Why don't people buy MGFs

[Jon Tilson]

Ah yes teh Z3...they must be getting cheap now, and old SLK's too.

We dont talk too much about TR7's here either. Now a 7 is a cracking car to drive when well sorted. Yes the BL SD1 level build quality and the looks
will never mean it achieves greatness, but I think if I was putting my money into a Spit alternative it would go in the seven's direction.

Even if it falls to bits I could stick the lump in a dolly...can't do that with a F.

I cant see any old Japanese cars as more reliable. The ownership profile more or less guarantees neglect and lack of interest, with a couple of notable exceptions
from our own members of course. Maybe I'd ask them if one of theirs was up for grabs....but then again....

Jonners

[Purplebargeken]

Hmm, interesting points. However, I think the MGF is a cracking looking car. Hairdresser mobile? No more so than the MX5, actually I would be more inclined to see the MX5 as more of a HD car because it looks more 'dinky'.

I agree with Jonners about the Japanese 'reliability' perception. If it hasn't been serviced or looked after then it usually isn't going to end well. This is irrespective of make to be honest.

Unreliable? Have had 3 of them and have never had a problem with them apart from the current one. The boot mounted '3rd' brake light doesn't work. That is down to a split wire as it passes along the boot. That's it really. I might be lucky, who knows. My silver one needed a new TRE for its MOT this year according to the new owners. That isn't bad at all.

I've had cars that have been much more hassle.

The rush of the VVC doing it's job is actually rather addictive and bloody good fun.

There are fan bases for both cars, I chose mine because of cost and the fact that I could get in and out of it without any hassle. The Mazda just didn't get the boxes ticked. As I said before, the Eunos is a lovely looking machine but just not practical for me.

The MGF forums are fabulous, friendly, helpful and uber knowledgeable.

Each to their own and long may that be the case. Drive a good MGF and you will smile!

[Karlos]

I can't comment on the dynamics of the MGF as I have never driven one but they are a nice looking car and the mid engine layout has always appealed to me. As for the MX5, it is everything that the MG or Spitfire failed to be, fully independent suspension, disc brakes all round, 5 speed gearbox, 16v twin cam engine and with similar styling to a Lotus Elan ( the proper Elan not 2+2 or the Isuzu front wheel drive thingy ).

There are 2 great things about both the MGF and the MX5:
1. neither of these cars are from the Ford Motor Co. I don't know why, I just don't like them: "Ford, comes with 4 wheels and a board"
2. you can get a lot of fun, years of cheap motoring all for less than a grand. (my MX5 cost me 900 quid, I have had it 4 years, it's 20 years old and always gives, whereas every BMC car and the 1 Ford I have had have always been take, take, take.)

[Purplebargeken]

Fair comments and I agree about the Elan styling

[alolympic]

A close friend of mine has just bought himself an MX5. For the £3500 he spent, he could have got the very best MGTF. It wasn't even on the agenda. He considered the last MR2 and a Z3, but an MGF was never even mentioned.
Why?
Image is poor. Sorry, but for some reason, they're just not cool. They seem to be popular with a certain age of driver, but under 40's, nope.
When people are buying a convertible, they are making a personal choice, so the way a car makes the owner feel, just by owning the car, can be the deal breaker - meaning the MGF doesn't even get test driven.....
Anything Japenese seems to be cool by default to the younger generation (to the extent that even the Nissan Micra is popular within the scene!?) which may be a big part of it.
Tokyo drift vs Longbridge slump. No contest in terms of image....

[Purplebargeken]

Hi Al, how's the Tolly?

I tend to agree that the MGF has an image issue with younger drivers which is a bit of a shame as they are decent cars. The majority of folk that I know of tend to be in the age group you specified. This is fine as it keeps the MGF availability open to us old farts

Well Rita loves her Micra, so who am I to comment

The Z3 is one to keep an eye on I think.

Night folks

[Edin Dundee]

Micra?
Just bought one for my wife, the car (unfortunately not my wife) is 19 years old and has done 34,000 genuine miles. No electric windows, no electric door mirrors, no power steering, no air conditioning, no central locking, in short, very little to go wrong!
£200, £40 valet, £25 headlight, £100 welding and £20 for various bits and pieces from the scrappy. It came with 4 months tax and and an MOT!
It drives like a dream. (did I say that out loud?)

Back on topic, I think that MGFs and MX5s are both cars of the hairdresser variety. As is the Porsche Boxster. In fact I know a hairdresser who has a Boxster!

[yellowmitch]

MK1 MR2

Great car

[SprintMWU773V]

There is one thing I dislike about my MX5 though and that's the headlights. Pop up lights seem cool right until you have to drive a car with them. They pop up, which is cool but they also block the view of the road really quite badly. I wouldn't mind if the headlights were any good but for some reason all Japanese MX5's come with candles (sealed beams) for lights. I think the european ones came with H4's but I could be wrong?



But I still like it.

[yellowmitch]

all Japanese MX5's come with candles (sealed beams) for lights.

Change them for some 7" round H4 items from a decent brand like wipac / cibie for about £30

Problem solved?

[cliftyhanger]

cibies? £30?? please say where, would buy some as they are usually big wonga.

Anyway, back to MX5's. Ours came with halogens, but I would guess generic H4 bulbs (probably Lucas, stuff in a lucas box is generic these days) and feeble. A quick search on fleabay finds the excellent philips x-treme bulbs, std wattage but much brighter. Would recommend any and every day.
BTW there are other " uprated" bulbs out there, I have osram in the spitfire (nearly as good, and work well with crystal light units), but the philips ones easily won the autocar test in terms of performance and matching.

[yellowmitch]

http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?p=8482441&a=i

I bought a PAIR for this price a few years ago

[SprintMWU773V]

Oh they will be changed when one of the bulbs go. I don't use it at night often enough to warrant the cost right now! Cibies can indeed be bought very cheap at jumbles and online. I fitted them to my Sprint and they look the dogs.

[AberdeenSprinter]

In answer to the subject...., " because they're crap"

That's really not fair, I was just trying to be funny, and, as usual, failing massively! I've had the pleasure of 3 MX5's and every one was brilliant! (Even though, I looked like I was wearing it!! I'm a wee bit robust for a Jap Élan)

I like the MG, but it can be such a pain. I recall a good looking one we were trying to make healthy...but it was a pain in the rectum to work on....but, only because it hadn't been looked after. The mx5 will suffer a fool more readily (not conclusively though)

I like them both....Mrs Sprinter thrashes her MX5....spins it in the weeds, smashes it into walls and generally treats it like her shoes (she's heavy on shoes....stomps like a Nazi) but it still comes back for more....all of this is of course, "My Fault"

DZ

[Purplebargeken]

Doesn't matter if you like MGF's or not, the sheer low price of them at present makes them a bagrain in the bang for your buck category. Buy one, if it dies and you can't afford to get it fixed, break it and buy another. Seems harsh but that is what 80% of the market seems to be doing. This will change eventually. MGF....... love 'em.