zs vs hot hatches and wins

[lewerty]

well some may remember from the other forums about this thread but i thought i would post one up on here, basically as the title says, all be it a little blast from the traffic lights to a track day, or at santa pod just nice to know what u can beat or cant beat, hey its all a bit of fun and we all do it now and then so share your stories :)

james

[shroonie29]

Wooped a clio 197 a while ago :) Made me gigle lol.In fairness the driver gave credit when I slowed to a reasonable speed & he eventualy came past

Shroon

[stamford]

Is this a good idea? :unsure: The last one got out of hand and had to be cleaned up because of that GTI baiter. We'll see, I for one got sucked in! :whistle:

[Mat C]

If people still want to post about their fantasies then let them, it will run its course and no harm will be done hopefuly but i think it's best left well alone as these threads always lead to arguements and trolls.

[Leasky]

if it gets outa hand then the people respomsible should be delt with accordingly!
ive hard;y had a chance to drive my 180 due to get it taxed 1st lol how do the compare to the like of
- subaru imprezza wrx (uk)
- ford focus ST
- renault clio 182
- seat lean cupra R

[stamford]

It will be fine as long as any 'outsiders/trolls' don't register! :box:

[sduk]

yup keep it clean and easy going, dont want to start falling out on here :)

[arwilson80]

yup keep it clean and easy going, dont want to start falling out on here :)

Yep, and we'll deal appropriately with the 'nasties'. :whip:

[garythesnail]

if it gets outa hand then the people respomsible should be delt with accordingly!
ive hard;y had a chance to drive my 180 due to get it taxed 1st lol how do the compare to the like of
- subaru imprezza wrx (uk)
- ford focus ST
- renault clio 182
- seat lean cupra R

I've driven a Leon Cupra (180bhp not the 225 bhp R) and the ZS is sharper, doesn't feel as heavy and is a bit quicker. Mrs Snail had a 2002 Bug-eye WRX for 5 years - real good car - ultimately faster than a ZS180. WRX is quicker on the straights, ZS is much sharper and quicker around the corners. ZS180 is more involving than both the above cars.

I haven't had a go at either ST or Clio 182.

Mrs Snail has taken delivery of a WRX with a 2.5 litre, 4 cylinder boxer engine which we can already tell is a quicker, sharper, more communicative car than the 2002 model we traded in. I will know properly after the 1000 mile run-in period (we're limited to 4000 RPM for another two weeks:yucky:)

Still, neither WRX can be put in 5th gear and driven round a roundabout at 15mph like the ZS.

As for 'running alongside' other cars:

Civic Type R - nothing in it.
Boxster - nothing in it (he must have been a crap driver)
Vectra V6 (don't laugh) not much in it in a straight line, different kettle of fish around the corners
Volvo S60 D5 (I said stop laughing) - nothing in it, which, as you can imagine, came as a surprise.

With things like this, I think there's more influence form the driver than the car and then there's who gets their foot on the throttle first and who's the biggest idiot willing to drive like a loony.

[arwilson80]

'garythesnail' when you say Vectra V6, are you referring to the 2.8L VXR? When it comes time to change i'm thinking of a VXR Vectra (a bit away as i need to give them a little time to depreciate :)) so all info appreciated....

[garythesnail]

'garythesnail' when you say Vectra V6, are you referring to the 2.8L VXR? When it comes time to change i'm thinking of a VXR Vectra (a bit away as i need to give them a little time to depreciate :)) so all info appreciated....

Cue more laughter............

No, I'm referring to the previous generation 2.5L cars from a low speed rolling start. Back end seems very wobbly on roundabouts.

Good point about the depreciation (let someone else take the hit, but hell, what do I know? - I bought a brand new ZS180 :blink: HA!) The current model Vectra seems to be a bigger car than the old model, and a lot bigger than a ZS though - are you going to be able to cope with all that extra elbow room and all the toys and gadgets?:).

I really like the technology involved in the Traction Control sytem on my ZS though - If I put my foot down, I get more power, if I lift off, I seem to get less power - it works really well:thumbsup:

All the best,

Gary.

