When I was working in the motor trade selling new cars, I took an eight year old 1.8 135 MGTF in part exchange. At that time, I quite fancied a fun inexpensive runabout for when the sun eventually decided to shine. The head gasket had been sorted and it had been fitted with a new timing belt, it just needed a little tidying - that was eleven years ago. In that time it’s had 4 new tyres, another timing belt, replacement stainless steel coolant pipes, several oil changes and filters and not much else. The car has never failed to start and has sailed through every mot without issue. I had previously considered getting an MX5, but after driving a couple of them, they reminded me too much of an old MGB (I’d had one of those for nearly twenty years). IMHO the TF is a better handling, quicker car than the Japanese car and has much nicer styling. I don’t expect to be be selling mine any time soon.
I bought one. Cheap, easy to maintain, doesn't rust like an early MX5. Great fun. I wish I hadn't sold mine, but I got a jetski instead. You never see a sad person on a jetski :) BTW, it does have twin exhausts, but there is a valve that only opens above certain speeds. At low speeds it operates on one exhaust for noise reasons. But the valve sticks shut. If you remove it and fix it open, you'll notice a performance improvement. Fabsil the roof, it won't leak.
@@HighPeakAutos before seeing nicks comment. I basically covered the same thing. However. Disabling it didn't grant any extra bhp or nm. I used to cut open oem back boxes. Remove x amount of noise dampening. Then weld em up. The design just couldn't and didn't gain performance from the idle exhaust tip mod
Maybe I’m the target market, a 59 year old Yorkshire man who remembers Cortinas, Granada’s and even Allegro’s. I use my MGTF for weekend jaunts and driving to work. Why? Maybe it’s the sleep apnea I suffer every time I get into a modern SUV (what is the purpose of an SUV might make a good video) in fact I use the wife’s Skoda Kamiq to put me to sleep when I visit the dentist. Call me old fashioned but I enjoy the rawness of the MGTF and all its faults, it puts a smile on my face in these bat shit crazy times we live in. Who wants more than that? A rust prone MX5? Not me. Ps the roof never leeks Pps it’s in rare Pearl Black sprayed on by a former Longbridge spray painter whilst high on crack, Ppss the ride is a shocker. I don’t care. Enjoying the videos thanks keep them coming.
I bought my Wife an MGTF 135 about 12 years ago now, and it was between that and an MX5 Jasper Conran special edition. Upon driving them both back to back, the MG was a far superior motor and much more capable. We had it 3 years and loved it, o ly swapping out of it when she became pregnant with our first child. I'd have another one again tomorrow!
Yeah Robyn, I'm not 100% convinced that an early MX5 was actually any better than the MGTF. Certainly the few I've been fortunate enough to drive weren't. Having said that, the later 2005 model is a dream.
@Andrew Ball BMW didn't have 4 wheel drive technology back in the '80's. At least not in the way you describe/imply. The 4 wheel drive system in the 325IX was a primitive Ferguson version, either bought in or made under licence. BMW wanted/needed to quickly get in on the 'Audi Quattro effect'. That's a long, long way from the 4WD expertise and technology that came with Rover/Land Rover/Range Rover . Rover/BMW was not a partnership. BMW bought Rover. I appreciate that you may be a BMW fan, but sometimes facts are there to be accepted, not just viewed as inconveniences getting in the way of one's particular storyline.
@Andrew Ball As said, the 4WD system in the 325iX was primitive. Bought in technology. It met a perceived marketing need, rather than being able, or intended, for much more than that. Most of the rest of your comment looks like wiffle, woffle.
I've got a 2004 mgtf135. HG upgrade, Campbelt and Waterpump, Remapped (pops and farts) 160bhp at the wheels, performance panel filter, stainless steel ttmrk9 exhaust & stainless decat. I eat mx5s for breakfast.
I was told by a former garage / mechanic owner that they used to change the head gasket in the MG TF for a Landrover head gasket & that solved the head gasket issue im no mechanic so not sure if this would work be interesting to find out its still looks a good car even now & even if it wasn't in reality .....
I'm glad you weren't too hard on the old girl, they might be a parts bin special but I've always liked that snub nosed styling with the pleasing squared off posterior. Good looking car from any angle, yet I think it might be the only two seater roadster that you could own, as a middle aged man, without people automatically thinking"mid-life crisis". They might think "pipe and slippers" or "Daily Mail" or "man with beard and grease under his fingernails" but not "desperately trying to cling on to his fading youth". That is in its favour. The Brummie accent was bostin' btw!😁
It has a good heater. I once drove around the Glasgow ring road (actually goes through town!) in a freak Scottish monsoon, sorry...Summer, Above 40mph absolutely nothing comes into the cabin. We were bone dry still 70 miles later.
I've had one of these since 2003, yes I bought it new , and still have it. A daily for many years now a fun summer car. Still on its original head gasket. Never let me down once , been to France in it. Cracking little motor. Goes nice with my restored 74 Bgt . Basic good honest fun both of them.
I have had mine MGTF 135 in Trophy Blue 04 plate for over 8 years, daily driver all weathers too, its been a great car, looked at the MX5's but the under neither on the same year mk2 2.5 all seemed to be prone to a lot of underneath floor rust , so didn't bother. loved mine it has it had moments like now but it's a MG.. and like all cars there are issues, Over heating was just down to poor maintenance, plus it says in the hand book to switch off the engine if your queuing in traffic for X amount of time. all in all enjoy mine great car yes i'd have another..
I live in a especially hot country, with especially frequent traffic jams, and I also tend to park in nice areas and leave car running for a while or turning it on again just for the sake of battery. I always use the 4.1 and the music player, sometimes even the AC while Im parked. There was not a single day past that my MG-TF wasn't idle for 10 minutes. What are you telling me? That I'm killing it? How?
If you are talking about British Racing Green, then it is a cracking colour, but unfortunately if you looked at the wrong way it would scratch, because it was so soft.😀🕵️♂️
@@HighPeakAutos - a year ag certainly, there were many being advertised for sale. They don;t get used much - many have low mileages. The MG Z cars - now they are getting rare. Athough I have a ZR!
Rather a biased view of a very good car. I own one a 2005 model with 22,000 miles on the clock Rear spoiler, not only a glass back window, but also a glass wind deflector. Door pockets, and cup holders. I dont know much about the MX5, but I adore my MG. The roof does not leak either, and if you turn the heater up, you can easily drive the car in cold weather and still be warm. The car has just passed its MOT again, and I would not get rid of the car. I love my MG.
I ran one of these as my daily driver for a couple of years and it was fine, even on icy/snowy roads when I had a set of winter tyres fitted. No engine issues at all and the roof never leaked! Totally agree with the clutch pedal issue though - Sitting in heavy stop/start traffic was a pain. They seem to have gone up in price in recent years too.
