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MG MGF Technical - What is the live mileage for a VVC engine

I am about to buy an MGF, and am particularly interested in an early 99 MGF VVC. This comes with 56000 miles on the clock and full MGSH.
This looks genuine and cambelts were replaced at 46000 miles.
It seems that this is above average miles for a four year old car, and this makes me a little hesitant in actually signing the purchase.
I am interested in you experienced expects out there, giving me any thoughts on the normal live expectacy would be, assuming the service history is probally carried out on MGFs or whatever.
Thanks - Mike
Michael Boyce

We have recently had an F that got to 132000 miles before being replaced by a (?) ZR and and regular contributor has just passed 100000.

Several BBS contributors have had their cars from new in 1996/97 including some which have been used for competition.

My question would be: Why were the cambelts changed so early in the cars life? Cambelts are scheduled for 5 years/60000 (which ever is earlier).

It may be worth looking around a bit more - now is a better time to be buying than selling (wet, cold, dark etc) and there are a lot of lower milage cars available.

A few of them have even appeared on this BBS over the past few days - scroll down a bit on MGF General and MGF Technical and you should fins a couple.

HTH
JohnP

I don't think at 14000 miles a year is that excessive really.

If you're lucky, the new cambelt may have been done when the car's first head gasket failed and had to be replaced. That would mean that the car probably now has the new uprated head gasket, and thus is less likely to suffer from the MGF's generally accepted Achilles' heel, the head gasket failure.

I have read this BBS for a couple of years now, and I have not got the impression that there is any particular problem with F's going beyond 100000 miles. Rear windscreens and old head gaskets may not survive as long as the rest of the car, though!
David Bainbridge

Nor will the front-to-rear coolant pipes, come to that.

I also would be worried about the cam-belt replacement. Why would you do that other than as a pre-emptive part of Head Gasket fix? Mind you, if there's a genuine reason for the fix, then it'll save you the cost of the 5-year service, when they should be changed.

E
Ed Clarke

I'm with you on that Ed - sounds as though the head gasket recently failed, and the cam belt was replaced at the same time as the engine was reassembled as it is very easy to do at this time.

History of HGF is not a killer for the sale of this car - but you need to be sure that all work was carried out thoroughly, and the head was properly checked before reassembly.
Rob Bell

Thank you all for answeering my question, I fact the car has been sold to someone else now, so will start looking again. Your comments have been very useful.Mike
Michael Boyce

Mike

You have mail, may be of interest if you're on the look again

DJ
DJ

Just change your oil & filter evry 4.000 miles hun.
and she will go for years...........ask mike ;)

Hugs Natasha...
Natasha Storme

'tash, good to see you are alive and well.Still thinking of chopping the Tahiti VVC for a 1.6TF?
Mike.
mike

PS, 'tash still getting your speedo's from groundhog??
Mike.
mike

now now Mike.
don,t now may b ??
Question Mike?

when are you going to make a 3 pot calliper for the front so we can use it with your big brake kit and can you put your name on the side and two pot for the back.
the 3 pot would fit inside the vvc wheels

calliper in red your name in white...........

hugs

Natasha....
Natasha Storme.

This thread was discussed between 02/02/2003 and 09/02/2003

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