What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[ashmicro]

Good work your Lordship! I reckon the Chinese have given up on the MSG6 in the UK. No diseasel, no auto yet, and the Flea is some time off. If they were a wee bit less money (to get a foothold a la Proton/Hyundai/Kia at the start) and they actually advertised them at all they might have a success, but I reckon HQ has bottled it for the UK and Europe. The one I looked at seemed well enough appointed, and a good size, boot included. I didn't drive it (just as well, it was inside a shopping centre!) but it looks much better than an Inshitnia, and even if the engine was as rough as an industrial rock crusher, there's no way it could drive any worse. I liked it, and the very bored young woman standing with the car was amazed and delighted that (a) someone was interested in it, namely me, and ( I knew quite a bit about it.

 

I would have taken some pics, but she was already somewhat unnerved by me pointing to the cap on the expansion tank and saying "See that? MG Rover part number PCD100160"

 

Cheers for your pics Sterling.

[Felly Magic]

Ashimicro has it bang on. If it was a couple of grand cheaper, and advertised with a Kia equalling 7 year warranty (even though we know from experience how worthless that is), and a lower VED bracket, it could have been a hit. But MG UK seems to be a damp squib, and it annoys me greatly, and I do feel sorry for the poor sods at Longbridge, who must clearly be in fear of their jobs, thanks to empty final assembly lines.

[Cavcraft]

Cheers L.S, genuinely enjoyed that write up and it's good to have a hands on experience from a fellow shiter. I think they're a good looking car and funny how in your first picture it makes the 75 look tiny but in the other it looks about 'normal'.

Maybe they won't be hug volume sellers but that's not the point (at least not on Autoshite, imho) and when they fall into 'our' price range I'd definately buy one to see what they're like.

[ashmicro]

Cavette in 2018: "N Series Turbo just kicked in YO!"

[Cavcraft]

Cavette in 2018: "K-seal just kicked in YO!"

 

EFA

[AnthonyG]

Some bird just tried to run Phil Mitchell over in the ghastly East Enders. Not normally worth a grin, but I think she was using a Hillman Avenger .

[AnthonyG]

Is there a dealership at Longbridge or did you know someone there LS?

 

I've only seen one on the road, how long have they been out?

 

As others have pointed out, a bit of advertising might have helped - I think they have a long way to go.

[Negative Creep]

A few weeks ago I bought a pizza, which had pretty much deforsted by the time I got it home. I'd paid a whole £1.49 so wasn't about to bin it, hence put it in the bottom of the freezer.

 

Anyway, a few days ago I had nothing left to eat so rather than crisps for tea, decided to cook the pizza. Still don't have food posioning. Back of the net.

[M'coli]

Some bird just tried to run Phil Mitchell over in the ghastly East Enders. Not normally worth a grin, but I think she was using a Hillman Avenger .

Just had a shufty on iPlayer - it's a Vauxhall Viva HC.

[Guest]

[trigger]

Just had a shufty on iPlayer - it's a Vauxhall Viva HC.

 

I thought it was an Allegro!

[warren t claim]

Yes I am.

 

Here come the lizards!

[Cavcraft]

/\

 

I'd like to trump that though with one of his finest hours...

[trigger]

 

I don't remember being a member of So solid crew! "I've got 21 second Allegro..."

[trigger]

Some bird just tried to run Phil Mitchell over in the ghastly East Enders. Not normally worth a grin, but I think she was using a Hillman Avenger .

 

Thanks to Mr Bottomley.

 

[Pete-M]

[Lord Sterling]

Cheers guys (Exculding that self-rightous Fagic) it was good to be doing something I enjoyed and I know there was a thread sometime back about the new MGs.

 

Is there a dealership at Longbridge or did you know someone there LS?

 

I've only seen one on the road, how long have they been out?

 

As others have pointed out, a bit of advertising might have helped - I think they have a long way to go.

