Nice Ford Granada for sale

Usually dead common when they were new, some charisma, and then most of them scrapped young because they had no value as "old bangers". Either that or faintly exotic in the first place, but they are two opposite poles of the classic spectrum!

Chris,

Getting confused. You are not talking about the MK2 ZS180 are you? They are not that old, in fact still being put off the end of the production line in 2005.

Erm, no it won't.

MG fans don't like them because they're just a tarted up Honda with an MG badge, and everyone else just thinks they're a tarted up Honda with an MG badge.

They were incredibly outdated even when new - cramped, poor ride and poor handling. The ZS almost sorted the ride and handling, but they still had shit interiors.

"SteveH"

---------------------------

Ha ha... Jeremy Clarkson would strongly disagree with you. In fact I would too. Poor ride? ...You having a laugh? A MK2 180 holds onto the road like a Go-Kart, I don't think you have appreciated the drive of one of these cars.

Erm, what has go-kart handling got to do with the ride quality?

You may like and be very proud of your ZS, but, ultimately, Honda made better versions of the same car.

QUOTE on MG ZS180: ""You should try one. It's bloody good" - Jeremy Clarkson (UK Motoring Journalist).

We need context.

'It's bloody good.... considering what they started with'

Another ZS 180 quote: "The best handling front wheel drive car I've ever driven" - Tiff Needell (UK racing driver & journalist). Expert driver enough?

Who gives a f*ck, no, seriously, who does?

It may handle well, but the ride is s**te, the quality is poor and it was 15 years out of date.

Anyway...... you do realise that it's not legal to tow a caravan that size with a ZS, don't you?

Well, I'm no expert on the piles of excrement, but I know it's a Honda Domini shell with MG's inexpertly tuned version of Honda's suspension (great at 60mph, shit at 40 - and FWIW, the R8, Honda relative and all, didn't use the same suspension as the Honda Concerto). Hell, that interior redesign was only put in place because Honda stopped making the stalks for the bloody thing.

That it's hauled about by the inefficient (2.5 litres? 180bhp? There are four cylinder Renaults that have better headline figures than that) and unreliable KV6 hardly raises it above the Hondas ;)

Yes. In the page with all the shit cars rusting away that no-one wants.

BTW, my signature is configured correctly, so fix yer newsreader ;)

Richard

Excuse me? Of course a caravan can be towed with a ZS180.

'that size'.

What is it, about 1100kgs from the factory? - plus all the crap you caravanning types put in them.

The ZS is only rated for 1000kgs towing weight.

Oh dear :-) ... Come on please.! Show me one Zed owner that had considered buying a Renault first. You are getting the KV6 mixed up with the 4 pot K series me thinks. The KV6 has a good record. WSR are not racing Renauts around the tracks are they, and they STILL choose to stick with MG ZS after MGR has gone.

No, you getting mislead with the industry defined standard and representing the maximum weight that can be towed by the vehicle, allowing it to restart efficiently on a 12% gradient (1 in 8 approx.) at sea level. These figures are for GUIDANCE only. The kerb weight for a ZS180 is 1285kg. The law permits towing up the 100% of the KW.

You seem to be mistaking "ride" with "handling" or "grip".

I have 'appreciated' one of these cars (I've owned 118 cars, and most cars vaguely out of the ordinary have been considered), and MG R knew how to make a car 'feel sporty'.

A shining example would be the MG F. In original, unmolested form, it's a very good handling and comfortable car. In fact, it is supremely capable. The TF - reworked by MGR - only came good over NSL. It was harsh, skittish on potholes and mid-bend road damage, and in town at 30, it was like sitting on a washing machine in mid-spin. I have never felt so ill in a car before at such low speeds.

I thought this must be because they wanted it to be sporty, so I got the chance to try - of all things - the Rover Streetwise. I wanted to put my dad off buying the bloody thing, so I took off like a scalded cat with it to a set of bends I know and love - and it was stunning. 60mph though

40mph bends no problem at all, despite the silly jacked up suspension. Of course, having done things, we slowed down on a stretch of road which is quite old, and used by farm traffic. The ripples in the road at 40 were completely and totally unabsorbed. WTF? This is supposed to be an 'urban' car - frankly I'd rather get out and walk than take it near any urban road at urban, legal speeds.

The ZT had the same disease, this big cruiser with bricks for dampers.

See, damping is not ALL there is to good handling, it's a good way of making drivers feel they can reach the limits earlier, but a well damped car can have the same geometry with better development on the damping and springing, giving it exactly the same capability and outright grip, but with the ability to ride properly.

Richard

Hahahahahahahaaaa!

Richard

No. It may be a future classic, but it's hardly one yet. Qualifies at the faintly exotic end.

I was replying to Janner's valid question.

You have to remember that in this group most of us go back a long time. And I, for one, wouldn't thank you for something as new as that. My newest car is '93 - through choice, not through lack of funds.

Older cars are simply so much easier to maintain.

Jeremy Clarkson - UK general prat.

That doesn't make it safe. I've towed over 12000 miles (documented) and wouldn't even consider towing with something as small as that. Especially FWD. My Merc 220TE is as small as my towcars get.