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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - It's Not was is desirable, it's what is available!!!!!!!

It’s not what’s desirable; it’s what’s available!

So here I am, decided to ditch the 306, no problem you think. Well no it is. I would like an MG, but they either have silly high seats and bad brakes or are too heavy and slow. What about the Cooper-S than? Yes great mid size car (it is NO MINI) but if I wait till xmas!

Ok,OK what about the ST170? Well with the ST it’s not a case of delivery time would be owner, but delivery of any performance! Honda type “R”? Well its fast if you can keep it on the cam and like “Blakes7” styling. Sexy it is not and 12-14 weeks delivery.

Ok.OK! Vauxhall Astra Turbo than? Seats to high, crappy build, new model (GSI) out in Sept. Which leaves Mega only one real choice, The Skoda RS Turbo!

My local dealership has 2 on order, should have one in the next 2-3 weeks. Test-drive no problem. I picked up the phone 3 times to ring today. I should buy it, VW build Spot on driving position, Seats by Recaro, high toque engine that can do both big miles and big bhp!

In the end, in Britain you don’t have much of a choice at all!
Sadly
Mega.
Mike MEGA

Interestingly enough, 'Fast Car' mag did a test on both the ZS and the Skoda recently. The ZS was the one which they prefered.
JLD

YES
BUT THAT JUST SHOWS WHAT LOAD of crap "Fast car" is. "Top gear" tested it and they said the RS pissed all over the ZS!!!

Go back to marking Homework JLD!
Mike MEGA

So Mega, your not buying an MG (I think we all saw that one coming)

Does this mean your going to P*** O** and leave this board alone, or are we still going to be subjected to your ranting?
Tony

Skoda.... Desirable ... never BOTH in the same sentence surely. Doesn't equate.
Silver Machine....

>> "Top gear" tested it and they said the RS pissed all over the ZS!!! <<

Top Gear said that - must be right then. Stands to reason - these professionals know what they're talking about. Everybody with half a brain knows that. OR, possibly and more likely, the Skoda had a coolant leak following latent mods?

Funny old game people and cars - Have a nice one .... :o)

John McFeely

John McFeely

Mike
I only deal in facts so here goes.....Top gear november 2001

ZS180 Octavia RS
0-30mph(secs) 2.9 3.1
0-60mph 7.2 7.8
0-70mph 9.6 10.2
0-100mph 19.4 19.8
0-110mph 24.7 25.3
30-50 in 3rd 4.4 4.9
30-50 in 4th 6.1 7.6
50-70 in 5th 9.7 9.7
Clamined Max/tested mph 139/133.9 146/139.3
Standing 1/4 mile 15.7/91.4 16.2/89


As you can see mike the RS does not piss all over the ZS by any stretch of the imagination.:O)
You may also be interested to know that when Driven tested the ZS against the RS on the track the RS was the chipped one that had been banging in 0-60's in 6.7. The ZS still beat it!
I feel if anyone one should be doing his homework about future car purchases, it should be you !
hope this helps

Peter Hitchens
Peter Hitchens

Nice one Peter.

Just to keep you folks informed with tests outside the UK.
The French magazine "Echappement" in January tested MG ZS 180 against Skoda Octavia RS.



MG ZS 180 / Skoda Octavia RS

0-100km/h 7.1 / 7.8
0-200km/h 36.5 / 34.5
Standing 400m 15.3 / 15.9
Standing 1000m 27.9 / 28.8

400m from 50km/h in 4th 15.8 / 16.1
1000m from 50km/h in 4th 29.2 / 29.7
80-120km/h in 5th 11.6 / 10.2
80-150km/h in 5th 21.2 / 18.7

Max/tested km/h 224 / 229

Brakes (m) from 130km/h 71 / 72
Brakes (m) from 160km/h 105 / 106

Price (Euro) 23000 / 25000

So the figures are close, but much more important the French magazine gives the MG a 3:0 win over the Skoda because they liked especially the performance of the V6, the handling of the car and the seats which are very supportive.

THEIR CONCLUSION: GOD SAVED MG


cheers
Marco
Marco Harzenmoser

Look Lads
The MG has a bloody awful driving position, bad brakes, iffy build. The Skoda came 4th in the J.D.Power this week. The seats are fine (maded by Recaro) as is the position.

As for performance, well as Autocar found it can be chipped to 225 BHP!!!

No contest!
Mega
Mike MEGA

FAO: Mega

A Lad at my brothers work has an RS Skoda and is slightly disapointed with its performance. When he had a run in my 180 which i was testing last month he said the performance of the 180 seemed substantialy better in respect to handling, feedback, speed, pulling power, torque, oh and looks (is that just about everything!!!), So come on scouser forget "fast car", "Top Gear" this is the likes of me and you testing a car - proper justification!

I thing the skoda is a nice looking car, but unlike the 180 i am starting to see an rs everytime i go for a drive, unlike the 180 where i have only seen 2 on the road in the last 4 months!!!!,

Skoda, Peugeot, Minis!!!!, vauxhall - standard cars for standard drivers!
K Heaton

Bugger off and buy it then. hope you'll be very happy. And if your'e still hanging around here afterward, we'll assume something is seriously wrong with it.
ace

We all know J.D. Power is a crock of SH*% , and only Skoda drivers are sad enough to write in for it!!!!!

