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Questions for the "new" MG TF

33K views 31 replies 11 participants last post by  mikoyan 
#1 · (Edited)
I've had my eyes on the "new" MG TF for a while now.. However, it is hard to find any technical data of it. So, I thought it might be a good idea to come here are probe y'all for some answers.

First of all, I want to say that I now own a 6-speed MX-5 Miata with a supercharged engine. Frankly speaking, I really like it, which makes me a potential MG TF owner, if it comes to the NA and meets my expectations.

Q1: Is there any after-market vendor makes a super or turbo charger kit for the TF. I now drive a 6-speed 2,100lb Miata with almost 200bhp. And I really don't want any performance penalties when switching cars. Oh yeah, and call me old school, I just don't think a performance car should come with a 5-speed trany.

Q2: Is the dash going to be modernized to house a Double Din sound system? The current single Din slot just looks old and truly limits future upgrades (with GPS, DVD, etc).


Oh and I am seriously looking in to the Solstice GXP (Jazz) after seeing the Transformers movie. Someone needs to talk me out of it..

Cheers.:thumb:
 
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#4 ·
Sorry for the late reply, here are some answers to your question.

1. The car IS in the 2,200 lbs range, superchargers are much lighter than turbochargers, i think mine only weights approx. 50-70lbs, but don't quote me on that.

2. HP and torque - hence power, is very important, on the other hand, engine displacement is not so much any more these days.


3. On a cold day, I can do 5 -6 sec. (0-60) in the race track, worse in warmer summer days. (of course, my own timing is not as accurate as one hopes)
 
#5 ·
Also bear in mind the TF is mid-engine like a Lamborgini or a Porsche which helps handeling, so when you go through the corners your onto a winner...

That said the TF is an old design which now need some modernisation. If you get it at the right price your onto a winner though...
 
#6 ·
Yes, it is mid engine rear drive config., however, does anyone has MG TF's weight distribution on all four tires (with a driving inside, of course)

The new miata's (NC model) weight distribution is 51% front and 49% rear, which is extremely impressive. Installing a anti sway bar and a roll bar, makes it corning like on rails.
 
#8 ·
mikoyan said:
The new miata's (NC model) weight distribution is 51% front and 49% rear, which is extremely impressive. Installing a anti sway bar and a roll bar, makes it corning like on rails.
That is impressive but you also want the weight to be as close as possible to the axis of rotation to reduce the rotational inertia and thus increase the steering responsiveness, I doubt the new Miata gets anywere near the TF on that measurement...
 
#9 · (Edited)
Puppetland said:
In the UK, the MGF & MG TF were widely regarded as a distant second best to the Mazda MX5.
So widely regarded as such that they outsold the MX5 there every single year year they were in production.

With a memory like yours I'm surprised you can even remember where the ON switch is on your PC, let alone to put your HEAD-TYPING STICK on to post drivel like that.
 
#10 ·
I had a 99 Miata and loved it. I hope this MG is all it's cracked up to be and well made. I can't wait to test drive one once it's available in the US, though I hope they don't price it out of my range.

The exclusivity of it along is worth buying over the current Miata, which by the way, is ugly as hell... yuck. The Solstice and Sky are nice, but too "flashy"; trying way too hard if you will. At least from the pics this MG is really great looking - classy and tasteful.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Seamaster said:
So widely regarded as such that they outsold the MX5 there every single year year they were in production.
And those very customers went on to rate the MG TF at the BOTTOM of consumer satisfaction motoring surveys conducted in the UK.

The ergonomics of the MG TF interior were appalling and you sat ON the car rather than in it. It had atrocious reliability, and next to the build quality of the MX5, the MG TF felt ultra fragile. No wonder it is taking NAC so long to sort out the quality issues.

Oh and it has Metro door mirrors - that leak in water. :p
 
#12 ·
I'm in UK right now and got to see many MG's first hand, including the TF's. I think I do see more TF's than Miata, but the numbers are close. I think the TF's look way better than the Miata. I don't doubt that the Miata's are better at ergonomics and reliability, that's what Japanese cars are famous for and I can also attest to that from personal experience of owning one.

I hope once TF comes to the US all of the short comings have been properly addressed, and backed by a strong and long warranty. That ought to alleviate any concerns.
 
#13 ·
As a Brit I see the TF as a great car but a bit long in the tooth. However if I was in the US and if I was sold a TF with a completely new interior then I'd probably think it was very competitive with the MX5. It's about perception to some extent. If I lived in the US I'd still go for the TF because it's not an MX5 and because it's more unusual.

Puppetland is right that the TF isn't Japanese for reliability but that made no difference in the UK, where it was considered CONSIDERABLY cooler. That's why it outsold the MX5 year in and year out. Oh and let's be fair here nowadays all cars are reliable, there are just some more trouble free than others. It's not the 70's!
 
#14 ·
Puppetland said:
Why would you want to downgrade to a MG?