Fair appraisal of the TF. I had an MGF and now own aTF 135. Its teeth rattlingly harsh on bumpy roads but great fun and reliable. Head gaskets are relatively easy to replace ( you can use Freelander ones and new stretch bolts (£40) and do the cambelt and wp at the same time. Great fun winter or Summer with the lid down!😊
MG Rover had hoped to offer a supercharged version or a V6 version but BMW would not let it make a more powerful version (or export the car to the USA), for fear it would compete with Z3 for sales. The MGF/TF always outsold the MX-5 in the UK. I have a TF160 which outperforms most MX-5s too.
I don't think it had a KV6, Peter Stevens was misquoted when he said it would be great with a V6 and everybody thought it actually had one in it. Although they have since been fitted privately, it's a very tight squeeze. Also BMW were surprised that they weren't intending to sell the F in the American market when they bought Rover, but it was never designed to be sold there as the tight budget wouldn't really allow it and the K-series engine wasn't type approved.
Should have got the TF160 a great little car and really well balanced with the mid engine. Far better drive than the MX5 and great to run on the country roads around Brisbane.
Had to drive my mgf this week for work. Got the f out the garage after a month and drove 300 miles this week in stop start traffic on the m6. Not a great experience but didn’t miss a beat. Not a bad little car for 25 years old. Great video 👍
great summary, I have had three MGFs, one is a spare for parts, they are a labour of love. TF fuel economy puts me off. finally if you pull down the centre cubicle cover at your left shoulder, there are two cup holders
Previous owner of TF and Mk3 MR2. If you want a cheap mid engined roadster, the TF has a boot but the MR2 has better steering, better handling, better driving position and is better built and more reliable. The MR2 has no boot but does very usable pods behind the seats. For me, the MR2 was infinitely better than the TF.
I own one, I’ve driven a few mx5’s and a z3 and my favourite is the mg tf by a long shot, just lacks power so aiming to swap a vr6 in, even stock its miles better to drive than the mx5
Yeah I've got the mgf, paid 900 for it but I had to replace the old coolant system pipes with stainless and I did the water pump also but other than that nothing, sailed past the mot. it just looks pure class, easily better than the mx5 in every way possible, it's not even a conversation, audi tts are all left in the corners and none of them are running at 22 years old! Unlike the mgf Wedgwood which is a solid as a challenger 2 tank. Full leather interior, 2 cup holders and its a no nonsense roadster. I get well over 400 to a tank. Look for gasket upgraded and thermostat modded examples. Poor review this really! it will out live this "fruity" gentleman and his boyfriends adopted great grandchildren.
Wrong. Mg tf and mx5 are both mid engined. Differences are in front/back of the driver. The mx5 is still mid engined since the engine axis sits behind the front wheel axis.
Yes! Cheap, badly put together, but rewarding oldskool drive, once head gasket is done they are exceptionally reliable. The 1.8vvc is faster but the 1.8 you've reviewed is the one to go for.
Yep had one in 96 in British racing green and was stopped everywhere by people wanting to see it...compared with an mx-5. It was a daily then to my work at RR Crewe from Poynton The novelty did not last long though as they became a common sight - and sold for a rover coupe - great revvy little car with the parts bin similar switches .
Living in the Continental Europe, I had a red TF 160 from 2004 from new. A rather fast small and very beautiful sportcar without any unnecessary cheap decorations. I did try both Alfa Romeo Spider, BMW Z3 and Mazda MX5. Non of them were nearly as fun as MGTF. Looking at these cars today, non of them have either aged as good as MGTF. I am considering to purchase one again. But it takes time to find one in the perfect conditions in Europe. Probably would be easier to buy one in the good conditions and find a specialist to go through it.
They are brilliant little cars. The engineers designed them with Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, the accountants and marketing parasites made them with cheap "sporty feeling" imitations. Ours has the Bilsteins and the softer 2005 MY road springs and is a joy to drive, comfortable agile and fantastic grip levels. You have to live with the lack of space inside, it does mean the car is small overall, great for events in country lanes.
There are cup holders you just have to fold down the compartment behind the glovebox 😉😉 I missed them when I first bought one of these and discovered a few weeks into ownership. I bought one of these 160's in the same colour in 2017 and it's still running well. One thing I'll say is if you get a massive quote for something then it's always worth trying somewhere else as a lot of garages seem to simply not want to work on them. It's worth becoming acquainted with the mobile mechanics that specialise in these as they are really helpful and often better pricing than garages especially when multiple jobs are needed but there can be a wait involved as they tend to be very busy.
My partner has had 2 of these and she loved them. Yes logic tells you a MX5 is better but even so....the MG TF is a nice little sports car. Glad you went for gags and not just slagged it.
I owned one for four years in the same colour, it definitely had issues and yep the head gasket went. But it was great fun and loved owning one despite all the hairdresser joke etc 😂
Matt, wonderful review, especially for the MX5! Whilst I would agree to their reliability you forgot to mention the built in self destruct facility MX5 have, rust, worse than an Alfasud! (do you know what they are?)
MGs of this epriod are relatively rust-resistant. Compared to many cars of the time, including Fords, and of course MX5s which are renowned for rusting
Great video, rather more tongue in cheek than usual. I remember, at the time when MG Rover went bust, my Financial Advisor telling me he'd bought 'one of the last ones' (there were absolutely loads of unsold ones). He expected it to grow in value. They are worth pennies now. I don't use him as a financial advisor now....
Great review, always had a soft spot for these. From what I understand the partnerships with Honda didnt stretch far enough and the BMW ownership they didnt want MG/Rover to have any direct competitive cars. Which restricted a few ideas and advances they couldnt do. Such as the rover 75 was (against BMW orders) was built with the possibility to go RWD. Since the money was spent and final product finalized nothing could be done by the time they realised what rover had done. But in the future allowed that wonderful mustang engined mgzt. But I'd certainly say both company's had some blame. Let's face it though. BmW was all things except small cute cars so MG and rover didnt fit under the German umbrella anywhere.
@@HighPeakAutos have to disagree with top dog motors. Its 4 am so if either top dog or hpa would like me to clarify then is be happy to. Just CBA typing unless you'd like to hear my geekiness
My friend had one of those , he always drove with the roof down even when it was cold , I could never figure out why , till I went in it one day when it was raining and it smelled like a unplugged fridge ! , the trades unions and management at longbridge have a got a lot to answer for destroying a brand , even BMW couldn’t save them , nice vlog Matt all the best 🙏🙏👍
It's a pretty car, it IS an MG, it really is, it's quick. I've got an MGB in the garage but as that runs perfectly (touch wood) I am looking at something else to tinker with and the MG TF looks perfect for that.
I just bought a 160 and it's a fabulous little.car, drives brilliantly. I never really understood why people get so excited about the MX 5, unless you spend a lot of money on new one they're slow, handle poorly and are generally dull. Also, the 2nd pipe is not just stuck on, makes me wonder how reliable your reviews are when you can't be bothered to check a simple thing like thst.
