Just bought an MGF...

[Le Pop]

OK, so I just bought my first MGF. Although I've had sports cars before, this is also the first convertible I've had. It's an early model 1.8i (not a VVC).

So... it's completely standard, but the head gasket has been done. What should I be looking to do first? I'm thinking the exhaust is a bit quiet. I've heard that the conversion of the rad hoses to stainless is a good idea. Maybe an induction kit?

Thoughts please...

[Lost soul]

do the head gasket again

[porka944s]

id leave it a while, i drove mine about and it the first year i got it a big in depth service and paid a bit out to get it mechanically sound and a new set of T1-Rs all round, otherwise you'll pay out for mods and may find its not in tip top condition. and then have to pay out more.

[S6 ROR]

I have a Miltek exhaust fitted, has a good sound track, but dosen`t resonate to much in the cabin, would certainly recommend one. As you say, it is a bit quiet with the standard one on. Also, worth getting the water pipes changed to stainless ones, may save you another HG in the future.
Enjoy

[PJ3074]

Fitting a new exhaust is great and will sound good, but you could better utilise £300-£400 outlay on some other items for starters, that would give you some noticeable benefits. If you get a workshop manual and you are able to do the work, then here are my personal recommendations and approx costs for Parts Only.

- Full Poly Bush Kit: £100-£120
- Drilled & Grooved Front Discs + Mintex Fast Road Pads: £150
- K&N Panel Filter: £35 (replaces std. filter, maintain the std. airbox housing unit)
- K&N Induction Kit: £90 (you will need to plumb in Cold-Air Feed hose(s)
- GAZ Adjustable Dampers Full Set: £200 (Settings for Fast Road, Track, Comfort)
- Toyo T1-R Proxes Full Set: £180 (Elite Tyres, Rainham - Essex)
- Underfloor Pipes: £80
- Flush Cooling System / New Thermostat / Replace Coolant & Pressure Test: £80

Not that you can do all that lot for the price of an aftermarket exhaust and if you need to add on labour, then even more limited. The "F" is not that difficult to work on for these items, changing brakes is very easy but probably a garage for the coolant side of things is advised.

An induction kit is useless unless you fit cool air feed pipes, as it will suck in too much warm air due to the mid-ship mounting of the engine.

I have personally gone for the K&N Panel Filter option as much simpler.

Sorting brakes and suspension related items will make your car feel much tighter on those A/B road blasts and IMO, performance exhaust is the last item on your toy list

Edited by PJ3074 on Monday 7th June 10:29

[Mr2Mike]

PJ3074 said:

- GAZ Adjustable Dampers Full Set: £200 (Settings for Fast Road, Track, Comfort)

Can you get good quality uprated dampers as well? I wouldn't touch Gaz with a barge pole.

[PJ3074]

Really?? I had GAZ on one of my MR2's and found them to be ok..

KYB also provide an offering for the MGF, but a bit more expensive (£250ish)

Edited by PJ3074 on Monday 7th June 11:21

Whilst looking on Ebay, found this unique MILLTEK Exhaust opportunity...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-MILLTEK-STAINLESS-SPORT...

Edited by PJ3074 on Monday 7th June 11:55

[Mr2Mike]

PJ3074 said:

Really?? I had GAZ on one of my MR2's and found them to be ok..

Rather a lot of people on LocostBuilders have had new Gaz dampers leak or break(!) after hardly any use.

[Le Pop]

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

Apart from PH, what are the best online resdources for info regarding MGs/MGFs? Is the UK owners club good?

[PJ3074]

Owners Club sure, plus...

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/
http://www.sussexclassiccar.co.uk/mglinks.html

Enjoy!

GAZ.. Emm, maybe I got lucky with the one's on the MR2 then?... My other 2 had KYBs and I could push the nose in harder with those ones.

[MGJohn]

Just bought it eh. With any used car, not just the little mid-engined K-Series MGF/TF, live with the car for a few weeks regular driving using the "Julie Andrews Technique" ... which is :~

Getting to know you .....

Make a list of things which will return the car to a high level of maintenance and systematically work your way through the list.

PJ3074's list contains three items I would attend to fairly soon if after a few weeks, you find you like the car and would like to keep it for a while. These are Poly Bush kit .... K and N Panel Filter ...and last but not least, renew those under car coolant tubes. These three things can wait if tyres, brake discs and pads need renewal sharpish. They would take priority as would an oil/filter change and coolant renewal anyway despite what the previous owner or dealer has told you... "Just had a service" ... Hmmm ....

Most F/TFs are at least five years old now and others up to fifteen. Renewing all the rubber/poly suspension bushes on even relatively young cars can vastly improve the handling and steering of ANY car particularly one like the MGF/TF which is nice to say ... press on a bit when circumstances allow... It can transform all those aspects of the cars handling immediately.

I would pay attention to all parts of the cooling system even of an F/TF which has a FSH and has recently had work done on the cooling system. There are numerous instances where the mistakenly labelled "They all do that" so called HGF occurs very soon after a professional service or other work on the car. Plenty of evidence of that and it is not purely coincidental or even circiumstantial. Here I do speak from personal experience....


Don't forget ... Getting to know you .... Best policy on any car ...

Good luck ... we all can do with that where used motors are involved.

[Speed addicted]

Does the poly bush kit effect the ride quality or just tighten everything up? My MGF steering can be a little vauge on poor surfaces but I don't really want it to be firmer, just more direct.

[MGJohn]

Speed addicted said:

Does the poly bush kit effect the ride quality or just tighten everything up? My MGF steering can be a little vauge on poor surfaces but I don't really want it to be firmer, just more direct.

Not just suspension and geometry of steering, tyres and their pressures play a large part in that.

Suggest you pose your queries over on the sites where many MGF/TFers lurk ... such as the MGBBS and MG-Rover.org..

Plenty of those been there, done that... Good luck.
..

[thatone1967]

Le Pop said:

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

Apart from PH, what are the best online resdources for info regarding MGs/MGFs? Is the UK owners club good?

A couple of decent forums:

http://forums.mg-rover.org/forumdisplay.php?f=12 and http://www.the-t-bar.com/

[thatone1967]

MGJohn said:

Speed addicted said:

Does the poly bush kit effect the ride quality or just tighten everything up? My MGF steering can be a little vauge on poor surfaces but I don't really want it to be firmer, just more direct.

Not just suspension and geometry of steering, tyres and their pressures play a large part in that.

Suggest you pose your queries over on the sites where many MGF/TFers lurk ... such as the MGBBS and MG-Rover.org..

Plenty of those been there, done that... Good luck.
..

+1... I have a slow puncture on my nearside front... car handles completely differerently when in need of a little air.