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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - So, come on, who's got their new toy?!?!?!

Who's been out with their new baby? Is it fun? Is that why there are no posts saying about it!!!!
Phil

ive got one :o), trophy blue 4 door zs180 and i have had it only a week. its been to holland & back and i cant keep out of it. i wouldn't bother paying for the kenwood £165 cd player its very fiddly.
you also get a lot of attention from other drivers they look the dogs danglies.
kevin neal

Kev,
Will you be showing it to Mr.Flint at Silverstone next week?????
Dave

dave
<Will you be showing it to Mr.Flint>
do you mean as in...... if jerry shows me his, i'll show him mine?..... of course :o)

kevin neal

I picked my Anthracite ZS180 up on Saturday. Is it fun? Yeah, but not as much fun as it will be when it's run in ;-) I reckon that the dealers have done well out of the plate change - I'm sure there are more of the new style plates around than one would normally get for a letter change - but the only other MG I've seen was the Red ZS180 being picked up from the dealer at the same time...

S.
Steve H

Steve, how does the anthracite suit the car? I haven't seen the colour on a ZS (or any other Z car yet for that matter) Oh, and what spoiler option did you go for?
Rob Bell

IF these Z cars are as good as we led to believe then get the message out to the world!

I was speaking to several 'ordinary motorists' over the weekend and the general concensus amongst these people is that it is just another cynical bit of badge engineering - they were not convinced by what I said so it is going to take a lot of people 'BOASTING' about the new MG Zs to get the message across and MGR must get the message across if they are to survive.

Ted
Ted Newman

> how does the anthracite suit the car?

I'm pleased with my choice - I think that it suits the car well. It is a little more restrained than the Trophy Blue, which I feel is a good thing, without looking too ordinary. The chrome grills look particularly good. I also prefer the interior to that in the Trophy Blue models.

> Oh, and what spoiler option did you go for?

I went for the silly spoiler. Having seen a ZS180 with the 'reduced spoiler size' option, I had reluctantly to admit that the picnic table looks the better of the two.

Just as an aside, I have discovered why the IMS is standard on the ZS180. The spare - which I have - is only 15", and will not fit over the uprated front brakes. If you you have a puncture on the front, you have to put the spare on the back and transfer the rear wheel onto the front...

Cheers,

S.
Steve H

>> If you you have a puncture on the front, you have to put the spare on the back and transfer the rear wheel onto the front... <<

Sounds like the better option would be for an alloy wheel spare :) - Why don't they give you the option of this?

Steve.
Steve Childs

When I ordered my ZS I asked about an alloy spare and was prepared to pay some money towards it (other manufacturers offer alloy spares at reduced cost if spec'd as an option), but it wasn't available. In the end I got my dealer to get me a full size steel spare (I hope it fits in the wheel well when my car is delivered). I've never used IMS, but I don't particularly like the idea of it.
Richard

Steve and Richard - I'm open to correction here but, aren't the tyres unidirectional ? Does this mean that you may have to do some swapping around anyway, in the event of a puncture (if you had a full-size alloys and tyre), to stay safe ?

Cheers

Kieren
Kieren Gibson

Kieren, yes you would need to do some swapping, but the spare could always have a bi-directional tyre. Last thing you want is to have to swap two tyres on the M6 when its pissing down with rain.

Steve.
Steve Childs

> I'm open to correction here but, aren't the tyres unidirectional?

That depends. My ZS has got P Zeros on it, which are assymetric rather than directional so there would not be a problem. Those shod with Pilot Sports, however, may have the problem you suggest...

On the tyre changing front, when you get your Z-cars, make sure that the tool for removing the wheel-nut cover is in the tool kit. Mine was missing, which would have made changing a wheel rather interesting!

S.
Steve H

I'll have to look out for anthracite then Steve! Trophy blue seems to be the most popular default choice (no bad thing- lovely colour)- but anthracite could be just perfect.

