Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

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Buzzy-Beans
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i
Location: South Lincs.

Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Buzzy-Beans » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:22 pm

My most beloved fancies buying an MG 'F' but fitted with the StepSpeed automatic gearbox.

Are these gearboxes to be avoided, are they a total bag of non stop trouble, or are they really quite good?

She doesn't want a performance motor, she loves the look of the car, she loves the driving experience and she thinks she would like to have a semi auto box and getting rid of that left hand pedal.

Phil Jay
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:01 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands
Model of Car: MG TF 135
Location: Coleshill

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Phil Jay » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:55 pm

Hi, our experience is with a ZR Stepspeed. It's a brilliant gearbox blighted by reliability issues. It's brilliant to use, giving excellent acceleration - no loss of time while the box changes up. The button change on the steering wheel are a hoot too.
We looked after ours really carefully. Oil was always changed on time and with the right grade. The car was looked after by Austin Garages, who in my opinion are one of the best MG Rover specialists in the country. Yet in spite of all this love and attention, at 50,000 miles the gearbox suffered a catastrophic failure rendering the car scrap. The box could have been rebuilt, but at a four figure sum, plus labour to remove the old and fit the new. Nick at Austin Garages told me they have some Stepspeed's that easily do 100,000 miles without problem, yet others like ours can fail at much lower mileages for no apparent reason.
Either way, I wouldn't touch another one with a barge pole, it's just too risky and I've seen too many for sale with gearbox issues. Which is one of the reasons that my dear wife, who only drives autos, is currently looking for an MX5!
Good luck if you decide to go this route!

Buzzy-Beans
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i
Location: South Lincs.

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Buzzy-Beans » Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:44 am

Thanks Phil for your post, just the kind of user information I was looking for.

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Mykel
Regional Rep
Posts: 2759
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:13 pm
MGF Register Region: Europe
Model of Car: MG TF Monogram
Location: Schwalmtal, NRW, Germany

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Mykel » Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:32 am

I had one for 3 years, bought at 60,000 miles and drove it happily until end of last year, covering some 45,000 miles with it. Total fun to drive, filter and oil changes regularly. Two issues spring to mind why I probably won’t get another one:

First, the input shaft seal went after 100,000 miles, fair enough and just a tenner’s worth in parts, but due to the size and weight of the box, replacing it would be a subframe out job. As the rest of the car wasn’t in near perfect nick, I couldn’t be bothered.

Second, the damper plate between engine end gearbox (which looks like a fixed clutch plate with springs to prevent stress) had started to rattle badly when idling. The original part from XPart is no longer available, the recommended replacement from a 1996 Ford Fiesta is also completely out of stock. This means a failing damper is now really a death rattle for those cars, unless someone comes up with a method to refurbish the damper plates with new (and preferably uprated) spring sets.
MGTF:
2004 TF 135 in Monogram Spectre, black leather, RHD
MGZR:
2001 ZR 160 in Solar Red, LHD, LPG conv
Classic:
1972 MG Midget MkIII RWA in Blaze Red
MGF Register regional rep for Germany -- germany@mgfregister.org

Buzzy-Beans
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i
Location: South Lincs.

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Buzzy-Beans » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:05 am

Many thanks Mykel that is exactly the kind of helpful information I was looking for.

JIW9151
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:17 pm
MGF Register Region: Thames Valley
Model of Car: TF Stepspeed
Location: Abingdon on Thames

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by JIW9151 » Fri Feb 09, 2018 7:45 pm

I have owned mine since 2009 when it had 24000 miles it now has 52000. I love it
You need to change the engine and gearbox oils as per manufacture book. The recommended oil is very important do not use cheap oils. Have fitted better induction manifold and air filter plus Mike Satur exhaust system, plus Bilstein telescopic with softer Satur springs, make a better drive also 4 pot front calipers and bigger discs and TF80 pepperpot wheels.
I use Summit Motors at Maidenhead for any major service work.
Get one the are great fun.
John - Abingdon -
2002 MG TF Stepspeed X-Power Grey
1964 MGB Mk1 Iris Blue

JIW9151
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:17 pm
MGF Register Region: Thames Valley
Model of Car: TF Stepspeed
Location: Abingdon on Thames

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by JIW9151 » Fri Feb 09, 2018 7:46 pm

I have owned mine since 2009 when it had 24000 miles it now has 52000. I love it
You need to change the engine and gearbox oils as per manufacture book. The recommended oil is very important do not use cheap oils. Have fitted better induction manifold and air filter plus Mike Satur exhaust system, plus Bilstein telescopic with softer Satur springs, make a better drive also 4 pot front calipers and bigger discs and TF80 pepperpot wheels.
I use Summit Motors at Maidenhead for any major service work.
Get one the are great fun.
John - Abingdon -
2002 MG TF Stepspeed X-Power Grey
1964 MGB Mk1 Iris Blue

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Tipper
Posts: 720
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Devon & Cornwall
Model of Car: RV8 + ZS180
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK

Re: Stepspeed? What to look out for ??

Post by Tipper » Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:36 pm

I owned mine for over 10 years and had no issues. However it did begin the 'death rattle' in the last couple of years before I sold it. Other than being a little noisy at certain throttle openings it didn't seem to affect operation or performance.

Mind you I only drove it for 16,000 miles in those 10 years so not really a reliability record but it was great to drive! :lol:

I did source a Ford drive plate for it but hadn't fitted it when I sold the car. I recently sold that drive plate and sent it to Holland. :thumbsu:

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