1977 MG B Roadster 1.8 (tweaked)

Summary:

Fun, but can only be a second car

Faults:

Generally, nearly everything. Still on the original gearbox though.

Engine blew at 200 000 (£2000)

Most of front end rebuilt 1989 and again in 2002 (sills forward) (£4000)

Prop shaft (£90)

Rusts everywhere.

Eats kingpins, even when greased monthly.

General Comments:

It looks stunning and makes fantastic noises. People wave at it. Women adore it. Kids respect it. You never get cut up, people let you out of junctions.

Surprisingly reliable if you keep it dry. It has only been rescued by the RAC about 4 times in my 7 year ownership.

Unfortunately, it fails every MOT for some expensive rust reason. I have spent about £11000 on the car since I bought it for £3000 in 1997, although it is now worth about £7000. This is still better than depreciation.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th January, 2004

1978 MG B 1.8

Summary:

A cheap fun classic

Faults:

Front Suspension king pins needed replacing.

Fuel tanked rusted.

Radiator leaked and needed replacing.

Rear suspension needed replacing.

Fuel pump packed up.

Alternator needed replacing.

General Comments:

Although there have been a number of problems I have been pleasantly surprised by the reliabilty of this vehicle. It has only left me stranded at the side of the road once.

Although it is now where near a modern sports car in terms of performance the car can easily keep up with the traffic. on the motorway it will cruise comfortably at 70 to 80 MPH. Its great fun on the back roads with the hood down. 50 MPH will feel fast with your bum a few inches of the ground and the wind in your hair.

There are lots of specialists to look after this car. Most parts can easily be obtained and are cheap.

Unless you want to do a restoration, I would advise you to buy the best car you can possibly afford. Any money that you may save on the purchase price will quickly be offset in repair costs.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th September, 2002

1978 MG B 1.8

Summary:

Boring

Faults:

This car has been a very unreliable. The engine, which has all the charm of a J4 van's engine repeatedly, pinked and spluttered.

Couldnt get the gearbox into first and the diff whined. Electric's! Don't talk to me about Lucas.

When I wasn't starting it by rolling down a hill I was replacing fuses.

General Comments:

Real dissapointment. Why did I part with bluey my trusty Triumph Stag???

The engine in the MGB has about as much go as a man riding a bike with no legs.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 8th January, 2002

14th Aug 2003, 09:01

From the description of the problems the car had this MGB was obviously a poor example not only of the marque but of any car. All of these things, however, should have been obvious to the reviewer at the time of purchase. Of course it lacked performance - this was obviously a sick car.

A bit more detail of what was done to rectify (or attempt to rectify) the problems would let people know if the car (make/model/year) itself was poor or just this car, and whether or not repairs to all the problems was feasible, expensive or not, and/or effective.

A poor "review" of one of the last years of this classic marque, especially when the question of which transmission is answered as "don't know"???

And to compare it (performance wise, especially) to the reviewer's previous Triumph Stag is a little silly.

1970 MG B Roadster 3.5 V8

Summary:

A fast sports car more people should consider

Faults:

Very little given the car's age.

The sensor for the electric cooling fan has become temperamental.

The roof to windscreen seal leaks as does the windscreen seal itself.

The brakes could be better to say the least.

General Comments:

Good, reasonably fast fun. More of a GT than a traffic light racer, but can still keep up with an SLK. However, unlike an SLK, it qualifies for classic car insurance, is exempt from road tax, parts are cheap and dealers are enthusiasts.

More than fast enough for todays traffic, not fast enough for me... yet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 25th April, 2001

1973 MG B Roadster 1.8

Faults:

Engine threw, yes threw a rod at motorway speed (new engine needed). Then proceeded to dump oil at irregular intervals.

Fuel tank leak (fire brigade job to wash down road).

Fuel pump failed often!

Starter.

Clutch.

Threw the prop shaft at speed.

Brakes totally failed (yes you've guessed) at speed.

Window wipers failed (in drive).

Batteries - 6 volters replaced with mini battery in boot.

Suspension - shockers were shocking!

Headlights poor.

Rusted to death (rest in peace).

General Comments:

Car of my youth - bought in haste to enjoy the summer.. looked groovy and had great heater!.. otherwise not exactly reliable though.. but that's not the point... this car liked the big occasion to prove a point.. indeed just like the car like the film "Christine" she tried to kill me often enough, but I still loved her.

Spent two years making her fairly reliable alas only for her to rust away.

She never seemed to fail me in the sunshine though and that's how I'll remember her.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st January, 1999

19th May 2001, 19:32

Great driving position, hood down, summer's day, pretty girl doing the map-reading. Yes!

27th Sep 2002, 19:17

Yes time is a great healer I think fondly of MGB RNY924M and the "hot" summers in the UK of the early eighties,beach every weekend etc.

Still I'm a tad uneasy about a (then) 9 yr old car that could successively throw a conrod, a propshaft and suffer total brake failure ; all at speed. Namby Pamby modern drivers don't know what their missing...