Surely if it was accurate the Scooby or Evo would be at least above it ??? Sorry to swear boys.

As for driving position and brakes I think you could do a lot worse, when was the last time you sat in an STi, like riding on wooden cart wheels.

But anyway, I have had a go in a Skoda before buying the ZS and whilst I would say standard form (not chipped) is pretty comparible for perfomance, the ZS is a much more fun car and has the GRIN factor with no Skoda Stigma attached to it!! and hopefully none of the major depreciation enjoyed by both Skodas and the older Rovers.

If you really are so biased against the MG's then why do you bother coming here other than for the wind up factor? Have you tried a 180 Cupra yet, they are worth a look.. but thinking about it the only thing that would satisfy your picky tastes would be a Maclaren F1 and that would probably be too noisy !
mikeh

Mega, surely it must be your WIFE?! who is p!$$ed off about the long waiting list for the MINI!!.

Pound to a pinch of salt that if you pull up along side one it will be a "bird" driving it!!!!!!!!!
K Heaton

Mike, Mega, Whatever.

I have just spent ages composing a posting on why you should buy a MG Z car.
It went on about German cars being efficent but boring. How the Skoda RS is such a W*nkers car, and how much fun you would have in a ZR160 or a ZS180.
I even mentioned what a boring twat Michael Shumacher is.

It went on for ages.

Then I realised who it was addressed to.

Why bother - your just a tosser.

ProMGR

M P Nash

Mike, Mega, Whatever.

I have just spent ages composing a posting on why you should buy a MG Z car.
It went on about German cars being efficent but boring. How the Skoda RS is such a W*nkers car, and how much fun you would have in a ZR160 or a ZS180.
I even mentioned what a boring twat Michael Shumacher is.

It went on for ages.

Then I realised who it was addressed to.

Why bother - your just a tosser.

ProMGR

M P Nash

Mega, have you actually *driven* a ZS? The seating position in the ZR I agree is poor, but there isn't much of a problem with the ZS, and the seats are excellently supportive.

I just can't understand what you are whittering on about?
Rob Bell

M P Nash - like your style! Made me chuckle that one!

Good on ya!
Ann Onymous

MEGA, do you have some sort of seat fetish? It seems that every third message you post you talk about the seats. If you have a bad back, see a doctor and ask if there are exercises you can do to improve it. If you want to experience bad seats, come to the US and hire a Dodge Neon. The seats in those have too much lumbar support and after ten minutes in them you feel as if you are bending over backwards. Ten minutes after that, your back will start aching.
Norman Fair

This is a non-issue, it's up to you MEGA what you buy, I don't know why you have to post it to an MG board. Not so long ago you were telling us you were off to buy a Ford, now Skoda...next week? Buy what you like, it's your choice. I am very happy with my ZS and would recommend anyone considering that type of car to take it for a test drive...if they don't like it, it's their decision. I really don't think MGR are going to re-design the seats for you alone MEGA, everyone else putting their cash down on a Z car has already made their choice about what they want. The assessment above is what YOU think of the cars available on the market today (or what the motoring press think of them), people spending their own money can make their own assessment.
Richard

HI Gang
Sorry that i can't come back to everyone. My thanks to "K Heaton" for a good well rounded return. Yes i have tested the ZS and yes a 174.8. Very slow to rev, seats to high and a poor design. Brakes a bit iffy as well. Nice sound though, and i noticed that the ride got better the faster i went.

I wish that the RS Focus or Cooper-S was here, but they are not. So its Vauxhall Astra Turbo or Skoda RS.

Hi Pro!
I see you are still in a vad mood!Please give my regards to your wife, i hope she is well after the car crash. BTW what did you get her as a replacement? and does the exhurst suit you?
Mega.
Mike MEGA

"As for performance, well as Autocar found it can be chipped to 225 BHP!!!"

We have a SEAT Leon 20VT which is chipped and turbo'd up to 240 Brake...

It uses the same engine as the RS :-)

Dave

Mega, please keep threading this board with your usual anti MG twatish comments!!, 22 replys in 3 days keeps me very entertained.

nice one scouser xxx

K. Heaton
K Heaton

Mega, we bought her a 20th Month old 400 series (last of the line). Excellent low mileage, and the condition is like new.
Though as nice a car as it is, to be honest it's not very exciting.

However last weekend I took my beloved to our local MG Rover dealer (Nuffield - Loughborough).
Where there was parked (not for sale) a yellow MG-ZR 120.
There was also parked a Solar Red one.

Emphasis on the colour is because it is the most important consideration as far as my wife is concerned.
The up shot of it is, is that she has now decided that she would rather like one (a ZR that is).

So we are going to part chop the 400 and buy a ZR120. The only problem is she can't make up her mind on the colour.
By the way we both liked the seats, and I am 6'-0".

Mike
M P Nash

This thread was discussed between 30/04/2002 and 02/05/2002

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