SHOCK, MG SPOTTED IN THE WILD

[cort16]

I see one most nights on the m77 on the way home. It's got a weird square exhaust pipe but other wise looks quite nice . Both mg's are quite well styled In my eyes I just don't know what living with one would be like.

[chaseracer]

The NSE motah sounds like it would be OK and the 3 at least looks halfway decent.  Still not convinced by the 6.

 

Conclusion: WOULD, but only on a similar basis/price level to SD's mate.  AND if I can get over my philosophical objection to the dishonesty of a 90% Chinese car being "sold" as British due to the bumpers/lights/badges being nailed on in a small corner of what used to be Longbridge.

[saucedoctor]

The consensus among those who have driven the 3 seems to be that it hasn't got enough power, and that a small turbocharger may be the very thing. Although, Martc's info explains why it hasn't got one - longevity. 

[Pillock]

I sat in a 6 at a car supermarket. It felt like sitting in a twelve year old minicab, everything was shiny and creaky. Didn't feel premium which is why they'll never make premium money, none withstanding any reliability issues - they need to start by not leaving sharp edges on dashboard plastics.

[2MB]

I see a few mg3s round here, most of which are wearing expensive private plates. Something doesn't quite add up about that

[NorfolkNWeigh]

The cheapest 6 on Autotrader is £4850. Putting £5k max and 4 years old in search throws up loads of Insignias,Mondeos, Mazda6es plus Astras and Focuses. Even a few Seat Exeos and for the brave Lagunas.

These are pretty much all leggy dizzlers with all that implies for expense ,but based on that I cant see why even PH drivers with a strict age limit would consider them.

As others have said ,for a few hundred they would be a laugh, but their rarity could mean along wait for that day.

[TRW]

There are a few 6s around Swansea and at least 2 MG3. The nearest dealer is 35 miles away these days.

[Lord Sterling]

I see a few mg3s round here, most of which are wearing expensive private plates. Something doesn't quite add up about that

You'll find that a group of buyers/owners of these are probably of the "buy British" brigade. Yes MG is now a Chinese owned company churning out cheaply built but well-styled cars but some people still convince themselves of the Britishness of the badge.

 

Whilst they have thier fans/haters, I'd still like an MG6 at some point.

[oldcars]

I've seen a few 6 and 3s. I always wonder why they bought them, 15 years to early.

FIFY

[dugong]

The NSE motah sounds like it would be OK and the 3 at least looks halfway decent.  Still not convinced by the 6.

 

Conclusion: WOULD, but only on a similar basis/price level to SD's mate.  AND if I can get over my philosophical objection to the dishonesty of a 90% Chinese car being "sold" as British due to the bumpers/lights/badges being nailed on in a small corner of what used to be Longbridge.

Post that on the AROnline Facebook page. I dare you.

 

The consensus among those who have driven the 3 seems to be that it hasn't got enough power, and that a small turbocharger may be the very thing. Although, Martc's info explains why it hasn't got one - longevity.

There is (or was) a 1.5 turbo available in China, but with the 1.5 N\A barely able to scrape through Euro emissions testing, the turbo had no chance.

I borrowed a friend's MG3 and the engine was by far the worst thing about it; his was also dismal on fuel. Driving gently (and I do mean gingerly) I managed 32mpg, which is dire for a small car.

 

Whilst they have thier fans/haters, I'd still like an MG6 at some point.

Mo, while I can just about understand your enthusiasm for all things 800 (because they have some redeeming features) I can't see the point of the MG6. Why you'd buy a new one when a Skoda Octavia is available for the same money baffles me.

 

The build quality is all over the place. Ours was well assembled out of dodgy materials; the leather seats were among the cheapest feeling I've ever sampled. Other test cars have had masking tape in the door shuts blanking off fixings and \ or dodgy paint finishes. You'd have to be a severe apologist to make a case for it. The reliability and parts support just isn't there.

[Slappy]

Looked at the SMMT sales figures a while back and I think MG sales had gone up about 200% from the previous year, so they do appear to be selling them, and not just to themselves.

 

This time last year I was back near my parents and saw 3 (maybe 4, but it could have been the same 1 twice) over a single weekend. There isn't a dealer in town either, they're about 20 miles up the road.

 

Conversely there is a dealer in Havant and I think I've seen 2, and I drive near there every day.

[Felly Magic]

I tried explaining to the windowlickers on ARSEonline at how dreadful these cars are, and they went rabid. There are a smattering around here, all sold by a crappy little dealer in Needham Market, and all seem to be owned by pensioners, who stupidly think they are buying a British car. Trade won't touch em second hand, and the market is flooded with ex rental 6's still. Build quality is on a par with a Daewoo Nexia as well. Verdict, only a total dingleberry would buy one

[dugong]

Thing is, they're not going to react well, are they? Can you imagine the reaction if I went on to a Skoda forum and ripped Favorits to pieces? I went in pretty clued up, stated the problems politely (while pulling no punches) and found my sorry arse banned.

 

It later got sorted; admin have definitely moved on.

[cort16]

Has anyone driven one? I'd be interested to here how it drives. It stills seems a bit too expensive to me it feels like it should be 6500 - 7000 quid in Sandero territory. For 9 grand you could buy a pre-reg Fiesta or something that you know is going to be decent and you can get parts for.

[Lacquer Peel]

I quite like the new MGs, from a safe distance. I think they were mad to go it alone with their engines which were out of date at launch, they should have bought in some more emissions competitive engines for the Euro market where emissions is everything.

[Felly Magic]

Thing is, they're not going to react well, are they? Can you imagine the reaction if I went on to a Skoda forum and ripped Favorits to pieces? I went in pretty clued up, stated the problems politely (while pulling no punches) and found my sorry arse banned.