[lewerty]

all depends on what mods the other cars have got but ive kept up with an focus st before he was a little surprised when i wsa still behind him

[MGZS190+]

You should of easily disposed of a focus st.

Test drove one a while back and the handling is pants.

Infact i would go on to say it was frightening.

Leon cupras are heavy and if you get the jump on him its game over and a win for the ZS.

Steer clear of clios they tend to be driven by idiots.

Uk WRX are the pants If you want a jap car buy a import.

[stamford]

When the Astra VXR first came out I tried to keep up with one.......................needless to say it was pretty quick in a straight line and didn't seem too bad in the corners either. I gave up and then read up on the spec, no wonder, they have 240 on tap.

The ones that worry me are the derv ones! Bloody things are too quick these days!

[lewerty]

all depends what mods the foucus st had

[garythesnail]

Uk WRX are the pants If you want a jap car buy a import.

Mrs. Snail would argue the toss on that one. Her new 2.5 WRX (not STi) is a quicker car than the ZS, a lot closer to the ZS on handling than her 2002 bug-eye WRX (again, not STi).

£15k European import (just about £500 more than I paid for my ZS180 in 2005) is a faster, better value car than my ZS. 235 BHP, 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, 4WD, sharp handling, four seats and a proper boot.....................one hell of a shopping car.:)

................and it comes with a warranty too (so did my ZS, but only for 3 weeks for some strange reason:no:)

All the best,

Gary.

[MGZS190+]

Mrs. Snail would argue the toss on that one. Her new 2.5 WRX (not STi) is a quicker car than the ZS, a lot closer to the ZS on handling than her 2002 bug-eye WRX (again, not STi).

£15k European import (just about £500 more than I paid for my ZS180 in 2005) is a faster, better value car than my ZS. 235 BHP, 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, 4WD, sharp handling, four seats and a proper boot.....................one hell of a shopping car.:)

................and it comes with a warranty too (so did my ZS, but only for 3 weeks for some strange reason:no:)

All the best Gary.

Agreed but alot of ZS 180 owners picked up there cars for 5-7k and with a little spent on them 2-3k can make the wrx look quite expensive.

0-60 in less than 6 secs hmm theres MG ZS 180s can do that in less with less BHP.

I bought my 180 with a substantial warranty for £7k and after a little spending £2-3k i have never had any problems in keeping up with a wrx.

As far as the handling goes You havent driven the 180 to its true potential.

I have many friends with scoobys etc and all of them are quite astounded at the capabilities of the MG ZS 180.

[stamford]

As they always say, 'you pay your money-you takes your choice'...........

There are better cars out there, it comes down to personal choice and if we need to be part of that 'it crowd'. I agree, the Subaru is a great package, but not for me, I prefer the 'underdog' as it were. I have never been one to have a car because it is the one to be 'scene' in! The 180 fits me just fine, always liked them and I don't really care what others think, pound for pound I doubt if you can get a better car for the money.

[garythesnail]

Don't get me wrong gents, there's two sets of keys hanging up and I only ever reach for the set with MG printed on. It 'feels' better to drive, but that is my opinion. Somehow, I think that others here may feel the same (just a guess:innocent:).

Please don't take this the 'wrong way', but I'm not convinced that there's a ZS out there which is as reliable as an Impreza which will do regular sub 6 second 0-60 runs. What spec are these cars running at? Are we talking no interior trim and superchargers? I understand that a ZS would be able to do 'more' with less power due to fewer frictional losses and lower kerb weight though (but initial traction with 4wd is difficult to compete with)

I may not have driven the ZS to its full potential but neither have I driven the WRX to the same extent. I have however given the 2002 WRX as much stick as the MG and the WRX is the faster car. The 2.5 WRX will be quicker again (roll on 1000 mile service:yes: and 7000rpm!)

