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MG MGF Technical - Its a long road !....

I about to do my first long drive - London to Inverness and i've got a 2001 (y), I am particularly novice with my MGF (only just got it really) and quite worried about the distance ? what should I make sure of ...before attempting !
DJ Brown

All the usuals,
tyre pressure (all 5),
tyre tread
coolant level (on the seam)
oil level and colour (golden)
screen water level (under the bonnet behind the tyre)
decent wipers

Also
a good wax will make the flys eaier to get off later,
Rain-X does the same for the screen
Hood down is better

Earplugs if you plan on very long trips at high speed.
Will Munns

Will,

what about some good music on the way?

Cheers,
Branko
Branko

Going at 80+ can get really wearing because of the noise, try going a bit slower and enjoy the scenery - it will take you an hour longer but you won't feel like someone has been hitting you with a stick all day! In the unlikely event it is sunny and hot try unzipping the rear window but leave the hood up, good for motorways without the constant bararge again. I did north Yorks to south Devon a while ago and it was very comfortable and I am 6'3" so you should be ok. If you stop at motorway services, slow down a mile before the junction and let the car cool for a couple of mins before switching off as the engine will be really hot and the coolant flow will stop. Good luck and enjoy.
Tony

Hi DJ,

I did Antwerp to Aberdeen in one go when I collected my F.

Enjoyed every minute of it!

Have a great trip to the Highlands!!!

Sam
Sam Murray

I'm about to do Didcot to Whitby, a week in the North Yorkshire Moors, then back to Didcot, not as long as some of the above, but my checklist is:

Wrap-around sunglasses (avoid watery eyes in the wind)
Collection of MP3 disks / CDs
Fuel & spare can
Washers
Oil
Tyres (pressure and tread)
Girlfriend's hat!!!

Enjoy the drive, Inverness is lovely (I'm going there in 2 months, but on the sleeper from Euston!!!)

Martin
M Mottershead

Picked up my first mgf from Leatherhead and drove to Stranrer in Scotland and then acroos on boat to home.

Enjoyed every minute, was fantastic, just took it easy and had no problems. Ensure you don't reve to hard until oild temp comes up.

I'd join the AA for piece of mind as if long way from home and god forbid, how the heck do you get home. If you hear a strange noise you aren't panicked with "Oh boy what if it breaksdown."

Brian

PS RAC or other lot, I'm not an AA salesman.
brian

@DJB

Normal car preparation, good sleep before hand and ENJOY.

In theory it's less than 600 miles and gets better as you progress North.

I've done the trip Herts to Pitlochry a number of times on both 2 and 4 wheels, sometimes with a nice overnight near the Borders but generally straight through. Last year from Ullapool to home and this year from Aviemore to home.

I try to avoid the M1/M6 as much as possible, preferring the A1 to Scotch Corner and the rolling A68 through to Edinburgh then away.
John Ponting

Sun tan lotion as if the weather is nice and roof down it is amazing how burnt you get.

The main thing enjoy the drive I have driven over 400 miles on 1 trip in one hit and over 2000 miles in 2 weeks with no problems.

Tom
Tom Randell

Support everything said above. Roads get easier the further north one goes, take it easy, enjoy and if you see a Nightfire Red VVC in the Alnwick area do not forget to wave.

> preferring the A1 to Scotch Corner and the
> rolling A68 through to Edinburgh then away.

A68 is a bit of a twisty roller coaster with, north of the border, a camera on every decent overtaking stretch. Better is to follow the A1/A1(M) to Morpeth and take the A697. Same great scenary, more former Roman road sections for hassle free overtaking. Even the eight cameras between Coldstream and the A68 are all easy to spot (although one looked a bit overgrown last week) and still one can overtake.

If you have time after Perth, there is some interesting driving that sort of parallels but largely avoids the A9 (go via Braemar and Tomintoul). Take a map and enjoy.

Chris
Chris Reeves

Definitely do the Braemar/Tomintoul route on the way there or back.

You'll then want to book up on Highlander 2006 run. See www.csmgf.co.uk for details.

Sam
Sam Murray

< Girlfriend's hat!!! >

Oh bugger... we did all our packing last night and are ready to go to Ireland at the end of the day... and I forgot the above... luckily she's just had a haircut (quite short) so hopefully there won't be any complaints about the hood being down... and secondly I've put her on the F's insurance while we're away so if there's complaints she's gonna be staying on the left side of the car ;-)

Oh, happy hols...

Chris
Chris Tromans

if she complains just threaten her that most men who have affairs do so with women who have longer hair than their current squeezes - that should quieten her down a bit!...have a great hols.
Tony

Interesting statistic Tony... thanks... I'll mention it later... although, looking at the weather out there I should be taking the hard top with me (if I had one, which I don't) :-)

Chris
Chris Tromans

Heh heh - superb.

Glad to see I'm not the only one with a long-haired girlfriend who needs it tied in a pony tail or summat :)

Funnily enough - she is added to my TFs insurance from the first day of our holiday - putting her on took £100 off my premium!!!

Hmm, ideas for two new "F General" threads there!

Happy driving folks (though if is raining for you all like it is for me just now, watch those front wheels - especially those with 160s and no spare wheel to weigh it down).

Martin
M Mottershead

"In the unlikely event it is sunny and hot try unzipping the rear window but leave the hood up, good for motorways without the constant bararge"

Make sure you use the popper studs on top of unzipped window to anchor it to the T-bar studs. Else it gets sucked out the rear.
Russell Parslow

Current weather conditions in Aberdeen - SCORCHIO!
Sam Murray

Thanks Sam... Current weather conditions in Cambridge - PISIO DOWNIO ;-)

But hopefully Ireland will be a lot nicer...

Martin... I've tried to persuade her to shave it bald... but, after getting slapped and then explaining I meant her head, she flatly refuses :-)

Chris
Chris Tromans

This thread was discussed between 23/08/2005 and 24/08/2005

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