Wot to get A MGTF or a MX5???

[chrisbartlett84]

i selling my st170 cos i just cant put up with ford any more! lol! i want a 2 seater sports car with a drop top to play with? am looking at either the mx5 or the mgtf. i love the looks of the tf but have heard to the handling of the mx5? i have 4-5kmax to spend - any help from any one????

[wadgebeast]

You'll need to drive both of them and pick which suits you most!

Both pretty reliable, provided you look after coolant levels in an F.
MX 5 is more fun if you like sticking the back end out, but the F has more grip. F has a bigger boot, MX 5's hood is easier to put up and down from inside the car. Both about the same level of performance. Both interiors are nothing to write home about, but the F is marginally more interesting. Seating position in the MX5 is better (more traditional arse on floor, legs straight out) but the F will feel more similar to what you're used to.

[chrisbartlett84]

wicked - i like the sound of test driving both hehe

yer i dont want to go mad as its my first real wheel drive car - thanks 4 ur advice thou much appreciated

have u owned one of these cars then?

[Heebeegeetee]

When I drove an F, the driving position felt too fwd saloon like. In the 5 you do sit down either side of a central tunnel, with left arm and gear lever perfectly placed.

Personally, I think with the F you have to get tanking along before it gets any fun. You also have dire Brit build quality and engineering as opposed to wonderful (imo ) japanese engineering.

[Mark leonard]

chrisbartlett84 said:

i selling my st170 cos i just cant put up with ford any more! lol! i want a 2 seater sports car with a drop top to play with? am looking at either the mx5 or the mgtf. i love the looks of the tf but have heard to the handling of the mx5? i have 4-5kmax to spend - any help from any one????

Have owned both F and TF and and also driven both Mk1+2 MX's...

The F/TF is IMHO the best looking roadster in it's class, and the cabin is a much nicer place to be than the somewhat drab MX which has that vey 'japanesey' feel to the interior.

Performance wise both cars are very similar, but if you could stretch your budjet a little and get a MGF Trophy or TF160 you would have the best performing roadster in it's class, ie near 140mph with a 6.9 sec to 60 performance as standard.
Both are RWD, but the F/TF while giving fantastic cornering grip, gives little warning when it's about to let go so can catch out 'novice' drivers.

Build quality is much better on the MX and also is easier and cheaper to repair as it is the more conventional front engine RWD set up, where as the F/TF have the engine in the rear meaning access is a little ltd, thus increasing servicing costs!.

Overall I doubt you would be disappointed with either car, they just go about the same job in different ways!..

Good luck with your search.

Edit....... I doubt you would get a decent 1.8 135/160 TF for less than £5k, unless you plump for the poverty spec TF115 which only has a 1.6 engine.

Edited by Mark leonard on Saturday 26th May 18:33

[chrisbartlett84]

cheers fella - had a drive of an mg today and it felt alot more solid n balanced than the mx5 - i like the trophy too

thanks 4 your help vvvvvvvvvvvvv much apprechiated

ta!

[Mark leonard]

chrisbartlett84 said:

cheers fella - had a drive of an mg today and it felt alot more solid n balanced than the mx5 - i like the trophy too

thanks 4 your help vvvvvvvvvvvvv much apprechiated

ta!

Lots more help and buyers advice available below.....

http://fregister.proboards37.com/index.cgi

[esselte]

and here

[havanatopia]

chrisbartlett84 said:

wicked - i like the sound of test driving both hehe

yer i dont want to go mad as its my first real wheel drive car - thanks 4 ur advice thou much appreciated

have u owned one of these cars then?

I suggest you put the 5k down as deposit and buy a MG ZT 260 - SMC slough have a few left for 16k and they were 34k list when produced. Best deal on the PLANET BAR NONE. 0-60 in 6 seconds and top speed of 155... and thats with a limiter. You only live ONCE.

[odyssey2200]

Safe bet.

MX5
more reliable
more practical
More dealers
more parts availability

less heart ache
less depreciation

IMHO

[Mark leonard]

odyssey2200 said:

Safe bet.

MX5
more reliable
more practical
More dealers
more parts availability

less heart ache
less depreciation

IMHO

MX5..
more reliable?.... maybe!.

more practical??... how so?, the TF has a bigger boot to start with!.

more dealers?... great if you want to pay dealer prices!.

more parts availability?.. for a year or so after the demise of MG-R parts were a problem, however X-Part have now got there act together and 90% of parts are available of the shelf, plus once NAC are up and running this figure should increase again!.

Less heartache.....had no "Heartaches" with my 'F' or TF!!.

Less depreciation... given the TF is cheaper to begin with depreciation is relative!.

[odyssey2200]

[quote=Mark leonard
Less heartache.....had no "Heartaches" with my 'F' or TF!!.



[/quote]

I would write to MG and letthem know.

My mate bought is new and is on his 3 head job
the car stinks of petrol all the time but with no sign of a leak.

and an ongiong list of petty faults and failures.

Problem is every tiem he tries to PX it the dealer runs a mile or just insults him.

[Mark leonard]

Let them know what?, that my F/TF have been great cars!!... sorry to burst your bubble but there are lots of happy F/TF owners!.

As for your Mates car I would sudjest it's a new mechanic he needs NOT a new "Head Job", if it was repaired right in the first place it clearly should not go again should it??..

The dealer insults him with a PX you say... never heard of a dealer yet that said "Name your price sir" why do you think most people call the Stealers not Dealers......
as an example my Daughter recently PX'd her 02 Mini Cooper, a car that has the best residuals of ANY 2nd car on the market!. The first 'Stealer' she asked said of her Mini.. "Can't give you a lot for it love!, no one want's Mini's anymore, the bottoms dropped out of the market"....WTF??

Tell you mate to try flea-bay, TF's are now fetching more than they did 12 months ago!!.

Edited by Mark leonard on Friday 1st June 22:17

[pjpip]

odyssey2200 said:

Safe bet.

MX5
more reliable
more practical
More dealers
more parts availability

less heart ache
less depreciation

IMHO

Had my TF for over 3 years from new, hasn't cost me anything other than servicing, tyres and brake pads. Can't think of any areas where the 5 would be more practical - care to elaborate? More dealers for now maybe, but MG still has a wealth of specialist suppliers and service garages that is unsurpassed outside of main dealer franchises. You get the idea...

You have your opinion and that's fair enough, we all have to make our choices, but random comments that are factually incorrect don't really help others in making their own decisions.