 

It later got sorted; admin have definitely moved on.

On Skoda forums and in the SOC themselves, if it's pre VAG, they do not want to know, my car was for sale on there for ages, and completely ignored.

[xtriple]

Having given little thought to these things other than a brief moment when I considered going to look at one due to an invite to do so from the garage I bought my Mazda from who are now 'MG' dealers, dismissed 'cos they don't do an auto so no use to me, they were promptly eradicated from my consciousness!

 

Then this thread sort of re-awakened a vague interest, but not enough to want one as though we have a dealer within a couple of miles, I have NEVER seen one on the road. That all just changed as I followed a car that was unknown to me (not unusual these days to be honest) but the badge said 'MG' on the boot. It was an MG3 and didn't look bad from behind. I had lot's of opportunity to closely inspect said view as it was driven by a trainee corpse with another coffin dodger as a passenger.

 

Either they were uncomfortable at the breathtaking speed of 15mph as they kept slowing right down or the Chinese piece of shit would go no faster!

 

 

 

Note: I have cried off all things Chinese as I have all things made in Korea as they are 'unkind' to my favourite species!

[srad34]

I think the 6's look like most other Euro family cars out there, it could have a Mazda badge on and it would not look out of place  imho.....

 

Not offended by 'em but would not buy one either.... 

[JohnK]

I've booked a test drive of the MG6 just for the crack. I will report back on how bad it is once I've had a go.

[Aston Martin]

This is weird the local shopping centre had a 3 and a 6 inside doing one of those look at the cars promo event. MG6 was 14k.

[martc]

 

Note: I have cried off all things Chinese as I have all things made in Korea as they are 'unkind' to my favourite species!

 

Best leave French things alone as well - have you seen what they do to poodles?

[D Spares & Tyres]

I've booked a test drive of the MG6 just for the crack. I will report back on how bad it is once I've had a go.

Ah I see, people who buy them are on crack?

[saucedoctor]

SixOffender Diesel and Flea spotted within 90 minutes and 500 yards of each other this afternoon. Bonus French 205.

[xtriple]

Just seen another one... different colour (grey!) but same area. Funny front on them and look a bit slab sided.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I went in one of these that a bloke I know had rented.  it was a very depressing experience.

[HH-R]

I see a fair few 3s and 6s knocking about, a Newcastle Taxi firm has a fleet of them and there's a dealership (Think it's on West Road now, keeps moving!).

 

They both look OK on the outside, I like the simple interior of the 3 compared to the button overload that most cars have now. Not driven or been in one though.

 

Would I? Yes, with someone else's money!

[dugong]

I drove Kelsey's extensively, in between bouts of waiting for MG Assistance to turn up.

 

You can tell someone from Longbridge set the suspension up; it's about the only thing that worked properly. For a modern, it rode very well indeed on 45 profile tyres. The gearbox was on the notchy side of decent - ours needed a deliberate shift into neutral before you dropped into fourth from top.

 

The diesel engine (a Kunming Yunnei design rather a licensed Western lump) was powerful but gruff and loud, and quite good on derv. It moved well for a 1400kg vehicle - well enough to surprise drivers who expected a typically geriatric MG owner at the wheel and treated the driver accordingly.

The steering was light and more less devoid of feel, the brakes about average. The visibility was dire and the reversing camera (standard on the TSE) was near useless as it was pointed directly downwards rather than into the spot you were trying to reverse into, just to add insult to injury.

 

The boot floor and headrests fell to pieces, making it useless as camera car because you fell straight into the spare wheel well. Ours needed a new gearbox and clutch at 5000 miles, as well as two gearbox sensors. The latter failed and locked the car in gear (at least as far as the ECU was concerned) when it was two days old, and left me stranded at a show.

 

Thing is, it was constantly in the garage for something or other, be it a raging EML that wouldn't go off, a loss of power, a failing infotainment centre, a refusal to honour the servicing plan, whatever, it was there a lot. When your vehicle is a pool car and in constant demand, downtime is not appreciated.The damn thing ended up costing me money in the end - we were so short of cars for work I had to use my own on two occasions. My C4's taken a lot of stick over the years but it:

 

a: Started

 

and

 

b: Ran.

 

MG couldn't have cared less about the issues we had and it bloody well should have done; Kelsey runs the biggest MG magazine in the country. That it gave us a car with the negative battery lead hanging off, a missing tax disc (when having one was still a requirement) and a streak of polish the length of the car didn't bode well for our tenure, and so it proved.

 

In the end, tired of the constant issues, work rejected the '6 and returned it to MG, who dithered and faffed around about picking it up. It ran well enough to be used one more time on an errand by our office in Kent; a member of the advertising team used it and got punted off a roundabout, doing it in completely.

 

Good riddance. I won't go into the reams of abuse I received online for reporting about that car, the mad allegations of 'unbalanced journalism' (translation: 'I didn't like what you wrote, so I've decided you're part of a conspiracy') or the various warped, angry letters we received for daring to critcise the new MGs for not being up to scratch. There are loads of friendly 3 and 6 owners trying hard to get the message out but their work is spoiled by the dyed in the wool apologists who won't hear anything negative said about their beloved octagons. I left two of the model specific Facebook groups as a result: life's too short.

 

 

TL:DR - buy an 18 month old Skoda Octavia.

[CHRIS1980]

I was in Stamford today and saw an MG6 parked up. It was finished in a nice metallic orange,but what struck me was how plain it looked. For a modern car it didn't look it. When you see the likes of Hyundai and Kia they seem to have a bit of something the MG doesn't.

[Pillock]

And when your new model fails to match up to a Hyundai on style, you've got problems.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Re: the crack.  There is usually some in a baggy in the door bins, but it's rarely the Primo A Grade shiz.