Looking for a nice MGF

A place for the South Coast (Hampshire, IOW, lower Wiltshire) region.

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TonyHill
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:11 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast

Looking for a nice MGF

Post by TonyHill » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:27 am

Hi everyone,
my name is Tony and I have been in New Forest area for 5 months now.I'd love one of these cars as you get so much for the money and they are a proper MG.

Just wanted some info: should I only go for a car that's had the Head Gasket sorted, is DIY mechanic work easy enough and was there ever a Haynes manual on the MGF?

I have an old classic that I'll be restoring when I get more time.
I love cycling,heavy rock music,animals and classic cars/ bikes.

That's about it!

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks - Tony.

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Keith Williams
Posts: 6109
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:25 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands
Model of Car: MGF VVC, Trophy 160
Location: Coventry

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Keith Williams » Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:52 pm

Welcome to the MGF Register forum :-)

A car with a head gasket sorted is ideal but just be prepared to have one fixed if you buy in the cheaper level. As you say, a lot of car for the money.

No Haynes manual produced for the F or TF, but we can offer you a copy of workshop manual that the dealers used via our online shop ....
MGF Workshop Manual or a Restoration Manual Restoration Manual which is laid out more like a Haynes.
1998 MGF VVC, 2001 Trophy 160 & 2013 MG6 GT TSE

RSR92
Posts: 320
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Cotswolds
Model of Car: MGF 1.8MPi MY2000
Location: Tewkesbury

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by RSR92 » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:01 pm

Yeah I'd recommend spending a bit more
I love my MG I got her for around £400 and my old Y Reg 1.4 Golf.

I got her cheap and so expected to have to do work but I've learned more about cars that I could have imagined so far.

I've had to replace the seals on both master and slave cylinders for the clutch, new front discs and pads and her handbrake is slightly seized.

I've also got a leaky inlet manifold, a dead catalyst and in my opionion the hydragas spheres need the Schrader valves fitted and the nitrogen refilled.

DIY is not all too difficult, provided the car has been well cared for. Otherwise removing brake discs can be a bit troublesome if they're held on with 16 odd years of rust! It's a bit more difficult in the engine bay due to a lack of room but still do-able (at least with my small lady-like hands, those with larger digits may find it a bit more troublesome

Overall I wouldn't trade my MGF for the world, I wanted a project car and she's been a great one so far, each fix or improvement I make feels all that more significant having done it myself.

Parts are easily available from brown and Gammons, Mike Satur and MG Mania as well as the well known auction site.

From my experience what I'd advise is try and get one with the head gasket done
Also try and get one with a metal manifold, all VVCs have them but I'm not sure if any F's do although some TF's do but they don't warp like the plastic ones are prone to and I don't quite trust the plastic ones in that hot engine bay especially if you're really giving it some but that's my opinion not fact
In addition really test the brakes and handling, and if you do get an F with the hydragas make sure you've got £500 in the bank for a new spring set up or for the hydragas spheres to be modified as after 16 odd years I think most are suffering from a nitrogen deficiency and as a result don't have the smoothest ride over potholes and speedbumps

I don't think I'll ever be without an MG from this point onwards
X-Reg MGF 1.8MPi in LQW: Trophy 160 Airbox, Citroen Washer Jets, Japanparts Dampers, 52mm T/B and Alloy Inlet Manifold
Pending: Replace Cat and B/B, Performance Filter element, Cold air feed from N/s vent

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talkingcars
Posts: 5766
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:44 pm
MGF Register Region: South East
Model of Car: mk1 VVC
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by talkingcars » Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:08 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum

James
Home to black Alfa 159 3.2 V6 Q4, blue MGZR160, green MGF VVC and grey MGF 1.8i, and red MG Maestro T16.

MGF chatting on the Register and at http://www.the-t-bar.com

TonyHill
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:11 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by TonyHill » Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:08 am

Hi thanks for the welcome and information.I was looking on some websites and
there were plenty of cars to choose from.I do prefer the earlier style of the F
so will be going for one of these.Does anyone know if black was a colour option
when the cars were new as that's my favourite colour and I've got a small dog so
cloth seats I suppose.

Cheers - Tony

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Charless
Posts: 2362
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:52 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast
Model of Car: 96 Mpi, 99 VVC
Location: Chilbolton

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Charless » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:27 pm

Yes - follow this link - http://www.mgfcar.de/vin/mgfcolours.htm
Hopefully see you at one of the South Coast meets!

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Stan_B
Posts: 726
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:33 pm
MGF Register Region: Thames Valley
Model of Car: tf 115

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Stan_B » Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:34 pm

Hi there, i posted this a few weeks ago and the car is still there. Not much to add except its near Basingstoke and the owner wants it to go to a good home.

https://www.mgfregister.org/forum/viewt ... =9&t=23066

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Charless
Posts: 2362
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:52 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast
Model of Car: 96 Mpi, 99 VVC
Location: Chilbolton

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Charless » Sun Apr 02, 2017 9:45 am

I have viewed the above car and it is stunning with no visible rust and not tarted up in any way. It has been garaged all it's life, full service history, all the bills, clean interior etc. If I didn't run three already I wouldn't be letting on how fantastic this one is, I would have already paid the asking price. Getting the third was a near death experience with the Mrs, four would definitely be curtains. I don't know what people are waiting for when they claim to be looking for a nice one. It is in this month's MGCC Safety Fast (Page 93) for a very fair price. This could be Concours with not a lot of money.

TonyHill
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:11 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by TonyHill » Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:43 pm

Hi,is this car in Basingstoke still available?If so could someone put me in touch with the seller?
Thanks very much.
Tony

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Charless
Posts: 2362
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:52 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast
Model of Car: 96 Mpi, 99 VVC
Location: Chilbolton

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Charless » Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:41 pm

Hi Tony,
It was this evening, so ring Tom on 07775730521,
It needs a good home soon,
Charles

TonyHill
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:11 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by TonyHill » Wed Apr 12, 2017 12:20 pm

Hi Charles thanks for that but have now got an '01 plate MGF in Anthracite - so the seller tells me.Full svc history with H/G done and S/S coolant pipes.Hope to meet up with members over the next few months.Will have a few questions to ask but just looking forward to driving it home in a few weeks.When I find out how to post pics I will put a few on.
Kind Regards

Tony

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Charless
Posts: 2362
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:52 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast
Model of Car: 96 Mpi, 99 VVC
Location: Chilbolton

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by Charless » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:27 pm

Tony,
Damn! I must now try to think of a cunning plan to deceive the Mrs into 'not seeing' yet another one on the drive ;).
Charles

GingerCat
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 12:26 pm
MGF Register Region: South Coast
Model of Car: TF135

Re: Looking for a nice MGF

Post by GingerCat » Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:22 pm

Tom is off to sunny climes later this week so I am storing the car for him. I'll take some more pictures and put an ad up in the for sale section as soon as I can, but if anyone else is interested please contact me. The car is still in Hampshire, 10 minutes from Andover. Cheers...Geoff.

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