eddyramrod Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Well, for the second time, I'm an MG owner, and still I've never had one with two doors and a soft top!A flurry of messaging ensued after my shock win last week, during which Phil_lihp offered to drive the car as far as Manchester and Panhard asked if it was ok to load up a gearbox he'd sold to someone from Glasgow. Which is fine, I mean if you can't help a Shiter out, what's the point, right?So with all the admin arranged, Phil and I set up a meeting at Manchester Piccadilly station for yesterday lunchtime. You know what trains look like, and I'm not going to bore you with another snap of Barrow station. If you look at the Scarlet Skateboard thread, you'll see I nearly didn't make it! However, make it I did, and hung around in sunny Manchester for an hour or so. What I didn't realise was that many of the local football teams were playing at home.I hate crowds!However, one of my trains had a special offer on, so I got First Class. They give you this...I brought it home for MrsR as I'd already loaded up on supplies.So, a green MG appeared in the traffic and I jumped in. Fortunately it was the right car! It looked and sounded fine, and Phil reported no issues on the way up apart from a slight smell of petrol. We stopped in a nearby back street to complete the handover......and Phil went for his train home. I set off to get out of Manchester.Every traffic light, and seriously, I mean EVERY fucking light, was against me. Nowhere could I see more than a few inches of road that didn't have another car on it. Have I mentioned how I feel about crowds?After a couple of miles I had a BMW estate in front of me, and I was thinking "that sounds fruity..." A little while later I was thinking the same about an Audi in the next lane.Yeah, you guessed, it was neither, it was the MG. There's an exhaust failure, on the front bank I think. Two crawling miles. Fucking marvellous. I eventually escaped as far as the M60, thinking I'd go M61/M6 home.Er, yeah. So I got off again ASAP and fought my way up the A roads to Bolton, where I finally did get on the M61. Of course I couldn't sample how the MG behaves on motorways because it won't rev, and sounds like a tractor. But, when you get up to 50-60 (eventually) it does cruise well enough. I dropped into the recently-rebuilt services between J6 and J8 for a slash and a rest, and texted Hairnet who came to laugh at me, as he does. While we were chatting I realised there were a couple of American cars two aisles away, so we went over for a look, just as a 1972 Cadillac pulled in. Turns out this as an informal meeting of the American Auto Club North West, organised by my old mate (and magazine editor) Phil Forrester, whose grey Crown Vic you can see.They were waiting for another member so they could scoot off and cruise through Blackpool Illuminations. And here's the other member, who pulled in just before I left...So I tootled home, keeping my speed down and watching the dash. No lights on, no unusual readings, so it's probably something relatively simple like an exhaust manifold gasket. I'll know when I've shown it to my friendly garage tomorrow.I'm typing this on Sunday morning while I wait for the Glasgow party to arrive, to collect their gearbox. They're on the way apparently. anonymous user, Sudsprint, JohnK and 21 others 24
carlo Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Nice colour! My sympathies with driving on the M6, I've vowed never to set foot on that road again after experiences a fortnight ago. Any time of the day, for however short a trip, the frigging thing was gridlocked. Then you'd stop for about 15 minutes, get going again to find there was no obstruction. Bamboocarman 1
panhard65 Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Phew I was worried it had self destructed. That bloody car does love attention. If it needs a front pipe let me know as the 75 I sold had a new front pipe on it and the buyer is breaking it for bits for his diesel so wouldn't need the front pipe brickwall, Junkman and eddyramrod 3
eddyramrod Posted November 8, 2015 Author Posted November 8, 2015 I think that would be a wise precaution, although we still have to get it up here.... but thank you, yes, grab it anyway if you can. Much appreciated.It seems like it could be a nice enough beater, as long as it isn't going to fling up jobs every ten minutes!
phil_lihp Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 How bizarre, the exhaust was absolutely fine at the handover point! I think I must have been lucky with that plus the traffic which wasn't too bad at all. Even the weather improved north of Birmingham. A shakey start then but I'm glad you got home. The temperature gauge stayed perfectly in the middle all the time I was driving so hopefully that at least is a good sign. eddyramrod 1
danthecapriman Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Good to see you've got hold of it Eddy, it looks a nice car and ideal for using over winter. It's not ideal trying to drive a new car through all that shitty traffic though! I hate driving in/around Manchester. I once tried driving an old Volvo 340 through similar traffic up there with a failing head gasket. Not what I'd call fun!Hopefully the exhaust blow won't be too expensive or difficult to sort out. Nice spots at the car park too. That blue Caddy is lovely!
