When I was working in the motor trade selling new cars, I took an eight year old 1.8 135 MGTF in part exchange. At that time, I quite fancied a fun inexpensive runabout for when the sun eventually decided to shine. The head gasket had been sorted and it had been fitted with a new timing belt, it just needed a little tidying - that was eleven years ago. In that time it’s had 4 new tyres, another timing belt, replacement stainless steel coolant pipes, several oil changes and filters and not much else. The car has never failed to start and has sailed through every mot without issue. I had previously considered getting an MX5, but after driving a couple of them, they reminded me too much of an old MGB (I’d had one of those for nearly twenty years). IMHO the TF is a better handling, quicker car than the Japanese car and has much nicer styling. I don’t expect to be be selling mine any time soon.
I bought one. Cheap, easy to maintain, doesn't rust like an early MX5. Great fun. I wish I hadn't sold mine, but I got a jetski instead. You never see a sad person on a jetski :) BTW, it does have twin exhausts, but there is a valve that only opens above certain speeds. At low speeds it operates on one exhaust for noise reasons. But the valve sticks shut. If you remove it and fix it open, you'll notice a performance improvement. Fabsil the roof, it won't leak.
@@HighPeakAutos before seeing nicks comment. I basically covered the same thing. However. Disabling it didn't grant any extra bhp or nm. I used to cut open oem back boxes. Remove x amount of noise dampening. Then weld em up. The design just couldn't and didn't gain performance from the idle exhaust tip mod
Maybe I’m the target market, a 59 year old Yorkshire man who remembers Cortinas, Granada’s and even Allegro’s. I use my MGTF for weekend jaunts and driving to work. Why? Maybe it’s the sleep apnea I suffer every time I get into a modern SUV (what is the purpose of an SUV might make a good video) in fact I use the wife’s Skoda Kamiq to put me to sleep when I visit the dentist. Call me old fashioned but I enjoy the rawness of the MGTF and all its faults, it puts a smile on my face in these bat shit crazy times we live in. Who wants more than that? A rust prone MX5? Not me. Ps the roof never leeks Pps it’s in rare Pearl Black sprayed on by a former Longbridge spray painter whilst high on crack, Ppss the ride is a shocker. I don’t care. Enjoying the videos thanks keep them coming.
I bought my Wife an MGTF 135 about 12 years ago now, and it was between that and an MX5 Jasper Conran special edition. Upon driving them both back to back, the MG was a far superior motor and much more capable. We had it 3 years and loved it, o ly swapping out of it when she became pregnant with our first child. I'd have another one again tomorrow!
Yeah Robyn, I'm not 100% convinced that an early MX5 was actually any better than the MGTF. Certainly the few I've been fortunate enough to drive weren't. Having said that, the later 2005 model is a dream.
I've had one of these since 2003, yes I bought it new , and still have it. A daily for many years now a fun summer car. Still on its original head gasket. Never let me down once , been to France in it. Cracking little motor. Goes nice with my restored 74 Bgt . Basic good honest fun both of them.
I've got a 2004 mgtf135. HG upgrade, Campbelt and Waterpump, Remapped (pops and farts) 160bhp at the wheels, performance panel filter, stainless steel ttmrk9 exhaust & stainless decat. I eat mx5s for breakfast.
I was told by a former garage / mechanic owner that they used to change the head gasket in the MG TF for a Landrover head gasket & that solved the head gasket issue im no mechanic so not sure if this would work be interesting to find out its still looks a good car even now & even if it wasn't in reality .....
I have had mine MGTF 135 in Trophy Blue 04 plate for over 8 years, daily driver all weathers too, its been a great car, looked at the MX5's but the under neither on the same year mk2 2.5 all seemed to be prone to a lot of underneath floor rust , so didn't bother. loved mine it has it had moments like now but it's a MG.. and like all cars there are issues, Over heating was just down to poor maintenance, plus it says in the hand book to switch off the engine if your queuing in traffic for X amount of time. all in all enjoy mine great car yes i'd have another..