In the UK, the MGF & MG TF were widely regarded as a distant second best to the Mazda MX5. The British built car also had appalling build quality as well as costly engine reliability issues.
You've asked a valid question which I don't have a answer for...
It seems that I will sacrifice performance and reliability in order to switch from Miata to the more exotic MG TF.
F that. Performance matters the most with me, I am no ricer.
 
#15 ·
Looking at the best UK reliability survey site (based on actual warantee claims) it appears that Pupetland is correct:

http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/tophundred.html?apc=3128339010848601

the Miata (MX5) is the 3rd most reliable car in the UK, the MG TF is down at position 46, just one place ahead of the BMW Z3 roadster :(

Actually it's reliability is quite good, well ahead of the Porche Boxter at 100, the Mazda MX6 at 97, Mazda MX3 at 81, Toyota Celica at 74 and as a benchmark the BMW 3 Series is at 75.

The MG TF is not just about raw acceleration, if thats what you want then it's probably not the car for you, how about a Lotus Elise?

The MG is supposed to be an affodable fun sports car with a bit of character, something you can enjoy driving. :thumb:
 
#16 ·
Funny you mentioned Lotus Elise, and if I assumed correctly, you are from the UK.

The US version of this car is outfitted with a much more powerful, superior Toyota engine with a 6 speed Toyota Transmission.
If I am not mistaken, the European versions are still outfitted with the outdated Rover K-series piece-of-crap. :D

I am no fan for Toyota by any means, but when you compare the alternatives , Toyota is clearly the winner over here.

The Elise seems like a viable alternative except, if you've driven one before, then you must agree with me on the following:
1. It literally is a PAIN to get in and out of that car, did I say LITERALLY? I meant it!
2. This car eats tires. I had a neighbor who bought an Elise a while back, in approx. 8 months, he had changed 2 sets of tires.


Currently I drive the Miata in the summer time (it has summer tires installed) and a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Winters.

I agree a Lotus Elise is a fun car to have, but I won't get it if it is not feasible to drive in all summer long.
 
#17 ·
We were given the option of the Toyota engine once it had been fitted for yourselves, but it weighs more, which rather goes against the design aims of the Elise, and needs to be taken to very high revs to get the extra power, at normal revs the Rover engine produced more and even for track use, a lot of people prefered it.

The Rover engine in the Lotus Elise was the same engine used in the MG TF although more recently the Elise has only had the lower power versions available.

8 months for two sets of tyres - just shows how much fun he was having on the race tracks! :lol:

As for driving it all summer long, you can use an MG TF all year long, just be careful where you park it:

 
#18 ·
From Wikipedia, pardon me for not finding a more creditable source. This is mainly due to my laziness.

"111R

This Series 2 Elise model comes in European 111R version or a version sold in North America, called the Federal Elise. It is powered by the all-aluminium 189 hp (141 kW) Toyota engine with a Yamaha designed twin-cam head offering variable valve timing on both intake an exhaust valvetrain. The Toyota manufactured 1.8L DOHC engine, has a 6 speed manual Toyota gearbox and is acclaimed as the best version of the Elise to date, with tremendous performance numbers, with many tests resulting in 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in approximately 4.9 seconds or 4.7 seconds with the Sport Package. The engine management computer is a Lotus programmed unit. A radical cam timing shift at ~6,000 rpm makes the car feel like it has two different engines."

citied from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elise

As described, the engine was designed as a high rev engine (think motorcycle engines, but a lot bigger and complexed), so logically speaking, people shouldn't worry or complain about it. It is simply fulfilling its design specifications.

Regarding to the tires, my Neighbor was only using his Elise to commute (to and back from work) He might be a spirited driver on the highway (motorway for you, hehe), but I don't recall his Elise has ever been driven in a track. Because if he did, I guarantee you he would have bragged about it already.


Generally speaking, after learning MGTF's limitations, I've given up the idea of trading-in my supercharged, 6 speed manual Miata for it when it becomes available in the US. However, I will keep an open mind for any future updates from MG.
Perhaps one day, the MG's new owners will come to their senses and put a 200+ bhp engine and a 6 speed tranny in the next gen. Or at least provide the possibility of installing a charger in the current K engine.


hey, someone still needs to talk me out of getting Solstice GXP in the near future, I might get it around Mid or late 2008. One of the reason is a Transformers Autobot, Jazz was a Solstice. (see Micheal Bay's Transformers, the movie)
I know British people didn't have much exposure to the Transformers cartoon in the 80s, but for me, it was a big part of my childhood. There is a child in me, you know how it is...:p
( http://www.pontiac.com/solstice/index.jsp )

cheers mate
 
#19 · (Edited)
mikoyan said:
I've had my eyes on the "new" MG TF for a while now.. However, it is hard to find any technical data of it. So, I thought it might be a good idea to come here are probe y'all for some answers.



Q1: Is there any after-market vendor makes a super or turbo charger kit for the TF. I now drive a 6-speed 2,100lb Miata with almost 200bhp. And I really don't want any performance penalties when switching cars. Oh yeah, and call me old school, I just don't think a performance car should come with a 5-speed trany.

