MGRover cars.

mileshawk56 · 11th November 2021, 13:43

Not really world shattering news but maybe we sometimes view our cars with rose tinted glasses? or maybe not?. I had reason to go to a MBenz garage a few days ago seeking advice regarding MB's I was acting for a visitor from France who had come up from Gard in his much loved 200kompressor and it had expired on arrival in UK(maybe Brexit)? The list of problems ran to£6000.00 plus and the he lost interest. Any way I got to speak with the Head man at the MB place , he generously gave me 20minutes of his time and showed the cars in the workshops. The many problems he spoke of amazed me but the one for the C class was the most suprising. The rear subframes rust out sometimes very quickly! From the inside! Now Im old enough to remember the British Mini and the problem they had with -- rusting rear subframes and the scorn poured on the car and I think Lord Stokes?when he was asked about it 60 years ago. So MB fur Tecknic or something like that. Chris S.

torque2me · 11th November 2021, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by mileshawk56

Not really world shattering news but maybe we sometimes view our cars with rose tinted glasses? or maybe not?. I had reason to go to a MBenz garage a few days ago seeking advice regarding MB's I was acting for a visitor from France who had come up from Gard in his much loved 200kompressor and it had expired on arrival in UK(maybe Brexit)? The list of problems ran to£6000.00 plus and the he lost interest. Any way I got to speak with the Head man at the MB place , he generously gave me 20minutes of his time and showed the cars in the workshops. The many problems he spoke of amazed me but the one for the C class was the most suprising. The rear subframes rust out sometimes very quickly! From the inside! Now Im old enough to remember the British Mini and the problem they had with -- rusting rear subframes and the scorn poured on the car and I think Lord Stokes?when he was asked about it 60 years ago. So MB fur Tecknic or something like that. Chris S.

Funny how these issues of technology are not being more widely acknowledged. The uK media couldn't wait to put the boot in - Quadratic steering wheel in a newly launched Allegro.......bad! Same type of steering wheel in an Italian super car......cool!

At least the sub-frames for a Mini were relatively affordable but some of the prices quoted to get a "newish" car back on the road is, for my income band, eye watering.

Kev

Kroll · 12th November 2021, 19:33

Truth is many cars will be unreliable if they aren’t looked after, and all cars will rust at some point.

I think there was and still is an attitude in this country that what we manufacture is somehow inferior to German engineering. This isn’t always the case, obviously, but that’s the problems with stereotypes and generalisations, they are very hard to get rid of.

victorgte · 12th November 2021, 20:12

My ZT was not in the hands of an enthusiast but did 17 years and 98k miles.
Despite receiving pretty standard maintenance during its life it baffles some people as to how reliable it is at such an age.
Quality is built in.
Sadly MB dropped that from production in 1995 when the accountants took over and they have never really recovered. Late 90's MB cars have rusted away.
They have now taken over the label once given to British Leyland. Great cars badly made.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

Slaya · 12th November 2021, 21:40

I was put off buying a ZT for several years due to stories of unreliability, poor build quality, and rust....and I really wanted one from the day I first saw one on TV.

Both of the ZTs I've owned have turned out to be great, with very few problems at all - only wear and tear items and age related things really.

I hope I have the same experience if I take the plunge and get a TF...

victorgte · 13th November 2021, 00:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaya

I was put off buying a ZT for several years due to stories of unreliability, poor build quality, and rust....and I really wanted one from the day I first saw one on TV.

Both of the ZTs I've owned have turned out to be great, with very few problems at all - only wear and tear items and age related things really.

I hope I have the same experience if I take the plunge and get a TF...

You will enjoy a TF. Great fun to drive but not as good quality as the ZT. Easy enough to work on and fantastic support for them.
We've been on 2 major tours in ours and it's been utterly reliable. As usual buy the best you can.
Areas to look at. Front suspension arms, stainless steel coolant pipes, has the head gasket done plenty of miles since being changed? I'm dubious of a freshly changed gasket that has not had plenty of miles to test it.
How good are both sub frames?
Corroded sills etc.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

Slaya · 15th November 2021, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by victorgte

You will enjoy a TF. Great fun to drive but not as good quality as the ZT. Easy enough to work on and fantastic support for them.
We've been on 2 major tours in ours and it's been utterly reliable. As usual buy the best you can.
Areas to look at. Front suspension arms, stainless steel coolant pipes, has the head gasket done plenty of miles since being changed? I'm dubious of a freshly changed gasket that has not had plenty of miles to test it.
How good are both sub frames?
Corroded sills etc.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info - I can't justify spending too much as I still can't really drive far due to a weird light-headedness when I'm in a car...I just need an MG back on the drive - before they get too expensive

I'm fully expecting to have to get something fixed somewhere down the line..

A friend of mine bought one while his GTR33 Skyline was (and still is) awaiting restoration and he loved it (all rebuilt by an enthusiast at Lotus and bought for a bargain of £900).

R75800sd1 · 16th November 2021, 18:59

Read many posts here about driving best part of a thousand miles and not seeing any/many 75s or ZTs. Done it myself, but not this weekend!
I drove from Chesterfield to Skegness and back to fetch no 2 daughter in my 75 tourer and saw quite a few, about a dozen in all. Like they were coming out of the woodwork!
Parked in the shopping centre there was a Tourer and a saloon within 50 yards, three at Chapel St Leonards and the rest seen on the way there and back.
Most looked really good but others looked a bit iffy including one with the rear jacking point seemingly cut out and missing! (I include mine as iffy looking but she`s all there)
Considering the newest is now 16, there weren`t many other marques of a similar age.
Enjoyed the drive, another 250 miles by the time I`d done, turned 287000 on the way there.

