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Ive had numerous Mgf before and have just sold my last 2, replacing them with an Mgtf which I have never owned before.
My question to everybody is what is your preference and why..all for interesting fun

ooooh, can of worms.

I'll grab a biccy & watch

Personally I prefer the look of the TF & the drive of the F, but to be honest unless really pushing on I found very little difference.

I must admit to preferring the look of the F. When I was looking for one early last year I had the chance of both, I settled on the F because of the look and also the suspension which, when in good fettle, really makes the car special. Mind you I've had my displacers re-conditioned and re-charged. Done by a local garage and using Hydragas Services in Telford. Ride now back to what it should be and all done for £625.

Mind you my F is the MY2000 model Wedgwood SE so it has the TF style interior with full leather.

I really enjoy the look and ride of my F and when I did the gearbox rebuild I was able to get my hands on the internal components of a TF, which means 1 tooth less on the pinion. Add that to one size smaller rear tyres and I have the nippy pick-up of the TF with the nice ride of the F. One might say the best of both worlds. All I need now is a set of Trophy brakes.

The only down side of the different gear ratio set up is that it can be difficult to keep the revs low when warming up, especially if going straight onto a motorway, a 3,000 rpm limit in 4th gear is only about 90 km/h and even 5th is only 110 km/h or thereabouts.

People wonder why you are dawdling along in such a great looking car!

But once it's all warmed up with 80+ deg on the oil temp gauge it just flies with this set-up. On the motorway it's right in the best rev band and launches forward with any touch of the go pedal.

Always a mine's 'bigger than yours' issue...

I've had an '01 1.6 F and later replaced it with an '05 1.6 TF. I strongly believe if the TF was called an F mk3 (I mean, honestly, how many friends amongst the MG community would you win by calling a Rover/MG an MGTF?) then this thread wouldn't be happening.

I'm happier with more maintainable springs + dampers, the extra bracing f + r, aluminium throttle body, and (questionably) better HG in the later TF - but miss the build quality, genetics and timeless recognisability of my old F.

Now here's a bone of contention:- I've parked both F and TF among 'real' MGs at meetings and overheard 'Wouldn't touch it...not a real classic...'. I've been to meets where it's been a singleton amongst classics or one of a few MG (F and/or TFs) and heard 'Oh, that's nice...' But at my most recent meet there was my TF, and an LE500 on an old reg. plate. I had to explain the Chinese connection 'Cos the badges are black and cream...can't be right...' many times to folk who knew I owned that 'nice MG over there'...And you know what? Imo the LE500 is actually the final finished article. It's obvious that it's very thoughtfully put together, has better build quality, looks far more expensive and we know the HG issue has been put to bed. - Yes I would like to own one...

But my current 'F mk3' is THE BEST (don't we all think our own is?)

@Robbo: what did you mean by the smaller rear tyres? Narrower than before so 185 allround (to which diamer?) perhaps?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G920F met Tapatalk

Personally I mostly prefer the mk1 F over the mk2 except the door cards, T bar and electrics and the steering rack of the TF.

I either have this or am getting this except I'm going for TF suspension for durability as I've had years of problems with hydragas.

Yes I think the simpler suspension swayed my decision to change from F -> TF

ArntyR wrote:I strongly believe if the TF was called an F mk3 (I mean, honestly, how many friends amongst the MG community would you win by calling a Rover/MG an MGTF?) then this thread wouldn't be happening.

I consider the TF to be a mk6 Metro

jaapaap1111 wrote:@Robbo: what did you mean by the smaller rear tyres? Narrower than before so 185 allround (to which diamer?) perhaps?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G920F met Tapatalk

The 185/55 -15 for the front are not generally available in Australia, Toyo refuse to import them even though there are several thousand cars here. I have butted heads with head office and failed to sway them.

So plenty of owners just fit 195/50 -15 on both front and rear, I guess to allow rotation of the wear which is how my car came from the previous owner. ( Or the tyre retailers are lazy and don't find a pattern that's made in two sizes )
So with a 195/50 -15 on the rear instead of a 205/50 -15 there is 2% lower rolling diameter which affects the acceleration and speedo reading; and I guess negatively affects the road holding. They are all almost worn out, so in 2018 I will get some 205's and find out.

I'm undecided about whether to just fit 195/50-15 to the front or go to the effort of getting some 185/55-15 from the UK. But I'll definitely be putting 205/50-15 on the rear.

Fortunately the tyre rules in this country are quite loose. We are allowed to fit anything within about two inches of the size on the tyre sticker. Don;t quote me on that, but the rules allow for this sort of size shuffling.

RobboMC wrote:......there is 2% lower rolling diameter which affects the acceleration and speedo reading;.....

Not allowing for tyre wear or variations in pressure due to ambient temperature or heat from driving........

Robbo wrote:Fortunately the tyre rules in this country are quite loose. We are allowed to fit anything within about two inches of the size on the tyre sticker. Don;t quote me on that, but the rules allow for this sort of size shuffling.

That is strict, in the UK as long as the tyre fits the rim and turns then anything goes........

So I went back and found the document that applies to me here in New South Wales, it's called VSI 09 and it states:

Minor changes to wheels

The outside diameter of the wheel and tyre combination must be no more than 15mm over the largest diameter
wheel and tyre combination specified for the vehicle and not more than 15mm below the smallest diameter wheel
and tyre combination specified for the vehicle.

Stricter than I thought, this is the document I had in my file to prove I was allowed to have 195/50 tyres when the placard is
185/55 and 205/50. The diameter difference is 10 mm and I'm not allowed much more. For example a 205/55 would be 20 mm larger
and so outside the rules.

So I went back and found the document that applies to me here in New South Wales, it's called VSI 09 and it states:

Minor changes to wheels

The outside diameter of the wheel and tyre combination must be no more than 15mm over the largest diameter
wheel and tyre combination specified for the vehicle and not more than 15mm below the smallest diameter wheel
and tyre combination specified for the vehicle.

Stricter than I thought, this is the document I had in my file to prove I was allowed to have 195/50 tyres when the placard is
185/55 and 205/50. The diameter difference is 10 mm and I'm not allowed much more. For example a 205/55 would be 20 mm larger
and so outside the rules.

I consider the TF to be a mk6 Metro

Aaah...geddit...mk3 but with metro subframes f+r?

Imo F + TF are both endearing, simple and cheap good v-f-m fun. eg compare F/TF radiator costs in the latest SafetyFast with proper (designed and built) MG models...