MG ZR 105

[TW]Fox;11540988 said:
Becuase it'll sit on your drive for months depreciating whilst you spend money on lessons and fail driving tests.
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Exactly :D Plus aside from the mot and tax that will be running out until you do pass, You will just sit there looking at it with a huge urge to just "take it for a quick spin" :D
 
AmDaMan said:
My mate recently bought one, the performance is very acceptable, the interior quality is lacking. Aesthetically it looks ok :)
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The 1.4 actually produces pretty impressive power for it's size. But why pay 2600 when you can get the 200 for significantly less, are you really happy paying a big sum for the bodykit.
 
I looked in to getting one of these before I bought my Puma.
All round they are a good car but are dated compared to other cars released at the same time. The head gasket problem was fixed after 53 plates I think.

Based on an old rover 200 from '95 it has no encap rating and if you do get in to an accident it's not going to be pretty.

The ride hight is high due to a cross bar which has to go under the seats which also put me off.
 
It does have an NCAP rating - 3 stars. This isn't great but it's not that bad

If this isn't the '+' spec model then it won't come with any equipment. Equipment on the base model was very sparse, even lacking things like central locking and electric windows!

I had a 120+ for about 18 months. It was huge fun but unfortunately it cost me a small fortune to keep on the road. The headgasket went and it cost me £800 to put right (one fault of many). This was main dealer prices though - £500 is usually plenty from a decent specialist

A full service history is crucial. Check that the coolant has been changed at least once (which needs to be vacuum filled) and check the water level. A small leak can quickly lead to a HGF if it isn't sorted quickly

Let it warm up before driving it too and keep an eye on the temperature guage (especially when test driving it). Check that the fan hasn't been forced on (which some dubious garages do) and check the water and oil (which should be clear and at the correct level)

The car handles like a dream and it's great fun to drive - far more so than my new Astra Coupe.

It isn't just a 200 with a bodykit either. Drive the two of them and you'll see that the ZR has substantial suspension improvements

The thing is some people have them with very little problems. Others (like myself) end up with a nightmare. Build quality is touch and go too - my glovebox fell off, the sunroof leaked, the interior door handle finishes fell off, etc

I do regret selling mine however as nothing really comes close fun factor for money spent

I'm a member of the MG Rover forums - a great helpful forum who'll be able to give you a list of things to look out for and good advice on the car. They can be found at forums.mg-rover.org

Main engine parts and things like brake discs aren't an issue - MG Rover sold off the parts business before they went into administration - but body panels can be scarce
 
I looked in to getting one of these before I bought my Puma.
All round they are a good car but are dated compared to other cars released at the same time. The head gasket problem was fixed after 53 plates I think.

Based on an old rover 200 from '95 it has no encap rating and if you do get in to an accident it's not going to be pretty.

The ride hight is high due to a cross bar which has to go under the seats which also put me off.
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Erm, no.
They do have a Euro NCAP rating, its 3-star so in the same kind of area as most mid-'90s designs like Fiestas, Polos, 306es and so on.
The headgasket design was changed which makes it less likely, but they can still be a bit of a problem due to the engine design putting them under a comparatively high amount of stress. It's never been as bad as people hype it up to be of course, but its still something to be aware of.
Being on the original one isn't actually a huge problem because one of the reason they've got a reputation for being such a problem is because they're quite easy to bodge a repair of and then have them go again.

The seat height is high? Maybe in comparison to proper sports cars, but for a mildly sporty small hatch its not really noteworthy at all.

I'd agree with the person who said that a 200 or 25 is a better deal.
Sports suspension, bodykit and half-leather are nice, but to be honest on a cheap first car, its not really worth the £1500 extra or the extra it'll be on insurance. You could get a 200Vi (145bhp 1.8, sports suspsension, without the bodykit) or a 25 1.4 for half the cost of that ZR, or a 200 1.4 for £800.
 
I would be happier to buy one that was on the original headgasket tbh, at least you know that it hasnt been used and run dry of coolant and oil which in my books is a good thing, the whole hgf thing isnt a big a deal as everyone makes out, keep an eye on the oil and coolant and you will be fine, it isnt that expensive to do replacement head and skim for about £300, good output, (103 or 95?) hi reving engines, perfect first car in my opinion!
 
I'm going to run a few quotes now, it wont be cheap though because of my age and lack of driving experience.

Depending how it is, I might go have a visit.

The guy has its service history, i've got a friend who's a mechanic so I may be able to persuade him to come along..
 
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