This time it will happen
 

Hey there all once again, we are now 100% on the look out for another 180. Earlier in the year when we were looking we kind of had a very open mind towards what we were going for and we have been through 2 other cars since as just didn't / haven't found something we enjoy as much as 1 the Impreza wagon we sold (guy won't sell it back to me) and 2 the old ZS.
We are now selling our current Impreza to get back into a 180 so will be trawling the ads for a top spec as possible model in as clean a condition as possible.

The 400 is still going strong as my daily and has now gone straight through to go with cams, head work and induction I had originally completed.
Just need another ZS now to complete the driveway :cool2::cool2::cool2:

Good to see you want another Craig :) Welcome home :D

Hi pal !

Budget?
Hatch or saloon?
Mk1 or 2 ?

Theres a MK2 180 hatch in Firefrost just come up ebay. 60K miles FSH belts done 3 years ago, 2 owners £1k ono.

Have you got a link as my signal for online lookups at work is absolutely shocking! :no:

Hello mate, hope all is well with you?

Up to £2k for a really nice one
Rather a hatch again as just more accessible space for kids stuff
Don't mind either mk1 or 2
Would prefer a darker colour blues, green or maybe some of the reds dependant on overall condition.

Funny how we keep coming back! Pretty sure one will come up, be patient. :yes:

This.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZS-2-5-...sAAOSw44BYK2R4

Thanks Luke, what are you flying around in at the mo?

Very true Mick, as much as my work colleagues tend to skate the Mg / Rover brand when I took a couple of the techs out in the 400 they were very surprised about how well she goes.
They are very underestimated. Yes I'm sure the right one will come along if I keep my eyes open.
How is yours going now on the conversion front?

Appreciate the link, not really what I want to get into. Looks a little too halfords for my liking so just makes me wonder how everything else has been done / treated.

Weather is stopping progress plus trying to keep certain people happy! This weekend looks a washout so nothing doing there. Still won't start, the reprogrammed 5AS and fobs isn't working, still waiting on a reply from technozen. Might be better off removing the immobiliser circuit. The xpg one is okay, just keeping it ticking over every week or so.

I was wondering ....

Oh things have changed a fair bit since I was last on here then. Didn't realise you had another one too, thought still just your original blue saloon.
Only saw briefly that you were undergoing some big arch mods..
Hope that all gets sorted soon for you then mate and works out well.
What spec is the xpg then as haven't seen that in a thread.

Couple of saloons on gumtree - silver and red Mk2s both around £1200.

This hatch looks decent and would leave some money in the pot to bring up to standard but a good starting point if you excuse the sellers poor English.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/mg/mg-zs-1...005/1198194237

The original blue mk1 is still with me, not going anywhere. We have acquired one of the original site mk2 180s in xpg, was KevG's originally, then Gary, Jay, Dan ;). Too nice a one to pass up so the site owners have kept it. It needs a few little jobs doing but otherwise it will be kept clean and tidy.

Ah I see, sounds good there Mick. It is always nice to keep the good ones going of whatever brand being referred too.
Didn't think the Blue zed would ever leave you mate, not a chance.

Thanks for the heads up Dan, always in the look out mate 👍🏻

Yeah the write up is "interesting" but can get the gist of what's being said.
Don't often use gumtree as find the site is awful to navigate.
My car has just gone this afternoon so am now looking properly.

Have just found the threads between both you and Dan with the little who bought it charade lol...
Looks very smart mate, really like the way it looks!

Mine is still fort sale if you are interested ...

http://www.themgzs.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=31018

Thought had found one that suited, did an mot history check which showed that two years ago failed it's mot badly due to underfloor corrosion on floor pan and chassis mounts :ohmy::wall:
Being sold as an immaculately kept example with low miles. Can't argue with that but the way it's been phrased on its history leaves me a little doubtful about the overall condition and what may be trying to be hidden.
Was a nice looking pre project drive 5dr hatch..

Ideally I am after a hatch I think, the more I look those are the more appealing for overal use and so on.
I will keep yours in mind though as does look a straight example.

Where are you based?

I'm in Southampton so not too far from Essex. If you were interested and have an iPhone then potentially (4G signal availability allowing) we could try a FaceTime at the weekend so you could have a proper look around the car in daylight before considering a drive to see it (might help save time etc).

For what it's worth Craig having owned both, the only practical advantage I saw in the hatch was the ability to fold the seats and carry longer bits to the tip. The Mk2 boot is massive - seriously. I've found the saloon to be a better drive to be honest with better sound insulation over the hatch.

Your call ofcourse but if you're keeping the hatch 45 you have - any transporting of long bits and bobs could be done in that and save the ZS.

