SECOND-HAND SENSEThese days it is not a case of whether one would buy a second-hand MG or Rover car from this person or that, rather it is a case of whether one would buy such a car from anyone at all ? The travails of the Rover group have been detailed extensively in Motors, and the future of the company does not look at all promising. So would it be folly to consider buying a car like the MGF, one of the better little sports cars around ?
The most important consideration here is the availability of spare parts. Warranties are not for life, and the MGF is not sufficiently mechanically advanced to pose problems for your average mechanic, so once parts are available then the purchase may well be worth the gamble if you get one in very good condition.
One of Britain's biggest Rover/MG dealerships, Trident, reassures owners by reminding them that it is not Rover that makes the parts, but Xpart, a division of Caterpillar, "a substantial international concern". Xpart says that it will continue the partnership with dealers in Britain and Ireland and "assures" customers they will continue to receive the "world class parts and support that they have grown to expect from Xpart".
But what if there are no dealers left after the dice have finally fallen ? You should be able to get the parts independently, but this might involve the kind of effort with which you could not be bothered.
However, if you are attracted to a car as attractive but less expensive than a Toyota MR2 or a BMW Z3 then the zippy little MGF could be a good investment. The better buy is the 1.6 version but all versions have the option of a hard top to replace the soft top when the seasons are on the turn.
The soft top is by no means the most advanced or attractive on the market - it is draughty and has to be lowered and raised manually. You will certainly feel a degree of exposure to the elements, but the MGF is a fun car to drive, with good but not amazing handling and ride qualities. The interior is also cramped but most such cars are the same. Dials and trim are good and the boot space is reasonable at best.
There have been two significant recalls of the MGF, one in 1998 and one in 2001 (the car was launched in 1995). Both were for problems with seat belts. The car scored four out of a possible five stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests and had an above average pedestrian protection rating.
There are few MGFs on the second-hand market here, perhaps because the car was always eclipsed by the Mazda MX5, the best of the small sports cars. A 1999 version with a 1.8 engine and a hard top included (they are optional extras) has an asking price of €12,000. A 2001 model with 39,000 on the clock has an asking price of €13,950.