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MG MGF Technical - Bloody Unflexible Germans!

(title is not supposed to be offensive to Dieter and any other Germans!)

I went to a Kwik Fit kind of place in Chemnitz (called Pit-Stop) to get the 2 front tyres changed. At the moment I have 215/40's on all 4 wheels. The 2 newer tyres I took with were 205/45's (I wanted to get it done because one of the fronts is a later type G3 F1)

It's ok to have 215/40's on the rear and 205/45's on the front wheels isn't it (on a 2001 MGF VVC with standard 16in wheels)?

After waiting more than an hour they told me (in quite an arrogant way) that they legally couldn't put the tyres on because they have to be the same as the manufacturers recommendations and they can't do it without a letter stating that 205/45's are ok on the front from MGR.

I'll just get it done at a back street place if someone can confirm that the combination will be safe and sound.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

I'm running 205s on the front and 215s on the back and the car handles fine. Mind you I've also got 17" wheels so I've got no chance if I ever visit the said establishment :-)
David Clelland

It's so petty isn't it. I mean, what if I just took them 2 wheels and asked them to change the tyres...And how do they know that what's already on the car is correct in the first place!?

I'm the one that has to drive it around, and I really don't think the German Police (pretty as they are in green and beige) are going to stop me and give my knuckles a wrap for having 205/45's on the front! And, I'm driving back to the UK in June too!
Chris Heinrich Perkins

Yes, that combination will be perfectly fine. I guess this is a form of coperate bottom covering....
Rob Bell

All cars built within the the EEC since 1997 have a Certificate of Conformaty which includes wheel and tyre sizes. It is illegal to vary from your Certificate albeit enforcement varies from country to country.
In UK, any back street garage can work on/modify your car and charge you for it.
In Germany, any garage that charges for work must have it signed off by a licensed mechanic or Meister. A Meister who modifies your car contrary to the Certificate ie. changes your tyre size, risks his license and job.
Geoff F.
G. Farthing

So, is there an official Rover certificate thing somewhere that states what tyres and combinations of tyres can be used on the F?

I'm taking it to a friend of a friend now, but it would be useful to know.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

Chris

The 'recommended' wheel & tyre combinations and pressures are shown in the Owners Handbook.

As I have a TF I unable to extract the info for you. Is it shown on Dieter's site anywhere ? RAVE CD?
John Ponting

I have the owners handbook for an MGF in front of me now. Not sure how accurate it is as it doesn't mention the fronts currently on my Trophy (195/45 R16) which I'm fairly sure are the correct fitting.

It does, however, say "no other arrangements are recommended" and these are:

185/55 R15
205/50 R15
215/40 R16
175/65 R14

Not what you wanted to hear I think.
ninja

195/45 R16 fronts are a correct fitting.
Rob Bell

>German Police (pretty as they are in green and beige)
Chris, take care, they are just on changing the colour to blue and silver !!
;)
May take some time until the east gets the new cars and clothes :)

Anyway, 215/45 is 3 percent bigger than standard, not testet, not certified, so not legal and Geoff is right with the 'Meister' job and responsibility. They are in charge to release your car for the ride with 240 miles per hour next on the Autobahn.
They loose their job and get pulled to jail if any of their staff does what he (you) likes... in case you are involved in an accident and the police finds illegal tyres at your car.

However, why didn't you just take the both rims into the boot of another car ?
Take off from the MGF and let the tyres dismantle on 'Monday'. *tell them, you like to sell the rims*
Then join them again on 'Thursday' with empty rims and any new tyres and let them do this on ? *tell them they are for a Porsche, or whatever*
:)

>So, is there an official Rover certificate thing somewhere that states what tyres and combinations of tyres can be used on the F?

Mate, you are to late to get this in Germany, cause the importer close down.
http://www.mgfcar.de/reifen/alle_Reifen_Felgen_individuell_508729.pdf
This was supplied to MGF owners on inquiry for the individual VIN.

