Rover MGF convertible

Hi Graeme,
the only thing about the MGF is the engine, the K-series 1.8 is more than a little prone to overheating and blowing head-gaskets. If it has had an up-rated one fitted (Land Rover part) and the thermostat conversion fitted then it should be OK. Owning a Freelander with the same engine, I've come to learn a little about the engine over the last few years. Not only in the Freelander but its other 1.8 applications as well. :wink:
Other than that, not too bad a car.
John
 
theres a bit about them in this months 'classics' mag, page 101.
some look alright but put against an MX5 i'd have the MX5.
personally i wouldn't have an MGF because i'm not that much of a girl!
oops! have i said the wrong thing?
 
The MGFs are good reliable cars, provided that you keep an eye on the cooling system. Any problems with the cooling and you will almost certainly have the head gasket go. The radiator is tucked away and can only really be checked from below with the front lifted off the ground. There are 2 metal pipes that run the length of the car that are prone to corrosion - we only fit stainless steel replacement parts for these.

The handling on these cars is remarkable, and is far better than the MX5. The MG Trophy car is even better, as it has lowering knuckles and improved valving between the spheres.
 
Agree about the handling against an MX5, I borrowed my girlfriends MGTF to do an MGCC trackday and as they were oversubscribed was slotted into the MX5 group, mine was a bog standard girlie can and the mX5's were all tricked up but the MG was way faster through the turns carrying much more cornerspeed, was miles more fun that I had expected and I have lots of respect for the little things now
 
I suppose the worry is that someone has bodged up the head gasket just enough to sell it and it will let go in a big way soon afterwards
 
Obtaining parts will become an issue if it isnt already!!
Modern Rover/MG are getting well over 10 yrs old now,so as soon as they went bust no new parts supply was being produced.
Even more of an issue overseas!!!
A mate with his beloved owned from new early MGF is having problems with quite basic stuff,and is considering getting shot of it!
 
pilkie said:
Obtaining parts will become an issue if it isnt already!!
Modern Rover/MG are getting well over 10 yrs old now,so as soon as they went bust no new parts supply was being produced.
Click to expand...
Not true! I run an XPart AutoService Centre, and we can get practically every single part for the MGF. The rear hydragas spheres are likely to become a problem in the near future.
 
Me - I like my cars with a solid "tin" roof. I never like the idea of rolling in a convertible.

It's a shame though if parts availability is a problem for MGFs as I don't like the idea of cars being scrapped for want of a few spare parts. Still that's the way our car manufacturers, governments and consumers seem to want it. The scrappage scheme being a prime example of manufactuers/governments pretending to be green.

I suspect that parts availability for the MX5 isn't a problem as they seem to have enjoyed more cult/classic status than the MGF. This is kind of ironic as the MX5 effectively filled the gap in the market left by the likes of Triumph, MGs and Lotus!
 
Ralph said:
pilkie said:
Obtaining parts will become an issue if it isnt already!!
Modern Rover/MG are getting well over 10 yrs old now,so as soon as they went bust no new parts supply was being produced.
Click to expand...
Not true! I run an XPart AutoService Centre, and we can get practically every single part for the MGF. The rear hydragas spheres are likely to become a problem in the near future.
Click to expand...

Give me your details via pm and I will inform my mate,as he has problems with various trim bits and bobs!!!
I am thinking more lack of original rover parts other than repro service items or wings,ball joints,rubbers,etc,,all probably mass produced from you know where!
Any part that is MGF unique will no doubt become hard to find!!
 
hadn't really ever noticed these cars about much except to think they were probably too expensive for me to own versus there practicality, how ever its come to my attention that they are getting very cheap to buy here in NZ and might make an inexpensive runabout that is frugal when it comes to fuel costs. I have always wanted a Honda S2000 but they have always been to overpriced, the MGF/T looks like a good halfway alternative too me.

Graeme
 
Steer well clear is my only advice. I have had several in the last few years, merely as breakers. I ALWAYS sell the engines easily -- why, because they get hot and warp!! People say its head gaskets, but its not!! Rover 25, 45, 75, Freelander and MGF all share this engine and it is simply SH*T.

Dont get me wrong, a late TF in Trophy Blue with black leather is a nice looking car, but a bundle of trouble. Early MGF's are so dated now and frankly horrible inside. Also, I am unsure as to your gender, but they are a woman's car. Similarly if Quentin Crisp were still alive today and fell on hard times, he'd have one too.

Why not buy an MGB or a Midget. Spitfires are not dear either. Or maybe a convertible Herald? There are lots of drop heads at reasonable money. An MGF, is just another sad mistake from the "Rover" group, who in fairness have been dead since 1986, and withering from the late 1970s!
 
i seem to remember jeremy clarkson road testing an mgf when they came out and said that if it was to have a name it would be called Julian!
being a Julian i found this a bit hard to take coming from a 'Jeremy'!
it is a rather not too butch a name to be fair , obviously my parents fault ' but the car isn't too masculine either!
my ex liked them so they must be girlie!
 
Can you transplant any decent engine into an MGF ?
Was it the Lotus Elise that started off with a K series and now has a Toyota engine ?
Or am I dreaming ?
 
I think you are dreaming. I looked into buying a fully loaded Rover 75 Connoisseur waiting for it to go pop and having a Mondeo lump waiting to put into it ...... its not the transplant, its all the associated wiring. For an MGF worth £1000, it is not worth the fuss.

Dont get me wrong, I am not denying the F is not a nice looking car, but it is trouble. I did have a conversation with a chap who worked at Longbridge a few months ago and he said Rover were fully aware of the problems of overheating and replacement engines under warranty were crippling the company. However, he did say that there is a composite type headgasket available that cures this problem???? You may wish to look into this.

I think as a matter of course you should do the headgaskets, have the heads skimmed, replace the coolant pipes with stainless, check the cooling system full from top to bottom. The problem being is, that it then stops being a cheap car and I bet it will end up going pop anyway. I have lost count of the amount of Freelanders I have seen over the last ten years all laid up, the amount of Fs at cheap money due to "Suspected headgasket failure" --- all meanig simply they ave got hot due to a fault from design and warped. GAME OVER!! You have no other optin, but to ut another K series in, and sit and wait for it to happen all over again. All K Series Rovers are cheap, CHEAP FOR A REASON.
 
Is there an award for the K series engine with the highest mileage without the head gasket going ? Wonder if anyone has got over 100K ?
 
The K series seems to be OK up to the point where it loses some coolant and the owner keeps driving.... 1.4's at least have a watercooled plastic inlet manifold wwhich is prone to internal cracks! The basic engine is an outstandingly good one - just that it won't tolerate being driven with less than a full load of coolant.

Incidentally, Powertrain solved these issues, but not in time for them to be put into production. The engine in the Chinese MGF's currently being made at Longbridge is that Powertrain re-worked engine and outstandingly good.

Chris
 
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