MGF Trophy 160 Tyres

[The_Burg]

What should they be?
Seems to be endless different opinions.

Currently on DitchFinders

Front 195/45/16 28 PSI
Rear 215/45/16 28 PSI

Recommendations for front seem to be between 195 and 215 profile and pressures between 24 and 28, (used 28 as thats what if use on my VVC).

Rear 205 or 215 with between 26 and 36 PSI.

And finally, are there any tolerable cheapish tyres for these?

[tonywilliams]

Cant help with the size of tyres for the Trophy but would recommend Toyo T1R tyres.

[Trophy200]

tonywilliams said:

Cant help with the size of tyres for the Trophy but would recommend Toyo T1R tyres.

+1 for T1R's but becoming harder to get hold of I'm told.

Standard Trophy tyre sizes:

Front 195/45/16
Rear 215/40/16

Trophy200

[The_Burg]

Seems so many options.
After re-checking the tracking again and the garage blaiming the tyres, it's time to get some.

Just rechecked what was on there, 3x 215/40 and one 195/45, someone was silly!

Reading the numerous options 215/4 or 205/45 all round or 215/40 and 195/45 front.
Anybody got a tried and tested size? 195/45 looks a bit 'dub scene' ie a bit stretched.

I'm not a particularly fast driver and would prefer not to spend a lot as i've only just got it and don't have total faith in it mechanically yet.
Only done 100 miles tops. Much of that spent trying to decide why it handled so badly.

Are any of the budget brands OK for non track day use?

PS T1R's on my old VVC seem fine. Sooner not spend £300 ish on cash point car if i can avoid it.

[The_Burg]

For the standard option Ears seem pretty good.
2x 195/45 and 2x 215/40 for £226.
Bit of a trek, 260 miles there and back but cheaper than anything local and the T1Rs seem well rated.

[haddock82]

This website is pretty helpful on the tyres to go for:

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/tyres/

[The_Burg]

Shiny new Proxis T1R now fitted too the front. Utterly transformed.
Still has ditchfinders on the back as none available and on back order.

Oddly the car has no ABS, checked the VIN and it's definitely a genuine Trophy, bit odd?

[helsbyman]

hi the trophy does not have abs as std the tf160 does

[The_Burg]

helsbyman said:

hi the trophy does not have abs as std the tf160 does

So much miss info, everything i read seems different.
Sites i looked at said ABS standard. Bloody good brakes anyway.
Engine rattles like a good un but once in the VVC zone it sounds awesome.
Midrange better than the VVC, top end feels much the same though.
Not had a proper play since having safe fronts, hopefully tomorrow.

[MGSteve]

The Trophy was originally intended to be a limited edition of 500 cars, and the frst 500 built did not have ABS fitted.
When MG reaslied they were on to a good thing they abandoned the limited edition idea and Trophy production continued. These later Trophy's were fitted with ABS.
So if your Trophy doesnt have ABS, its one of the original 500.

[nta16]

Hi Steve, sorry but you need a (written) a*se-kicking

The_Burg said:

After re-checking the tracking again and the garage blaiming the tyres, it's time to get some.

Just rechecked what was on there, 3x 215/40 and one 195/45, someone was silly!

sounds like it is you too if that's what's on your car that you are driving

The_Burg said:

I'm not a particularly fast driver

yet elsewhere on this public forum you put how you were driving it at 100mph (obviously not on the public roads)

The_Burg said:

Shiny new Proxis T1R now fitted too the front. Utterly transformed.

you know how important the correct tyres are to these cars –

yet -

The_Burg said:

Still has ditchfinders on the back as none available and on back order.

a very bad idea

I hope the tyre fitters told you to take it easy on the new tyres for the first 100 miles (200 if wet) and to recheck the torque on the wheel nuts after about 30 miles

with your present tyre set up I’d be taking it very easy anyway (well I wouldn’t have that tyre set up)

The_Burg said:

prefer not to spend a lot as i've only just got it and don't have total faith in it mechanically yet.

how about checking/servicing the car and engine, perhaps even an oil and filter change would help it, have you checked the coolant, brake fluid, etc – sorry Steve but poor or bad cars are often so because of previous and present owners that don’t look after the car properly and lack of funds at any stage is not an excuse this car isn’t a necessity for you and you’re not forced to buy it or always run it

wouldn't you say similar to your step-daughter if she had this car(?)

take it steady mate, watch out for light rain

[The_Burg]

Didn't spot the tyre size difference, my bad and the garages too.

Yes i know tyres need time to bed in.

T1r's are on back order.

There is receipt for a service a few months ago and oil and coolant looks fresh.
Oddly when hot the water level drops but goes back after cooling, not noticed this on my other one.


With any new car you can never be sure, not wanting to spend £300 instantly on it doesn't seem daft to me. If it was £5k then this would be different. If it goes bang it get scrapped / broken.

