Better than any company car (MG MGB)

Member Name: mmillmor

Product:	MG MGB
Date:	19/09/00 (2061 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An absolute classic

Disadvantages: Expensive, cold, noisy, they break down

Three years ago I was driving around in a company Vectra. It was nice and warm, easy enough to drive, no trouble to look after, and it was indistinguishable from any other car on the road at all. I decided to make up for this by going to the other end of the scale and buying myself an MG BGT.

There are several choices of what type of classic MG to get. The first one is Chrome Bumper or Rubber Bumper.

The rubber bumper cars were altered for the American market to make them safer. Unfortunately in the process they ruined the handling and the appearance. The only advantage is that they are newer and so may have less faults.

The chrome bumper cars are all pre 1974. They have the advantage of looking better, handling better, but of course they cost more.

The next choice is Roadster or GT.

The advantage of a Roadster (convertible) is that it is great in the sunny weather, cruising round with the top down, and is arguably what owning a classic car is all about. The disadvantages is that it is noisy, cold in winter and wet whenever it rains, and costs a bit more.

The advantage of a GT is that you have a car that is a bit more bearable in winter, and looks more like an old Porsche. The disadvantage is that it is not as classic, and can be harder to sell again.

The next choice that you have to make is do you want to buy a restoration project, or a car that is in good condition.

A restoration project is a car that is in far from good condition. People typically spend all of their evenings and weekends in the garage for years, scouring scrapheaps for the part that they need, and spending a fortune on welding equipment and so on. It's a labour of love that results in a car that you will never forget. It can be great fun, but don't underestimate how much of your time it can take up.

If you do not have the time/skill/desire to give up all of your spare time for the car then you can quite easily buy
an MG in perfect running order. The outlay will almost certainly be far less than it cost the previous owner to get it and keep it in that condition, and you will have a car to use straight away.

Other things to look out for when buying an MG are;
Overdrive is best for motorway driving
An unleaded head in the car is very common - don't buy a car without one.
A sunroof can be nice in a GT - the webasto ones are meant to leak less than the glass ones.
Look underneath for rust. A well cared for car will be well waxoil'd
Join the MG owners club - you get access to cheap spares, and plenty of advice.
A pre-1973 car will not have any road tax to pay - all after that do.
Ask what has had to be fixed. If it hasn't been fixed it is probably about to go.

On that last point, bear in mind that old cars that do not have problems, are just old cars with problems waiting to happen. Don't kid yourself that the car you have your eye on will not go wrong. They all do.

Also bear in mind that when you drive an MGB, there is no-one on the road who can look down to you because they have a better car. You have chosen to spurn the company rep-mobile and are driving in style. Despite the stupid amount of money that I have spent on mine over the years, I have no regrets in buying one. I now have an alpine white 1973 MG BGT that is in superb mechanical condition, runs throughout the year, and if my work hadn't moved office to really close to my house, I would drive it every day.

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