I live in a especially hot country, with especially frequent traffic jams, and I also tend to park in nice areas and leave car running for a while or turning it on again just for the sake of battery. I always use the 4.1 and the music player, sometimes even the AC while Im parked. There was not a single day past that my MG-TF wasn't idle for 10 minutes. What are you telling me? That I'm killing it? How?
great summary, I have had three MGFs, one is a spare for parts, they are a labour of love. TF fuel economy puts me off. finally if you pull down the centre cubicle cover at your left shoulder, there are two cup holders
Had to drive my mgf this week for work. Got the f out the garage after a month and drove 300 miles this week in stop start traffic on the m6. Not a great experience but didn’t miss a beat. Not a bad little car for 25 years old. Great video 👍
I'm glad you weren't too hard on the old girl, they might be a parts bin special but I've always liked that snub nosed styling with the pleasing squared off posterior. Good looking car from any angle, yet I think it might be the only two seater roadster that you could own, as a middle aged man, without people automatically thinking"mid-life crisis". They might think "pipe and slippers" or "Daily Mail" or "man with beard and grease under his fingernails" but not "desperately trying to cling on to his fading youth". That is in its favour. The Brummie accent was bostin' btw!😁
@Andrew Ball BMW didn't have 4 wheel drive technology back in the '80's. At least not in the way you describe/imply. The 4 wheel drive system in the 325IX was a primitive Ferguson version, either bought in or made under licence. BMW wanted/needed to quickly get in on the 'Audi Quattro effect'. That's a long, long way from the 4WD expertise and technology that came with Rover/Land Rover/Range Rover . Rover/BMW was not a partnership. BMW bought Rover. I appreciate that you may be a BMW fan, but sometimes facts are there to be accepted, not just viewed as inconveniences getting in the way of one's particular storyline.
@Andrew Ball As said, the 4WD system in the 325iX was primitive. Bought in technology. It met a perceived marketing need, rather than being able, or intended, for much more than that. Most of the rest of your comment looks like wiffle, woffle.
It has a good heater. I once drove around the Glasgow ring road (actually goes through town!) in a freak Scottish monsoon, sorry...Summer, Above 40mph absolutely nothing comes into the cabin. We were bone dry still 70 miles later.
I own one, I’ve driven a few mx5’s and a z3 and my favourite is the mg tf by a long shot, just lacks power so aiming to swap a vr6 in, even stock its miles better to drive than the mx5
Yeah I've got the mgf, paid 900 for it but I had to replace the old coolant system pipes with stainless and I did the water pump also but other than that nothing, sailed past the mot. it just looks pure class, easily better than the mx5 in every way possible, it's not even a conversation, audi tts are all left in the corners and none of them are running at 22 years old! Unlike the mgf Wedgwood which is a solid as a challenger 2 tank. Full leather interior, 2 cup holders and its a no nonsense roadster. I get well over 400 to a tank. Look for gasket upgraded and thermostat modded examples. Poor review this really! it will out live this "fruity" gentleman and his boyfriends adopted great grandchildren.
I ran one of these as my daily driver for a couple of years and it was fine, even on icy/snowy roads when I had a set of winter tyres fitted. No engine issues at all and the roof never leaked! Totally agree with the clutch pedal issue though - Sitting in heavy stop/start traffic was a pain. They seem to have gone up in price in recent years too.
Fair appraisal of the TF. I had an MGF and now own aTF 135. Its teeth rattlingly harsh on bumpy roads but great fun and reliable. Head gaskets are relatively easy to replace ( you can use Freelander ones and new stretch bolts (£40) and do the cambelt and wp at the same time. Great fun winter or Summer with the lid down!😊
They are brilliant little cars. The engineers designed them with Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, the accountants and marketing parasites made them with cheap "sporty feeling" imitations. Ours has the Bilsteins and the softer 2005 MY road springs and is a joy to drive, comfortable agile and fantastic grip levels. You have to live with the lack of space inside, it does mean the car is small overall, great for events in country lanes.
MG Rover had hoped to offer a supercharged version or a V6 version but BMW would not let it make a more powerful version (or export the car to the USA), for fear it would compete with Z3 for sales. The MGF/TF always outsold the MX-5 in the UK. I have a TF160 which outperforms most MX-5s too.
I don't think it had a KV6, Peter Stevens was misquoted when he said it would be great with a V6 and everybody thought it actually had one in it. Although they have since been fitted privately, it's a very tight squeeze. Also BMW were surprised that they weren't intending to sell the F in the American market when they bought Rover, but it was never designed to be sold there as the tight budget wouldn't really allow it and the K-series engine wasn't type approved.
