![]() K-series engines are wonderful except for one well-known thing: head-gasket failure.Ĭheck the dipstick and coolant expansion bottle for any ‘mayonnaise’ if in any doubt, unclip the back of the hood, remove the shelf carpet and unbolt the engine cover to check inside the main oil filler cap. In the UK, these range from £240 for a TF115 to £330 for an MGF Steptronic (from 1/3/01). MGFs don’t advertise their specification with badges and some owners don’t know what their car is, so check the DVLA records and the engine number.Ĭheck tax rates, too, because they vary and will signify the model. Meanwhile, the 1.6i, TF115 and CVT autos are a bit pedestrian, but still fun. The TF115-160 models gave a range of options (the 115 was a 1600, the 120 a CVT and 160 the VVC), and the 135 proved as quick as the original VVC.Īnd, when NAC MG of China launched the TF LE500 in late 2008, Autocar loved its ‘crisp, accurate steering and its agile, well-balanced chassis ’.Ī standard 1.8i has decent performance, a VVC or TF135 is lively, and the Trophy and TF160 are quick. Rover added a Steptronic CVT transmission as an option in 1999, but performance dropped and it wasn’t popular.Ĭabin criticisms were addressed with a minor facelift in 1999, which also brought improved steering feel, and 2002 brought the TF, with a stiffened monocoque, sharper looks, a quicker rack, improved intake, hotter cams in the 135, and the Metro-derived Hydragas suspension binned in favour of conventional coil springs and a multi-link rear end. It was made worse by the pioneering use of electronic power steering, which lacked feel. Rover was making the first affordable middie, so it dialled-out snap oversteer with an excellent ride/handling compromise that felt comparatively anaesthetised. The cabin was comfortable and spacious enough for two, with sufficient trim and accessory options to satisfy most tastes.Īfter the initial euphoria, road testers were negative about the road-oriented set-up. The mid-engined layout was well engineered to give superb roadholding with safe and fun handling. The light and powerful twin-cam K-series engine gave it adequate urge and could be specified with Variable Valve Control for extra oomph that would leave most older sports cars and hot hatches in its dust. Its styling was unique, friendly and popular, and it has aged well. Hailed as the long-awaited saviour of Britain’s greatest sporting marque, the F had so much riding on it –and it really seemed to deliver. Except for the final NAC-built TFs, prices cannot fall any further. One thing is for sure, as MGFs are scrapped in their thousands due to low values not justifying repair, numbers will soon reach the point where demand exceeds supply – at least for examples that merit preservation. Yet the Lotus Elise, which shares its powerplant and layout in a more focused (but less practical) package, is soaring in value. Fun, practical, economical, usually reliable and the best-value mid-engined sports car on the market, the MGF has quietly reached 25 years of age without most collectors giving it a second glance.
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