with the odd longer trip. Unsurprisingly the Ford dealer ceased trading soon after but no joy with other Ford dealers in sorting the problem...

So the Fiesta was traded in last October for a new mid range Golf with the 1.5 petrol engine. No battery run down problems, but the electric handbrake either seized on or didn't work at all [not good in a hilly area!] and the clock would never show UK time, just German time. Neither ever sorted by the dealer when given the chance. It got worse: the wipers came on of their own accord in the dry at random unless the car stopped and engine switched off and restarted [not good when happens on a Smart motorway...] and the final straw was when the dash display failed completely: no speedo or no mileage etc..

The car was returned to the dealer after 9 months and neighbour felt they got a good price in view of the difficulty in obtaining new cars at the moment. But it didn't end there. A letter arrived a few days later from one of the car buying protection companies advising that they'd committed a fraud as they'd signed off the car mileage to be 2000 when it was actually [after the dealer had sorted it] 2500! They heard no more after it was pointed out how can you put down a mileage if there is no display on the dash, and the dealer bought it back knowing that...

A sorry saga. They've gone back to using the back up 2008 Fiesta for local trips plus buses, trains and the odd taxi and might consider a hire car for holidays if it isn't a Golf!

They've stopped pointing out that my 75 and ZT are getting old in terms of age!!

Kevin

I was offered my old Scimitar GTE 3 years after I sold it. In 13 years it broke down once because the carb needed to be refurbished. £80 later it was as good as new. Can’t beat an old one!

SCP440 · 10th September 2021, 19:10

My MOT tester recently had to fail a Ford Galaxy as the LCD instruments were just showing a blank screen , the guy who owned it reckon a new display is over £1500 plus fitting and coding. He said he just used his SatNav for the speed and put £75 of fuel in it every week.

Choice, scrap a 4 year old Galaxy or spend nearly £2k getting it legal.

I have heard a lot about Injectors failing on BMWs'. as above spend a large amount on your 4 year old car or scrap it.

Something is wrong when a new quality car starts having major expenditure once it out of warranty.

COLVERT · 10th September 2021, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyRover

Fools and their money are easily parted!

This might, quite well, be true but I can't see any relevance to the subject of this thread.---

AndyN01 · 10th September 2021, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCP440

......Something is wrong when a new quality car starts having major expenditure once it out of warranty.

Not for the manufacturer

. Lots of £££££'s back into the business. How many, genuinely, worry about the damage to the perception of the brand. Possibly Lexus?

And, for me, the definition of "quality" is, a bit like beauty, in the eye of the beholder

.

Quality, for me, is about overall reliability and that stuff just gets on with doing what it's supposed to without falling apart or packing up.

It might look beautiful and go like a rocket and handle like a dream and be as comfortable and quiet as can be and have every gizmo known to man but if it doesn't start or breaks down every 5 minutes then it's not for me.

And I've bought several Rover's

But, then again, I'm in this Club

.

bikerdude666 · 10th September 2021, 23:56

I seriously contemplated getting rid of the ZT earlier this year, for something newer and hopefully more reliable. The garage is taken it to for the work advised me against getting anything newer, saying I was better off keeping the ZT going as long as spares were available as there’s less to go wrong on them!

A few days back driving the ZT and all thoughts of selling it were gone. It’s got its issues, which will cost a fair bit to sort, but I don’t think it’s done too bad. 200,000 miles now, and I reckon around £3000 spent on it over my 8 year ownership, excluding wear items like tyres and brakes. And thanks to some very helpful people on this forum, it’s only had to go into the garage for big jobs like the clutch.

