2005 MG TF 135 1.8 from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Great fun, but don't expect a hassle-free experience
Faults:
The alarm was sounding on windy days until fixed.
There is a recurring clutch judder fault which my MG garage has been unable to rectify.
Carpets keep debonding from the floor.
Both driver's and passenger's door leak under heavy rain.
Heater control does not regulate properly.
Squeak from rear suspension.
General Comments:
The car has a great engine which performs well and sounds great.
It handles very sharply, though not as sharply as the 2002 Mode Year, but has a better ride quality than prior TFs.
It's also fairly economical, cheap to service and relatively practical.
It is poorly built and, although nothing catastrophic has occurred yet, I'm sure there will be reliability issues in due course.
However, it is great fun, beautiful and one of the best all-round affordable roadsters on the market.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 16th January, 2007
19th Jun 2007, 03:40
Use a good resin for the carpets, new door rubbers (no-one checks these as often as they should) and get the clutch *aligned* >> That is most likely the problem :)
I keep reading negative MG reviews (not referring especially to this one) which a bit of DIY/Maintenance would resolve so easily.
Yes, if you bought it new then don't let them get away with anything, but if its second hand then for god's sake get your hands dirty! Most cars 'get away' with irregular maintenance, but when you have a car such as the MG which was made down to a price, you NEED to look after it.
I have an MGTF 160 and have had the same issues with odd parts breaking every now and then, but never anything serious. The interior rattles were sorted with some rubber washers and pads concealed behind them (bathroom shops stock these for pennies), head gasket did the usual steam hissy-fit, but just got straight on top of it with new bolts/gasket and all is well again.