horney™
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,289
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Apr 18, 2012 21:48:15 GMT
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OK so not retro as such but probably have the potential in a few years to slip into this category. The reason for the post is they seem to fall into the same comment bracket as retros with the general public I.E "What sis you buy one of those for?" "Isn't that old and unreliable?" "Do you have a cardigan and slippers to go with that?" I was just wondering what the general feeling of the retro community was of these cars? Due to the demise of MGR they are now dirt cheap and make great daily drivers. They're also British and I like that. All this questioning is because I bought a 2003 ZT CDTI a few weeks ago and I am receiving endless abuse from all quarters. I bought as it seemed the best derv car I could get for £2.5K or under that could pull my Golf on a trailer and be presentable for work (I get a car allowance and I'm being cheeky and not leasing an Audi like my co-workers). I can't speak for the ZRs and Zs's but the ZT has surprised me with it's brilliant build quality, quite and powerful BMW diesel engine and a drive and ride that is leaps and bounds above anything FWD from Germany of that era. So in summary, I have a new found love for MGR cars, I'm getting a lot of grief for it, I think it's a shame as to me they seem very good cars. Have a pic:  IMG_5006.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr Nick |
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Apr 18, 2012 21:54:49 GMT
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I had a MG ZS 2.5 V6 last yeah
I thought it looked great and drove great.
Things went wrong and was a nightmare to find parts for it!
They are so cheap now - a lot of car for the money.
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Current retro - 1996 Alfa Romeo GTV / Daily - 2016 Nissan Qashqai
Previous retros - Prelude, Integra, XR2s, XR3s, Orions, CRXs, Sylvia S12, S13, Pulsar, ZX 16v, 205 Gti, MX5, MR2 etc
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luckygti
Posted a lot
I need to try harder!
Posts: 4,912
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Apr 18, 2012 22:18:09 GMT
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I had a 1.4 MG ZR 3 door as a commuter for a couple of years around 4 years ago. It was great little car, good on fuel and cheap tax. It replaced the 205 (1.6) as my daily and I would say that it was almost the same to drive, same power, same predictable handling, I loved it BUT the seating position and slightly offset pedals gace me chronic back ache, and it got to the bpoint where I couldn't drivr it for more than an hour without having to have a break  which isn't great when you have a 3+ hour weekly commute! I would defintely have another though  Ignore the haterz |
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Apr 18, 2012 22:27:00 GMT
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I've got to agree on the seating position in the ZR. I had a bubble shaped Rover 200 as a courtesy car a while ago and coming from my A4 it was a really nasty possition. Not a bad car to drive that aside though.
I'm seriously looking into getting a ZT-T or 75 when it eventually comes time to replace the Passat. In 2.0 TDCi flavor. It can tow pretty much as much as I'm ever going to on my license, they're dirt cheep, comfy and loaded with gadgets, and also dirt cheep. Plus I do actually really like the way they look. Apparently E46 coilovers can be made to fit with just front top mount mods, and they're 5x100 PCD, with a small center-bore, so you've got a nice choice of wheels too.
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col
Part of things
wut
Posts: 190
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Apr 18, 2012 23:21:15 GMT
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my parents used to have a derv 75, its was a pretty nice car imo. out of the whole mgr range though, the 75/zt are the only ones i'd go for, the rest just seem like tonka toys. that zt looks like a proper smart car, especially for the money. haters 'gonna hate.
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g40jon
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,569
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Apr 18, 2012 23:26:48 GMT
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the 75 was and probably is the best modern rover. The oxford built cars were the best in terms of quality (but I would say that, as I was an apprentice there at the time). All the kit used to build them was state of the art (the factory was completely overhauled and a far cry from the conditions that the 800 and 600 were built in), a lot of attention went into making sure they were as well built as a bmw. The oil burner was the pick of the bunch, the petrols would have been good had they not scrimped on silly things like gaskets!
For a big fwd car they handled extremely well, the only thing that let it down imo was the slightly oap styling, it certainly wasn't the retro styling masterclass the new mini was.
Either way they are now great value for money.
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Apr 18, 2012 23:33:13 GMT
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well you already know I love it  Not sure if they're going to be "retro" status for a good few years yet, as they still look pretty sharp (yours being one of the best looking models IMO) |
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You're like a crazy backyard genius! |
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col
Part of things
wut
Posts: 190
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i'd be really interested to see a 75/zt given some nice old school wheels and big thwack with the lowering stick. vip jag kinda vibe.  |
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PHUQ
Part of things
Posts: 859
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I ran a 75 diesel for a while and it was great- pretty good on fuel (and a nice engine- far quieter than many newer diesels I've been in), pulled well, went round corners suprisingly well for such a big barge, dead comfy. Had a few niggling faults but then it was a cheap car that had had lots of owners so I won't hold that against it. Generally it felt very well bolted together.