Regards
Dieter


Dieter

The Build of the Car is to a Type Approval with changes according to the Variant.
I have my C of C as I imported the UK spec car from Switzerland and required it for UK registration.
As John points out, the only approved tyres for your variant are in the handbook.
If you change the tyre size, do not forget to inform your insurance company as the car has been 'Modified' from manufacturers Spec.
Geoff F.
G. Farthing

been 10 seconds quicker :)
Dieter

Oh now I feel bad because obviously I don't want to be in an accident in an 'unroadworthy' car!

But I do of course want to get these new tyres on to replace the incorrect G3 F1!

(And I know that finally the German police are going black and silver. I'll expect it in Saxony in the next 10-15 years! Perhaps they could spend some money on fixing up the bloody pot holes in the roads first!)
Chris Heinrich Perkins

Chris,

Were you in Gera about 10 days ago?
Richard P

Chris ,
In the nicest possible way I am relieved that our supposedly efficient German friends(E or W) can do potholes too. I had thought this was just a British speciality!
Charles
Charles

Richard, thanks for your email and picture, but it was not I.

Charles: I look forward so much to driving in England because when there are potholes they are of a much lower (as in depth) quality! In some parts of the area I live you ideally need a Landrover to get out of some of them once you've fallen down them. And if you hit them quick enough with the roof down you almost get thrown out of the car! As a result, most local people know where they are and drive around them like an obstacle course.

I think it's something to do with the very cold winters here and the ice covering the road and expanding/contracting as it melts and freezes as it seems to be after winter that the roads are awful (not just in the East and not just on minor roads either). Although some roads are never affected, so they're obviously using the wrong materials somewhere.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

I got turned down at another tyre place today! They were nicer about it though and I had a nice Schnizel in a local place while I waited.

In the end I got them changed by the friend of a friend, who did a good job, very quickly for just EUR15.00

On another note I had my wheel alignment done a couple of weeks ago and it was ok at first, steering wheel centred nicely and everything that could be adjusted was done.

Now, when driving straight, the wheel points a couple of degrees clockwise. Do you think this could be down to the crap road surfaces? Before I had it adjusted it pointed a couple of degrees anti clockwise.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

> can do potholes too. I had thought this was just a British speciality!

Of course not ;-)

> Although some roads are never affected, so they're obviously using the wrong materials somewhere.

not on top, but below the thin tarmac surface is almost the historic paving. They just put on tarmac in the early 90th to _hide_ the history. (LOL)

Anyway, nice to hear you got what you wanted. I think the opposit direction of steering wheel failure is from the same reason as before.
Not vertical car center line to the rear axle and problems to get the centerline rectangualr to the rear axle line.

Did you get in the compliance washer in the meantime ?
I'm sure the installation will make the Adjusters live much easier and more reliable at your MGF.

Cheers
Dieter
PS. you should see once the crapy roads at Hersfled's none-mainroads :)
Dieter

At least the rough cobbled old roads were consistantly bumpy. In some areas where they are exposed I prefer driving on them than roads patched up with tarmac. And don't they have steam rollers here or something? When they patch them up the tarmac pops out of the hole about 4cm, so it's like replacing concave with convex!

Compliance washer? I don't think I saw that mentioned before. What's one of those?

Any chance I'll find someone else that can do a proper allignment for me. The throttle steer and stree holding the car in a straight line is getting me down. I'm sure it's not supposed to be like this.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

Compliance washer/ spacer - words tell a story of a 1000 words - so look here: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/suspension/suspension_images/upgrading_bushes.htm#two :o)
Rob Bell

Get them in immidiately. !!
I bet the trottle steer will disappear.

Makes the adjustment of the suspension much easier for any tyre shop out there !!

Unfortunately I have no more DIY parts available.
Toilet seals (top splash box version) (hard rubber) from "OBI Baumarkt" app 58mm diameter/3mm thick with large centre hole do it also, but it's easier for you to buy them from B&G or from who might have them also.
http://tinyurl.com/l2mtz
Dieter

Thanks, I'll order them right away!

Email me about your spare grills Dieter.
Chris Heinrich Perkins

This thread was discussed between 10/04/2006 and 14/04/2006

MG MGF Technical index

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