2002 MG ZR + TD 2.0 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A Rover 25 with body kit and hard suspension

Faults:

Didn't own it very long:

Leather on passenger seat worn, but not driver's!

Fan in positions 1 & 2 not operating, but working on 3 and 4.

Unacceptable noise from a front tyre at motorway speeds - may have been due to uneven tyre wear.

General Comments:

Good bits:

Good mpg - probably averaging around 45-48mpg on motorway runs.

Good power available - over 2000 revs.

Handled very well through bends.

I thought it looked very cool - big alloys, body kit etc - probably the main reason for me buying it.

Air con worked very well.

Nothing actually broke whilst I had it.

Bad bits:

Very heavy steering - thought I would get used to it, but found it tiresome. Noticeable on roundabouts, junctions etc. 3 point turns were hard work.

Suspension was too stiff for my liking, and the ride was rather uncomfortable in my opinion.

Brakes were there somewhere - really needed loads of effort to come to a quick stop - of course mine had no ABS.

Slack accelerator pedal cable, again meaning extra effort required when pressing the pedal to actually get the car to move.

Heavy clutch, adding to the overall general uncomfortable experience of driving it.

Gearbox felt very loose - gear knob would rattle when driving.

Diesel engine rather noisy, especially when cold.

Wind noise from sunroof when closed.

Springs in seats would squeak - I went everywhere with the stereo up.

That's enough I think. I paid too much for the car, and sold it for a big loss. Possibly some of the above faults could have been solved, but it just didn't seem worth it.

Sorry MG lovers, I was very disappointed, but maybe I had a bad one.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th July, 2011

2002 MG ZR 160 VVC 1.8 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Forget Saxo VTSs and Fiesta STs, try one of these, you will be surprised

Faults:

Fuel line went; not a problem to sort out, didn't cost anything to fix at all.

Engine warning light came on, and it was the lambda sensor playing up. Got that replaced for free, from where I bought the car from.

General Comments:

Well, this is my second car, and what a magnificent piece of kit. Had to get used to the performance though, having driven a 1.0 Corsa for a long time, but got used to it now, and it's really fun to drive.

Love the hugging seats; keeps you in place while driving on those twisty roads.

As a town car, all those bumps can be a bit of a bug, but just go over them nice and slow, and no problem at all. The hard suspension plays its part on those country roads, it sticks to those roads like glue.

Off the lights, many cars struggle to get past me; put it in second gear and wave them goodbye.

Really enjoy the car very much, and look forward to enjoying it a lot more, and for a 19 year old, it is possible to get insurance that isn't too bad considering the power, but well worth every penny!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th February, 2010

2002 MG ZR 120+ 1.8L 16v petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Underrated. Try one - it's crude, but fun

Faults:

My head gasket blew at just under 50,000 miles, costing £800 to fix.

Mid and back section of the exhaust rusted through at 45,000 miles.

A small piece of small plastic trim has come off the door handle on the passenger side.

General Comments:

Goes well and sounds great when revved.

Pulls well in all gears and smoothly right up to the 7k red line.

Very nice to drive with direct heavy steering and a heavy clutch.

Handles like it's on rails at both low and high speeds.

Plenty of feel through the steering and brakes. Good brakes with discs all round.

Very hard ride though and very noisy on the motorway, so it's not a good cruiser, but then it's not designed to be!

All in all, I'm very happy with the car, and I'd happily buy it again

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th June, 2007