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MG MGF Technical - Hydragas sadness

Last month I posted a symptom that my P reg 'F' was squeeling when starting cold, not a belt noise but a metallic oscillating noise, Having swollowed my pride and braced my credit card I took her to my local MGR garage. I was imformed later over the phone that it was in fact the cam belt tensioner which had failed magnificently! The part was approx £30 the labour £240!!!!!!
So imagine my joy when two nights ago when parked next to another 'F' I glanced back to look at them and noticed erm how can I put this, my 'F' appeared to be considerably nearer the ground than the one next to it. Now being used to the fairly harsh ride you get as standard, it had crossed my mind once or twice that it was a bit to harsh, culminating in bottoming out whilst navigating one of those square speed bumps that your wheels pass either side of.
Having once owned a princess, the wedge shaped one, I have experience of hydragas unit failure, having first deposited the passinger side units green blood on the road behind me then the contents of the sump as I hit a raised drian cover with the entire engine which was probably 2 inches off the ground at the time.
Straying slightly from my current dilema, I jacked my money sucking baby up and waved my torch around and there it was a small trickle of green fluid resting in the offside rear suspension just below the hydragas unit and to help me out a bit when i dropped her back off the jack a few fresh drops fell to the road.
So I have two questions:

1)Does anyone have a ballpark figure with regards the cost of supplying and fitting a rear hydragas unit?

2)whilst down there I noticed the casing to the CAT has come apart at the seam that faces the road. What are the cost implications for that?

3)Why do I continue to throw money at something that rewards me with up to 2months trouble free motoring at a time.

4)Does anyone know any good lease companies that do the 'TF' an option that seems to be the only solution to having one on the road?

Did I say 2 questions, I could go on all bloody night, but you've all heard it and many experienced it all ready!!!!
S Callaway

1) may be app 150'ish plus costs for a 4-wheel alignment (not requited if the height gets set to standard 368mm)

2) app. 350 quid if you go for an original. Aftermarket may be cheaper

3) dead easy. Cause you may be as mad as I am. ;)

4) ... where are you located ? (UK owners will recommend, I think)

Regards
Dieter
Dieter K.

I had a hydra gas unit(rear)replaced at the MGF center Wolverhampton last year it was about £110.
dk

I live in Sussex, my bank manager is on cloud nine!!!
S Callaway

I have the pleasure in owning both a Boxster and a F.

The F has cost me more money over the years to keep it on the road than the Porsche.Like you, with the F I was constantly having to put the F in for repairs and hence throwing away my hard earned cash.
But I love my F and I,ve done my best to look after her but now I feel the time is right to see her on her way and buy another Boxster ( wife now drives my 1st Boxster). Ok , the initially outlay for a 2nd hand Boxster is more but that's about it.
A sad time for me and I'll miss the F ( been an MG owner for 20 years) but now common sense has got the better of me.
cheerio all!
jimmy

Just in case it helps, I'm sure I saw genuine MGF cats on ebay recently for £98.00
hth

mike
mike

"The F has cost me more money over the years to keep it on the road than the Porsche"

What's the age difference of the cars?
Pip

This thread was discussed between 27/11/2004 and 28/11/2004

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