All The Cars I’ve Ever
Bought MGF VVC
WHY DID YOU WANT ONE?
I’ve cheered on the idea of a midengined, fluid-sprung MG sports car with an affordable price tag ever since I saw the first scoop shots in CAR magazine back in 1992. From the moment it went on sale in 1995, I gasped at its cleverness, cooed at its styling and cheered at how it re-ignited people’s love for MG in a way that that only an open-topped two seater can. So, they’ve always been on my radar, and it was just a case of waiting for them to become affordable before getting one for my fleet. In the end, it took a little while for me to grab one, and even then, it came via my friend Richard Kilpatrick who bought a 1997 VVC after rescuing it from a fate worse than death – rotting away under a tree. He’d pretty much fixed everything that needed doing to it, and it was down to me to just add fuel and enjoy. That was the idea, anyway!
WAS IT A JOY – OR A NIGHTMARE – TO LIVE WITH?
Richard ended up with quite a task list when he dragged this mouldering, sorry-looking MGF back to his garage. But he fixed them one by one, from the dropping driver’s door, failed O2 sensor (that involved the exhaust manifold coming out) and suspension drop links, to dropped Hydragas suspension and the need for a general deep clean. In the end, he fought with the MGF and won, but only after a few grazed knuckles, sessions with the owners’ club and a few choice words. So it should have been really good when I bought it off him as a summer plaything – and on the whole it was, aside from a few niggles. The alarm system endlessly played up, though, and one suspension displacer failed, leaving it with a low-rider stance and zero ride quality. But other than that, the MGF was fun to live with, and saw me through a summer of open-topped driving.
WHAT’S YOUR ABIDING MEMORY OF THE CAR?
Open roads, the wind in my hair, endless blue skies. That sort of thing. I’ll not labour the point about the alarm going off pretty much every night, usually at the most inappropriate moment. Or the time when the Hydragas displacer went pop on a particularly challenging high-speed corner. Instead, it has to be the unbeatable sensations associated with driving a classic convertible during a summer of good weather. It was certainly a good, usable car to drive and own, and although the Mazda MX-5 delivers more thrills on a B-road, the MGF is probably the more complete and capable roadster if you like going quickly – but only if it’s on song and the suspension is working as it should. In the end, I kept it over summer and broke even on it at the end of the season when I sold it on. As MGF stories go, that’s not too bad a result.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE?
It’s a well-worn piece of advice, but one that seems to work for me – buy a known car from someone who has fixed all of the problems so you don’t have to. Or at the very least, buy one knowing exactly what you need to do, to avoid surprises. The good news is that there are lots of people out there who know MGFs intimately, and equally there are specialists who will help you get the best from its oncetroublesome K-Series engine. So, while you’re checking the history, make sure that the engine warms up as it should, and that the coolant in the expansion tank is the correct colour of OAT without any of that mayonnaise that we are always advised to look out for. Do check for rust underneath, especially the sills and subframes, and look for any blisters in the paintwork. Finally, check all of the electrical ancillaries – is the alternator charging, is the electric power-assisted steering working and are there any warning lights illuminated. Buy cheap if you want a project; otherwise go for the absolute best you can stretch to.
WHAT I PAID £1000 IN 2011
PRICE NOW £10005000