Do they handle well? Is it a " drivers car" I have give up motorbikes and I am looking for the next best thing. I had a mk1 mx5 and I agree I don't get the hype.
@mick0846 The 160 is nice to drive. I'd say not far off a bike as a fun toy. Though of course nowhere near when it comes to acceleration, it handles well and has enough get up and go to pass slow traffic in the lanes & be away sprightly from the lights. The hood is easy to get up & down, the heater has enough guts to keep you from freezing on a sunny day when the frost is on the ground. It has decent luggage space behind the engine and up front, all in all it's practical enough to use all the time but with a big fun factor. I have the sports exhaust and inlet so it sounds great too. A nice note without being offensively loud, it makes you want to take it to the red line at 7000 when the variable valves kick in at around 4000 rpm.
@mick0846 Did you buy one? I still have mine and stll love it. Sometimes I prefer it to the bike, the soft top with no need to wear a lid does make for a different experience and the willing engine, go-kart handling and light weight means fun all the way. And I can get plenty of shopping in it!
On a good note if that one has got to 16 years old it must have one of their unicorn engines that actually has cyl liners tall enough to keep a headgasket sealed. And head doesn't have cavity's above the fire rings also allowing it to keep a headgasket sealed.
Cavity's? You're kidding, yes? You put cavity's as a joke, you're not expecting people to respect your technical knowledge while putting cavity's? Or are you....
i agree. just bought an MGF wedgie, better than the new mx5. better than all my alfas. i absolutely love it. it was a cat d in 2002 and a few owners have kept it alive, past the scrappage scheme and for 22 years with FSH. just done the 48 - 52mm throttle body on it last week and that hydro gas suspension is like im flying over the road, im 6'2" and weight 230 pounds so when people talk about space inside and driving positions ans they are sub 6 foot and weigh 12 stone pissed wet through, i swat em! including a year's insurance and tax plus buying the car and doing a big comprehensive service, inc new slave cylinder and cat, i have less than 2500 in it on a 68k classic. im going to start collecting them.
Fun honest video as always Matt! I’ve had an early rust free ‘96 VVC MGF for 10 years now, had the gasket replaced just in case, changed the roof to glass rear window, interior to leather, and have the hydro gas topped up every couple of years, and it’s reliable, comfortable, cheap, fast enough, fun motoring. Many people over the years stop and talk to me about the car, because it’s not an MX5! Ignore the head gasket doommongers, take your time to find a good one, spend a few quid when you get it to give yourself peace of mind, and it will reward you!
It's good to be different so I can see what it would appeal over the common mx5. You know apart from the poor ride you really didn't have a bad thing to say about it. Worth a couple of grand to experiment with before they all vanish.
Really entertaining review! My 02 TF is my only car and I love it. More practical, more economical, cheaper to insure than an MX-5, while standing out from the crowd with better styling and a cool brand. Taking it on country roads with the top down is just too much fun. My mates all have boring hatchbacks and are amazed when they realise how cheap my car was to buy. As a young driver who enjoys the odd quirks of less refined cars like this, I honestly think it's my perfect car. Not sure if that's the demographic the MG marketing team were going for, though! :P The TF in your review is in beautiful condition, btw :0 I hope to get mine looking like that some day.
I drive mine twice every week and I always enjoy it after leaving the automatic hybrid and ultra safe and comfort daily car. I enjoy both ridings and always appreciate the shifting. Clutch pedal (mgtf) is not that hard, description of driving experience is accurate. Raw and pure driving, you feel that you are the one that drives and car is always responding fast to your imputs. Fantastic off roof slow driving and incredibly funny when revolutions peak high. I have never consider it a sport car, I guess it lacks muscle to be performant but undoubtedly fine and funny. A future classic, honest and humble.
Another great review Matt. My Mrs owned two of these (no she’s not a hairdresser before you ask) first was an F - it went for ages after she sold it and until recently it pinged-ponged between private sellers here in West Lancs. Next she had a TF - great little car, drove like a go-cart. HG was on its last legs when we sold for a song it a few years ago. Told the guy we sold it to it was on its way out - ‘Oh don’t worry I’ll just drive it till it breaks’. Still see it to this day, tear-arsing around local roundabouts. Oh and we found that MG owners are really nice people and ALWAYS wave to each other. I never get that in my Beamer. Well I do, but a different type of wave using less fingers.
Just a pity It didn't have the Honda V-Tec motor, would have made the world of difference, mother in law had one in hideous yellow, so no matter what power plant it had you wouldn't want to be seen in it :))
I recently sold an MGF with 230,000Klms and got an MGTF 160. Dump the original dampers and fit Bilstiens on the MGTF. I raced both cars in hillclimbs in Australia. The MGF was used as a daily but our traffic is not as bad as the UK. They do blow head gaskets, and will blow them again if the car is not driven below 4000rpm until the oil temp gets to 90C. With the K Maps in the MGTF 160 i get 6.4 sec to 100kph. I do NOT believe your top doesn't leak. They are fun to drive and cheap to run. There is the heritage factor and I would rather a flat 6 BoxsterS than an MX5. So much potential never realized.
I had a 97 MGF, GREAT car. Older version looks far better than the tarted up newer version shown here. This car had SO much charm, and not quite a hairdresser car like the mx5 etc with the heritage, and racing green I had. Was 100% water proof. Probably the only one in existence and I drove it many miles in torrential rain with no leak. Handled great. Great to drive. Engine revs with k-series. Blows head gaskets every week. Mine blew 2 in 6months, and had already been done at least once. It has bags of character. Get the MGF, NOT the MGTF.Mine was a daily driver too. Much to my wife's annoyance.
I couldn’t hear you over the sound of the car thudding over every blemish in the road surface! And the indicator stalk looks like it goes back to the days of the Triumph Acclaim (another Honda platform car)!
Honestly mate, you are an incredibly entertaining and talented presenter and car journo. I was really surprised by this interview because I hadn't heard of this channel. Loved it! Well done!
The head gasket issue on the K series engine was sorted so, in the later models like the one driven here, it was not an issue. For the price you pay, it's a cracking little motor. My son has owned two, and he loves them.
You want a cheap 2 seat sports car. Mx5 obviously. But no, you want something mid engined because that's better. MR2 then. No it needs to be shit as well. Ah sir have you tried the mg?
You can buy a rear of head wind deflector which are cheap and easy to install. Also the roofs leak because people jet wash them. Then you must like any cloth roof seal it. Tent sealant is cheap and works.