There's a guy selling a saloon via Gumtree who has pics of his on a camping trip - so there's an example of a guy using the saloon to it's full potential.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/mg/for-sal...180/1200796681

I will let you know as potentially have found one almost in my doorstep.
Will keep you posted though.

It's a fair shout Dan I just also think I prefer the hatch looks myself (marginally that is)
If I had managed to get hold of my mates dads one which was very rare bringing Nocturne Blue I would've jumped at that one as a saloon.
Gutted it went tbh.
Mk1, iirc 2 owners and was absolutely stunning.

Think just found your old saloon mk2 (red monacos) online did mot history and that too has suffered badly on chassis / floor pan corrosion.
Such a shame as looks lovely up top still.

The silver one I sold to Matt ? Red alcantara ? Link ? That car was solid !

To be honest now mate, I cannot remember on which site I saw it now. Iirc had plate ending BZS or similar. Starlight silver mk2 saloon, had some aftermarket black alloys on it and the rear lamps had been smoked and yes the red alcantara interior in it.
Other mods on it but as I say did the check on the ref and said it had failed on corrosion on chassis / floor pan just can't remember if it said serious on that one or if that was another.

Why is it you show a genuine interest in people's cars and they don't seem eager to get back to you with relevant information about anything.
Every thing looks so promising and then it's the people that let you down.

Used to enjoy car hunting but of recent it's become a far less enjoyable experience.
Only got until the 5th to get a 180 before I need to cancel my insurance and lose a chunk of money. Ruddy cars :wall:

How many miles per year you expecting to do in the 180?

Not sold mine yet - although a few calls since it went on Gumtree :-)

Could be anything from 5-10k Mick as it would be mixed use between family through the week mostly and occasional taking to work and then the fun car for over the weekends plus whatever meets and so on that I would go to.
The rover currently gets between 10-13k yearly just back and forth from work and to the shops when we don't want to take the nice car.
Between both cars we had last year we did I think nearly 23k but then that was fortnightly and monthly Subaru meets and Brighton charity runs with that group.

Dsirrom is keen and just a guess, but, I reckon would flex his price a bit. Have a try of the saloon, you'll have a car so not lose on insurance and if it doesn't work out sell it on.

Appreciate that and not meaning to seem like I'm being awkward with it but I am trying to find one that really grabs me like my old one did (that was totally standard when I bought it so wasn't anything special in that way) because I have been through 3 cars already and cannot afford to keep buying and selling and losing out money on them plus my insurance company were getting funny about changing so frequently so need to get one we really want.
Plus me keep changing is starting to wind the wife up so need to do the best I can to keep the peace there too lol

I will be thinking all options over but it's just frustrating that the cars that have really grabbed me are being awkward to get hold of the owners.

Still a fair few miles then. I was thinking if around 5k max then Peter Best insurance is the way to go. I only pay about £140 fully comp for the modded ZS. Might be worth giving them a call regardless, the only thing I had to do to keep the price down was give them my MGCC membership number for big discount.

Yes we do a fair few miles between both cars (when we have 2) it's not so much the insurance cost but the time scale my insurance co have given to get the replacement car to put on the policy.
Once renewal comes up (if I don't have to cancel it for now) I will certainly be trying a few of the other companies I tried with my previous 180.

Fair enough Craig .... you just came across like there was a time frame issue which was becoming as important as finding a car.

I understand 100% about changing all the time and getting grief from the Mrs. I'm lucky as she's very understanding - and nearly as bad - and to be honest it gets boring. I'm in a 12 month lease car now (extendable to 15) so it's all sorted and we both know that in 9ish months the phone calls and order books will be out again for the next one, but it means for the next year or so I'm not interested in cars which is a first for me since, well, forever!

Well - when I say not interested - I mean apart for trying to source decent cars for guys on here .... ;)

In fairness there is kind of a time frame issue but at the end of the day after messing around as much as we have done already this year I just want to find something we actually want to own rather than make do if you get what I mean. Not in anyway knocking cars that have been suggested but more that they just haven't made me feel "yes that is the one".
Yeah I have seen the posts ref the BMW, looks a very nice car mate. I have been tempted to take up our work lease scheme against one of the A45's or CLA45's but just cannot justify the monthly payments. It is cheaper than normal dues to staff rates but still a lot for not owning the car imo.
If I cannot find one I want before I shall just have to swallow the cancellation charges and then take a new policy out when I did the right one, would rather not but if needs must it's not the end of the world.

Appreciating your searches too mate, you do manage to find them lurking away lol.

Mk1 green hatch - looks clean and MOT until Dec 17 without any advisories.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...us=1500&page=2

Hopefully if all goes according to plan and the car turns out to be as I am hoping it to then I may become the owner of an XPG mk2 hatch over the weekend.
Fingers crossed it is as clean and straight as I have been told.