FLYING BANANA · 11th September 2021, 08:01

A fellow MG ZTT V8 owner bought a Jaguar I-Pace. Out and about in his new pride and joy, he kept the V8, a stone got kicked up and hit the Jaguars plastic headlight pod. Made a neat hole in the plastic. He phoned his local Jaguar garage and booked the car in to have the unit replaced. Cost £3,500. And he tells me it’s cheap on electricity.

patrolman pete · 11th September 2021, 08:05

When the 75 was one of these new fancy cars , in the motor trade we were warned about the risk of serious damage to the new multiplex electrical wiring system if we were to go probing with our multi meters and that diagnosis was only possible at the dealership using a computer. I’ve owned three 75’s in 20 years and the only electrical fault was to my 2001 V6 club 2 weeks after purchase when a poor earth in the n/s kick panel caused and intermittent EP fault with the auto box. My other two that I have now I’ve never had an issue. The clever lads like Brian ( no longer of this parish !) will always come along and find a way to deal with modern car problems as the car ages and becomes another older and sometimes enthusiast’s car.

10th September 2021, 13:58	#12
victorgte I really should get out more....... MGTF, MGZT, Range Rover Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 2,803 Thanks: 395 Thanked 633 Times in 446 Posts	This is a thread very close to my jugular. In late 2019 I decided no more 75/ZT or any other MGR cars. Just the TF would be kept for summer fun. Not entirely happy with the TF. Great fun to drive but has quality issues so no more after this one. October 2019 I bought a Peugeot 308 SW and then February 2020 I bought my wife a BMW 318. Both great cars in different ways. Clean, modern and reliable. So far the bills have totalled £4500. That’s a ridiculous amount of money for work on engines and brakes. Coil packs, injectors and ABS. I’ve now decided not to sell the Peugeot as it owes me too much. The ZT will no longer be replacing it as was the plan. Just waiting for another big bill for the BMW....... I’m not selling the ZT at anytime. It’s my reliable and economical car to run. __________________ MG TF 135, MG ZT, Range Rover P38

11th September 2021, 08:01	#19
FLYING BANANA Moderator/Club Shop MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rattler Farm Posts: 22,555 Thanks: 9,270 Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts	A fellow MG ZTT V8 owner bought a Jaguar I-Pace. Out and about in his new pride and joy, he kept the V8, a stone got kicked up and hit the Jaguars plastic headlight pod. Made a neat hole in the plastic. He phoned his local Jaguar garage and booked the car in to have the unit replaced. Cost £3,500. And he tells me it’s cheap on electricity. __________________ 233,320. New rear tyres on order for BBB. onen hag oll

10th September 2021, 10:24	#11
RobSun Gets stuck in MGZTT Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Bradford Posts: 529 Thanks: 148 Thanked 256 Times in 138 Posts	Overall bangernomics spending a low amount on a car can and is usually financial sense. I was very disappointed with the last two new cars I had purchased so went down this route and got an MG ZTT 135+ with 160 map. But there can come the time when you have to decide if you are just throwing money away. My ZTT now moved on to another owner had had a lot spent on it by the previous owner with some components fitted of very poor quality, that needing doing again. Then the dreaded clutch component failure at 3000 miles after quality parts used only to fail again after a further 3000 miles. Added to this all the other jobs we all know these cars throw up that needed to be done. That added up to a fair total and it came to me that I was throwing good money away, and question could it be relied upon any more as a daily driver. I replaced it with a Volvo, certainly not a banger, which kept its value and cost in repairs far far less than the MG and was totally reliable never letting me down. Cost effective ownership that worked out overall cheaper than the MG This has now been replaced a few months ago with a nearly new Renault launch day car. This car has WiFi connection and downloads software updates on the go as they become available. All the modern kit and safety and 5 years warranty, AA cover etc. So far no issues to speak of and full confidence in it, really amazing fuel consumption and cheaper to run than the Volvo, which loved petrol. Its petrol consumption is actually better round town than the ZTT 160 diesel and about the same on a run. Yes it cost a lot more than a ZT or 75 to buy and it will depreciate (although in today's market it has gone up and the insurance trade value as of this weeks renewal is £400.00 more than I paid retail) but for me it makes sense because my monthly out goings are still cheaper than paying out all the time on the MG to keep it going. However I still look out for the right 75 because they are special, but for me like my Dolomite, weekends only now.

