MG ZR/ZS

[purplebargeken]

Having done a track day at Brands Hatch today (which was fuggin' ace) - drove mates TF 160 (also ace). I have come to the conclusion that I am the latest incarnation of a famous racing driver and have devised a cunning plan to obtain something MG but less likely to cripple me physically.

 

The cunning plan will involve saving (yes, saving) for something reasonable ZR or ZS shaped. This will not happen immediately as finances are screwed now with the purchase of Triumph and BWW items but it will happen.

 

WCPGW   

[Pillock]

Just make sure you've got Bollox on speed dial

[purplebargeken]

Makes sense to me. 

[Jim Bell]

ZR VVC is on my shitlist. Best engine evar!

[Parky]

I see no flaws whatsoever with this plan. ZR more attractive, ZS more likely to have been owned by someone enthusiastic. And I believe it comes in KV6 flavour for added bulletproof reliability.

 

Get stuck in!

[Lord Sterling]

Steve, "Tin_Worm_lad" very often often has ZS/ZR shite tucked up fae sale. It's usually my job to picture them and stick 'em up on CarAndClassic.

 

Here is a 45k ZS we currently have sale:

 

 

£895

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C558064

[hairnet]

zs diesel ftw

[purplebargeken]

That is a very tidy car. Very tidy indeed.

 

Gotta save the beer tokens though. 

[Lord Sterling]

He takes PXs, drive up in your beemer, drive down in the ZS.

[twosmoke300]

I'd have a zs personally . double wishbone suspension up front will be better on the track I reckon . They share bits with the Civic too so more upgrades may be available.

[dugong]

ZR 160 wiped me out on a trackday I took the 460 Turbo to. It was a time trial session with engine capacity brackets, and because the Volvo was a 1.7-litre I was dumped into the 'post 1600cc' class.

 

FAIL ensued. Most other folk brought queef-mobiles; I ended up driving against folk in ZSs, MGFs and some gibbering gump in an Elise S1 (which should have been faster but he kept spinning it).

 

I won an award for 'most front tyre smoke', which was nice.

[montytom]

Ive only had ZRs 4 of them. The 1.4 is a great little engine which seems as do all K series engines to sing after 4000rpm.

They handle really well but I have been told that the ZS is a better handler.

My ZR 160 didnt feel that quick but there is an upgrade now that puts the limiter at 7450 rpm and adds in pops and bangs-Should be fun

[purplebargeken]

Anyone got one that they might be thinking of moving on?

[SambaS]

ZR 1.4 is great fun! ZS 1.8 seems a bit lacking.

[PiperCub]

Don't know about the ZS, never driven one but the ZR is very underrated. Prices low as they are Rovers so are 'Uncool' apparantly, IMO well worth a punt if you can find a decent unmolested example. The fact that they don't look all that makes it all the better to me.

[Cavcraft]

Still reckon the ZS looks gash, would love a ZR though.

[Jim Bell]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=191443298022

 

They're very reasonably priced for what you get.

Just bang ZR VVC 160 in your EBay box and buy the one closest when sorted by distance. Don't settle for anything less than a 160 though. Or your chest hairs will fall out.

[Ghosty]

If you're thinking of a ZS, also try looking for a Civic 1.8 VTi (97-00).

Basically* the same car with a 1.8 160bhp VTEC (yo).

Also, it comes in Aerodeck flavour.

They come up on eBay fairly regularly  - and either have sub-75k miles, or about 140k on.

[Guest Lord Sward]

I've owned a driven them all. ZS FTW.  Or a 420.

[purplebargeken]

Either would be fun, but I suppose the ZS would be a bit roomier. The Civics all seem rather pricey on the bay of e at the moment. 

[HillmanImp]

Get a BRM instead. Its lighter and has a porno interior. 

[CortinaDave]

ZS handles brilliantly - Tiff Needel said at the time it was just about the best handling FWD car he'd driven. High praise indeed for something you'll pick up for 500 quid now.

 

The ZR is ok - less of a drivers machine but still competent and arguably better looking.

 

Got to say, given the dire financial state of MGR at the time, the MG team really did do a fantastic job of making 3 very staid outdated rover models into sporty and reasonably credible machines on a curly wurly budget. I bloody loved my ZT.

[HillmanImp]

Problem in IMO that they look soooo rubbish. It looks like the designer at MG took a standard Rover to Halfords and gave his 10yr old son his credit card. No matter how good they are I would feel like people were looking at me like I read MAX POWA.

[skoda_norman]

I like the looks - but then I was 13 at the time that they were new! 

 

Very nearly bought a ZR once ... always kind of regretted not owning one.

[Cavcraft]

The ZR is a fine looking machine, MG Rover got the aesthetics bang on IMHO. I'd go as far to say they're the best looking common or garden hot hatch of that era.

[skoda_norman]

So what's the pick of the range for the ZR? I always assumed it was the more powerful 160 but I've seen endorsements for the 105 here?

[saucedoctor]

105s are more numerous, and don't have VVC so less to go wrong I guess you could say. I wavered over buying one in 2002, but the styling was a bit Max Power for my liking, so I bought the 25 instead. I think the ZR has aged well, though.

 

Lord Sward of The Toon is the man with the PK on these.

[trigger]

I like these too, The trouble is they mostly seem to be owned by chavs who've ragged the shit out of them and fitted Lexus rear lights. Do these suffer from Kettle syndrome?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

25GTi is the best

[155V6]

I like these too, The trouble is they mostly seem to be owned by chavs who've ragged the shit out of them and fitted Lexus rear lights. Do these suffer from Kettle syndrome?

No,not at all