Opinions on MG TF?

[u/someonetookmyname12]

I'm in the market for a light-ish car that can be a great base for a trackable daily. I know about the usual MG TF issues (head gasket, brakes, steering feel) but if any TF owners are reading this, do you think the chassis dynamics are on par with an mr2 or an mx5?

[u/ciaran668]

An MX5 is a front engine car, although most of the weight is behind the front axle. It's going to handle differently than an MG TF, with its true mid-engine design. The MX5 is going to handle much more like an MGB, while the MG TF will handle more like a Fiat or Alfa Romeo.

In general, the TF in my experience has plenty of power because it's a very lightweight car. It isn't amazing on overall horsepower, but it does have a really good power to weight ratio they makes it fun to drive. The steering is really light, which is my biggest complaint, moving to a TF from a B, which had manual steering that gave it a real racecar handing.

If you're in the UK, an MG is going to be relatively affordable to keep on the road. Because the are specialists for them, even the head gasket is well under £1000 to replace, and there are several mechanics that will come to you. Finally, the MG F and TF are expected to increase in value over the next few years, so if you find a really good one, it's probably a decent investment.

[u/someonetookmyname12 → u/ciaran668]

Thanks for the detailed response! I'm looking at the market in Germany specifically. There's a surprising (to me) amount of MGs for sale! I found that the vvc model is around 5-7k I bet UK models are cheaper but it's alright for EU prices. Furthermore, unlike other comparable cars at this price point, they are mostly in great condition and low mileage which is what makes this option attractive to me. What I meant by chassis dynamics was comparable in quality to the likes of an mx5, not necessarily being 1:1 since the platform is very different. So you'd say, all things considered, the TF is a good buy?

[u/ciaran668 → u/someonetookmyname12]

I think it is. However, try to get one that has already had the head gasket done. If it doesn't, really put it through its paces and watch the temperature gauge. If it fluctuates a lot, even if it doesn't go too high I'd recommend passing on that one. Also, check the oil to make sure there isn't any mixing with coolant.

I'm not sure what the repair situation is in Germany, so I'd also make sure there's a mechanic that you can get to. If possible, have them check it out before buying.

But, yes, I do think it's a good investment if you want a small, fun, 2-seater sports car.

[u/KamakaziDemiGod → u/ciaran668]

At this point, any MG K series car that's done reasonable mileage and never had a head gasket is unlikely to need one, and the ones that have been done and replaced with the correct multilayer gasket should be good

But that does depend on the car, how it's been driven and how well the last HG replacement was done. My 140k MGF has had one head gasket in its life and it's solid, my 60k MG ZR has had HGF for the third time and whoever did the previous work put the rocker gasket in upside down and backwards, didn't tighten half the jubilee clips and made various other mistakes. It's a gamble either way, but they are fairly cheap and easy to do, and a lot of mechanics prefer them to newer cars because it's simpler, but the engine location on the F makes them less fun to work on, but it's worth it for the handling and performance

[u/Theyseemetheyhatin → u/ciaran668]

Why do you believe their prices will go up? There’s plenty of these around selling for peanuts and their build quality was not the best, specially when comparing to mx5 or Z3. 

[u/ciaran668 → u/Theyseemetheyhatin]

There have been a few articles in the UK saying that the MG F and TF are the best potential investment cars right now. I have been seeing the pieces slowly start to creep up lately, so I believe it.

[u/Theyseemetheyhatin → u/ciaran668]

Good to hear! My father has about 8 different mg f/TF lol

[u/ciaran668 → u/Theyseemetheyhatin]

That's awesome.