Should have got the TF160 a great little car and really well balanced with the mid engine. Far better drive than the MX5 and great to run on the country roads around Brisbane.
If you are talking about British Racing Green, then it is a cracking colour, but unfortunately if you looked at the wrong way it would scratch, because it was so soft.😀🕵️♂️
@@HighPeakAutos - a year ag certainly, there were many being advertised for sale. They don;t get used much - many have low mileages. The MG Z cars - now they are getting rare. Athough I have a ZR!
There are cup holders you just have to fold down the compartment behind the glovebox 😉😉 I missed them when I first bought one of these and discovered a few weeks into ownership. I bought one of these 160's in the same colour in 2017 and it's still running well. One thing I'll say is if you get a massive quote for something then it's always worth trying somewhere else as a lot of garages seem to simply not want to work on them. It's worth becoming acquainted with the mobile mechanics that specialise in these as they are really helpful and often better pricing than garages especially when multiple jobs are needed but there can be a wait involved as they tend to be very busy.
My partner has had 2 of these and she loved them. Yes logic tells you a MX5 is better but even so....the MG TF is a nice little sports car. Glad you went for gags and not just slagged it.
Yep had one in 96 in British racing green and was stopped everywhere by people wanting to see it...compared with an mx-5. It was a daily then to my work at RR Crewe from Poynton The novelty did not last long though as they became a common sight - and sold for a rover coupe - great revvy little car with the parts bin similar switches .
Honestly mate, you are an incredibly entertaining and talented presenter and car journo. I was really surprised by this interview because I hadn't heard of this channel. Loved it! Well done!
Fun honest video as always Matt! I’ve had an early rust free ‘96 VVC MGF for 10 years now, had the gasket replaced just in case, changed the roof to glass rear window, interior to leather, and have the hydro gas topped up every couple of years, and it’s reliable, comfortable, cheap, fast enough, fun motoring. Many people over the years stop and talk to me about the car, because it’s not an MX5! Ignore the head gasket doommongers, take your time to find a good one, spend a few quid when you get it to give yourself peace of mind, and it will reward you!
Another great review Matt. My Mrs owned two of these (no she’s not a hairdresser before you ask) first was an F - it went for ages after she sold it and until recently it pinged-ponged between private sellers here in West Lancs. Next she had a TF - great little car, drove like a go-cart. HG was on its last legs when we sold for a song it a few years ago. Told the guy we sold it to it was on its way out - ‘Oh don’t worry I’ll just drive it till it breaks’. Still see it to this day, tear-arsing around local roundabouts. Oh and we found that MG owners are really nice people and ALWAYS wave to each other. I never get that in my Beamer. Well I do, but a different type of wave using less fingers.
Yes! Cheap, badly put together, but rewarding oldskool drive, once head gasket is done they are exceptionally reliable. The 1.8vvc is faster but the 1.8 you've reviewed is the one to go for.
It's a pretty car, it IS an MG, it really is, it's quick. I've got an MGB in the garage but as that runs perfectly (touch wood) I am looking at something else to tinker with and the MG TF looks perfect for that.
Wrong. Mg tf and mx5 are both mid engined. Differences are in front/back of the driver. The mx5 is still mid engined since the engine axis sits behind the front wheel axis.
I drive mine twice every week and I always enjoy it after leaving the automatic hybrid and ultra safe and comfort daily car. I enjoy both ridings and always appreciate the shifting. Clutch pedal (mgtf) is not that hard, description of driving experience is accurate. Raw and pure driving, you feel that you are the one that drives and car is always responding fast to your imputs. Fantastic off roof slow driving and incredibly funny when revolutions peak high. I have never consider it a sport car, I guess it lacks muscle to be performant but undoubtedly fine and funny. A future classic, honest and humble.
On a good note if that one has got to 16 years old it must have one of their unicorn engines that actually has cyl liners tall enough to keep a headgasket sealed. And head doesn't have cavity's above the fire rings also allowing it to keep a headgasket sealed.
