A change from a VW Gti.......
Discussion
I have nothing against Golf Gti's but thought I would post a few pictures of a competitor from the past, a 1990 MG 2.0i (yep the later models weren't referred to as Maestro's, just a 2.0i).
We've owned it for 13 years now and it has 24,000 miles on the clock. Bought at 13,000 miles and used as an everyday car for a couple of years and now used on good weather days only all year round.
Originally an Austin Rover "management car" for the first 6 months of its life then owned by a retired engineer before we bought it hence showing 3 owners from new. It has survived in original condition so far only because the previous owner filled just about every body cavity with what he described as "industrial strength waxoyl" and it's certainly done its job.
I'm a self confessed MG fan and have owned everything from a Midget (1965 vintage), through MGC's (5 of them), MGB GT V8's (3 of them) up to Metro 6R4's (3 of them). Family commitments over the years have necessitated the fleet growing and contracting but the Maestro has remained probably because of practicality and rarity value. Monetary value wouldn't come into it as a top condition MG Maestro wouldn't set the heart racing in raising revenue!
The 2.0i seems to be a rarer sight than the more powerful, and limited production, Turbo version. It's almost as if the Turbo reached "collector" status very quickly and hence the 2.0i was overlooked and more of them met their maker via the local scrapyard.
We manged to get to Cars In The Park at Bolton Abbey last year but never made any of the gallery photo's. We'll be going again this year as it's a great petrolhead dreaming event.
The car is pretty much factory standard except for two items which show in the photo's. Anybody want to own up to spotting them?
Trophy200
We've owned it for 13 years now and it has 24,000 miles on the clock. Bought at 13,000 miles and used as an everyday car for a couple of years and now used on good weather days only all year round.
Originally an Austin Rover "management car" for the first 6 months of its life then owned by a retired engineer before we bought it hence showing 3 owners from new. It has survived in original condition so far only because the previous owner filled just about every body cavity with what he described as "industrial strength waxoyl" and it's certainly done its job.
I'm a self confessed MG fan and have owned everything from a Midget (1965 vintage), through MGC's (5 of them), MGB GT V8's (3 of them) up to Metro 6R4's (3 of them). Family commitments over the years have necessitated the fleet growing and contracting but the Maestro has remained probably because of practicality and rarity value. Monetary value wouldn't come into it as a top condition MG Maestro wouldn't set the heart racing in raising revenue!
The 2.0i seems to be a rarer sight than the more powerful, and limited production, Turbo version. It's almost as if the Turbo reached "collector" status very quickly and hence the 2.0i was overlooked and more of them met their maker via the local scrapyard.
We manged to get to Cars In The Park at Bolton Abbey last year but never made any of the gallery photo's. We'll be going again this year as it's a great petrolhead dreaming event.
The car is pretty much factory standard except for two items which show in the photo's. Anybody want to own up to spotting them?
Trophy200
Edited by Trophy200 on Wednesday 23 May 07:57
port and polish
Give the boy a goldfish!
They are the correct style wheels but are slightly wider than fitted by the factory. They are in fact from a Montego Turbo (I found a NOS set a few years ago) as the Montegos's were fitted with 6" wide wheels despite the fact they had the same running gear as the Maestro's.
saied
Nope, not the stereo. The car is still fitted with the factory radio/cassette.
Trophy200
Give the boy a goldfish!
They are the correct style wheels but are slightly wider than fitted by the factory. They are in fact from a Montego Turbo (I found a NOS set a few years ago) as the Montegos's were fitted with 6" wide wheels despite the fact they had the same running gear as the Maestro's.
saied
Nope, not the stereo. The car is still fitted with the factory radio/cassette.
Trophy200
JM-S2K
No, not the decals. They were factory fit.
I'll own up to the second mod as it's not very obvious at all.
The original steering wheel would have been more at home on a bus and in my opinion it spoils the driving experience. The 2.0's came with a close ratio gearbox as standard and are suprisingly quick off the mark when combined with their low weight as compared to more modern metal.
The steering wheel you see in the interior shot is identical to an original wheel in appearance but coming from a Metro 6R4 it is about 1" smaller in diameter. It makes all the difference yet still retains an original look.
Trophy200
No, not the decals. They were factory fit.
I'll own up to the second mod as it's not very obvious at all.
The original steering wheel would have been more at home on a bus and in my opinion it spoils the driving experience. The 2.0's came with a close ratio gearbox as standard and are suprisingly quick off the mark when combined with their low weight as compared to more modern metal.
The steering wheel you see in the interior shot is identical to an original wheel in appearance but coming from a Metro 6R4 it is about 1" smaller in diameter. It makes all the difference yet still retains an original look.
Trophy200
Christ on a bike that's exactly like the car we road rallied for two years. Everything's the same, seats, trim, wheels, colour-coded kit, the lot.
I bought an example for £300, fitted a big sump guard to it, and a set of diesel van struts which raised the ride height a bit, a pair of spots and interior lighting etc, then thrashed the living daylights out of it for 2 years. We won the novice class on our first attempt, and had some other class success, and indeed even enjoyed a little Impreza-beating glory too the one time.
The car was great, we suffered just one failure when the passenger door mirror stuck down. We checked the fuses but they seemed fine, then we ran out of time and had to start the event and ran all night with the window down. Come morning we checked all the fuses this time, and found the fuse board bore no relation to the diagram imprinted in the fuse box lid. Changed the fuse and up the window came.
Mud, s
t, snow and ice, the car handled superbly. Unfortunately, like many (all?) British cars, it let water in and oil out. It ruined my drive. I would get in the car on a Monday morning (i used it for work) and the roof lining would be on my head.
But then again, it only cost us £300. Then someone tried to nick it and destroyed the steering column, but i still managed to sell it for £80.
Happy days.
I bought an example for £300, fitted a big sump guard to it, and a set of diesel van struts which raised the ride height a bit, a pair of spots and interior lighting etc, then thrashed the living daylights out of it for 2 years. We won the novice class on our first attempt, and had some other class success, and indeed even enjoyed a little Impreza-beating glory too the one time.
The car was great, we suffered just one failure when the passenger door mirror stuck down. We checked the fuses but they seemed fine, then we ran out of time and had to start the event and ran all night with the window down. Come morning we checked all the fuses this time, and found the fuse board bore no relation to the diagram imprinted in the fuse box lid. Changed the fuse and up the window came.
Mud, s
t, snow and ice, the car handled superbly. Unfortunately, like many (all?) British cars, it let water in and oil out. It ruined my drive. I would get in the car on a Monday morning (i used it for work) and the roof lining would be on my head. But then again, it only cost us £300. Then someone tried to nick it and destroyed the steering column, but i still managed to sell it for £80.
Happy days.
Edited by heebeegeetee on Monday 26th January 19:56
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