I wanted to write ‘great review’ but I couldn’t . I thought why not…..??? Throughout your review I found you speaking ‘your truth’ all the time, heavily judgemental and with little context for the car in the era when it came out. On its launch it was universally viewed as better than the MX5 and the BMW M3 roadster (may have got the name wrong). MG Rover then Phoenix had no money to continually update the car and naturally it fell behind the Mk 3,4,5 MX5s. Also, the MX5 was a rust bucket . Your comment about nobody would want to drive a car earlier than this!!! Listen to yourself, many people do! The clutch and the ride are fine. Otherwise good review.
yes you should buy one even if its for a short period. sadly i only had mine for 6 months(someone wrote it off), but it was my first of this type of car. 2 seater, mid engine, rwd, convertible all rolled in to one. mine was standard part from whatever back box was fitted by previous own, it was the 118hp 1.8, but it was great fun and as it was my only car i drove it everywhere. didnt go on too many motorway drives, but cruising with the top down was great. it was overall a very fun experience. probably wont get another one as i tend not to repeat car purchases, but certainly worth having and its good that they fall under classic car insurance meaning cheap quotes.
As much as I hate myself for saying this, having it written off after 6-12 months is probably the perfect thing you want to happen owning one of these cars. Crashed before any reliability or MOT issues, no worries about selling on, non-fault accident so no impact on your insurance. Bet you have fond memories of the car as well because it gave you no headaches!
Ah, the Phoenix Group! John Towers, Nick Stephenson, John Edwards and Peter Beale ran MG Rover into the ground while filling their pockets with taxpayer cash. Once they had bled the company dry, they walked away with £36m & laid off 6300 workers.
I am the target audience. Im 20 and i just bought a passat tdi daily driver to replace my octavia vrs 1.8T that i absolutely adore. My plan was to keep the octavia as a weekend/track car and only insure it when i use it cutting my expenses significantly. Only issue is because of my age and the insurance group of the car (31) temporary insurers wont even give me a quote. Then i remembered this car and looked online, you can get them as little as 1 grand with service history where i live, they are insurance group 20-something, its a 1.8, albeit nowhere near as powerful as the octavia but they are rear wheel drive and light and they make a great induction noise. I am now in the market for one of these as a weekend car because miatas are stupid expensive now and they rust away anyways 🤷♂️
I was very nearly tempted but seeing how many there was online with blown head gaskets put me of. Even honest sellers who said that it had been done before. And your review was the final nail lol
I put 160,000+ miles on mine, a VVC, and it never missed a beat. It also had the hydrolastic suspension, which rode far more compliantly. A lovely, cheeky little thing that had bags more character than the MX-5 Mk2.5 I replaced it with. Big mistake. I've been a test/development driver since 2009 and the MG was always a great car to go home in, via the long way. It will remain a personal favorite. It certainly didn't rust like the Mazda, was much more fun to drive. I found the MX-5 to be much like an overhyped film, some good parts but the trailer told you everything. A great starting point for improvement, and at least it had the chance to be developed properly and mature into the pensioner's favorite. The crux is, I'd have another tidy MGF in a heartbeat. I'd consider a Mk1 MX, but wouldn't go near another Mk 2.5. It just lacked soul. Then again, I like weird...
Appreciate you wearing a matching jumper
Thanks!
If he was wearing a matching jumper, would he not be topless? BU DUM CHEEE Haha
I have an MG ZR in that trophy blue, you're right, it is the best colour. If I had the space I'd have all four MGs of that era in that colour.
school uniforM
@@HighPeakAutos the mgtf has a rover metro front engine subframe in the rear they reused it .
When I was working in the motor trade selling new cars, I took an eight year old 1.8 135 MGTF in part exchange. At that time, I quite fancied a fun inexpensive runabout for when the sun eventually decided to shine. The head gasket had been sorted and it had been fitted with a new timing belt, it just needed a little tidying - that was eleven years ago. In that time it’s had 4 new tyres, another timing belt, replacement stainless steel coolant pipes, several oil changes and filters and not much else. The car has never failed to start and has sailed through every mot without issue.
I had previously considered getting an MX5, but after driving a couple of them, they reminded me too much of an old MGB (I’d had one of those for nearly twenty years). IMHO the TF is a better handling, quicker car than the Japanese car and has much nicer styling. I don’t expect to be be selling mine any time soon.
Hear hear
'if you run over a coin in the road, you can tell if its heads or tails', hahaha classic, Great vid once again Matt!!
Glad you enjoyed!
I have one of these, the ride isn't that bad and the clutch pedal is absolutely normal and fine, in all very fun car
My mum actually made the centre console back In the day for this car.
Ngl there isnt much to the centre console 😂
I bought one. Cheap, easy to maintain, doesn't rust like an early MX5. Great fun. I wish I hadn't sold mine, but I got a jetski instead. You never see a sad person on a jetski :)
BTW, it does have twin exhausts, but there is a valve that only opens above certain speeds. At low speeds it operates on one exhaust for noise reasons. But the valve sticks shut. If you remove it and fix it open, you'll notice a performance improvement. Fabsil the roof, it won't leak.
Ah thats interesting. I didnt know that. Cheers! You're right about the jetski by the way :)
@@HighPeakAutos before seeing nicks comment. I basically covered the same thing. However. Disabling it didn't grant any extra bhp or nm. I used to cut open oem back boxes. Remove x amount of noise dampening. Then weld em up. The design just couldn't and didn't gain performance from the idle exhaust tip mod
@@HighPeakAutos you can here the interior rattle as you drive 🤣👍
It has aged well really , still looks fresh
I think its ageing nicely
Are you talking about the car, or Matt?
@@geraldhornsby umm.. initially the car. But Matts not doing to bad , he’s not balding is he
Maybe I’m the target market, a 59 year old Yorkshire man who remembers Cortinas, Granada’s and even Allegro’s. I use my MGTF for weekend jaunts and driving to work. Why? Maybe it’s the sleep apnea I suffer every time I get into a modern SUV (what is the purpose of an SUV might make a good video) in fact I use the wife’s Skoda Kamiq to put me to sleep when I visit the dentist. Call me old fashioned but I enjoy the rawness of the MGTF and all its faults, it puts a smile on my face in these bat shit crazy times we live in. Who wants more than that? A rust prone MX5? Not me.
Ps the roof never leeks
Pps it’s in rare Pearl Black sprayed on by a former Longbridge spray painter whilst high on crack,
Ppss the ride is a shocker.
I don’t care.
Enjoying the videos thanks keep them coming.
Haha good point. Thanks for watching
Puzzling apostrophe use. Why only put apostrophes incorrectly in some plurals not others?
Nobody ever seemed to whine about Ferrari using the Fiat parts bin in the past
Or lamborghini using Morris Marina indicator stalks on their Diablo
Lotus is a prime offender when it comes to raiding the parts bin!
I bought my Wife an MGTF 135 about 12 years ago now, and it was between that and an MX5 Jasper Conran special edition. Upon driving them both back to back, the MG was a far superior motor and much more capable. We had it 3 years and loved it, o ly swapping out of it when she became pregnant with our first child. I'd have another one again tomorrow!
