Looking to buy a MG TF

[Last Stop]

Hello all.
As the title suggests I'm looking to get a MG TF for my wife for xmas.Does anybody know of any reputable dealers in the Essex area that reuglarly stock these?
I have a budget of around 3k. Is this reasonable for a early TF, or is this only likely to get me a dog?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Wicker Man]

I had a quick took at Autotrader and was surprised to see 29 for sale within your budget. I would suggest that you look at several before you buy and then buy privately. With a little bit of care you will find an excellent example for peanuts. Happy hunting!

[s-j-j]

MGFs/TFs are cheap as chips at the moment in the current climate! I've seen average mileage pre-2000 MGFs come in at under £2000 recently. Of course, you run the gauntlet with the head gasket problems for the earlier models... but still, it's highly tempting