 

There is a dealership in Longbridge, the entrance is a crappy little gate located next to the main Q-gate and the dealers are located in the round building located within the works grounds, its easy to book a test drive, just walk into a dealers (If there is one local to you) book a test drive, turn up, take car out, thrash it, hand it back. The cars have (apparently) been out since November last year.

 

Agreed with the advertising strategy or rather lack of it. I would have thought marketing would be high on the agenda. I'm sure they'd sell more with more/better advertising, so far, I've probably seen the television advert twice so far. They are a bit salty price-wise, 15-20k is a bit much for what really is a pretty average car, particularly at a time like this.

[scooters]

the arse on that MG looks a wee bit like a Ford Puma to me

 

interesting stuff LS, suspect that they're not really interested in the european Market with this one though!

[ashmicro]

That's about right, I'd say Scooters. MG is a recognised brand in Western Europe, and vehicles of this type, fine and dandy as they might be, aren't what Johnny Westerner associates with the brand. Emerging markets are being hit with brands left right and centre at the minute, so the tenuous link to a classic British marque will be more readily accepted.

[RedSparrow]

I kind of expect the new MGs to have the piss ripped out of them on the next series of Top Gear. Which should just about finish off the attempts to sell them here.

 

Interesting to hear from someone who has tried one - cheers Lord Sterling. The interior does look very featureless, and I HATE that steering wheel for some reason.

Spend a shitload more on advertising and knock £2000 off and they might shift a few I recon.

Fleet buyers? Dunno.

[dollywobbler]

Fleet buyers are never going to go anywhere near it due to the tax/emissions situation. It's a car for enthusiasts really, but how many car enthusiasts are going to stump up that much for a pretty ordinary saloon? About as many as have already bought one I guess.

[AnthonyG]

15-20K is very salty indeed, its a lot more than a Kia Ceed or Hyundai i30, which realistically is what a lot of the prospective buyers will be shopping against, even though those two might be a bit smaller.

 

Also the Skoda Octy and the new Hyundai i40(?) are the same size, and a lot better value.

 

You can get a nice spec new Focus for well under 20K as well.

[trigger]

1985 Suzuki Alto FX in Ipswich by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

I've just seen this car parked in my works car park tonight!, Someone must have recently bought it as I haven't seen it there before even though I've spotted it before as you can see last year, Sadly no pictures tonight as it was dark and too many people about but someone down the docks clearly appreciates shite!

[M'coli]

^^^That rocks!!!

[Minimad5]

The woman i bought the Fiesta off has one of these Altos'

Reminds me to take a picture

[wuvvum]

Leaving off work today, two of the fittest lasses in the office (and the office where I work now isn't badly off for attractive women) walked out together. Boss asked if they were up to anything this evening. Apparently one of them has just moved house and they were going looking for rugs. Unfortunately when she announced this to the boss, "we're going rug hunting" came out as "we're going rug-munching". Cheers Wend, that's my masturbatory fantasy sorted for this weekend...

 

Then on the way home, filling up the Rover of Doom with diseasel, two pumps across was a tidy black F-plate Orion Ghia being filled up by a youngish chap. Then just as I was about to leave, a B-plate Audi 80 pulled up behind me. Bearing in mind that it's rare to see anything older than a 51-plate in that garage, three old crates at once wasn't bad going.

[myglaren]

[Timewaster]

two of the fittest lasses in the office

 

To quote some other forums:

Pics or STFU!

or

Pics or it never happened!

[warren t claim]

two of the fittest lasses in the office

 

To quote some other forums:

Pics or STFU!

or

Pics or it never happened!

 

Wuvvum, do you have them on Facebook? Can you get us fellow shiters some pics? Ta!

[eddyramrod]

Those pics will appear about two days after mine of my landlady!

 

Actually that might not be such a remote prospect. (Norm, you really should have made sure you stuck around!) She was here yesterday with her daughter to choose two of the puppies. When she collects next week I might be able to talk her into a photo with them...

 

*strictly suitable for public viewing, of course!