Q2: Is the dash going to be modernized to house a Double Din sound system? The current single Din slot just looks old and truly limits future upgrades (with GPS, DVD, etc).


Cheers.:thumb:
Answer1)
I think with a engine swap its deffo possible.
Not sure if there is a kit for it.
But if there is one it will cost you money.

Answer2)
Everything is possible.
You have to customise the dash your self.
There are people that have done it.
 
#20 ·
mikoyan said:
As described, the engine was designed as a high rev engine (think motorcycle engines, but a lot bigger and complexed), so logically speaking, people shouldn't worry or complain about it. It is simply fulfilling its design specifications.
Yes, but do you really want to drive about with your engine doing 8000rpm just so you can get the power?

Much better to have power right through the rev range, and then there is the handling.

Here is a video taken from an MG ZS now renamed MG5 (see other thread), there is another blue MG ZS a couple of cars in front and eventually allong side. Note that the engine revs rarely get anyware near 8000rpm, (the limit is at 7000!) and as they pass the Lotuses, Porche 911 and Ferrari just remind yourself that these cars come with 176 bhp as standard and neither has a super or turbocharger.

MG5 chasing MG5 through the traffic.
 
#21 ·
If an engine is DESIGNED to output power @ HIGH rpm, and it does, then what is the problem? I can only say that the engine can operate per or in accordance with its design specs.

I failed to see any strong performance correlations between automobiles in a race since their true performance are subject to numerous uncontrollable and/or unpredictable factors.

An automobile's true performance and characteristics should only be evaluated in a highly controlled environment aimed to eliminate or minimize uncontrollable factors.


Long story short, I know an engineer who was driving a rental 911 in Germany and got overtook by a VW on the autobahn. Therefore, his conclusion was: Porche 911 sucks.

After I heard his statement on that. I then quickly lost respect for his as an engineer.

Just thing about it, he might be just cruising in his rental 911, while a VW red lining the engine with the 4th gear overtook him on the autobahn concludes that an 911's inferior to a VW? Give me a break.

FYI: you video link does not work for me, please verify subject link.
 
#22 ·
mg-zs said:
Answer1)
I think with a engine swap its deffo possible.
Not sure if there is a kit for it.
But if there is one it will cost you money.

Answer2)
Everything is possible.
You have to customise the dash your self.
There are people that have done it.

thanks for your reply, but they are far from being practical and constructive.
 
#23 ·
mikoyan said:
If an engine is DESIGNED to output power @ HIGH rpm, and it does, then what is the problem? I can only say that the engine can operate per or in accordance with its design specs.
There is no problem, but you started off by saying it was a "superior Toyota engine" which is somewhat questionable. You shouldn't judge an engine purely by its peak power output, especially when it has a very narrow torque band (thus needing the 6 gears).

As for your decription "outdated Rover K-series piece-of-crap. :D ", the current version called the MG N-Series engine, and it's currently getting some good reviews.

mikoyan said:
FYI: you video link does not work for me, please verify subject link.
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/62a6456d-05e6-466e-af5f-99cc00d03c2d.htm

Not sure why the video would not work, it appears fine here.

Yes, obviously the Porche is the faster car, but on a typical British racetrack with typical British weather, for some reason two MGs costing around £16,000 new are lapping faster. I think he is trying, the back end is looking a little twitchy at times. The Ferrari obviously isn't trying, a little damp and it's too risky to drive a car like that quickly. The Lotuses etc, well judge for yourself and once you have seen the video, which is the most enjoyable car to drive?
 
#24 · (Edited)
Windy said:
Yes, obviously the Porche is the faster car, but on a typical British racetrack with typical British weather, for some reason two MGs costing around £16,000 new are lapping faster.
All that video clip showed was yet another MG driver with a severe identity crisis - in other words trying to prove their car is not as crap as everyone thinks it is.

You get them all the time, and when these alleged 'MGs' overtake something, even if the other car is nowhere near full chat, they probably go on to claim the MG is faster - when in actual fact nobody cares or is interested - one of the many reasons Longbridge shut.

The Porsche driver quite correctly allowed a pass as they probably didn't want their car rear ended by a rebadged Honda Civic! :rolleyes:
 
#25 ·
Windy said:
We were given the option of the Toyota engine once it had been fitted for yourselves, but it weighs more, which rather goes against the design aims of the Elise, and needs to be taken to very high revs to get the extra power, at normal revs the Rover engine produced more and even for track use, a lot of people prefered it.

The Rover engine in the Lotus Elise was the same engine used in the MG TF although more recently the Elise has only had the lower power versions available.

8 months for two sets of tyres - just shows how much fun he was having on the race tracks! :lol:

As for driving it all summer long, you can use an MG TF all year long, just be careful where you park it:


LOL i love this pic haha..how do u know its a MG:confused:
 
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