Girl Wants MG-TF, Should she GTF?

[rossybee]

An MX-5 is the obvious chick-mobile from a car-lover's POV, but if the lady don't like, then the lady don't buy - we all really knows that anyways, ja?

Other chick alternatives are on of the new crop of coupe-convertibles such as Pug 207/307, Megane, VW EOS (pricey tho?).

As Greg said, Audi TT has to appeal to the fragrant one, or a Golf ragtop?

Just remember - if she's still defo on the MG F/TF, then you'll be the daft sod who always fixing it

[ryallm]

My brother use to have an MGF which I drove quite a few times, and I absolutely hated the thing. Where do I start? Terrible driving position perched on rather than in the car, numb steering, mediocre handling, dire build quality, HGF in the first 20k miles, the list goes on....and hand on heart, my own boggo Focus 1.8 lx is a more sporting and involving drive.

The MGF's chief designer was this bloke, Gery McGovern:



Check out that hairstyle - tells you all you need to know about the car

Mark

[rossybee]

[paulW]

I'm trying to convince SWMBO that she wasn't an S2000 but they are still a bit pricy ATM...

Guarantee you an MGF will cost you more in the long run.

I think the MGF is the ultimate way of saying "I have more money than sense, I can afford to spend an absolute fortunate maintaining a car that is worth less than £2,000.", and gives you a great ice breaker at classic car shows by saying "no really, it is actually a sports car, honest."

I had one for 3 years, and in that time spent twice as much as I bought it for, trying to turn it into something it isn't.

Although, admittably, I got great satisfaction in the end by attacking it with an angle grinder for spare parts.



all just in my slightly bias opinion of course.

PS.

Any takers for a low mileage PTP Elise Close Ratio Gear box??

[Dominic]

I got great satisfaction in the end by attacking it with an angle grinder for spare parts.



[/img]

Phoaarrrrr................

[woody]

I'm trying to convince SWMBO that she wasn't an S2000 but they are still a bit pricy ATM...

Guarantee you an MGF will cost you more in the long run.

I think the MGF is the ultimate way of saying "I have more money than sense, I can afford to spend an absolute fortunate maintaining a car that is worth less than £2,000.", and gives you a great ice breaker at classic car shows by saying "no really, it is actually a sports car, honest."

I had one for 3 years, and in that time spent twice as much as I bought it for, trying to turn it into something it isn't.

Although, admittably, I got great satisfaction in the end by attacking it with an angle grinder for spare parts.



all just in my slightly bias opinion of course.

PS.

Any takers for a low mileage PTP Elise Close Ratio Gear box??

Someone's left a metro front subframe lying at the back of you 'sports car'.

[Corranga]

So that's how you repair HGF

You should tell her they look bland! My g/f has a mk1 mx5 and it's a cracking little car, it's not the quickest thing in the world, but it's still pretty fun to chuck around and there is 'that button' on the dash that makes the lights pop up without them being on. Pop up lights are class.

Combine this with pretty much bullet proof Mazda mechanics, and a rof she can put down, then up, then down, then up then.... quicker than I can dismantle the Loti Tent and it's a sure winner.

I got as far as sitting in an MG-TF, realised I was facing the Stereo rather than the road infront, and got back out again, and I was a Mini owner at the time, hardly well known driving position! Maybe you should get her to sit in one.

all that said, i'm trying to convince Erica to get a Mister2 next ala StiflerMR2's old car.

Chris

[Andy G]

MGF's can be tail happy also - spent a few laps in one at Knockhill - the instructor was quite good about it, though, claiming i was very enthuasiastic every time i approached the hairpin - on my way to a driver of the day prize

[campbell]

New VX Tigra. They don't come much more girly than that.

In fairness to the GF, the Elise is not the easiest car to live with. However, if you could get her to try a later S2 with Touring Pack in a "nice colour", she might be swayed. Or VX220 for even more cossetting. Can you stretch to a Europa (ah yes, roof doesn't come off...yet!)

Campbell
(wife loves the Elise and wouldn't let me sell it faction!)

[gorrie]

TF's aren't as bad as F's... think the F's used hydragas suspension from memory. I had a shot of the Knockhill TF's once (also on my way to a driver of the day plaque at the Legends Experience).. and they seemed more comfortable cornering than an 'F. That said, I think there are better options around (as have already been listed).

If you must get an F, make sure it's a Trophy 160... if you get a TF, make sure it's a 160.

Not sure what the budget is but you can pick up old Coxsters for £10K... but they are 2.5's which are meant to be gash. Any chance you could get her to stretch to a nice TVR Tamora

[Titanium S1 111S (gla)]

I had an MGF VVC which was terrible !! Don’t do it.

There were no real problems with build quality but the head gasket did go. Buy a K-Series and you risk that.

My mother had an ordinary one which had endless problems including the HG going but I was getting good at them by then so no real problem. Having had one terrible car she then bought a TF which is defiantly better but that’s like saying the later Lada’s were better than the early ones. That said she has not had any problems with it. Main issue is handling, its rubbish.


If you are looking for a 2.5 to 3 year old one then my mother is thinking of selling hers so drop me a PM. It’s quite a nice midnight blue colour with a matching hard top (driving not recommended).

[Rich H]

Easy Repair, slight rear end shunt, no suspension or chassis damage. Drives as nice as when it was new (ie: Sh!t)

[Edin430]

VW Cabrio? Old Golf/new Beetle?

[caleebra]

lol @ the replies in this thread!! I mean, I always thought they were sh*t but you guys must think they are REALLY sh*t! I thought I'd hear a bit more K-Series support on a Loti forum!

She is adamant that she doesn't want a "normal car made into a convertible" which rules out some of the VW, Audi and Pug suggestions made here. And also the Tigra, which I think is smart in a girly way, but she thinks looks like one of the above.

Some of the other suggestions are beyond the 7k budget which she is looking at. She's still paying off her year galivanting round the globe so any Boxster aspirations have to wait

I drove the 135 TF when we went to look at one, and I didn't think it was a bad car, it looks very pretty compared to the F. I thought it felt very very heavy but had plenty enough grip for her cornering fun needs. The interior felt more than a touch dated but I didn't think the driving position was as bad as I've read people say it is! As mentioned in one of the replies, at least they ditched the Metro hydrawhatever suspension, just a pity the HGF/cooling problems remained and that's whats pissing all over my enthusiasm for it!

Are the third generation MR2's really "not all that bad" in storage terms? Those cubby holes behind the seats looked like you might fit a notepad in each if you were lucky and a pizza in beside the spare?? They look quite pricey.

Anyone ever driven a Z3?? /left field

Can I just make it unequivocally clear that the VX is going nowhere and that this is purely for her!

[Edin430]

Know a few people who have Z3's - love them... And are as enthusiastic about them as we are about the Loti's and VX's!

Yet to hear a bad word - but in the end not my taste so i'd never buy one!

Sure some other people will have their views...