I sold it for the reasons mentioned above... it did everything too well and I got bored of it.
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stefan
Posted a lot
If it isn't broken fix it till it is
Posts: 1,598
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Well I have a 2003 zt and it handles great, rides fantastic and looks good in the green.
The uild quality is curse word, had the usual 1.8 k series head gasket, water pump, thermostat, injector rail, fuel line, intank pump and filter, new tank, new brake lines new reaar calipers, 6 head light bulbs in 3 weeks, always killing brake light bulbs, new rad, new ball joints.
Currantly the intermitant wipers do not work, the fuel gage broken, blown another head light bulb, so many bits of trim falling off.
All this is on a two owner car that still has only 46,000miles on the clock, had alot of rovers and always expect to change the head gasket on every one I have had but this one will be my last, out of 176 cars in 17 years of driving this one has been the biggest disapointment of them all.
I had a 178,000 mile v6 ex police mondeo before this that used alot less petrol an never went wrong, should have kept that, still the MG looks good
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POWER IS EVERYTHING WITHOUT CONTROL
1985 Honda jazz
1997 Saab 93 convertible
2010 transit 280
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horney™
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,289
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Well I have a 2003 zt and it handles great, rides fantastic and looks good in the green. The uild quality is curse word, had the usual 1.8 k series head gasket, water pump, thermostat, injector rail, fuel line, intank pump and filter, new tank, new brake lines new reaar calipers, 6 head light bulbs in 3 weeks, always killing brake light bulbs, new rad, new ball joints. Currantly the intermitant wipers do not work, the fuel gage broken, blown another head light bulb, so many bits of trim falling off. All this is on a two owner car that still has only 46,000miles on the clock, had alot of rovers and always expect to change the head gasket on every one I have had but this one will be my last, out of 176 cars in 17 years of driving this one has been the biggest disapointment of them all. I had a 178,000 mile v6 ex police mondeo before this that used alot less petrol an never went wrong, should have kept that, still the MG looks good Blimey! I think your must be a friday afternoon example. When I did my research before I bought it I was advised to avoid the 1.8 petrols as 1600KG car is too much for the old lump to pull along without causing distress, but I knew I wanted the derv anyway. Mines the same year and is on 113K and I don't have any missing or broken trim and everything still works as it should. It's the most rattle and squeek free free car I've ever had. Fuel pumps and brake lines are knwon issues (All cars have a few known issues), your light bulb problem sounds like you have a wiring issue behind the bumper somewhere. Nick |
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horney™
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,289
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And to keep this topic slighlty retro.......  nick |
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Apr 19, 2012 10:36:45 GMT
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I like em and I find them pretty retro.
ZT V8 is effectively a British Mustang, what's not to like there?
It is a shame that buying British gets so much flack in Britain.
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Apr 19, 2012 11:55:28 GMT
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The ZT is a smart looking bus. I'd have considered one at the time Rover/MG folded, but for the risk of getting parts.
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786 
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Apr 19, 2012 12:02:03 GMT
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From the title I was expecting to see one of these  I've got a lot of time for the MG versions of the last Rovers I'm rather taken byt the MG ZTT tbh, however, a mate of mine had an MG ZT and had clutch/flywheel issues. The final bill was knocking on the door of £2K for a new clutch, dual mass flywheel and labour charges! |
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jonnyf
Part of things
Posts: 177
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Apr 19, 2012 12:43:07 GMT
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Can't beat a good rover! My dad work at a dealership for a long time, so we have had plenty. So much car for your money. The deisel engines respond very well to a bit of fettling, seen one recently with 170bhp and 350ftlb of torque in a zr. If i remember corrrectly. My current daily is a zr prototype, long story short... MG zrx210 built with 2L k series by mg sports and racing. Engine was built by judd. The car was then sold of at auction (when they went under) with the engine replaced for 1.8vvc. Was written off by the previous owner and my dad bought it. I ended up with it. Has some mega brakes and lots of other one off bits.  |
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Apr 19, 2012 12:49:14 GMT
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some of the late mgs werent all that bad,the zs 180,zt 220 and zt 260(v8) were all considered to be the best in the range and i personally have always fancied a v8 which was developed with pro drive they also made rover 75 v8S aswell as the mg model one of those would be fun to mess with
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Apr 19, 2012 13:59:16 GMT
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my uncle has a ztt with the V8 in it and I really must say the noise it makes is utterly sublime. He has owned it from new and the only problem has been a dead battery last summer. Far more reliable than his XKR is
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,515
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Apr 19, 2012 14:12:15 GMT
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That car was advertised for sale by one of the dealers in C&SC a few years ago. I would so, so love to have it. I'd like to think that whoever owns it drives it around on the street but sadly I reckon its probably disappeared into a collection. |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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which isn't great when you have a 3+ hour weekly commute! 
Ignore the haterz 