Cavity's? You're kidding, yes? You put cavity's as a joke, you're not expecting people to respect your technical knowledge while putting cavity's? Or are you....
yes you should buy one even if its for a short period. sadly i only had mine for 6 months(someone wrote it off), but it was my first of this type of car. 2 seater, mid engine, rwd, convertible all rolled in to one. mine was standard part from whatever back box was fitted by previous own, it was the 118hp 1.8, but it was great fun and as it was my only car i drove it everywhere. didnt go on too many motorway drives, but cruising with the top down was great. it was overall a very fun experience. probably wont get another one as i tend not to repeat car purchases, but certainly worth having and its good that they fall under classic car insurance meaning cheap quotes.
As much as I hate myself for saying this, having it written off after 6-12 months is probably the perfect thing you want to happen owning one of these cars. Crashed before any reliability or MOT issues, no worries about selling on, non-fault accident so no impact on your insurance. Bet you have fond memories of the car as well because it gave you no headaches!
I owned one for four years in the same colour, it definitely had issues and yep the head gasket went. But it was great fun and loved owning one despite all the hairdresser joke etc 😂
You can buy a rear of head wind deflector which are cheap and easy to install. Also the roofs leak because people jet wash them. Then you must like any cloth roof seal it. Tent sealant is cheap and works.
The head gasket issue on the K series engine was sorted so, in the later models like the one driven here, it was not an issue. For the price you pay, it's a cracking little motor. My son has owned two, and he loves them.
I just bought a 160 and it's a fabulous little.car, drives brilliantly. I never really understood why people get so excited about the MX 5, unless you spend a lot of money on new one they're slow, handle poorly and are generally dull. Also, the 2nd pipe is not just stuck on, makes me wonder how reliable your reviews are when you can't be bothered to check a simple thing like thst.
Do they handle well? Is it a " drivers car" I have give up motorbikes and I am looking for the next best thing. I had a mk1 mx5 and I agree I don't get the hype.
@mick0846 The 160 is nice to drive. I'd say not far off a bike as a fun toy. Though of course nowhere near when it comes to acceleration, it handles well and has enough get up and go to pass slow traffic in the lanes & be away sprightly from the lights. The hood is easy to get up & down, the heater has enough guts to keep you from freezing on a sunny day when the frost is on the ground. It has decent luggage space behind the engine and up front, all in all it's practical enough to use all the time but with a big fun factor. I have the sports exhaust and inlet so it sounds great too. A nice note without being offensively loud, it makes you want to take it to the red line at 7000 when the variable valves kick in at around 4000 rpm.
@mick0846 Did you buy one? I still have mine and stll love it. Sometimes I prefer it to the bike, the soft top with no need to wear a lid does make for a different experience and the willing engine, go-kart handling and light weight means fun all the way. And I can get plenty of shopping in it!
i agree. just bought an MGF wedgie, better than the new mx5. better than all my alfas. i absolutely love it. it was a cat d in 2002 and a few owners have kept it alive, past the scrappage scheme and for 22 years with FSH. just done the 48 - 52mm throttle body on it last week and that hydro gas suspension is like im flying over the road, im 6'2" and weight 230 pounds so when people talk about space inside and driving positions ans they are sub 6 foot and weigh 12 stone pissed wet through, i swat em! including a year's insurance and tax plus buying the car and doing a big comprehensive service, inc new slave cylinder and cat, i have less than 2500 in it on a 68k classic. im going to start collecting them.
Matt, wonderful review, especially for the MX5! Whilst I would agree to their reliability you forgot to mention the built in self destruct facility MX5 have, rust, worse than an Alfasud! (do you know what they are?)
MGs of this epriod are relatively rust-resistant. Compared to many cars of the time, including Fords, and of course MX5s which are renowned for rusting
Had my TF135 since 2017, it had the uprated elastomer head gasket but I went all out had the new oil rail high tensile head bolts and payen multi layer head gasket, fitted by a good mechanic who has worked on these cars for years. I only paid £650 for the car, paid around £1200 for upgrades with s/steel water pipes and subframe mounts. Its a great ragtop, so much fun and easily fast enough, find one that's been looked after and you can't go wrong, I went all around Scotland in mine did 1200 miles without an issue, also very economical.