I agree ,having owned both early models the mgf is the more interesting ride.
Yeah Robyn, I'm not 100% convinced that an early MX5 was actually any better than the MGTF. Certainly the few I've been fortunate enough to drive weren't. Having said that, the later 2005 model is a dream.
Child or MGTF?
Actually, I thought that the moment BMW took over Rover, that is what killed the co-operation with Honda dead.
@Andrew Ball BMW didn't have 4 wheel drive technology back in the '80's. At least not in the way you describe/imply. The 4 wheel drive system in the 325IX was a primitive Ferguson version, either bought in or made under licence. BMW wanted/needed to quickly get in on the 'Audi Quattro effect'. That's a long, long way from the 4WD expertise and technology that came with Rover/Land Rover/Range Rover .
Rover/BMW was not a partnership. BMW bought Rover.
I appreciate that you may be a BMW fan, but sometimes facts are there to be accepted, not just viewed as inconveniences getting in the way of one's particular storyline.
@Andrew Ball As said, the 4WD system in the 325iX was primitive. Bought in technology. It met a perceived marketing need, rather than being able, or intended, for much more than that.
Most of the rest of your comment looks like wiffle, woffle.
I've got a 2004 mgtf135. HG upgrade, Campbelt and Waterpump, Remapped (pops and farts) 160bhp at the wheels, performance panel filter, stainless steel ttmrk9 exhaust & stainless decat. I eat mx5s for breakfast.
I was told by a former garage / mechanic owner that they used to change the head gasket in the MG TF for a Landrover head gasket & that solved the head gasket issue im no mechanic so not sure if this would work be interesting to find out its still looks a good car even now & even if it wasn't in reality .....
I love the way the mic picks up every rattle.
Says more about the ride than the mic I’m sure 😂😂😂
I'm glad you weren't too hard on the old girl, they might be a parts bin special but I've always liked that snub nosed styling with the pleasing squared off posterior. Good looking car from any angle, yet I think it might be the only two seater roadster that you could own, as a middle aged man, without people automatically thinking"mid-life crisis". They might think "pipe and slippers" or "Daily Mail" or "man with beard and grease under his fingernails" but not "desperately trying to cling on to his fading youth". That is in its favour.
The Brummie accent was bostin' btw!😁
Gotta love the commitment going out on a cold autumn day with the roof down !
Isn't that just being british?
@@jaromor8808 true
It has a good heater. I once drove around the Glasgow ring road (actually goes through town!) in a freak Scottish monsoon, sorry...Summer, Above 40mph absolutely nothing comes into the cabin. We were bone dry still 70 miles later.
I've had one of these since 2003, yes I bought it new , and still have it. A daily for many years now a fun summer car. Still on its original head gasket. Never let me down once , been to France in it. Cracking little motor. Goes nice with my restored 74 Bgt . Basic good honest fun both of them.
Thanks for sharing
I have had mine MGTF 135 in Trophy Blue 04 plate for over 8 years, daily driver all weathers too, its been a great car, looked at the MX5's but the under neither on the same year mk2 2.5 all seemed to be prone to a lot of underneath floor rust , so didn't bother. loved mine it has it had moments like now but it's a MG.. and like all cars there are issues, Over heating was just down to poor maintenance, plus it says in the hand book to switch off the engine if your queuing in traffic for X amount of time. all in all enjoy mine great car yes i'd have another..
I live in a especially hot country, with especially frequent traffic jams, and I also tend to park in nice areas and leave car running for a while or turning it on again just for the sake of battery. I always use the 4.1 and the music player, sometimes even the AC while Im parked. There was not a single day past that my MG-TF wasn't idle for 10 minutes. What are you telling me? That I'm killing it? How?
I think they are great looking cars. Timeless. Elegant. Fun.
Have a soft spot for this car. Only seen one the other day for the first time in years. They’re rare here in Ireland.. Best colour is green I think...
I think so many have been scrapped they are genuinely becoming rare
If you are talking about British Racing Green, then it is a cracking colour, but unfortunately if you looked at the wrong way it would scratch, because it was so soft.😀🕵️♂️
There's a garage on the A1 north of Peterborough that just sells MGF's & TF's (trophycars.co.uk/)
@@HighPeakAutos - a year ag certainly, there were many being advertised for sale. They don;t get used much - many have low mileages. The MG Z cars - now they are getting rare. Athough I have a ZR!
Rather a biased view of a very good car. I own one a 2005 model with 22,000 miles on the clock Rear spoiler, not only a glass back window, but also a glass wind deflector. Door pockets, and cup holders. I dont know much about the MX5, but I adore my MG. The roof does not leak either, and if you turn the heater up, you can easily drive the car in cold weather and still be warm. The car has just passed its MOT again, and I would not get rid of the car. I love my MG.
I thought I was quite fair
I ran one of these as my daily driver for a couple of years and it was fine, even on icy/snowy roads when I had a set of winter tyres fitted. No engine issues at all and the roof never leaked! Totally agree with the clutch pedal issue though - Sitting in heavy stop/start traffic was a pain. They seem to have gone up in price in recent years too.
They have. A few years ago you could pick them up for next to nothing. I've seen them rise recently
Fair appraisal of the TF. I had an MGF and now own aTF 135. Its teeth rattlingly harsh on bumpy roads but great fun and reliable. Head gaskets are relatively easy to replace ( you can use Freelander ones and new stretch bolts (£40) and do the cambelt and wp at the same time. Great fun winter or Summer with the lid down!😊
MG Rover had hoped to offer a supercharged version or a V6 version but BMW would not let it make a more powerful version (or export the car to the USA), for fear it would compete with Z3 for sales. The MGF/TF always outsold the MX-5 in the UK. I have a TF160 which outperforms most MX-5s too.
Thats interesting. Its always a case of 'what could've been'...
@@HighPeakAutos Here's the GT V6 coupe that might have been: www.aronline.co.uk/concepts-and-prototypes/sports-car-projects-mg-tf-gt/
I don't think it had a KV6, Peter Stevens was misquoted when he said it would be great with a V6 and everybody thought it actually had one in it. Although they have since been fitted privately, it's a very tight squeeze. Also BMW were surprised that they weren't intending to sell the F in the American market when they bought Rover, but it was never designed to be sold there as the tight budget wouldn't really allow it and the K-series engine wasn't type approved.
Should have got the TF160 a great little car and really well balanced with the mid engine. Far better drive than the MX5 and great to run on the country roads around Brisbane.
They were sold in Australia? Brilliant!
