2001 MG ZR 160 review from UK and Ireland
"Stunning looker, but that's as far as it goes!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I went to see the car, there was a big patch of black soot around the manifold area, which indicated a leak.
A few days after I had the car, I started to notice a whining noise coming from the gearbox, particularly when I changed down to 2nd and when cruising in 3rd. Spoke to my mate who is a technician at Jaguar, and he said it was the gearbox bearings.
When the car is stationary and you try to put it into 1st, it just doesn't want to go in. You have to force it! Also reverse gear is a pain to get in, which indicates a clutch or gearbox problem again!
When the car has been driven for about 30 minutes or so, or when the engine is at its normal temperature, you can hear a heavy tapping noise coming from the injector area. This car doesn't sound like it's done 9500 miles, it sounds more like 95,000!
General comments?
The car is pretty quick, and the handling is good too. You get some serious feedback from those 17 inch alloys, which is also a good thing. However the interior has a lot to be desired. Looks very dated and boring. Compared to the other cars in its class, they will win hands down!
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 vvc Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 4/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 9500 miles |
| Most recent distance | 9800 miles |
| Previous car | Vauxhall Calibra |
| Date of Entry | 7th May, 2003 |