Topic

Hello all!
I have just bought an MGF is the UK and intend to ship it to Canada.
Canada Customs requires the car to be 15 years old to be imported.
(Date of first registration is 23 Jan 1996)I am hoping that the car
was built in December 1995 then I can start the shipping process right away.
By their website I see that the company that holds MG Rovers data
will issue a dating letter for 100 quid but I would really rather
not pay that ridiculous amount of money for a letter!

Is there anywhere on the car that gives the date of manufacture?
In North America that is generally shown on a sticker on the door
but I don't know if it is the same in the UK.

Cheers,
Rich

I would really like to get this car on it's way to me so any help
would be appreciated

Don't know a way of getting the manufacture date other than the expensive letter, The Vin number could get us closer as it would tell us where it was built and what spec, certain builds only happened between certain dates so that could narrow it down at least.

Cars in the uk normally have a 6 week lead time from purchase to delivery, so chances are it was build in december if not before.

Sure somebody will be along to correct me shortly

Don't know if this will help

http://www.mgfcar.de/vin/emgf_vin.htm

The HPI check will give you year of manufacture.
See here - HPI check

That'll tell you 1995 or 1996.

Glad you found a car bud

Thanks for the leads.
Unfortunately Canada Customs needs something official,
either a manufacturer's sticker on the car or an official
letter, so the expensive letter it is.
That is a good tip on the six week lead time. I would have thought
it would be shorter, but it looks like my car will likely be December.
If that is the case I can start the shipping process right away.
I'm really looking forward to getting the car as my daily driver right
now is a 1975 TR-7 FHC and I am looking forward to driving something
more modern (and more MG!)

Cheers,
Rich

Here's a pic of the car

Rich in Vancouver wrote: wrote:

Thanks for the leads.
Unfortunately Canada Customs needs something official,
either a manufacturer's sticker on the car or an official
letter, so the expensive letter it is.
That is a good tip on the six week lead time. I would have thought
it would be shorter, but it looks like my car will likely be December.
If that is the case I can start the shipping process right away.
I'm really looking forward to getting the car as my daily driver right
now is a 1975 TR-7 FHC and I am looking forward to driving something
more modern (and more MG!)

Cheers,
Rich

Here's a pic of the car

looks pretty good, mate. And is the colour Anthracite(lgw)?

I would bet the manufacture was October or November, rather than December.

All our cars have a build date plate attached under the bonnet. Not much use to you but as it was done at the factory, I thought all cars had them. Mine shows 'Sept 1997'

Rich in Vancouver wrote: wrote:

Hello all!
I have just bought an MGF is the UK and intend to ship it to Canada.
Canada Customs requires the car to be 15 years old to be imported.
(Date of first registration is 23 Jan 1996)I am hoping that the car
was built in December 1995 then I can start the shipping process right away.
By their website I see that the company that holds MG Rovers data
will issue a dating letter for 100 quid but I would really rather
not pay that ridiculous amount of money for a letter!

Is there anywhere on the car that gives the date of manufacture?
In North America that is generally shown on a sticker on the door
but I don't know if it is the same in the UK.

Cheers,
Rich

I would really like to get this car on it's way to me so any help
would be appreciated

If you have the full Vin number you can do a rough calculation of the build date (i reckon it should be 003850 for mid December 1995) the first production car was built on 27 August 1995, and was given Vin 000251, is Flame Red and went to Gaydon. Production to the end of 1995 was about 240 cars a week and was increased to 265 per week in 1996. These figures tie up with the Vin of my F which was first registered on 29/09/1996, having been built some weeks before that. there is no requirement in the UK to display the actual build date on a car and i feel that you will have to get the formal letter from the record holder for your customs. British Motor Industry Heritage Trust can provide a "build date" for £5, but only for the older MGs, they did not get the records for the F & TF when MGR went "POP" ~ it looks a nice car from the photo and the best of luck with your importing ~ please keep us up to date with progress. kind regards , Bryan

It looks like I will have to be a patient boy as I can't ship the car until the beginning of January. The car, which is #3068, left the factory on January 15th 1996 and was first registered on January 23rd. That gives an idea of the demand when the MGF first came out. The engine hardly had time to cool off between Longbridge and the first owner's drive!
I got the information from a company called MGR C&C who were appointed by the MGR receiver to take custody of the production information. They were very helpful, but, like I said before pricey.
Now I just have to resist buying more goodies for the car before it gets here. Last night I was browsing on E-bay and impulse bought a stainless spark plug cover plate and hardware.
That wasn't even on my list!
The plan is to have the car start it's journey the first week of January with it arriving here on the edge of the Pacific a month or so later.
I'll keep you posted!

Cheers,
Rich

BTW: The colour is LVD, Charcoal Black I was happy to find LVD was a Land Rover colour here in Canada so no problems colour matching

Great News, thank you for coming back with information, with that Vin they wer obviously not making the 240 cars every week after the start. There is so much "stuff" for the F you will soon find your money box empty! and there are lots of people on the forum to help you along with the goodies and empty your wallet. look forward to the next installment. Regards, Bryan

Congrats on getting the info. They were flying out of the dealerships back then, weren't they?

Be a good idea to ensure the coolant is up to Canadian Winter temperatures before it ships out of Blighty.