phil_lihp Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 i seem to have all the luck with collections (and deliveries). Even the cars that have spent months off the road and/or had issues like leaking water pumps never gave me any trouble on 4-5 hour drives home. I can't say I particularly warmed to the MG, just not my cup of tea I suppose, but it was a comfortable and competent motorway cruiser and all the gadgets worked so hopefully the exhaust is the final issue it's going to throw up this year and it'll behave well enough for you now. Pleasure to meet you as well Eddy, always good to meet another shiter and the bakery goods were much appreciated, I must have looked like a 6 year old on the train trying to delicately eat the squashed eclair without making an enormous mess - mostly if not entirely successful on that front. chaseracer, eddyramrod and Bucketeer 3
taxi paul Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Top car. Hope its an easy fix. My wife " noticed " this morning I am watching a mg zs on ebay. I can tell by the stoney silence she likes It has well. Dave_Q, gordonbennet, eddyramrod and 1 other 4
eddyramrod Posted November 8, 2015 Author Posted November 8, 2015 Sure you want one so small? I mean, you could have one with lots of space, and lovely two-tone leather seats...
strangeangel Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Don't fancy your breakfast much, but the car looks great
taxi paul Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Size isn't everything. Fnar fnar. My wife has only just calmed down from me entering the raffle to win your fine automobile. You would think we had won the lottery when you won* it instead. So for it to turn up like a pissed uncle knob head at Christmas may not go down to well in the trenches.
Bone Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 My sympathies with driving on the M6, I've vowed never to set foot on that road again after experiences a fortnight ago. Any time of the day, for however short a trip, the frigging thing was gridlocked. Then you'd stop for about 15 minutes, get going again to find there was no obstruction. ^^ This. I have to put in around 500 miles a week on this road. ^^ This makes my shit itch. taxi paul 1
vulgalour Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Good colour is that and a good test of the car's reliability on the collection. eddyramrod 1
EssDeeWon Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 The temperature gauge stayed perfectly in the middle all the time I was driving so hopefully that at least is a good sign. Im afraid using the temp gauge on these is not much use, they stay in the middle until the coolant temp goes ABOVE 120°C
eddyramrod Posted November 9, 2015 Author Posted November 9, 2015 There is good news!I took this one to work today, and thence across the road to my friendly garage, where Martin could hear me approaching from the depths of his spray booth at the back. I explained the problem and he agreed to have a look.Well I got the location right, it was the front bank, but not the exhaust at all. The middle plug had popped out of the head. He reseated it and screwed it in, and the car ran much more smoothly. And quietly! So far so good. DVee8, phil_lihp, Bear and 6 others 9
JohnK Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 Like the look of this and an easy fix is always a good thing! eddyramrod 1
vulgalour Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 I wonder if that's also the source of the petrol smell?
eddyramrod Posted November 9, 2015 Author Posted November 9, 2015 Possibly; time will tell I suppose.
panhard65 Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 Well sounds like it is nothing too serious. The lying cow I bought it from said the previous owner really looked after it but it seems he was pretty shit at servicing. It did look like it had a new oil filter on it though. Good luck with it did the guy collect his gearbox as I haven't heard anything from him since he paid me.
New POD Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 ^^ This. I have to put in around 500 miles a week on this road. ^^ This makes my shit itch. The M6 was greeeeeeaaaaaat this morning. Joined the M57 at 5:40 am, arrived in Derby via the M62, M6 (joined that at 6:05am), then A500, A50 and A6 by 7:15 am. Best time yet.
eddyramrod Posted November 9, 2015 Author Posted November 9, 2015 Well sounds like it is nothing too serious. The lying cow I bought it from said the previous owner really looked after it but it seems he was pretty shit at servicing. It did look like it had a new oil filter on it though. Good luck with it did the guy collect his gearbox as I haven't heard anything from him since he paid me.Yes, he turned up with two young nephews (17-18-ish) and went away happy. Good to have young backs for the lifting! I got a text when they got home too.Zit drives much better now than it did on Saturday!
eddyramrod Posted November 9, 2015 Author Posted November 9, 2015 I should also mention... the V5 came today! Now that's service! The Moog 1
taxi paul Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 Of course its ok. Its a Rover. Glad it was an easy fix. eddyramrod 1
phil_lihp Posted November 9, 2015 Posted November 9, 2015 That's a bizzare one, how can a plug pop out like that? Presumably it's just worn threads on the plug? Anyway, I'm glad it was such an easy fix, still can't believe the timing for it to go just after the handover.
Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 Is it just me or am I getting a vibe of 'flippin nora what did I even enter this auction for?' off ERR? I know the feeling well myself to be fair. eddyramrod 1
panhard65 Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 That's a bizzare one, how can a plug pop out like that? Presumably it's just worn threads on the plug? Anyway, I'm glad it was such an easy fix, still can't believe the timing for it to go just after the handover. I can believe it with this car !!! Hopefully now it has found a loving home it will start behaving itself. Just don't throw large amounts of money at it as it won't thank you for it.
hairnet Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 That's a bizzare one, how can a plug pop out like that? Presumably it's just worn threads on the plug? Anyway, I'm glad it was such an easy fix, still can't believe the timing for it to go just after the handover. no its bellends that do stuff they shouldnt (prev to panhard obv) happened to me to a bike at a stealers they got told to fix it via trading standards then i sold it on ive only ever used them for parts as thats all theyre good for and its been 15 years
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