Topic

Hello everyone! I bought a 2003 MG TF 135 in trophy blue as my first car, on the cheap, three weeks ago, and am slowly working on servicing it myself. I am enjoying the learning curve very much and reading all your posts. I'm a total newbie and you've already helped so much.

I wanted a project & now I've got my work cut out, but I have a PDF workshop manual, and I'm as happy as a sandboy spending my evenings going through my list:

Done
- Evicted all the friendly spiders
- Replaced handbrake and gearstick gaiters
- Fitted alloy handbrake handle
- Fitted anodised aluminium grille meshes all around
- NGK laser platinum spark plugs
- Windscreen wiper blades
- Cleaned and waterproofed soft top
- Vinyl wrapped the door inserts (carbon)
- Fitted reversing camera
- Replaced broken speaker cover, offside
- Replaced cracked & weathered number plates
- Bought a cheap but perfect tonneau cover
- Restored the trim on the door cards (bought some PoorBoys on Amazon)

Work in progress
- Fit Magnecor HT leads and new coil packs
- Fit panel air filter
- Replace fuel filter
- Fit door water shedders (repurposing a clear PVC table cloth)
- Restore emblems

To do
- Restore dash trim
- Fit blind spot mirrors
- Vinyl wrap centre console
- Replace washer nozzles
- Replace exhaust back box
- Change all the fluids (& replace oil filter)
- Restore fuel cap ring
- Replace brake discs & pads
- Restore rollbars
- Visit a friend who owns and can skilfully use a dual action polisher
- Do something about the driver's seat (I think the bottom might be broken, because the heftier & taller Mr. doramatadora sets off the SRS light when he sits far back in it)
- Get a real mechanic to take a look

One day
- Hook up some of the electrics with sensors & voice control, for convenience (the one thing on this list I might know something about, as an electronics tinkerer) – like a rain sensor for windscreen, "cheers mate" for a flash of the warning lights, "dingbat!" for a flash of the beams, etc

So, hiya!

So you've evicted the friendly spiders........... the ones here in Oz are bit more challenging as they are a little more belligerent, of course the evicting spiders isn't a big as a priority as the damned snakes who sometimes choose to take up residence in cars. Not to mention the menace of drop bears to unsuspecting drivers of open cars!

Hi and from John in Yorkshire.

Hello, and welcome to the T-bar forum. All new member welcomed in!
Glad you are enjoying your new MG and are looking to keep it tip top!

The problem with the seat will be the plastic plug for the seatbelt pre-tensioner. Its a little yellow plastic plug and socket connector under the seat and the connections can fail and light up the airbag warning light. You can try re-seating disconnecting the battery for at least 10 mins then undo the connector and re-connect it to see if it improves the fault, or simply replace it and link it through with an electrical connector. I did this on my ZT today to eliminate a similar fault. Already done it on the TF!

Sundance

welcome aboard!

Hi and welcome to the forum

Often the problem with the SRS plug is that someone has taken it off its fixing point so the plug is free to move.
To get around this one can cable tie the plug to the seat so only the cable moves when hubby moves the seat.
(or ban him from driving it)

James

Hello and

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Cobber wrote: wrote:

Not to mention the menace of drop bears to unsuspecting drivers of open cars!

These drop bears look rather cute. I'd let one come along for the ride.

SundanceUK wrote: wrote:

You can try re-seating disconnecting the battery for at least 10 mins then undo the connector and re-connect it to see if it improves the fault, or simply replace it and link it through with an electrical connector.

talkingcars wrote: wrote:

To get around this one can cable tie the plug to the seat so only the cable moves when hubby moves the seat.

Thank you Sundance and James! This sounds much cheaper to fix than a seat I'll give these tips a go and let you know if it's sorted.

talkingcars wrote: wrote:

(or ban him from driving it)

I didn't think he'd want to but he's getting a soft spot for this car!