The WRX hasn't been bought as a fashion accessory either. The first one was purchased after 12 years of marriage and saving up after Mrs. Snail worked her wotsits off to get herself through University after raising three Kids from a time when we were barely schoolkids ourselves (I'm sure father in law still hasn't forgiven me 19 years on!), missing out on further education first time around to 'do the right thing'. After years of struggling along, things turned around with the pair of us in half decent jobs with no other 'vices' ( yep, we're pretty boring).

We decided to buy a 'family' car with a bit of poke, she chose the WRX after test driving a 2-year old model. The car did 50k in 5 years without letting us down. It had one warranty job (gearbox bearings:wall: - that could've been expensive if it happened six months later!) and, erm, 'took one up the rear' as it were, from a Citroen Berlingo when Mrs. was on the way to work at a standstill in a queue in the outside lane on the M4. Mr. Bloody Citroen wasn't paying quite as much attention as Mrs. Snail ("tosser" I thought, but "how close have I come on a couple of occasions?" I said to myself) and ploughed in to the car, pushing it in to the car in front. Result - £6k+ repair bill for insurer and no damage to Mrs. Snail (the car was driven on to the back of the recovery wagon and the crumpled boot and bonnet both opened and closed perfectly). This played a big part in her decision to buy a new one - along with knowing she didn't want a lexus or BMW after watching them struggle in the snow as she wafted past.

Both these cars offer as much 'bang for buck' as anything out there and the fella buying the second hand subaru will have the faster car, whereas the guy with the ZS180 will have the newer car. Spending a couple of grand on the Impreza (or any other turbo charged car, diesels and all!) will reap greater 'power' rewards than spending the same amount on a ZS. This, however, misses the point of a ZS - handling. It's ability in the twisties(maybe this applies more to a 120 than a 180 too with less weight up front) is a bit better than an Impreza, but show a hint of a straight and the Subaru claws anything lost - and more - back.

I maintain that 'driver involvement' is greater in the ZS and it is more enjoyable as a result. I do see both cars in a similar light though - the 'straight' (err - not sure there's a 'gay' one :unsure:)WRX is the poor relation to the STi and not directly comparable to Evos, M3's, Mercs and baby Porsches, but so very nearly as fast as these 'more expensive to buy' and 'much more expensive to run' bits of machinery.

I'll be keeping my ZS for a loooong time.

It makes me smile every time I walk towards it, never mind actually driving it.:mml:

All the best,

Gary.

[garythesnail]

Blimey - I wrote shorter essays all those years ago in O level History exams than that - this fact may explain the D grade though.:rofl:

[shroonie29]

Nice balanced view mate.I could of got a scoob when buyin the ZS but opted for the ZS cause it made me feel better some how.Never been a follower of car fashion so to speak.I made the correct choice for me

Shroon

[garythesnail]

Me too. I like the 'underdog'. I can put up with the leg-pulling. I've had various Leyland / Rovers over the past sixteen years and knocked up about a third of a million miles in them. Here's the good bit - we've never been left stranded, they've always got us there unless some dumbass (that would be me) didn't stop for fuel when he should have or a VW Golf took a liking to the front end.

If I'm honest, my inner twelve year old really liked the 'gills' and 'ironing board' spoiler of the MKII ZS180. I was considering a Civic Type R, Leon Cupra, ST220, Golf GTi and after some test driving, picked the one that was most fun to drive. I knew then it would also be the fastest depreciating, but hey, WTF, we're only here once - don't listen to the head all the time. By the time I'm done with it, any car would be worth ****** all. Twice round the clock tends to have that effect on most cars.

[MGPhoenix]

As they always say, 'you pay your money-you takes your choice'...........

There are better cars out there, it comes down to personal choice and if we need to be part of that 'it crowd'. I agree, the Subaru is a great package, but not for me, I prefer the 'underdog' as it were. I have never been one to have a car because it is the one to be 'scene' in! The 180 fits me just fine, always liked them and I don't really care what others think, pound for pound I doubt if you can get a better car for the money.

