When I was young and daft, I used to cycle to the local MG/Rover dealer and just gawp at the recently introduced MGF in Flame Red in the showroom. Not only was it achingly pretty, but given the R&D budget, a car more than the sum of it's parts and dare I say it aspirational too (even now).
I met a guy on holiday who was a member of the original design team. He told me the TF was how they originally planned the car, but the cost-cutters vetoed many of the ideas. The MGF hydrogen suspension I would not touch - drives well but needs regular maintenance. Go for a nice TF - prices are rising.
Agreed the TF has its faults, but they are getting on a bit, find a good one that's been looked after and you'll have a real good fun car, I bought mine in 2017, did some upgrades like s/steel water pipes, s/steel sub-frame mounts and the big one, I upgraded the head gasket to the N series with high tensile head bolts payen multi layer head gasket and the uprated oil rail. Its been great, been all over in it toured Scotland and never missed a beat. just remember to buy a good one, there are lots out there, make sure the hood is adjusted correctly or it will leak mine is sound never had an issue, I just adjust it now and then the keep the fit, I have a 135 and it gets along very well quite fast and goes for miles on a gallon.
Had a TF 160 VVC in Le Mans green for 2 years, sadly the British Leyland parts on it were crap. Windscreen Moter, leaky roof, Cam Shaft. Lovely car but eventually had to say goodbye. Still, I’d have another one with more reliability tomorrow.
Great Lil review Captain . Everyone loves a convertible and with the passing of time these will become pretty well sought after. Rear engine rear wheel drive Manual Transmission cars will always be worth a Bob or three 💲🚗 regardless of the Economy. I guess these cars have a good parts backup over there? You can get replacement rear subframes, panels and so on...?
@Lee Francis definitely a few bits you might have to go looking for but most stuff is easy to source with a bit of searching....thats part of the fun eh? 😉. Also, I might take respectful issue with the "botched" comment. When these cars drop down to scrap value as they have....who do you think is keeping them on the road? not the affluent collector speculators willing to sink more money than the car is worth in to a resto that's for sure. No it's the budget warriors building not buying....until the values pick up and all the survivors get hoovered up. Example I'd give is my old man's MGB. It limped on into the late 80's (bodged) but not scrapped. Then had a passable, but by no means good restoration in the early 90's, and now is being more carefully restored in the 2010's and 2020's. As a disclaimer. I have an MGF bought for £700. Former 'bodged' frankenstein track day car. Very tired, but intact. I'm now gradually repairing and replacing as I go on a super tight budget when I can....learning as I go (welding/bodywork, engine building etc). Its a joy. Everything is perspective I suppose!
I have had mine for over 13 years and have just about done everything to it, you soon get used to working on it, I prefer the look of the F and love driving it.
I just paid £2.6k for mine. A green one. I've only had it for two days. Still getting used to it after driving a LHD VW T25...quite a difference! Good to hear other people love theirs.
I've just bought one of these. So far so good. One thing I'm not happy with though is the rally car style front bumper modification. It's like a bit fat bottom lip. I keep bumping it into curbs. I really want to remove it but the garage recommends keeping it due to it being glued on and the gaps all filled and painted. Do you know if it will have been fitted over the top of the factory bumper? I might just remove it and deal with the mess.
@@bristostanly6075 I love it! I'm really used to it now and love driving it. It handles so well. I get a lot of admiring looks from people of all ages, male and female. I'm surprised because it's such a cheap car....£2.5k.
@@MGMutt perhaps that's personal preference. I have a soft spot for both. The last model MR2 was no looker and before 1995 they were prone to alarming oversteer but the MG was awful to drive hard when on hydrogas and of course a stock K series is a ticking bomb.
