Do Zeds grow old??? [Archive] - theMGZS.co.uk

daytona365

31-01-14, 08:53 PM

I have owned my Zed now for almost 4 years, and a;though covered in love, he is not in prime condition. few scratches, creaks. So I thought, is he getting on?? You know, as a car, is he getting over the hill? I have always thought taht if you love your car, you will keep him for as long as he carries on running, which I hope is longer than me, with my ZED.

Anyway all this got me thinking over my morning coffee, with new car sales at a post crash high, how many other older motors are still running. SO from leavig the garage at 9.30 to do my deliveries, back for lunch and out for the afternoon run, I thought I keep a tally of pre 03 motors. Only private cars were noted, and any that looked like "dead" werent counted. I was pleased to say I counted 675 by the time I finished work. I reckoned on about a 1/4 of my views were Zed age or older, still being run by normal people.

So the moral of this strange story, is that although over 10 years old I feel that if loved and looked after out Zeds are just as good as new cars.

stamford

31-01-14, 09:08 PM

Interesting thread Gordon. My first car I ever bought was 10 years old and that seemed to be really old back then. Today I don't consider my ZS to be 'old' even if it is older than my first car. Mine isn't exactly mint as it needs some body love as it were, but overall is still solid and has plenty of life left in it.

talkingcars

31-01-14, 09:19 PM

I have a feeling that cars still running after ten years are proberbly not Friday afternoon cars.

LozMachine

31-01-14, 09:24 PM

i dont see them as being "old" more Retro with a cult following, believe me when mine starts to feel like its "tired" i will rebuild her , been the most reliable car i have ever owned , 8yrs and 60k+ miles. Cost in that time? Cambelts and rear brake discs & pads , can't complain at that! :thumbsup:

Dan1971

01-02-14, 08:07 AM

I often look at how old my car is compared to others. The thing about it is the difference between privately owned and company.

My morning commute into London for an early turn gets me stuck in traffic at the bottom of the M11 and north circular every time and I very rarely see a car older than mine - 04 - and when I do, more often than not, it's a mashed up van belonging to a tradesman.

All cars will go on for a long time if some care is taken into maintaining them. It's not the cars that are at fault - it's the owners.

mattie007

01-02-14, 08:40 AM

Mine will be 12 years old next month, 8 years under my ownership. It's had the usual ZS issues and wear and tear items but if looked after it should see many years yet. Considering a quarter of its total mileage was done in the last year, it's getting used a hell of a lot more as it's getting older!

stamford

01-02-14, 08:40 AM

The build quality in general is much better than it was 30 years ago, many cars were deemed old purely because of the level of visible corrosion, not so much today. New cars today are more readily affordable which makes many bin 10 year old cars before they are ready. The scrappage scheme also culled a few before they were ready.

My youngest has just traded in her 99 Fiesta for scrap value against a brand new Ibiza for £150 a month, no brainer.

Now it seems its now myself with the 52 plate ZS and the wifes 2000 MGF being the oldest in the household!

sheldore

01-02-14, 09:25 AM

Agree, had an 04 plate vectra that I have to admit I let slip and the cam chain snapped. Bye Bye vectra couldn't be bothered repairing it. However the same week the Clutch and Starter motor went on the Zs and without hesitation I had them fixed. Have to admit compared to the vectra the MG is in mint condition. Plus I no longer needed the Vectra and was looking for an excuse to get rid. Now starting to save up for a ZT V8, I'll use that as a weekend car and enjoy the ZS on the commute to work.

ian zs180

01-02-14, 10:07 AM

my mk2 will be 10 years old in September but its still in good nick and reliable . I also think it doesn't look old or out of place when parked next to some of these much newer cars I think it still looks quite modern to look at and I still get people saying nice car mate which does make you proud to own a mg

peterzs

01-02-14, 10:16 AM

Never been in the position of buying and swapping cars when they get old. Usually run them into the ground.

The ZS was the newest car I have owned and well pleased with it.

Long may it run!!!

:wizard::wizard::wizard:

p_b82

01-02-14, 10:24 AM

It's funny i think of my fiesta as my 'new car' but it is a 58 plate now, so not really that new at all.

It is a lot nicer bodywork wise and squeaks and rattle wise than the ZS - but it has only just covered 23K miles i think it is.... the ZS is on 102K and spends many months laid up due to it 'sulking' or other random factors.

My parents used to drive their cars until they started to be uneconomical to keep on the road when money was tighter, and i remember the old carlton they had was on 170K (and many caravan towing miles) before it was traded in because just too many things were going to need replacing for the MOT one year...

It is funny i dont really consider spending the car's value to repair it as uneconomical (of a car of this age) - as it invariably means that it wont happen again, and you wont get stung for it while it is still fine elsewhere.