Well said. That's exactly how I feel. I'm well aware my car isn't perfect but I love it all the same and I'm extremely passionate about MG itself. :mbounce:

[MGPhoenix]

Nice balanced view mate.I could of got a scoob when buyin the ZS but opted for the ZS cause it made me feel better some how.Never been a follower of car fashion so to speak.I made the correct choice for me

Shroon

And again ditto! It really is good to know I'm not the only one who feels like this cos it sure feels like it sometimes! I too always go for the so called "underdog" in nearly all aspects of my life. :happy2:

[stamford]

You know what? I don't even care what they call it now................the lads at work say 'Rover' and I say yea!

If I suffered small **** syndrome, I'd have bought a Bavarian Motor Works............ :strongbench:

[shroonie29]

You do get to the point when ppl say"Is that your Yellow(insert colour here)Rover?It's really nice"
when pointing out it's an MG isn't worth the time or effort on the poorly educated.:wacko:
Nowt wrong with Rovers' may I add.

Shroon

[stamford]

No, nothing wrong with a Rover.................used to have a 216 Vitesse, lovely car, just rotted away!

I'm also looking at buying a Rover as my second car for work, got my eye on a nice 216GTi, lady owned for 11 years, immaculate condition and totally original. Even contemplating an MG Maestro if I can find one near home, those I have seen are +150 miles away!

[MGPhoenix]

You know what? I don't even care what they call it now................the lads at work say 'Rover' and I say yea!

If I suffered small **** syndrome, I'd have bought a Bavarian Motor Works............ :strongbench:

Sorry to say I'm not that forgiving as it's one of my pet hates! It's got to the point where I want to keep my registration document with me to say: "Right then you morons, what does it say under make? Can't you spell cos the last time I looked at the Oxford English Dictionary the letters MG do not spell Rover!" :shoot2:

[garythesnail]

I really don't mind it being called a Rover (in the same way I didn't mind my 99 rover 400 being called a Leyland). I do see my ZS as a warmed up Rover because that's pretty much what it is. I'm not dragging the ZS 'down', far from it, I really do think that the 95 on Rover 400 saloon is bloody good car and for MGR to take the same basic suspension geometry to end up with the ride and handling of the ZS is no surprise. My 400 rolled like a boat, but clung on around the corners - did 120k + miles with no disasters. Best car I've had. So far, the ZS is with it, but w've got another 60k miles catching up to do. I do get where I'mgoing a bit quicker inthe ZS though.

I know. Others don't. I'm happy.

[stamford]

Am I right in thinking that the VW Golf with the 'i' in red is the turbo version? If so one tried to whip my ass on the M3 on Sunday, he was on his own, I was three up and I overtook to pass some slower cars. Next thing I know is this black GTi up my behind, so I moved away from him and pulled in, needless to say he could not catch me. My wife did not even realise the speed I was doing as it was so smooth! I am not proud of what I did and will not brag about the numbers involved, let's just say I did not do it for too long before cruising back to normal motorway speeds and then a rest stop for the wife to powder her nose! Good old 180! (and some!)

[henocsr]

'garythesnail' when you say Vectra V6, are you referring to the 2.8L VXR? When it comes time to change i'm thinking of a VXR Vectra (a bit away as i need to give them a little time to depreciate :)) so all info appreciated....

i had a 3.2 gsi model before my ZS. Same shape as VXR, different headlights etc.... .
Was a good car to drive on mototrway and A roads. 3.2 v6 gave it some grunt as well (0-60 in 7.5 and 160mph) but it did have some down falls

struggles on twisty B roads, but then it was a big car

Got a lot of understeer in the dry and even worst in the wet. And if you have a dead wish you could turn the tc off in the wet and try to do a standing start. When i did it was the closest i have been to crashing a car, the torque steer was huge, twice as bad as my Maestro turbo, nearly span the car.

And also the head lights are c***p, dip beam is like side lights on the ZS

But other wise very nice car. i would think VXR may handle better but torque steer would be worst as more power. I think the new shape headlights maybe better in the dark too.

Vauxhalls are nice cars and i have had a few of them but i have found that they have not quite had the basics fully developed.