Actually, having just watched several other mgf/tf reviews I've just realised your review is the most comprehensive( big word there ) in terms of what goes wrong. I guess we'll have first hand proof from the drunken reverend, Si and Rob, our triple testicles( tricky chaps worsd) testers
This was a bit like that show that used to be on the tv, the one with the farmer, the little one who crashes things and the travel show guy, or the one with the man with a girls name and the girl with the girls name and the other two guys who had guys names. It was a bit like both of those shows because it’s someone talking about a car and telling us useful stuff. It’s not like that on tv now of course, the farmer, the little guy who crashes things and the travel show guy spend all their time calling each other names and driving expensive super cars and the one with the man with the girl’s name, the girl with the girls name and the two other guys with guys names isn’t even a thing anymore. The other one with the cricketist, no lighty no likey and the little guy who pretends to be all nice but is actually a grumpy goose is very much like the one with the farmer, the little one who crashes a lot and the travel show guy but not as good. But at least they don’t have the bloke off the 1995 Radio 1 Breakfast Show any more.
Well....one thousand million problems.. I want get my first car and i love how mg tf looks but sadly I guess i must look for something more reliable, right?¿? Damn..
When I was young and daft, I used to cycle to the local MG/Rover dealer and just gawp at the recently introduced MGF in Flame Red in the showroom. Not only was it achingly pretty, but given the R&D budget, a car more than the sum of it's parts and dare I say it aspirational too (even now).
I met a guy on holiday who was a member of the original design team. He told me the TF was how they originally planned the car, but the cost-cutters vetoed many of the ideas. The MGF hydrogen suspension I would not touch - drives well but needs regular maintenance. Go for a nice TF - prices are rising.
Good job Suzy Sunshine has already had a new rear subframe prior to my ownership and a new head gasket a few years back too! 😉
This was an incredibly sensible video
Yes, disappointing eh?
@@ProjectNigel if I closed my ears it was almost as if I was was listening to to Quentin Wilson....🤪
Future classic
Clearly 🙂
Agreed the TF has its faults, but they are getting on a bit, find a good one that's been looked after and you'll have a real good fun car, I bought mine in 2017, did some upgrades like s/steel water pipes, s/steel sub-frame mounts and the big one, I upgraded the head gasket to the N series with high tensile head bolts payen multi layer head gasket and the uprated oil rail. Its been great, been all over in it toured Scotland and never missed a beat. just remember to buy a good one, there are lots out there, make sure the hood is adjusted correctly or it will leak mine is sound never had an issue, I just adjust it now and then the keep the fit, I have a 135 and it gets along very well quite fast and goes for miles on a gallon.
It’s good to think that Rover Group and MG Rover designed and built this charismatic car. M.
Yes I agree
Very good Captain. 👍
Thank you 🙂
Had a TF 160 VVC in Le Mans green for 2 years, sadly the British Leyland parts on it were crap. Windscreen Moter, leaky roof, Cam Shaft. Lovely car but eventually had to say goodbye.
Still, I’d have another one with more reliability tomorrow.
Can't get enough of my TF 160 ❤
Always liked the TF 😀👍
What's not or like? 🙂
There’s a guy on Facebook who’s had a garage near me put a v6 in one
Yes near Halifax?
@@ProjectNigel that's the one
Lovely car’s 🚗🚙🚘⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍
I think so too 🙂
Great Lil review Captain . Everyone loves a convertible and with the passing of time these will become pretty well sought after. Rear engine rear wheel drive Manual Transmission cars will always be worth a Bob or three 💲🚗 regardless of the Economy. I guess these cars have a good parts backup over there? You can get replacement rear subframes, panels and so on...?
Subframes aren't available new I don't think
Plenty of spare and refurbished subframes about. Couple of guys doing galvanised refurb which is great!
@Lee Francis definitely a few bits you might have to go looking for but most stuff is easy to source with a bit of searching....thats part of the fun eh? 😉.
Also, I might take respectful issue with the "botched" comment. When these cars drop down to scrap value as they have....who do you think is keeping them on the road? not the affluent collector speculators willing to sink more money than the car is worth in to a resto that's for sure. No it's the budget warriors building not buying....until the values pick up and all the survivors get hoovered up.
