MGFs...

Accident damage. Rust. Overpriced examples.

Drive nice, go nice, driving position is a comprimise but OK. 1.8VVC is the only quick one, Trophy is great but rides hard and is a bit easier to spin than the standard. MGTF looks less girly and handles less girly too.

Rust, cracked back windows (rust is in the front inner wings primarily), rust in the cooling pipes under the car, failed displacers, and a 50/50 chance the head gasket is shagged.

If you get a cheap one there are relatively inexpensive replacement hoods with glass, heated rear windows.

Richard

Be sure it has the complete makeup bag and blow dryer in the glove box. ;)

Says the man with two Karmann Ghias...

Richard

Didnt realise rust was an problem, will look out for that.

Speed/handling isnt much of an issue. We're currently looking at a 97 1.8i in red with cream leather with 70k miles. Its up for £3995 (was up for 4995 which was way too much) which i dont think is too bad as it seems in good nick, although i havent looked that closely.

I was waiting for someone to say it :) It we will mean we'll have an MR2 and a MGF if we buy it, surprised no one has picked up on that yet!! But hey, 2 mid-engined RWD cars is better than some tarted up shopping trolley!

Three, unless someone has stolen one while I've been ill.

No. It's another car in the same vein as the TR7.

"Oh look this would be a good car"

"Yes, but we're British Leyland under another name, let's f*ck it up."

Has it got an MG badge? Yes? Then it's s**te and best avoided.

If you want a hairdresser car, go buy an MR2 or an MX5 at least they aren't complete and utter s**te.

Any of them Razoredge?

Richard

Unfortunately not, I keep my eyes open for solid ones at decent prices but never have the money when they do pop up.

But the Karmann Ghia is a cool car and always will be. The MGF will always be a girls car, it's not it's fault, it's just the styling of it. The same goes for the MX5, Ka, X3, etc. Think 10 years in the future, would you rather buy a MGF or a Karmann Ghia? If someone was producing them now with updated electrics, fuel injection, etc and was as reliable as a modern car but still looked the same as the original I'd have it before 99.9% of the other cars you see on the road today.

Head gasket, and apparantly the coolant pipes that run the length of the car rust, and leak, thus giving you another head gasket.

MX5 is the better car ;)

What happened to the Puma idea?

70k - IIRC cambelt is 90k on K series and it's not as easy to do in an F as it is in a normal rover. Make sure the cooling system is happy with itself as well or its /gasket time/ 1.8i is nice. The F rides nice making it a good daily driver but the 1.8i will never feel quick.

Trackday time - which Mr2 is it?

Vamp's old Jewish racing beige MK1

I think that goes for most cars, though. If they made Vauxhall FE Victors but with modern electronics and the like (no. The Hindustan does not count, that Isuzu lump is a leap back from a 2.3 slant four - the injected prototype VX4/90 did 0-60 in 7 seconds FFS), I'd have 2.

The Karmann Ghia is slow, evil handling and was always a girl's car. It's very, very pretty.

The MGF, for all the slagging off it gets, is a really nice car. It too is a girl's car, but it handles and has good compliance, the suspension is pretty well sorted whilst also offering a good compromise for daily use (which the MX5 1.8 Sport and the MG TF most assuredly are not; harsh, jarring cars for most purposes - the MG TF only comes together over 60). The problems are once again, of build quality and image.

Richard

Jewish Racing Beige.... Lol

That's relative, though. Guy at my old place replaced his 1.1 knackered Fiesta and reckoned his MGF was the fastest thing on the roads, full stop. Then he tried to keep up with me in the Ka, but I was trying to keep up with Merlin in his MR2, heh! :)

I don't see any problem whatsoever with a car that girls are supposed to like.