"Scruff" - first drive.

“Scruff” is now ensconced in it’s pit after a pretty awful run, primary, down the M1. After weeks of heat it hammered down so hard that visibility was approaching dangerous. Plus the big rigs chucking out fountains of spray. Ideal for an initial run in a little sports car?
First – the good. It completed the trip in ease and comfort without missing a beat or leaking a drop. It was one of those cars that it almost immediately felt comfortable. As in easy to drive without having to think to much. Everything worked.
Not so good. It has more rattles than a tin full of castanets thrown down the stairs. It rattles in a number of different keys so sounds a bit like a mobile brass band. If it’s like this at 5000 miles what the ******* it like at 50,000?? How the first 2 owners put up with this is a mystery.The gear change is heavy / stiff. Almost as if the cables need lubrication – is that a known problem?  Considering it's had so little use. Both these probs. should be relatively simple to fix?
The once pristine underneath may now need a bit of wash.

Glad it made the trip.
Wot you need is sound deadening mate. There is zero of it in these cars.
I wouldn't worry too much because it is easily cured.

More rattles than a billionaires baby!

I can’t remember who the king of rattle suppression is off hand but if you look his articles up you will see it is relatively straightforward & not expensive.
It makes your car a more civilised place to be.
It’s an idea based on flash banding, I had some about at the time & used it to quieten some rattle or other & once pressed into service it was used until it ran out. I mentioned it on here,in passing & our friend took it to the next level, becoming our go to expert, inspiring other members in his wake.
M

A though on your gear change:
It will never be as slick as the renown Mazda unit, it should however be manageable to a point where it doesn’t impede driving enjoyment. I had to replace one of the cables & I could never get the change as predictable as original. Nevertheless, even now the change sinks back out of a conscious activity when engrossed. Most of us will identify with the reverse irritation where patience is the watchword but it has become a characteristic of an ageing car.
As a system built on a budget & with the PG1 being mature when used, to dangle a gearstick on the end of a couple of Bowden cables is expecting quite a lot; to achieve the quality of change I had prior to that cable failure has to be commended.
These cars are getting old & like so many ageing items, parts which were once rigid to function at their best are passed those heady days. Advancing limpness can impede slick selection.
Just a thought.
M

One of the best mods I have made to the TF, almost as good as the remap, has been MS’s Slick Shift kit. So precise, feels like a racing gear change 😍

A highly recommended upgrade

That's good to know Pedro so thank you.

Put it in the wish list, Brian 😊
You should be the target customer for that piece of gear 💪🏽

https://www.mikesatur.co.uk/-MGF-MGTF-Slick-Shift-Kit-V1-Gear-Change-Mechanism
I have been lucky with a good gear change thus far, but its good to know for future reference, thanks.

judiths handyman wrote:

https://www.mikesatur.co.uk/-MGF-MGTF-Slick-Shift-Kit-V1-Gear-Change-Mechanism
I have been lucky with a good gear change thus far, but its good to know for future reference, thanks.

I too am blessed with a decent gear change but it's nice to know the MS kit comes recommended.
 

Red110 wrote:

Put it in the wish list, Brian 😊
You should be the target customer for that piece of gear 💪🏽

Cheers Pedro but it has to come after suspension! 😁
 

I sure agree with you 👌🏾