10th September 2021, 15:34	#13
Kevin Williams Loves to post Rover 75 CDT Tourer [116 bhp] in Wedgwood Blue / MG ZT CDTi [131bhp] in Anthracite Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Matlock Posts: 330 Thanks: 106 Thanked 66 Times in 52 Posts	Just to add to this discussion regarding new petrol cars. I've previously highlighted, in another thread, my neighbour's issues with a new 67 plate Fiesta [1 litre ,3 cylinder turbo engine I believe], principally with the battery constantly running down flat and the conclusion by the dealer that "you're not using it enough or going far enough and need to drive it like an F1 car". Totally different to someone used to plodding around locally with the odd longer trip. Unsurprisingly the Ford dealer ceased trading soon after but no joy with other Ford dealers in sorting the problem... So the Fiesta was traded in last October for a new mid range Golf with the 1.5 petrol engine. No battery run down problems, but the electric handbrake either seized on or didn't work at all [not good in a hilly area!] and the clock would never show UK time, just German time. Neither ever sorted by the dealer when given the chance. It got worse: the wipers came on of their own accord in the dry at random unless the car stopped and engine switched off and restarted [not good when happens on a Smart motorway...] and the final straw was when the dash display failed completely: no speedo or no mileage etc.. The car was returned to the dealer after 9 months and neighbour felt they got a good price in view of the difficulty in obtaining new cars at the moment. But it didn't end there. A letter arrived a few days later from one of the car buying protection companies advising that they'd committed a fraud as they'd signed off the car mileage to be 2000 when it was actually [after the dealer had sorted it] 2500! They heard no more after it was pointed out how can you put down a mileage if there is no display on the dash, and the dealer bought it back knowing that... A sorry saga. They've gone back to using the back up 2008 Fiesta for local trips plus buses, trains and the odd taxi and might consider a hire car for holidays if it isn't a Golf! They've stopped pointing out that my 75 and ZT are getting old in terms of age!! Kevin

10th September 2021, 19:10	#15
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	My MOT tester recently had to fail a Ford Galaxy as the LCD instruments were just showing a blank screen , the guy who owned it reckon a new display is over £1500 plus fitting and coding. He said he just used his SatNav for the speed and put £75 of fuel in it every week. Choice, scrap a 4 year old Galaxy or spend nearly £2k getting it legal. I have heard a lot about Injectors failing on BMWs'. as above spend a large amount on your 4 year old car or scrap it. Something is wrong when a new quality car starts having major expenditure once it out of warranty.

10th September 2021, 23:56	#18
bikerdude666 Posted a thing or two Jaguar Xe diseasal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Little Stanion, Corby Posts: 1,922 Thanks: 363 Thanked 390 Times in 241 Posts	I seriously contemplated getting rid of the ZT earlier this year, for something newer and hopefully more reliable. The garage is taken it to for the work advised me against getting anything newer, saying I was better off keeping the ZT going as long as spares were available as there’s less to go wrong on them! A few days back driving the ZT and all thoughts of selling it were gone. It’s got its issues, which will cost a fair bit to sort, but I don’t think it’s done too bad. 200,000 miles now, and I reckon around £3000 spent on it over my 8 year ownership, excluding wear items like tyres and brakes. And thanks to some very helpful people on this forum, it’s only had to go into the garage for big jobs like the clutch.

11th September 2021, 08:05	#20
patrolman pete Posted a thing or two Rover 75 club se tourer CDT and a Connoisseur SE Diesel Auto Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houghton - le - Spring Posts: 1,418 Thanks: 618 Thanked 333 Times in 197 Posts	When the 75 was one of these new fancy cars , in the motor trade we were warned about the risk of serious damage to the new multiplex electrical wiring system if we were to go probing with our multi meters and that diagnosis was only possible at the dealership using a computer. I’ve owned three 75’s in 20 years and the only electrical fault was to my 2001 V6 club 2 weeks after purchase when a poor earth in the n/s kick panel caused and intermittent EP fault with the auto box. My other two that I have now I’ve never had an issue. The clever lads like Brian ( no longer of this parish !) will always come along and find a way to deal with modern car problems as the car ages and becomes another older and sometimes enthusiast’s car.