MG ZS - Good or a world of pain?

[Father Ted]

Found one local, in my budget, they will take the dull but dependable Micra in part chop.

 

Am I entering a world of spectacular pain or will I be having the most fun I can with my trousers on?

[revolting peasant]

[Cavcraft]

Why the hell not? If the history is good and the coolant looks the part it's surely worth the gamble?

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

They're good cars, mostly Honda bits from the early 90s, a bit cramped inside.

The 19 year old me had a K-series 416 and it didn't turn into a geyser in spite of my best attempts.

[shite_meister]

As above re: head gaskets.

 

I used to work in the service dept of an MG Rover 'dealership' (I say dealership it was just the parts & service since the company went tits up) and saw a few of these in, what engine are we talking? a chap used to bring a nice blue V6 in every week to us with new problems, it sounded really nice and had he not stuck some wanky faux rally style mudflaps on dare I say it would have even looked nice. The only other problems I know with these is the clutch hydraulics (I'm pretty sure from memory that the slave cylinder and master cylinder come as one unit) Oh and a few minor immobiliser probs but certainly nowhere near as bad as a Rover 75 in terms of problems.

 

I seem to recall most of the motoring press were impressed with the handling of the ZS not bad considering it was just a re-heated 400.

[Guest]

Loads of them in use as taxis around Castleford area, they even have a compound where they fix smashed-up ones.

[Negative Creep]

Thread on PH recently might be helpful

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... 20zs%20180

[Father Ted]

1.8 120BHP engine.

70k miles, garish bright yellow and £800.

12 mths MOT too.

[Cavcraft]

1.8 lumps seem to be the worse for HGF but £800 certainly seems fair enough, what year is it?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Well, it's 800 quid.

 

It could go wrong, but bear in mind that you only ever hear of the ones that go wrong, and not the thousands that don't. For the coin, just buy it if you want it and worry about problems if and when they crop up. If it lasts as long as the MOT, you've had a result!

 

I bet it would break well if it did turn out to be a lemon.

[seth]

Thread on PH recently might be helpful

 

Just about every hot clio, ATR, Puma, Focus ST170, Bini, 205, 309, 106 all outclass the MG

 

Have you driven a ZS180?

 

Nope and have no desire to sample one.

 

Always good to talk from a position of knowledge and first hand experience eh?

 

I have run and been involved with enough crappy BL/Rover/MG products in my time to see them for the dogs they are.

[Negative Creep]

Best fwd handling car I have ever driven

 

Well Tiff Needles said it was the best FWD car he'd driven bar none, but what does he know?

 

I know someone who, when his b!tch of a missus binned him and went back to Belgium or whatever, all he managed to walk away from the relationship with was HER Integra that he bought for her.

 

He sold it and got a mark 2 v6 one of those instead. Guess what, he rated the MG higher, just simply a better all rounder.

 

Quite possibly the best value FWD sports saloon you can buy. I'm not convinced it's the best, but it is very good and a lot closer to things like the Integra than the price difference would lead you to believe.

 

Very very nice. And when people say things likea DC2 was better then I'd say that's pretty high praise.

 

I do miss mine a hell of a lot and I think they're brilliant cars. For the amount of stick the cars and brand get, the ZS especially is a really good car. If it were sold as a Honda or even a VW it'd get a lot more love and following.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I like how they're comparing two completely different cars only linked by ancestry.

[dollywobbler]

I rate them, and a lot of Honda Civic suspension goodies can be fitted to make them even better. If you're into that sort of thing. They seem pretty well sorted to start with. I'd give it a coolant flush as soon as you can.

 

I'd love a ZS V6, but the engine's an utter pig to work on, they're rather thirsty and they're in an OMG PLANET KILLA tax group. K makes more sense.

[Pete-M]

If it doesn't do a kettle impression it'll be quite a fun thing to drive.

 

I've not driven one since they were new but they were pretty good fun. Kinda chunky feel to 'em, but went well enough and handled well. Not much suspension travel but as long as you avoid bumpy roads it'll be fine.

 

I'd rather have a working ZS than a Micra, but the Micra is a lot more likely to keep working. Having said that, I see a lot of Rovers in garages getting the heads done so there must be people out there who can fix 'em properly.

[254575]

In the 6 months I have had mine the auto box, abs and the hgf have gone. It's pretty much unusable now.

 

But it does put a grin on your face with it's excellent handling and rev happy engine.

[shite_meister]

I like how they're comparing two completely different cars only linked by ancestry.

 

I belive they're using the Interga Type R as a bench-mark as its considered by many to be amongst the best handling FWD cars made rather than comparing them because they're a similar type of car in terms of performance or the old Rover/Honda history.

[Father Ted]

Well that particular one seems to be a world of pain

Non working drivers window and mayo on the dipstck & filler (but very clean headder tank) made me think twice about this one. There is a ZR with the 2.0 dizzler though up in Blackpool that I might go and look at.

[dollywobbler]

Well that particular one seems to be a world of pain

Non working drivers window and mayo on the dipstck & filler (but very clean headder tank) made me think twice about this one. There is a ZR with the 2.0 dizzler though up in Blackpool that I might go and look at.

 

To be honest, the dizzler is a better bet. Very easy to tune them up and it's not a bad old engine at all. There's something very right about a ZR. Great work by Peter Stevens on the bodykit. Makes me cry when people meddle with them. You can't improve something that's already great!