“Ageing nicely”... like yourself then? 😂 This video cracked me up more than usual. 👍🏽😁
Haha thanks! Pleased to hear it
The Nicola Sturgeon joke was brilliant 😂
lol
I had to google Nicola Sturgeon... lol
Had to drive my mgf this week for work. Got the f out the garage after a month and drove 300 miles this week in stop start traffic on the m6. Not a great experience but didn’t miss a beat. Not a bad little car for 25 years old. Great video 👍
Good stuff!
great summary, I have had three MGFs, one is a spare for parts, they are a labour of love. TF fuel economy puts me off. finally if you pull down the centre cubicle cover at your left shoulder, there are two cup holders
Previous owner of TF and Mk3 MR2. If you want a cheap mid engined roadster, the TF has a boot but the MR2 has better steering, better handling, better driving position and is better built and more reliable. The MR2 has no boot but does very usable pods behind the seats. For me, the MR2 was infinitely better than the TF.
that guy with the G reg xr3 lives on my road, Already started seeing these MGs at shows don't look out of place
I own one, I’ve driven a few mx5’s and a z3 and my favourite is the mg tf by a long shot, just lacks power so aiming to swap a vr6 in, even stock its miles better to drive than the mx5
Yeah I've got the mgf, paid 900 for it but I had to replace the old coolant system pipes with stainless and I did the water pump also but other than that nothing, sailed past the mot. it just looks pure class, easily better than the mx5 in every way possible, it's not even a conversation, audi tts are all left in the corners and none of them are running at 22 years old! Unlike the mgf Wedgwood which is a solid as a challenger 2 tank. Full leather interior, 2 cup holders and its a no nonsense roadster. I get well over 400 to a tank. Look for gasket upgraded and thermostat modded examples. Poor review this really! it will out live this "fruity" gentleman and his boyfriends adopted great grandchildren.
The difference is, the MX5 is a front engine car, the TF is mid engine, you feel like you are being pushed along and get a hum in your back.
True. When you try mid engine, you won't go back.
Wrong. Mg tf and mx5 are both mid engined. Differences are in front/back of the driver. The mx5 is still mid engined since the engine axis sits behind the front wheel axis.
I drive my 98f every day, it's actually a great little daily compared to something like a fiesta. It also doesn't leak and lives outdoors all year.
Good to know
I'm a big MG nut. I look forward to watching this! Honest reviews are the best.
Hope you enjoy it!
Yes! Cheap, badly put together, but rewarding oldskool drive, once head gasket is done they are exceptionally reliable. The 1.8vvc is faster but the 1.8 you've reviewed is the one to go for.
Yep had one in 96 in British racing green and was stopped everywhere by people wanting to see it...compared with an mx-5. It was a daily then to my work at RR Crewe from Poynton The novelty did not last long though as they became a common sight - and sold for a rover coupe - great revvy little car with the parts bin similar switches .
I'm really enjoying this channel. I don't even live in the U.K., I just like seeing reviews of vehicles we didn't get in North America
Thanks! I appreciate it
Living in the Continental Europe, I had a red TF 160 from 2004 from new. A rather fast small and very beautiful sportcar without any unnecessary cheap decorations. I did try both Alfa Romeo Spider, BMW Z3 and Mazda MX5. Non of them were nearly as fun as MGTF. Looking at these cars today, non of them have either aged as good as MGTF.
I am considering to purchase one again. But it takes time to find one in the perfect conditions in Europe. Probably would be easier to buy one in the good conditions and find a specialist to go through it.
Great little cars. I had one 135bhp x power grey, black leather, it went great. 👍I thought there was a cubby between the seats that pulled down.?
Yes there is... I found this after I'd finished recording
They are brilliant little cars. The engineers designed them with Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, the accountants and marketing parasites made them with cheap "sporty feeling" imitations. Ours has the Bilsteins and the softer 2005 MY road springs and is a joy to drive, comfortable agile and fantastic grip levels. You have to live with the lack of space inside, it does mean the car is small overall, great for events in country lanes.
There are cup holders you just have to fold down the compartment behind the glovebox 😉😉 I missed them when I first bought one of these and discovered a few weeks into ownership.
I bought one of these 160's in the same colour in 2017 and it's still running well. One thing I'll say is if you get a massive quote for something then it's always worth trying somewhere else as a lot of garages seem to simply not want to work on them. It's worth becoming acquainted with the mobile mechanics that specialise in these as they are really helpful and often better pricing than garages especially when multiple jobs are needed but there can be a wait involved as they tend to be very busy.
My partner has had 2 of these and she loved them. Yes logic tells you a MX5 is better but even so....the MG TF is a nice little sports car. Glad you went for gags and not just slagged it.
I'll be honest, I went into this planning to slag it off but found myself enjoying it so I couldn't do it. Its a pretty car and its fun to drive
I owned one for four years in the same colour, it definitely had issues and yep the head gasket went. But it was great fun and loved owning one despite all the hairdresser joke etc 😂
MG over an MX-5 any day for me
Mx5's seem to rot like pears. Check out the mx5 restorer
Love the banter and you're quick witty comments. Brilliant. ☺
Mg tf 160 was called the Porsche killer in my dads generation. For good reason too
Matt, wonderful review, especially for the MX5! Whilst I would agree to their reliability you forgot to mention the built in self destruct facility MX5 have, rust, worse than an Alfasud! (do you know what they are?)
Yes thats true. MX5s are terrible for rust
Yep, most early MX5'S serious rust issues.
MGs of this epriod are relatively rust-resistant. Compared to many cars of the time, including Fords, and of course MX5s which are renowned for rusting
Great video as always, a mate of mine bought one of them about 7 years back on about 9k miles for about a grand 👍
That would be worth 3 or 4 times that today
@@HighPeakAutos definitely basically brand new, glad your channel is blowing up as well, well deserved 👍
@@HighPeakAutos *about three or four times that
Had a MGF for over 10 years and i loved it and miss it
Great video, rather more tongue in cheek than usual. I remember, at the time when MG Rover went bust, my Financial Advisor telling me he'd bought 'one of the last ones' (there were absolutely loads of unsold ones). He expected it to grow in value. They are worth pennies now. I don't use him as a financial advisor now....
Your financial adviser was right , prices are Up and Up now.
Great review, always had a soft spot for these.
From what I understand the partnerships with Honda didnt stretch far enough and the BMW ownership they didnt want MG/Rover to have any direct competitive cars. Which restricted a few ideas and advances they couldnt do.
Such as the rover 75 was (against BMW orders) was built with the possibility to go RWD. Since the money was spent and final product finalized nothing could be done by the time they realised what rover had done. But in the future allowed that wonderful mustang engined mgzt.
But I'd certainly say both company's had some blame. Let's face it though. BmW was all things except small cute cars so MG and rover didnt fit under the German umbrella anywhere.
Thats right, its a pity. It was a catalogue of errors.
