The MGF Register Forums

We had a serious and expensive problem after a well known MGF specialist fitted a cheap aftermarket cat. While driving in the mountains of northern Spain the contents of the cat melted and blocked the exhaust. The local garages could not help and we had no alternative but to pay the cost of recovery...

When we purchased our 2009 MG TF 135 we were supplied with two keys and both sets worked. Recently one of the remote fobs has stopped working - it just doesn't appear to communicate with the car at all. I have changed the battery but it made no difference. We are continuing with the one remaining fo...

One of my pet hates is the trend in recent decades to embellish wheel nuts with a thin layer of shiny metal. The MGF/TF wheel nuts have these embellishments as does our VX Ampera (European version of the GM Volt). The thin top layer is quickly distorted during the first wheel change and, for that re...

This is weird - I took the car out for a fairly long run and couldn't replicate the problem.
I did tighten the earth clamp on the battery and I also replaced the bolt that connects the battery earth to the body (it was rusty) the replacement is stainless. That must have done the trick!

What voltage are you getting at the battery with engine off, engine on without light on and on with light on? Without the engine running I am getting 12.47 volts - the battery is less than six months old. With the engine at idle speed (about 800 rpm) I am getting 14.0 volts across the battery termi...

Our new (to us) 2009 MG TF 135 has recently developed a problem where shortly after starting a journey the battery charge light on the dash comes on and stays on for the rest of the journey. To be clear, the light extinguishes once the engine is started and stays off for the first mile or so before ...

Thank you to those who messaged me. We have spent a lot of money on this car - including more than £700 in the last year.
We therefore need to get more than the scrap value and have put the car up for auction on eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225939891487

I'm sorry you are selling the F. What are you replacing her with ? We have purchased a 2009 TF 135 - which looks good despite the risk of unseen corrosion. We found the car in Scotland where the roads tend to be heavily salted in Winter. http://www.grahamoliver.com/images/MGF%20&%20MG%20TF%20-%20No...

If it does it a second time it would be worth getting hold of a second hand steering lock and a pair of bolts as a precaution for the small amount that would cost. Also as a precaution you could consider cutting slots in the blind ends of the existing sheer bolts so that if the worst does happen th...

We have replaced our MGF with a later model MG TF and are now offering the MGF for sale on eBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225872971209 This somewhat battered MGF is well worth a look - it has been used as our daily commute (about seven miles each way) for the last nine years. As well as for tourin...

OK - I did squirt a bit of WD40 into the lock but still couldn't shift it - so we called out the AA
The AA man gave the steering wheel a couple of waggles whilst trying the key in the lock and Hey-Presto! It started!
No idea why I couldn't do it - possibly I was too gentle!

When my wife went to start the car to drive home from work, she found it impossible to turn the ignition key. Having driven over to collect her from work, I tried the second key with the same result. The key goes in fully but will not turn. The steering is lock and I have tried waggling the wheel an...

The car has now been back on the road for more than a week. Just Right Autos fitted a new Cat. and a new stainless steel exhaust. The original cat. (fitted shortly before we left for Spain) has been returned to the supplier for their comments . . .

From your description, this sounds like the failure of the ceramic structure inside the new catalytic converter, which subsequently blocked the flow passages within the muffler. From my own experience, and that of six other F-owners here in Ontario, Canada, that I personally know, where up to 10% e...

£700 equates to about 10 years of UK and Europe Breakdown cover. The AA quoted £268.27 per annum to cover our MGF for travel abroad. We have taken our MGF abroad for the last four years so I reckon our costs are better than even. There are other schemes including single trip schemes but many of the...

An interesting point about catalytic converters is the variation in price - one well known MG specialist sells them for around £60 and another offers what appears to be a similar product at around £300 - why such a variation?

£700 for recovery - ouch, did you have breakdown cover? About four years ago I raised the subject of overseas breakdown cover on this forum and on some other forums that I use and the general advice was that it isn't worth it. Some of the larger recovery organisations will only bring the car back o...

I've not come across this problem before? Interesting - I'll have to do an internet search to see if this is something that has been encountered before. One quick question: Why was the catalyst replaced before your trip Graham? As CubMG says, the OEM catalyst has the ability to last a very long tim...

After several successful trips to Northern Spain in our MGF we have just experienced a bit of a nightmare. On the mountain roads of the Picos de Europa, our car started to lose power and there was a rattling sound from the engine compartment. Eventually, the car lost power completely and we were obl...

Our remaining MGF has been enjoying a holiday on the Isle of Man and after some 800 miles or so on the fast mountain roads, I noticed that the rear tyres were worn close to the limit and needed replacing again having completed barely 10k miles since they were new. A local garage supplied and fitted ...