Awful roads mean I use the TF less than I'd like

[Fraser]

The roads are now in such appalling condition now, that I'm getting increasingly reluctant to take the TF out. Of course the TF ride is not the most compliant, even though I have the so-called "Comfort" pack of Bilstein mono-tube shocks and the relevant springs. I find I am constantly on the lookout for potholes and other road damage when I'm driving on minor roads, and even some major ones. I just wish there was something available to make the ride even more compliant than it is now. Anybody else having trouble ?

[mgtfnut]

I know how you feel, unfortunately a team of gurus at MG-R worked to get the best possible handling out of the parts bin available at the time. The TF is 20 years old - any major engineering to make a TF into a modern comfy vehicle is hard to imagine - and then would it be a TF?

I was around Burton on Trent last week in my Skoda - the roads were appalling, speed bumps at very close intervals, loads of cameras, and of course nightmare potholes. Modern cars might seem to "glide" of this sort of terrain, but it comes at a cost as the design features conspire to disguise the impacts. I've already have had to have my N/S/F lower suspension arm renewed, and the O/S/F one is going the same way.
The cost of highway neglect is borne out by the tax paying motoring public, who seem willing to ditch a dodgy car, and get another

Think about it this way, we can hone our advanced road surface reading skills such that we can use the TF's nimbleness in avoiding as many as possible without causing undue safety risk, panic and havoc on the roads

[Rob Bell]

That's a conundrum Fraser. The TF was engineered with Bilstein dampers in mind, but the car was released with cheaper dampers, with ostensibly the same settings. Those same chassis engineering guys have, however, made the original spec Bilsteins available again which is said to transform the ride. Which are the dampers you have on your car...

MG Rover's approach to making the TF more comfortable was a little different - with softer springs and different specification of the anti-roll bars - which was released for the 2005 model year. A little more to change for that, but something to consider.

How far do you need to go to make the car more bearable?

[talkingcars]

One thing that might help is fitting smaller wheels with bigger profile tyres.