Great review, always had a soft spot for these. From what I understand the partnerships with Honda didnt stretch far enough and the BMW ownership they didnt want MG/Rover to have any direct competitive cars. Which restricted a few ideas and advances they couldnt do. Such as the rover 75 was (against BMW orders) was built with the possibility to go RWD. Since the money was spent and final product finalized nothing could be done by the time they realised what rover had done. But in the future allowed that wonderful mustang engined mgzt. But I'd certainly say both company's had some blame. Let's face it though. BmW was all things except small cute cars so MG and rover didnt fit under the German umbrella anywhere.
@@HighPeakAutos have to disagree with top dog motors. Its 4 am so if either top dog or hpa would like me to clarify then is be happy to. Just CBA typing unless you'd like to hear my geekiness
Rather a biased view of a very good car. I own one a 2005 model with 22,000 miles on the clock Rear spoiler, not only a glass back window, but also a glass wind deflector. Door pockets, and cup holders. I dont know much about the MX5, but I adore my MG. The roof does not leak either, and if you turn the heater up, you can easily drive the car in cold weather and still be warm. The car has just passed its MOT again, and I would not get rid of the car. I love my MG.
My friend had one of those , he always drove with the roof down even when it was cold , I could never figure out why , till I went in it one day when it was raining and it smelled like a unplugged fridge ! , the trades unions and management at longbridge have a got a lot to answer for destroying a brand , even BMW couldn’t save them , nice vlog Matt all the best 🙏🙏👍
Previous owner of TF and Mk3 MR2. If you want a cheap mid engined roadster, the TF has a boot but the MR2 has better steering, better handling, better driving position and is better built and more reliable. The MR2 has no boot but does very usable pods behind the seats. For me, the MR2 was infinitely better than the TF.
I had a 97 MGF, GREAT car. Older version looks far better than the tarted up newer version shown here. This car had SO much charm, and not quite a hairdresser car like the mx5 etc with the heritage, and racing green I had. Was 100% water proof. Probably the only one in existence and I drove it many miles in torrential rain with no leak. Handled great. Great to drive. Engine revs with k-series. Blows head gaskets every week. Mine blew 2 in 6months, and had already been done at least once. It has bags of character. Get the MGF, NOT the MGTF.Mine was a daily driver too. Much to my wife's annoyance.
It's good to be different so I can see what it would appeal over the common mx5. You know apart from the poor ride you really didn't have a bad thing to say about it. Worth a couple of grand to experiment with before they all vanish.
Really entertaining review! My 02 TF is my only car and I love it. More practical, more economical, cheaper to insure than an MX-5, while standing out from the crowd with better styling and a cool brand. Taking it on country roads with the top down is just too much fun. My mates all have boring hatchbacks and are amazed when they realise how cheap my car was to buy. As a young driver who enjoys the odd quirks of less refined cars like this, I honestly think it's my perfect car. Not sure if that's the demographic the MG marketing team were going for, though! :P The TF in your review is in beautiful condition, btw :0 I hope to get mine looking like that some day.
I recently sold an MGF with 230,000Klms and got an MGTF 160. Dump the original dampers and fit Bilstiens on the MGTF. I raced both cars in hillclimbs in Australia. The MGF was used as a daily but our traffic is not as bad as the UK. They do blow head gaskets, and will blow them again if the car is not driven below 4000rpm until the oil temp gets to 90C. With the K Maps in the MGTF 160 i get 6.4 sec to 100kph. I do NOT believe your top doesn't leak. They are fun to drive and cheap to run. There is the heritage factor and I would rather a flat 6 BoxsterS than an MX5. So much potential never realized.
Great honest as ever Matt👊👌 you can tell your getting popular and close to your goals wit more subscribers as this was the first review with more advertising. Great job mate and keep it up 👍🏻🚙👌😀
Drove one as a daily for a couple of years, top down mostly as it was just as cold, wet and draughty with the top up! Scuttle shake made the interior mirror redundant and yes the headgasket went. Loved the look of the car, but rust started to take hold. It's been replaced by a Mazda MX5, 9 years old now and the only issue has been rear shocks replaced under warranty. Cosy even in winter and a more compliant ride for my old bones. I still keep a picture of the old MG though and look at it fondly, albeit through rose tinted glasses! Great video, very honest and funny.
I couldn’t hear you over the sound of the car thudding over every blemish in the road surface! And the indicator stalk looks like it goes back to the days of the Triumph Acclaim (another Honda platform car)!