[nta16]

you're trying to wriggle out of it like a truculent teenager

The_Burg said:

Didn't spot the tyre size difference, my bad and the garages too.

yeah but your the one that's driving the car and see it everyday

The_Burg said:

Yes i know tyres need time to bed in.

good, but better to be reminder than not told or know

The_Burg said:

T1r's are on back order.

sometimes that can mean for months or forever

The_Burg said:

There is receipt for a service a few months ago

that's good but some consider an engine oil change as a full service, there's more to a full whole car service as you know

The_Burg said:

and oil and coolant looks fresh.

as you probably know the antifreeze elements of a coolant outlast the anti-corrosive and lubricating elements and cooling is important on all cars but particularly these

The_Burg said:

Oddly when hot the water level drops but goes back after cooling, not noticed this on my other one.

I'm not quite sure what you mean there but I'd put up another thread about that as there are a couple of very knowledgeable K-series and F/TF people on here

The_Burg said:

With any new car you can never be sure, not wanting to spend £300 instantly on it doesn't seem daft to me. If it was £5k then this would be different. If it goes bang it get scrapped / broken.

yeap I see your point but a lot of small stuff can be done at low or no cost, cleaning, lubing, etc. and doing this will help you spot other things

when you get the next two tyres will you also stretch to a four wheel alignment check to get the most out of them (subject to suspension being in good condition), with a sports car it needs setting up to go well or you might just as well stick with a more mundane saloon/hatchback and have the advantages they give

good luck with it anyway

[The_Burg]

Ah Mr Bear, didn't realise it was you till i checked your profile!

4 wheel tracking done on day one, not much else you can adjust.
Not noticing the different size tyres is a fail, TBH i just looked at the sill names and that was enough to convince me of the need for replacement. Lots of tread but every corner different!
Tyres due end of August, if i keep it of course.
Will be getting it checked over by a local mechanic today for any obvious issues.

TBH i think it may be a bit too harsh for local roads, love the engine and noise but suspension is rather hard and much prefer my regular VVC. Brakes are vastly better.

Possibly just needs using a bit, it's only done a few 100 miles since MOT in April.

[The_Burg]

MGSteve said:

The Trophy was originally intended to be a limited edition of 500 cars, and the frst 500 built did not have ABS fitted.
When MG reaslied they were on to a good thing they abandoned the limited edition idea and Trophy production continued. These later Trophy's were fitted with ABS.
So if your Trophy doesnt have ABS, its one of the original 500.

Is there any way of telling? would it be of any value being an early version?

[nta16]

The_Burg said:

Ah Mr Bear, didn't realise it was you till i checked your profile!

you didn't recognise the maony old f*rt style then

The_Burg said:

4 wheel tracking done on day one, not much else you can adjust.
Not noticing the different size tyres is a fail, TBH i just looked at the sill names and that was enough to convince me of the need for replacement. Lots of tread but every corner different!

in that case I see your point about the garage missing the tyres - most tyre places would have been straight on that

yes some people think tread depth is the only concern about tyres

I bet you never miss looking carefully at tyres in future purchases whereas I've missed the whole car being bad and more than once

The_Burg said:

Tyres due end of August, if i keep it of course.
Will be getting it checked over by a local mechanic today for any obvious issues.

that should help you make your mind up

The_Burg said:

TBH i think it may be a bit too harsh for local roads, love the engine and noise but suspension is rather hard

it can depend on what you're used to in ride, I've never been in that model so don't know how firm it is

possibly you could try dropping the tyre pressures a little (use an accurate gauge not forecourt ones) as different tyres have different construction and modern tyres have a range of pressure they can work well in

also with more use of the car you might get more used to the feel IIRC the F felt a little soft to me, softer suspension isn't a bad thing but over hard can be

The_Burg said:

Brakes are vastly better.

good tyres all round make a big difference to braking of course

I remember when the F first came out and I took one for a test drive and if anything the brakes were too good on it, unless another MGF was behind you you'd not want to brake too hard because another car behind might not be able to slow or stop in the same sort of distance, well that's how it felt anyway

again it might be that you've got too used to the less leg pressure required in the other model or other cars, again with more use of the car you might get more used to the brakes and perhaps needing to press on the pedal a little harder

IIRC the Trophy 160 was more for enthusiasts than general public so they'd want more progressive feel to the brakes less (over) assisted

The_Burg said:

Possibly just needs using a bit, it's only done a few 100 miles since MOT in April.

and if the car wasn't used much before that then things get stiff, tyres, seals, brake pads go hard through age and lack of use - if the mechanic gives it the ok you want to use as a daily for a while (very good mpg as I remember it) then go on a couple of long blow out runs and see how it feels after that, I bet it will be better and you more used to how to drive this model

oh, brake fluid change, very, very often forgotten, if it's been in for many years then just flushing and changing can help with braking

some person we both know had a clutch pedal that was low so checked their clutch reservoir to find it almost bone dry, 7 years ownership and at least one pro service yet it was never checked - even the best overlook things (no not me this time)