What does the 'reduced spoiler size' option look like? I've only seen the 'turbo-nutter' version- which, er, I confess to liking, but is not exactly good for rearward vision. Any pictures anywhere? Steve?
Rob Bell

Rob, no pictures yet, but I did see one on a transporter. It doesn't look that disimilar to the standard 45 rear spoiler. It might be a bit restyled, but its of that general look & feel - too boring IMO. The picnic table style (as someone else described it) looks much better, although from the inside, it does rob quite a lot of rear vision. :(

As soon as I see a smaller one, I'll snap it!!

btw, saw a Diesel ZR in a showroom at the w/e - very nice. Roadtest coming up hopefully on Friday eve :)

Steve.
Steve Childs

As someone said to me last week "As long as you can see the Rozzers Blue lights, who cares - But by then yer in the sh*t anyway" Eloquently put I felt.
Haven't seen one yet, but according to the sales team in Mantles ZS180 in Anthracite is the absolute Poodles Puppies - Whatever THAT means

Cheers

Kieren
Kieren Gibson

I'm still waiting to see it in Lemans Green, I think *that* will rock! Saying that, anthracite is a really nice colour, the more I see it, the more I like it.

Steve.
Steve Childs

> What does the 'reduced spoiler size' option look like?

It's very similar to the spoiler on the ZT. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that it suited the shape of the ZS as well as it does the lines of the ZT.

> I'm still waiting to see it in Lemans Green, I think *that* will rock!

I was interested in that colour too but was quoted a delivery date of 2 months later than for Trophy Blue or Anthracite! Guess they haven't started production yet...

S.
Steve H

Yeah, the Lemans Green doesn't go into production until November :(

Steve.
Steve Childs

IMS reflects the change in incidence of punctures and then when this happens the type of deflations. I have IMS and those with many other cars fromt he EC will be familiar with the system. The only factor of IMS I do not like is the reliance on the driver to 1, obey the guidelines when driving after the use of the system and then 2, the visit as soon as practicable after to a tyre retailer or main dealer to effect a permanent solution. I wonder how many will also forget to buy a new contianer of the 'goo' to cover any subsequent puncture. Sods Law will mean that no puncture for many years then at least two in the space of a few miles of days!!

Having only had my car since Saturday (2 weeks early) the visual impact on the road and with pedestrians is immense. Bent necks being the order of the day!

Two incidents so far are both pleasurable and worrying in equal doses.

1, Dual carriagway with stop start rush hour traffic. I'm in the inside lane travelling about 15mph slower than traffic in the outer lane. Passing me is a BMW 3 series with driver looking across. Behind him is a Mondeo whose driver is transfixed towards me. Traffic in the outer lane slows almost to a halt, whilst the inner lane doesn't slow as much. Mondeo with 4 wheels locked up, and after the smoke clears he is at an angle across the road and I am happy that I am still moving!

2, In built up area on a two way road. Following traffic standiung back by a distance of about 100 metres. (Wet road and not wanting to get the car covered in dirt!!) Traffic behind spaced out. Pass Scooby Turbo in side road who comes out behind cars following. Then in rapid succession he zaps past the two cars behind then comes right up behind me and starts analysing the exhaust gas. Leave the built up area and with clear road I keep the limpet who declines the incentive of several opportunities and even me slowing to try and encourage detachment. Methinks I should make up a sign for the back which says, 'Back off ass'ole'!!

Rog
Roger Parker

Roger

Haven't you got any hats left from your last job?

Just put one on the rear window shelf that will keep the tail gaters off I am sure!

Ted
Ted Newman

Rog, wasn't a black Scooby in Birmingham was it? I had one like that last week, stupid a**hole flew up for a close look at my rear bumper, I changed lanes to let him past, he then passes me, switches to inside lane, flies up the inside of a queue of about 5 cars, cuts up the guy at the front to get past a car in the inside lane.

Its people like that who should have their licenses taken away from them.


Steve.
Steve Childs

Roger Parker WROTE:

MUCH SNIPPED << . Methinks I should make up a sign for the back which says, 'Back off ass'ole'!! >>

Most "UnRoger" like .... :o)

How about a simple "Running in Please Pass" sign - dont see that ever in recent years but it was once a familiar sight and confirmation that Yes, I have a new car no need to look at the registration plate. Or, would such a sign in these legally PC days be some kind of invitation infringing some law or other.....:-(

If as I suspect MG-R people read most of these threads surely they will get the message that their Z-cars are real "head turners". Something which the now ultra common Bavarian Sierras no longer do. If those rubber necks are being impressed then the sooner more are seen on our roads the better for MG-R sales figures. If all the cars do drive as well as they look, and most evidence so far confirms this, then once the word gets around the cars should sell themselves...... :o)

JMcF
John McFeely

Ted,

No I haven't, but anyway the ironing board would obscure it!!

Steve,

No A silver one near Northampton.

John,

Not my choice of language, but one that is understood by the type of driver at the wheel of the Scooby.

Rog
Roger Parker

This thread was discussed between 02/09/2001 and 05/09/2001

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