@@HighPeakAutos have to disagree with top dog motors. Its 4 am so if either top dog or hpa would like me to clarify then is be happy to. Just CBA typing unless you'd like to hear my geekiness
My friend had one of those , he always drove with the roof down even when it was cold , I could never figure out why , till I went in it one day when it was raining and it smelled like a unplugged fridge ! , the trades unions and management at longbridge have a got a lot to answer for destroying a brand , even BMW couldn’t save them , nice vlog Matt all the best 🙏🙏👍
Hahaha thats true. Yes its a pity
Nice colour, goes with the jumper...😂
The MG TF, still looks modern, near 20 years later...👍
It's a pretty car, it IS an MG, it really is, it's quick. I've got an MGB in the garage but as that runs perfectly (touch wood) I am looking at something else to tinker with and the MG TF looks perfect for that.
I just bought a 160 and it's a fabulous little.car, drives brilliantly. I never really understood why people get so excited about the MX 5, unless you spend a lot of money on new one they're slow, handle poorly and are generally dull.
Also, the 2nd pipe is not just stuck on, makes me wonder how reliable your reviews are when you can't be bothered to check a simple thing like thst.
Do they handle well? Is it a " drivers car" I have give up motorbikes and I am looking for the next best thing. I had a mk1 mx5 and I agree I don't get the hype.
@mick0846 The 160 is nice to drive. I'd say not far off a bike as a fun toy. Though of course nowhere near when it comes to acceleration, it handles well and has enough get up and go to pass slow traffic in the lanes & be away sprightly from the lights.
The hood is easy to get up & down, the heater has enough guts to keep you from freezing on a sunny day when the frost is on the ground.
It has decent luggage space behind the engine and up front, all in all it's practical enough to use all the time but with a big fun factor.
I have the sports exhaust and inlet so it sounds great too. A nice note without being offensively loud, it makes you want to take it to the red line at 7000 when the variable valves kick in at around 4000 rpm.
@mick0846 Did you buy one? I still have mine and stll love it. Sometimes I prefer it to the bike, the soft top with no need to wear a lid does make for a different experience and the willing engine, go-kart handling and light weight means fun all the way. And I can get plenty of shopping in it!
I had one a 2003 one of these in about 2008. I loved it. It had its flaws but overall rear wheel drive, mid engined bargain
I agree
“The ride is firm, so harsh in fact if you were to drive over a coin you’ll be able to tell if it was heads or tails” hahahahaha
This made me chuckle too. Great phrasing 👍🏻
3:25 Just as you mention the Defender, one pops up behind you on that driveway 😂😂
Haha they're everywhere around here
On a good note if that one has got to 16 years old it must have one of their unicorn engines that actually has cyl liners tall enough to keep a headgasket sealed. And head doesn't have cavity's above the fire rings also allowing it to keep a headgasket sealed.
Cavity's? You're kidding, yes? You put cavity's as a joke, you're not expecting people to respect your technical knowledge while putting cavity's? Or are you....
The only reliable TF was called a Massey Ferguson TF...the old Grey Fergie!
Pound for pound, the best cars I've ever bought. I've had three.
i agree. just bought an MGF wedgie, better than the new mx5. better than all my alfas. i absolutely love it. it was a cat d in 2002 and a few owners have kept it alive, past the scrappage scheme and for 22 years with FSH. just done the 48 - 52mm throttle body on it last week and that hydro gas suspension is like im flying over the road, im 6'2" and weight 230 pounds so when people talk about space inside and driving positions ans they are sub 6 foot and weigh 12 stone pissed wet through, i swat em! including a year's insurance and tax plus buying the car and doing a big comprehensive service, inc new slave cylinder and cat, i have less than 2500 in it on a 68k classic. im going to start collecting them.
The horn comment made me laugh. My Rover 25 had the exact same buttons but the horn didn't work lol. You really did get lucky with that one
Haha most I've been in have been faulty or only worked on one side so I had to try
Fun honest video as always Matt! I’ve had an early rust free ‘96 VVC MGF for 10 years now, had the gasket replaced just in case, changed the roof to glass rear window, interior to leather, and have the hydro gas topped up every couple of years, and it’s reliable, comfortable, cheap, fast enough, fun motoring. Many people over the years stop and talk to me about the car, because it’s not an MX5! Ignore the head gasket doommongers, take your time to find a good one, spend a few quid when you get it to give yourself peace of mind, and it will reward you!
It's good to be different so I can see what it would appeal over the common mx5. You know apart from the poor ride you really didn't have a bad thing to say about it. Worth a couple of grand to experiment with before they all vanish.
Thats what I thought. Cheap feeling interior and harsh ride but its fairly fun to drive, good looking and a little bit left field
@@HighPeakAutos - if it's like a ZR, it also has aa horrendously bad turning circle relative to the size of car!
Really entertaining review! My 02 TF is my only car and I love it. More practical, more economical, cheaper to insure than an MX-5, while standing out from the crowd with better styling and a cool brand. Taking it on country roads with the top down is just too much fun. My mates all have boring hatchbacks and are amazed when they realise how cheap my car was to buy.
As a young driver who enjoys the odd quirks of less refined cars like this, I honestly think it's my perfect car. Not sure if that's the demographic the MG marketing team were going for, though! :P
The TF in your review is in beautiful condition, btw :0 I hope to get mine looking like that some day.
Been repairing one of these on my channel for a few months now...looking forward to turning the key!! Nice review 👌
That’s interesting. I’ve just subscribed to your channel so I’ll check it out. Good luck
@@HighPeakAutos many thanks 😊
8:25 Good to have the brummoiy accent back.
Haha couldn't resist!
Ray Hunt
Another amusing review
Cheers
How are Mike and Isaac doing?
@@tcaudiobooks737 😂
Love the way the roof looks like it’s been dumped in the back, when down, in the video at least.
I drive mine twice every week and I always enjoy it after leaving the automatic hybrid and ultra safe and comfort daily car. I enjoy both ridings and always appreciate the shifting.
Clutch pedal (mgtf) is not that hard, description of driving experience is accurate. Raw and pure driving, you feel that you are the one that drives and car is always responding fast to your imputs. Fantastic off roof slow driving and incredibly funny when revolutions peak high. I have never consider it a sport car, I guess it lacks muscle to be performant but undoubtedly fine and funny. A future classic, honest and humble.
Come on matt got to be mg wtf over mx 5 all the way if not anything else its mg also British racing green for colour
They do better burn outs than MX-5's from memory.
maybe,but not for long 😂👀
Another great review Matt. My Mrs owned two of these (no she’s not a hairdresser before you ask) first was an F - it went for ages after she sold it and until recently it pinged-ponged between private sellers here in West Lancs. Next she had a TF - great little car, drove like a go-cart. HG was on its last legs when we sold for a song it a few years ago. Told the guy we sold it to it was on its way out - ‘Oh don’t worry I’ll just drive it till it breaks’. Still see it to this day, tear-arsing around local roundabouts. Oh and we found that MG owners are really nice people and ALWAYS wave to each other. I never get that in my Beamer. Well I do, but a different type of wave using less fingers.
Hahaha good point!
love mine!
so much fun to drive!
15 years and has never failed to put a smile on my face!