Having seen the prices involved in keeping my sister's mini on the road, and her husbands 330csi - both the same era as the ZS - i still think even with my stupidly excessive upgrades, the day to day running costs for wear and tear items is peanuts in comparison. Funnily - they have sold/traded both those cars in as being too expsensive and then impractical...

This April on my birthday I will have had the ZS 10 years - and hope i get the same time out of it again :)

daytona365

01-02-14, 12:56 PM

Im glad that we all feel the same way, I love my car and agree it still looks good compared to newer cars. I love the way he makes me feel, and think that the Zeds are from an age when cars were actually made well. No rusty heaps, no major probs. Plus the net and forums like ours, helps keep the cars going as we all club together to help swap ideas, how to guides, and even physical help at times.............Im off now to tinker with him again lol..

pheelay

01-02-14, 01:10 PM

Having seen the prices involved in keeping my sister's mini on the road, and her husbands 330csi - both the same era as the ZS - i still think even with my stupidly excessive upgrades, the day to day running costs for wear and tear items is peanuts in comparison.

This.

Pricey OEM parts and garage labour costs of owning newer cars VS self maintaining an MGR where cheap parts are available.

I'll run the ZS as long as it's practical, repairs are managable and parts are available. Sadly, it's be the breaking of the remaining Zeds that make that possible and that wont last forever :(

Edit: even ignoring maintenance costs etc, I rather drive the ZS than anything else :)

grimmy

01-02-14, 01:26 PM

The way I judge whether it's getting old or not is that it still turns heads and wee boys look at the car and go "wow" as the car passes them.so for me while it is nearly ten years old it still looks "young"

peterzs

01-02-14, 02:24 PM

And I still smile like a wee boy, when I walk back to the car, when its parked up in a car park.

Still get a kick and the wow factor.

stamford

01-02-14, 03:16 PM

That's it, all the time you walk away then glance back!

Wayne Cherry, a design guru for the Vauxhall Opel group many years ago had a phrase to describe the look he wanted as "down the road styling", or in other words WTF was that! (in a nice way)

The day any of us lose that second glance is the time to move on, however having said that I have no idea what goes on in Dan's head sometimes! :laugh:

peterzs

01-02-14, 05:37 PM

He always comes right in the end Stamford.

:group::group::group: :bow::bow::bow: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

talkingcars

01-02-14, 06:30 PM

Never been in the position of buying and swapping cars when they get old. Usually run them into the ground.

The ZS was the newest car I have owned and well pleased with it.

My mk1 was one of the newest cars I've bought, most seem to be so old I end up selling them to someone else to scrap, break them myself or just scrap them - even GV51 has fallen into that group :(

Supercharged_Z

01-02-14, 07:28 PM

Zs cars do look old if you park them next to a new car but driving down the road alone I think they still have a great presence.

Sadly internally they are extremly old ane its notcibable.

Still as we know as a drivers car there awsome tbh

tcb 180

01-02-14, 11:13 PM

They are just like people. I am nearly sixty with grey in my beard but hardly a grey hair on my head. We have a g reg Astra Gte, A w reg Scooby, A 51 plate Astra 1.7 diesel estate and an 03 plate C220 Merc and they are all great cars. I also loved my zed and thought i would never sell her but I did.

Dan1971

02-02-14, 09:22 AM

BUCKYDEVIL

02-02-14, 11:33 AM

Dan1971

02-02-14, 11:40 AM

Even the Mk2 looks old and past it's best now, not feeling the love anymore for a while now but feel more like Im stuck with it for what it's worth as not worth selling or trading in
I know it inside out & back to front all good bits & bad
kinda like being stuck in a bad relationship
dont respect it anymore & treat it like crap
cant mind the last time I had the urge to look back at it in admiration
but whilst it's still running I cant get rid.

:console:

Not a lot to say to that pal. They are trading in for £500 as we found with the blue one recently, but there is still a market for a good one.

Thing is that we all move on not just with our cars but our lives aswell. Might be that you have more important things to think about, and your car is a tool to get from a to b now. Could be that no matter what you drive, it won't get that look over your shoulder as you walk away.

And then if you were to throw a few grand at changing your car - throw a few grand at the ZS and you're talking major changes and it'd be like a new car ... ;)

BUCKYDEVIL

02-02-14, 11:48 AM

Dan1971

02-02-14, 12:02 PM

Wise words Dan as Guess you more than most people know about moving on then coming back to the ZS
Looking at the works car park with Fous ST's ,Golf VR 32's, Audi TT's, etc
my ZS looks like and old has been
your right that it's just a mode from A to B just now
probably just the doldrums of winter driving and taking it easy
Come the dry weather and spirited foot down will blow the cobwebs away

Mate I'm back and forth all the time - always looking ! There's always been a rationale for selling - and then another for buying back into one. My silver one's awesome right now - best I've had - but - I'm got ebay, Autotrader and the MG260s forum tabs open right now !