Great video, rather more tongue in cheek than usual. I remember, at the time when MG Rover went bust, my Financial Advisor telling me he'd bought 'one of the last ones' (there were absolutely loads of unsold ones). He expected it to grow in value. They are worth pennies now. I don't use him as a financial advisor now....
As Japanese car enthusiast, this summer I switched from NBFL to TF just because it's less rusty, has more powa (1.6 NBFL vs 1.8 130HP TF) and looks more manly. With my 185cm I think pedals are same. Well with TF at first week you'll think you're on some Ninja Factor sh#t, but you'll get use for that. Few things I like on TF is rarity, mid-engine, sound. On MX-5's site it's girls-catcher, stock/custom parts which are plenty everywhere. Well, maybe I'll make video of restoring MG next year. We'll see.
I put 160,000+ miles on mine, a VVC, and it never missed a beat. It also had the hydrolastic suspension, which rode far more compliantly. A lovely, cheeky little thing that had bags more character than the MX-5 Mk2.5 I replaced it with. Big mistake. I've been a test/development driver since 2009 and the MG was always a great car to go home in, via the long way. It will remain a personal favorite. It certainly didn't rust like the Mazda, was much more fun to drive. I found the MX-5 to be much like an overhyped film, some good parts but the trailer told you everything. A great starting point for improvement, and at least it had the chance to be developed properly and mature into the pensioner's favorite. The crux is, I'd have another tidy MGF in a heartbeat. I'd consider a Mk1 MX, but wouldn't go near another Mk 2.5. It just lacked soul. Then again, I like weird...
This is a great car. I recently bought one, a 2001 MGF VVC, and I cannot believe how cheap they are. The previous owner had the head re-done although it had no signs of problem but he had heard of the problem. Had it done at a Land Rover shop. I changed the suspension which cost quite a lot but I wanted to stay with the hydragas. Now it runs so well and the handling is great. The MGF VVC runs and handles very well and is worth much more than the current market prices. Many seem to compare it to the Mazda Miata but this is much better and not a hairdresser car.
Just a pity It didn't have the Honda V-Tec motor, would have made the world of difference, mother in law had one in hideous yellow, so no matter what power plant it had you wouldn't want to be seen in it :))
I have a 97 F. I use it regularly, it's rough around the edges but it's great fun where I live in Yorkshire. Just one thing though, it does have cup holders. Above the arm rest there is another cubby hole. The cup holders are on the underside of the lid.
I bought a Tahiti blue (only 5 in France around year 2000) in July 1998 till 2000. My first cabrio after having had a twingo folding roof.!... Tahiti blue too! How admirable to drive it was.!! Then I bought 206cc, mx5 nb 140 and NC 160, then a slk 320. This mgf has got the looks!! I also got a x type 3 liter between 2005 and 2007 and you know what.? From all these models, I prefer the 2 British cars.!!
You want a cheap 2 seat sports car. Mx5 obviously. But no, you want something mid engined because that's better. MR2 then. No it needs to be shit as well. Ah sir have you tried the mg?
That was useful - I have been toying with the idea of buying one of these. All the cheaper ones have had (or still have) serious corrosion issues and the reminder that it makes sense to spend a little more up front and pay less later was timely. I'm still tempted. My brother has Mx5s but I'd like something a bit different. I shall keep looking!
Bought my 115 new 17 years ago, done 190,000 km and, other than the HG replacement at 60,000 km, have had no more issues than my much newer Audi. Simple, light, and once you're used to it not tiring at all. Living in an incredibly congested city, I do daily drive it as it is a fantastic and brisk lane switcher. It's family at this stage.
Absolutely brilliant little car, bought one for three grand, with tiptronic gear box in the same colour you are driving, toured all round the Outer Hebrides, never let me down, never had a problem with the head gasket, (I was lucky with that one), had to sell it, when my daughter arrived, still pine for it to this day.
I own two...one identical to the test car ...it's my daily drive...I thoroughly enjoy it ...at weekends I drive my MGF vvc..which is by far the best car I have ever driven in my 40 yrs of driving..
Right lets clear one thing up about this bloody headgasket issue.......The head gasket is only an issue if the owner hasn;'t kept on top of the maintenance... If it does go due to lack of last owner neglect a new setup is £60 and will last forever .