Well Ellie:
I am going to start by assuming you are looking at an MGB or a Midget.=20
Both of these were in production for a long time. An old Midget can be =
37 years old, I have also seen '79's with 40,000 miles that I would =
treat like any fairly old used car. MGB's are about the same.=20
=20
As for needing a lot of work: You can frequently perform inexpensive =
maintenance, or you can occasionally perform expensive repairs. They =
need some work so that they DON'T break down. An MG is a fine =
automobile. It was designed in a time and for a buyer who expected to =
perform maintenance more often than on a modern car. Many of them have =
been through many owners, some enthusiasts who have treasured them, some =
kids who have beat on them and some people who have left them to fester =
in garages and barns. Also there was a time (most of the 80's) when =
parts were hard to come by- all MGs on the road today had to survive =
that period - some came through it better than others.=20
Choose your car well (rust is the main enemy - it is always far worse =
than it looks) and it should serve as reliable transport. Find a =
mechanic you trust - yes they are out there. Go through the brakes, =
fuel and ignition systems. Use this list - there are hundreds of years =
of combined MG ownership experience here, and some people who know the =
cars as well as the men who designed them. Soon you will know more than =
you ever expected to about how automobiles work and how to keep your car =
running well. These are basically pretty simple cars and anybody can =
understand them with a little effort.
Newer MGs are less expensive - they are also more complicated, but they =
have a better chance of having been through life without some Dreaded =
Previous Owner (DPO) having performed "less than expert" repairs on =
them.
Are they suitable for large cities? Ask David Deutsch, he drives his in =
New York all the time. There are obvious security problems with a =
convertible, some people say just don't leave anything in the car worth =
stealing and don't lock the doors. This may help prevent the top from =
being sliced, but I lived in New York for enough years to know that you =
stand a fair chance of coming out to find a bum sleeping in your car if =
you don't lock it. There are GT's - a closed car is not what usually =
comes to mind when someone first considers purchase of an MG but it is =
an MGB. I've seen lots of MGs on the streets in Boston, (this is going =
back a few years.) It might be the "college town" thing, but it's =
definitely not as rough as New York. Of course they drive a lot worse =
there. Get a secure parking garage. The good thing about cities is that =
you don't need your car as much for daily life; if you can get by with =
transit, it makes more sense to have a car that is a fun escape.=20
Which brings us to the best reason to buy an MG:
It's the ride of your life.
Phil Vanner
Mk1 Midget =20
-----Original Message-----
From: Ellie Martin [SMTP:zade@somtel.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 1998 5:05 PM
To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: MG questions
Hi All!
I'm new on this, just joined today, and I need some answers! I'm
looking towards buying an MG soon. First of all, do MG's live up to
their reputation of being cars that need lots of work all the time
(a.k.a break down)?? Also, is an MG a good car for a city, like Boston
or New York?
Thanks!
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