My MG’s

My ownership of MG’s since 1996 charts the ups and down of my life over that time. However, that I keep on coming back says a lot about the appeal of owning and driving an MG.

First MG was a 1.8i MGF in British Racing Green. At the time there was a waiting list of about two months for ex-factory MGF’s, which I avoided by buying the demonstrator with 247 miles. I owned this MGF for five years, only selling it because I was doing more hydrology consultancy and convinced myself that I needed a 4x4. Selling that MGF was extremely hard, made worse by the retrospective realisation that the Freelander was not that vital, although that is slightly rose tinted thinking, as it did need some work when cash flow was a wee bit critical.

With perspective and cash flow reviewed, I was able to buy another MG. While looking at MGF’s, a dealer put a couple of pre-registered TF’s my way. Eventually I chose a TF135 ‘Cool Blue’ in Starlight Silver over another British Racing Green example only because it was loaded with goodies. To be honest, I did not warm to the TF, finding it not as friendly looking as the MGF. In addition, the colour did not grow on me so, when I became a family man, there was not too much regret in changing to something more sensible. Think if I had bought the British Racing Green version, might have looked at getting the Golf as a second car so clearly it was all about the colour.

Still, the hankering did not go away and, with prices softening, an MGF as a second car was a possibility. I looked at some tired British Racing Green examples (and nearly got an ‘Abingdon’, which I think are cool) before finding a Nightfire Red VVC. Although in good condition for its age, it still needed a fair bit of work to the brakes, coolant pipes, tracking and gear change. Then the head gasket failed :-(. Anyway, all sorted and was a very enjoyable drive until needed to downsize the number of cars I owned. All I can say is that somebody got a very well sorted car.

This brings me to the latest MG, which is a late model TF135 in deep metallic blue. Again, a change in circumstances meant I had to sell a larger car to buy something small and cheap. After playing around with a Polo shaped future, the penny dropped that if I want something small and relatively cheap to run, it does not have to be boring. Add a two year warranty that specifically includes the head gasket and I bit.

It is actually hard to describe why the MGF/TF is such good fun to drive. It does not flatter the driver and pushed hard will display all the vices associated with a mid-engine configuration, so is not a car for the novice or unthinkingly vain driver (so not for hairdressers!). However, and this is one of the things that irritates the life out of road test reviewers, neither is it so needlessly vicious that it is impossible. An unexpected plus is the friendliness of other MG drivers … it was a surprise the first time a driver of an older MG (a Midget) waved. Slightly old fashioned and an antidote to vicious modern roads.

Now here is a strange thing … I have never owned an MG from new. Guess what I will be doing should I ever get lucky.