Just a pity It didn't have the Honda V-Tec motor, would have made the world of difference, mother in law had one in hideous yellow, so no matter what power plant it had you wouldn't want to be seen in it :))
They did come with VVC on the 160 which was more advanced than V-Tec at the time just more hedgasket failure prone 🤣
Head gaskets. Go but if you don’t Rev the crap out of it first thing there ok I found mine was ok
Never go above 3000 revs until the engine has warmed up, that’s the secret.
@@knightgary3139 - yes, I treat my ZR with kid gloves until it's warmed up
Perfectly summed up “the MG TF...each to their own” 👍
I recently sold an MGF with 230,000Klms and got an MGTF 160. Dump the original dampers and fit Bilstiens on the MGTF. I raced both cars in hillclimbs in Australia. The MGF was used as a daily but our traffic is not as bad as the UK. They do blow head gaskets, and will blow them again if the car is not driven below 4000rpm until the oil temp gets to 90C. With the K Maps in the MGTF 160 i get 6.4 sec to 100kph. I do NOT believe your top doesn't leak. They are fun to drive and cheap to run. There is the heritage factor and I would rather a flat 6 BoxsterS than an MX5. So much potential never realized.
Haha keep looking the cup holders are in there!!
Haha I found them! After I'd finished filming though in an amateurish move
Haha!!!
BatchMatch! 😂. Think I’d go for the MR2
I had a 97 MGF, GREAT car.
Older version looks far better than the tarted up newer version shown here.
This car had SO much charm, and not quite a hairdresser car like the mx5 etc with the heritage, and racing green I had.
Was 100% water proof. Probably the only one in existence and I drove it many miles in torrential rain with no leak.
Handled great.
Great to drive.
Engine revs with k-series.
Blows head gaskets every week.
Mine blew 2 in 6months, and had already been done at least once.
It has bags of character.
Get the MGF, NOT the MGTF.Mine was a daily driver too. Much to my wife's annoyance.
I loved my MG TF160 again in trophy blue had it for 4 years ..lovely car
I couldn’t hear you over the sound of the car thudding over every blemish in the road surface!
And the indicator stalk looks like it goes back to the days of the Triumph Acclaim (another Honda platform car)!
Haha yes thats right
Drive a Lada do you?
8 owners, 8 gaskets!
Honestly mate, you are an incredibly entertaining and talented presenter and car journo. I was really surprised by this interview because I hadn't heard of this channel. Loved it! Well done!
The head gasket issue on the K series engine was sorted so, in the later models like the one driven here, it was not an issue. For the price you pay, it's a cracking little motor. My son has owned two, and he loves them.
Another failure. MX5 all the way.
You want a cheap 2 seat sports car. Mx5 obviously. But no, you want something mid engined because that's better. MR2 then. No it needs to be shit as well. Ah sir have you tried the mg?
You can buy a rear of head wind deflector which are cheap and easy to install. Also the roofs leak because people jet wash them. Then you must like any cloth roof seal it. Tent sealant is cheap and works.
I wanted to write ‘great review’ but I couldn’t . I thought why not…..??? Throughout your review I found you speaking ‘your truth’ all the time, heavily judgemental and with little context for the car in the era when it came out. On its launch it was universally viewed as better than the MX5 and the BMW M3 roadster (may have got the name wrong). MG Rover then Phoenix had no money to continually update the car and naturally it fell behind the Mk 3,4,5 MX5s. Also, the MX5 was a rust bucket . Your comment about nobody would want to drive a car earlier than this!!! Listen to yourself, many people do! The clutch and the ride are fine. Otherwise good review.
I Rather buy an mx5
No weekend should start without one of your videos. Can we all agree on that?
Haha thank you!
Excellent comment ( I totally agree with you, my friend )👌👌👌👌👌
yes you should buy one even if its for a short period. sadly i only had mine for 6 months(someone wrote it off), but it was my first of this type of car. 2 seater, mid engine, rwd, convertible all rolled in to one. mine was standard part from whatever back box was fitted by previous own, it was the 118hp 1.8, but it was great fun and as it was my only car i drove it everywhere. didnt go on too many motorway drives, but cruising with the top down was great. it was overall a very fun experience. probably wont get another one as i tend not to repeat car purchases, but certainly worth having and its good that they fall under classic car insurance meaning cheap quotes.
As much as I hate myself for saying this, having it written off after 6-12 months is probably the perfect thing you want to happen owning one of these cars. Crashed before any reliability or MOT issues, no worries about selling on, non-fault accident so no impact on your insurance. Bet you have fond memories of the car as well because it gave you no headaches!
5:36 - There actually are cupholders in the MG TF, there's a second compartment above the mid console. This has two cupholders.
Would have one in a heartbeat, always wanted to try and supercharge one.
Ah, the Phoenix Group! John Towers, Nick Stephenson, John Edwards and Peter Beale ran MG Rover into the ground while filling their pockets with taxpayer cash. Once they had bled the company dry, they walked away with £36m & laid off 6300 workers.
look forward to your postings, as always thoroughly entertaining with more crafted comic genius beautifully delivered !
Glad you like them!
I am the target audience. Im 20 and i just bought a passat tdi daily driver to replace my octavia vrs 1.8T that i absolutely adore. My plan was to keep the octavia as a weekend/track car and only insure it when i use it cutting my expenses significantly. Only issue is because of my age and the insurance group of the car (31) temporary insurers wont even give me a quote. Then i remembered this car and looked online, you can get them as little as 1 grand with service history where i live, they are insurance group 20-something, its a 1.8, albeit nowhere near as powerful as the octavia but they are rear wheel drive and light and they make a great induction noise. I am now in the market for one of these as a weekend car because miatas are stupid expensive now and they rust away anyways 🤷♂️
I was very nearly tempted but seeing how many there was online with blown head gaskets put me of. Even honest sellers who said that it had been done before. And your review was the final nail lol
They look ok but I wouldn’t bother
I put 160,000+ miles on mine, a VVC, and it never missed a beat. It also had the hydrolastic suspension, which rode far more compliantly. A lovely, cheeky little thing that had bags more character than the MX-5 Mk2.5 I replaced it with. Big mistake. I've been a test/development driver since 2009 and the MG was always a great car to go home in, via the long way. It will remain a personal favorite. It certainly didn't rust like the Mazda, was much more fun to drive. I found the MX-5 to be much like an overhyped film, some good parts but the trailer told you everything. A great starting point for improvement, and at least it had the chance to be developed properly and mature into the pensioner's favorite.
The crux is, I'd have another tidy MGF in a heartbeat. I'd consider a Mk1 MX, but wouldn't go near another Mk 2.5. It just lacked soul. Then again, I like weird...
Hands down the wittiest car review I've ever seen. Subbed and i will be now watching another one of your reviews after this. Top Job Mate.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching
My infant school head teacher had a green one of these from new. Mrs Thomas