Just a character thing I guess. Not that I need to - but if something else came along - so be it ....

stamford

02-02-14, 01:35 PM

If some use their ZS's on a daily basis then I can see why some feel tired of them when you see what is in the works carparks. I'm glad I have a different daily commuter but even my 58 plate Vectra Elite estate is old compared to most but it is a decent tool for what I need it for. The ZS fills in the gap for me and I do still enjoy it.

This morning I started it up and took it for a nice Sunday drive through the country roads. That is where it shows it still has it, I don't care too much that it is old now, as am I! :oldtimer: we compliment each other ;)

grimmy

02-02-14, 01:38 PM

I.see much more modern cars in the works car park but there isn't one that I would swap the zed for new cars all seem to look the same and don't do nothing for me but get where Marcus is coming from.I think.it's just the "i want a change" for the sake of changing that's what I feel anyway.what you need Marcus is a couple of do stuff meets.��

sheldore

02-02-14, 01:38 PM

Since my vectra died, the ZS is now the daily car and to be honest I enjoy driving it too work everyday. It's sits between the Managers Jag and the Fitters Citreon DS3, it may look old compared to them, but haven driven both, I was glad to get back into the MG it's a drivers car and I like to drive.

Ritchy

02-02-14, 04:56 PM

A ZS with properly functioning suspension and everything operating correctly is still a nice car, they drive well, the issue most being at least 10 years old now most have wee issues that annoy you be that the water leak in the boot or an annoying squeak, or perhaps not as clean inside or out as it could be.
Personally I wanted something with a bit more grunt with aircon and xenons ect hence the subaru, and that hasn't turned out as well as I had hoped.

Steven11

02-02-14, 07:01 PM

I had my Zed from new. Had her 10 years and loved every minute I had her. I just sold her on the first of Dec. She had 70,000 miles and was pretty mint excluding the fact the belts needed done and I got £600.

Some things I have noticed since getting my new car. First of all let it be clear I bought 5 Zeds in a row so I loved them and would defend them to the death. however I think its amazing what you just get use to. I picked up a 63 plate A3 2.0 Tdi Sportback Sline185 and I can honestly say I didn't realise how noisy, thirsty, and uncomfortably my Mk2 180 was. The main problem is it's underpowered for the size of the engine. My 2.0 Tdi feels every bit as fast if not faster and im getting 65 MPG now. Its Amazing how quiet the cabin is compared to the Zed, and because the car is put together better the Ban & Olufsen sound system sounds awesome.

I agree that the Zed looks fantastic but Looking at my A3 now is looks so much more modern then the zed. The moral of the story is im not missing the Zed as much as I thought I would.

However my wife's friend who bought the Zed from me came round the other day, and don't ask my why but I felt compelled to go outside and inspect her to see how she was being treated, ended up spending 2 1/2 hours washing, polishing, hovering the works. Wife was looking at me like I was a weirdo. Looked great when I was finished though, So the love is still definitely there. Was just time to move on.

petet16

02-02-14, 07:16 PM

Considering the zs body shell is a 20 year old design with a few face lifts it is hardly surprising that in some respects it looks dated.

The same applies to the power train, it is pretty much unchanged since 2001.

My opinion you buy a zs for what it is, warts and all.

Dan1971

02-02-14, 07:18 PM

.....I didn't realise how noisy, thirsty, and uncomfortably my Mk2 180 was. The main problem is it's underpowered for the size of the engine. My 2.0 Tdi feels every bit as fast if not faster and im getting 65 MPG now. Its Amazing how quiet the cabin is compared to the Zed, and because the car is put together better the Ban & Olufsen sound system sounds awesome......

This...

I brought the wife's beemer to work today. It's got their least powerful engine - but it feels strong. It's an auto and I'm getting old. It has leather and all the toys and looks awesome in my opinion. Feels so well put together and is a far far far better car for me to commute in when the route is 21 miles each way with 18 of those being dual carriageway and motorway, the rest built up urban - I want one for myself.

But ...

I also want to tinker on my days off. You all know that I'm no mechanic, but I've messed about with my silver mk2 and will continue to make it even more unique. And - I want to stand out a little from the crowd. I don't want to go with the flow all the time - I want to make waves every now and then. I want to boot it away from the lights every now and then. I like that in the mornings I know that when I'm stuck in traffic, the guys in their suits and company cars are looking at mine thinking "that sounds nice" - or "what's that ?" (Although most are probably thinking "How sad is that old guy in his old Rover - probably break down in a minute" )

I guess I'm really lucky to have a young BMW - and the Zed. I am and I know it.

My Zed is 10 years old this year and is beginning to creak and groan.....but she still roars when pushed.