Example I'd give is my old man's MGB. It limped on into the late 80's (bodged) but not scrapped. Then had a passable, but by no means good restoration in the early 90's, and now is being more carefully restored in the 2010's and 2020's.
As a disclaimer. I have an MGF bought for £700. Former 'bodged' frankenstein track day car. Very tired, but intact. I'm now gradually repairing and replacing as I go on a super tight budget when I can....learning as I go (welding/bodywork, engine building etc). Its a joy. Everything is perspective I suppose!
I do like the mgtf, I just wish it was easier to get to the engine.
It's not as easy as a ZS but could be worse.
I have had mine for over 13 years and have just about done everything to it, you soon get used to working on it, I prefer the look of the F and love driving it.
I paid about 2.000 for my tf. Got some corrosion. But I love it
I just paid £2.6k for mine. A green one. I've only had it for two days. Still getting used to it after driving a LHD VW T25...quite a difference! Good to hear other people love theirs.
You'll love it x
Thanks for sharing
I've just bought one of these. So far so good. One thing I'm not happy with though is the rally car style front bumper modification. It's like a bit fat bottom lip. I keep bumping it into curbs. I really want to remove it but the garage recommends keeping it due to it being glued on and the gaps all filled and painted. Do you know if it will have been fitted over the top of the factory bumper? I might just remove it and deal with the mess.
how's the car mate
ive been planing to buy one
@@bristostanly6075 I love it! I'm really used to it now and love driving it. It handles so well. I get a lot of admiring looks from people of all ages, male and female. I'm surprised because it's such a cheap car....£2.5k.
I love my mg ❤️
Hi...what can be done to the common rot on the underside..ive been to see 4 and all are rotten !...?
The first thing to look for when wanting to purchase an MGF is a Toyota MR2. 😉
😅
Not. M.
Very good, very good 😉
Other way round. MR2 isn't as nice to drive, horrendously ugly and is somehow worse built inside
@@MGMutt perhaps that's personal preference. I have a soft spot for both. The last model MR2 was no looker and before 1995 they were prone to alarming oversteer but the MG was awful to drive hard when on hydrogas and of course a stock K series is a ticking bomb.
How are the tf le 500 and later manufactured by saic? Did they improve in quality? Has the problem with the head gaskets been solved?
Actually, having just watched several other mgf/tf reviews I've just realised your review is the most comprehensive( big word there ) in terms of what goes wrong. I guess we'll have first hand proof from the drunken reverend, Si and Rob, our triple testicles( tricky chaps worsd) testers
🤣
This was a bit like that show that used to be on the tv, the one with the farmer, the little one who crashes things and the travel show guy, or the one with the man with a girls name and the girl with the girls name and the other two guys who had guys names. It was a bit like both of those shows because it’s someone talking about a car and telling us useful stuff. It’s not like that on tv now of course, the farmer, the little guy who crashes things and the travel show guy spend all their time calling each other names and driving expensive super cars and the one with the man with the girl’s name, the girl with the girls name and the two other guys with guys names isn’t even a thing anymore. The other one with the cricketist, no lighty no likey and the little guy who pretends to be all nice but is actually a grumpy goose is very much like the one with the farmer, the little one who crashes a lot and the travel show guy but not as good. But at least they don’t have the bloke off the 1995 Radio 1 Breakfast Show any more.
Grandstand?
Brilliant writing. Thank you. M.
Bloody hilarious, that!
I have a question......who put the toy dog on top of that roller shutter?
My neighbour
@@ProjectNigel 🤣🤣
Well....one thousand million problems.. I want get my first car and i love how mg tf looks but sadly I guess i must look for something more reliable, right?¿? Damn..
They offer me a cheap one, 135hp. but the head gasket scares me xd
Thought you liked them 😅
*The mgf started in 1995