mgf/tf auto advice

[cozzmik]

hi there can anyone tell me what to look out for on these models.its going to be a prezzie and yes it has to be the auto.any advice gratefully received

[T66ORA]

Try this site for all things MG/Rover, you will only get sgged of on here if you like the F/TF. Go to Forums and then FAQs, good luck.

http://mg-rover.org/

[bigbadbikercats]

T66ORA said:

you will only get sgged of on here if you like the F/TF.
http://mg-rover.org/

It's OK here, but elsewhere on PH it's certainly The Love Which Dare Not Speak It's Name

Plenty of general F/TF advice around here (certainly a source of helpful advice[1] and reassurance when I bought mine) - just page down through the threads and it's all still there and if you've got specific questions you'll get good answers. The Auto (actually a CVT I believe) seems to be a bit of a rare bird though, and I can't recall anyone here owning one or admitting to knowing much about it...

--
JG - MGF owner and proud of it

[1] Mostly along the lines of "Buy one, keep an eye on the coolant level, stop worrying, and enjoy it..."

[wadgebeast]

Didn't the auto just come as a selespeed with buttons on the dash?

[bigbadbikercats]

wadgebeast said:

Didn't the auto just come as a selespeed with buttons on the dash?

[FX: google google google...] - Nope, CVT with six steps controlled through steering wheel buttons (hence the Steptronic name) - not sure whether it still uses the steps in auto mode.

I can imagine an automatic 'F actually working quite well in a laid back kind of way...

--
JG

[browno]

As stated - it's not actually a "normal" auto, but a CVT box with paddles to select 6 fixed ratios if desired (it's a ZF box - as also used in the MINI one and cooper)

My Mum's got a 2002 TF Stepspeed, which is actually not bad at all to drive - she's had it from new and has been pretty happy with it. I've driven it a fair bit, and it's safe to say that while the CVT box takes a little getting used to in auto mode (engine sits at constant revs and the gear ratio changes - which seems a little counter intuitive!), it's actually a pretty good drive overall - and a fun chuckable motor (I've driven a Mk 3 MX5, and I thought the MG was a better drive, but not I've not tried an earlier mazda, or an MR2 - so can't claim to have complete authority!).

Whether I'd have one over a manual - I'm not sure, but at the prices that F's and TF's are fetching at the moment, there are certainly some great deals to be had...

[Yugguy]

Doesn't the auto have the 115bhp version of the motor as well tho? I'm sure it's less than both the normal TF (135bhp) and the TF160.

[browno]

close - it's the 120 BHP version of the 1.8 (as also used in the freelander) - essentially tuned for max torque at slightly lower revs - as that works better with the CVT rather than screaming high revs... Like all K-series motors, it's still a pretty revvy motor though...

[Yugguy]

Ah right, same as the one in the 4-pot ZS.