Steven11

02-02-14, 07:49 PM

But if you had to get rid of one tomorrow which would it be ?

stamford

02-02-14, 07:59 PM

I think it is safe to say that a number of us are somewhat smitten with the ZS and we probably couldn't put our finger on every reason why when there are many better options out there. I can also see a shift to it being a classic car, in that I mean an older car enjoyed by enthusiasts and kept alive by enthusiasts, not necessarily a car that is seen as sought after, not yet anyway.

For those that have moved on to better things that is normal, you mature, you age and you develop different tastes. I'm happy with the Vectra, I did want a Insignia but that was out of my budget. Saying that the Vectra is nice, quick and cruises, full leather, heated seats, built in satnav, 6 speed box and on the 70 mile a day commute I average 45 mpg but get mid to high 50s on a run.

I wouldn't mind a newish Audi, but for that to happen I would have to sell the ZS and not run too many cars but I could not part with the ZS. It is my escape and because I have sort of built it I feel too attached to it, daft I know but I get a kick out of this dated car :yes:

stamford

02-02-14, 08:01 PM

But if you had to get rid of one tomorrow which would it be ?

If that were me then I will have to admit it will be the ZS, purely because I need an estate for the everyday car and an economical one for the 70 mile a day commute.

But I hope it doesn't come to that!

petet16

02-02-14, 08:08 PM

Wonder what a 2012 spec zs might have looked like ?.

BUCKYDEVIL

02-02-14, 08:52 PM

Wonder what a 2012 spec zs might have looked like ?.

Electic windows as standard and a drain plug in boot :smile1:

petet16

02-02-14, 08:56 PM

I was thinking more along the lines of 3.0 forced induction v6, 6 speed box, drain plug in the boot, reliable climate control.

Greatmg!

02-02-14, 09:10 PM

As a recent convert to the ZS, I can safely say it has got under my skin. Its hard to say exactly why, but there is something about not having all those electronic driver aids, a big heavy, soundproof box around you, which ultimately makes me feel much more connected to the car.

My daily driver accelerates faster, stops quicker, has every gadget you can think of and grips in the wet as strongly as it does in the dry. Which car do I prefer? ZS every time!

p_b82

02-02-14, 09:34 PM

It's funny - i get teased by my family all the time about the ZS - imagine what you could have bought if you had not spent the money on the ZS... (I have had a hankering for something japanese - late 90/00's era for most my life)

Just think how many more miles you would have done if it wasn't off the road all the time...

Yet, popped the picture on FB of the brakes and it lowered, and the first thing my sister said to me was - we (my sister and her husband) were just saying how good your car looks.

If I had to sell one of my cars, it would the Fester in a heartbeat. I'd get more money for it for starters, and while mine might be a 'dirty old tractor' without such an appealing soundtrack as the V6, it has a noise all of it's own that I would miss - the squeaks, the rattles, (the occasional rubbing of the arch liner lol) the rubbish speakers, the 6th sense pothole avoidance that develops; are all things that give it character.

I often get in much newer cars, either taxis or hire cars, or family vehicles, and while they might look nicer inside, and have more toys, none of them 'feel' as nice to be in. so much more sterile and characterless visually inside and out....

my mum's mk1 TT - is faster, quieter, more refined - but just so dull to drive in comparison. My dad's E-class gives both me and my mum serious back ache or numb bums after a few hours in the car as passengers (regardless where/what we try to do with the fully adjustable seats).

Yes the design is old, and yes inside you cannot say it is anything but dated - but as others have said, it is that wow factor, it is not like other cars of it's age; and due to modern safety standards there is not likely to be anything that looks like it built in the near future...

My dad told me the day I bought it - "I think that will become a modern classic, she looks really quite special"

petet16

02-02-14, 09:38 PM

There's the rub with having 2 zs, if I had to sell one which would it be, v6 or T16.

Dan1971

02-02-14, 10:00 PM

But if you had to get rid of one tomorrow which would it be ?

The ZS .... The Beemer was the wife's 40th present and she loves it .... (as do I to be honest).

I like my ZS - but - it's just a car. As with most things though, it's all about money. Do I have enough cash sloshing around, that isn't marked for something else, that I could add to what I'd get for the ZS, to get something I'd like more.

Right now the simple answer for me is - No.

I'd wager that most of us are the same.

daytona365

03-02-14, 06:14 AM

The ZS .... The Beemer was the wife's 40th present and she loves it .... (as do I to be honest).

I like my ZS - but - it's just a car. As with most things though, it's all about money. Do I have enough cash sloshing around, that isn't marked for something else, that I could add to what I'd get for the ZS, to get something I'd like more.

Right now the simple answer for me is - No.

I'd wager that most of us are the same.

Answer is "yes, i will find it" A car has alwayss been more than a car to me. Maybe thats why Im single lol....:mml::mml:

You can always sleep in your car, but you cant drive a house.