USED MG Rover ZR Hatchback (01 - 05)

My car

I bought this car in April 2007 with 42,000 on the clock. However the problems started just after the car was brought home.

So far I've had various belts changed, I had a full clutch assembly replaced plus an additional clutch release bearing, and just as i thought the worst was over there was an almighty whining from the car whilst in 5th gear.

After a few weeks, and no mechanic could find a problem, the gearbox packed in coming off the motorway and I had to call the AA to my rescue.

Currently the car is still in the shop as a gearbox was not easy to source (I should be getting it back tonight) and when I do have it returned it's going straight towards a trade in. This is the worst car I've ever had, and I've had a lot of bad cars!

It's now only September 2007 and only it only has 51,000 miles on the clock.

Do NOT buy MG or Rover...Worst mistake ever.

The handling at best is poor and you have to slow down to almost stationary to take most corners. Acceleration is disastrous with the foot to the floor the car won't gain ANY speed on a 1 degree hill!

Space I must admit is the only thing going for it, with a roomy boot, back seat and the front seats have plenty of room for fussy boyfriends on long trips.

The interior is a bit brash but the seats are oh-so comfy. It's a shame the rest of the car lets the experience down.

My car

I have owned my 2002 MG ZR for about six months. It has 36,000 miles on the clock and a full service history, which is very important with these cars. I have found it highly entertaining to drive. Initially I found the ride to be very hard, but after checking the tyre pressures I found them to be 10 PSI over-inflated.

These cars get such a slating with build quality and reliability, but you must remember the design is over 12 years old (Rover 200) and like any hot hatch, if they are driven really hard, things are going to break.

Yes, the driver seat squeaks and it's cheaply put together, but its an up-and-coming classic which is a hoot to drive. They are cheap to run, cheap to insure and I think they are still a good-looking car which has plenty of club support.

There are loads out there to choose from, so be picky - if you're going to go for a 1.4, make sure it's the ZR+ with electric windows, front foglights, remote locking etc. Also make sure it's not a ZR copy (a Rover 25 with spoilers stuck on).

Buy one and have fun!

My car

I bought the MG ZR 2004 model from Stratstone in Swansea in April 2006, with 2014 miles on the clock.

It is good to drive, reliable and very economical on fuel. However, during the past two months I have heard a kind of harsh 'grating' each time I operate the central locking system.

Any ideas on how to correct this problem would be very appreciated.

My car

This car is great fun to drive on the open road but it needs high revs to get going in first gear. This makes the going tough in traffic queues. Yet at 30mph in second, third or fourth gear and it will still pull away without problems.

Handling is hunky dory on corners - it's really good fun. But if you get in the slow lane with 'tramlines' caused by trucks and it becomes very skittish and needs full concentration to stay on the road.

Keep the service history up to date or trade-in value goes through the floor.