YHT · 17th November 2021, 14:05

Thinking about the rust mentioned at the beginning of the thread. Have been replacing a step on SWMBO's car after she tried to demolish a brick post with it. Fortunately the step prevented impact with the door and I found a pair of steps, one damaged but the one I wanted on e bay for £9.99 (OEMs price new £880.00). Took the step i wanted to bits to replace the securing bolts as the heads were under the rubber mat of the step and gave the steel bit a clean up to get rid of rust. When I took of the damaged step there was hardly any paint left on it, lots peeling off! Why doesnt paint stick like S... to a blanket rather than curl off? Is it the quality of the paint , the metal not clean before the paint is applied or what???

11th November 2021, 13:43	#1
mileshawk56 Posted a thing or two MGZT Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Berkshire Posts: 1,281 Thanks: 1,738 Thanked 299 Times in 216 Posts	MGRover cars. Not really world shattering news but maybe we sometimes view our cars with rose tinted glasses? or maybe not?. I had reason to go to a MBenz garage a few days ago seeking advice regarding MB's I was acting for a visitor from France who had come up from Gard in his much loved 200kompressor and it had expired on arrival in UK(maybe Brexit)? The list of problems ran to£6000.00 plus and the he lost interest. Any way I got to speak with the Head man at the MB place , he generously gave me 20minutes of his time and showed the cars in the workshops. The many problems he spoke of amazed me but the one for the C class was the most suprising. The rear subframes rust out sometimes very quickly! From the inside! Now Im old enough to remember the British Mini and the problem they had with -- rusting rear subframes and the scorn poured on the car and I think Lord Stokes?when he was asked about it 60 years ago. So MB fur Tecknic or something like that. Chris S.

12th November 2021, 20:12	#4
victorgte I really should get out more....... MGTF, MGZT, Range Rover Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 2,804 Thanks: 395 Thanked 633 Times in 446 Posts	My ZT was not in the hands of an enthusiast but did 17 years and 98k miles. Despite receiving pretty standard maintenance during its life it baffles some people as to how reliable it is at such an age. Quality is built in. Sadly MB dropped that from production in 1995 when the accountants took over and they have never really recovered. Late 90's MB cars have rusted away. They have now taken over the label once given to British Leyland. Great cars badly made. Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk __________________ MG TF 135, MG ZT, Range Rover P38

12th November 2021, 19:33	#3
Kroll Regular poster ZT 160 Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: West Wales Posts: 80 Thanks: 33 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	Truth is many cars will be unreliable if they aren’t looked after, and all cars will rust at some point. I think there was and still is an attitude in this country that what we manufacture is somehow inferior to German engineering. This isn’t always the case, obviously, but that’s the problems with stereotypes and generalisations, they are very hard to get rid of.

12th November 2021, 21:40	#5
Slaya Loves to post MG ZT V6 160+, MG TF 135, Focus 1.6 Zetec Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Coventry Posts: 285 Thanks: 129 Thanked 68 Times in 50 Posts	I was put off buying a ZT for several years due to stories of unreliability, poor build quality, and rust....and I really wanted one from the day I first saw one on TV. Both of the ZTs I've owned have turned out to be great, with very few problems at all - only wear and tear items and age related things really. I hope I have the same experience if I take the plunge and get a TF...

16th November 2021, 18:59	#8
R75800sd1 Avid contributor Rover 75s; 1 Diesel Tourer, 1 diesel saloon, Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Chesterfield Posts: 134 Thanks: 47 Thanked 48 Times in 32 Posts	Read many posts here about driving best part of a thousand miles and not seeing any/many 75s or ZTs. Done it myself, but not this weekend! I drove from Chesterfield to Skegness and back to fetch no 2 daughter in my 75 tourer and saw quite a few, about a dozen in all. Like they were coming out of the woodwork! Parked in the shopping centre there was a Tourer and a saloon within 50 yards, three at Chapel St Leonards and the rest seen on the way there and back. Most looked really good but others looked a bit iffy including one with the rear jacking point seemingly cut out and missing! (I include mine as iffy looking but she`s all there) Considering the newest is now 16, there weren`t many other marques of a similar age. Enjoyed the drive, another 250 miles by the time I`d done, turned 287000 on the way there.

17th November 2021, 14:05	#9
YHT Loves to post Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: suffolk Posts: 268 Thanks: 46 Thanked 25 Times in 23 Posts	Thinking about the rust mentioned at the beginning of the thread. Have been replacing a step on SWMBO's car after she tried to demolish a brick post with it. Fortunately the step prevented impact with the door and I found a pair of steps, one damaged but the one I wanted on e bay for £9.99 (OEMs price new £880.00). Took the step i wanted to bits to replace the securing bolts as the heads were under the rubber mat of the step and gave the steel bit a clean up to get rid of rust. When I took of the damaged step there was hardly any paint left on it, lots peeling off! Why doesnt paint stick like S... to a blanket rather than curl off? Is it the quality of the paint , the metal not clean before the paint is applied or what???