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MG MGF Technical - Bonnet released snapped

cant get under the bonnet, what do I do now :(
Colin Ashworth

You lie on the ground under the front of the car and use a very long screwdriver to push the bonnet release catch while somebody stands waiting to lift at the vital moment.

Probably shouldn't put this on a forum but the local Chavs know more ways of getting in to cars than I could even imagine.
John Ponting

mmmm or you call the AA

very nice man, couldnt open the bonnet tho.

trip to local dealer, hour and a half to tell me the bonnet wont open, bring it back this afternoon and we'll fit a new cable and locking mechanism as the existing one has seized

£175, of which about £140 is labour.....

OK I'll claim off my AA PLC cover

Very nice man, wont pay out though, doesnt come under any of his stock headings

I'm having a very bad day :(
Colin Ashworth

Colin,

The common problem is that the cable comes off at the bonnet end, leaving the handle in the boot nice and loose and doing nothing.

When this happened to me my local dealer were able to release the bonnet within seconds via the front grille - the MGR mechanic obviously had experience of doing this before! (I'd spent hours on my back, under the front bumper with a long screwdriver) They then refixed the cable and did something to prevent it happening again - can't remember what exactly, but bending some part of the retaining mechansim or something.

Based on that experience I'd say the chances are your cable is not snapped either and that your local dealer is looking for some business ;-)
Dave Livingstone

Ah if only it was so simple, the AA man told me he could see the cable, its frayed and snapped :(

Apparently the locking mechaism has seized so solidly that a new one will be required.

Oh well Ive had a trouble free few months so I cant complain too much.

There was an 04 TF160 for about 11K parked up, x-power grey, looked very tempting....... oooh I shouldnt :(

Thanks for your input anyway
Colin Ashworth

>>the AA man told me he could see the cable, its frayed and snapped :(

oops - bad luck Colin. However, if you can get the bonnet open and the part sourced, I would have thought it was a relatively simple DIY job. Assuming you can find somewhere warm to work this weekend! The cable run is fairly straightforward. Scarlet Fever may have some suitable pics on his SOS site - where are you Andrew?
Dave Livingstone

Colin,

Have you got a workshop manual ?

Steve
Steve P

hi Steve, I have a manual yes, its sorted now however at the extortionate cost of 175 quid :(

Dave, I only posess 1 tool, and that has 10 numbers and a microphone :)
Colin Ashworth

ho ho ho.
John Ponting

>>Dave, I only posess 1 tool, and that has 10 numbers and a microphone :)

LOL - a few years ago I would never have touched my F as well, but this BBS and the encouragement of other F owners have helped me tackle simple stuff. You could have bought a lot of tools for the £140 labour charge ;-)
Dave Livingstone

This thread was discussed between 23/11/2005 and 25/11/2005

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