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MG MGF Technical - Decided to try new tyres!

Hi folks. In an effort to resolve my ongoing problems with new car (which have been well documented on this BBS) I have today ordered 195/45 16" Goodyear F1 for the front. I discovered some discussion of this in the archive and wonder if any of you actually have these on the front with 215/40 on rear. (BTW only £69 inc vat from Kwik Fit supply only) Disregarding for the moment the buckled (or not, according to dealer) wheel that is now on the back, they are claiming that what I am experiencing is "scuttle" and quite normal. My interpretation of some of the archive material is that the narrower front tyres should reduce this. Any thoughts?

Thanks again.
Alan.
Alan Dunlop

Alan, this is probably not helpful to you but my 75th LE runs 215/40 Goodyear F1's all round without any tracking or wear problems (clocked up about 34,000 kms since Oct 99).

Phil
Phil

The 195's on the front is supposed to improve the 'feel' of the front end. Is that right that you only paid 69 each? The cheapest I could get a few months ago was well over 100 notes.

Not that it really matters for me cause I've just fitted 2 215s to the front of mine and have another 2 f1s on order for fitting on the rear after the North Weald driving day next friday :-)

BTW, I've got an Abingdon which has 215's all round, and while I don't have anything to compare against, it is pretty solid on the road. It does tramline a fair bit but you get used to it!

Chris
Chris George

Speaking of ordering tyres, ordered 2 x F1 215/40 R16 yesterday from mytyres.net, at 74 quid each (inc vat & delivery), and they have just arrived! I'm very impressed!

They don't do bridgestones or 195/45 F1's, but I'm sure that if enough people ask about them they might...

Chris
Chris George

Alan,

Did putting the dodgy wheel on the back fix the problem, or just improve it? I would have thought that still having a distorted wheel on the car would still cause a problem, even if it's now less noticable.

What you need is someone with 16" alloys to swap it for you to see if the problem goes away completely.

On the subject of tyres, I'm going out for a good long run on Thursday on my new Bridgestones, and will make my mind up about them then.

Leigh

Leigh

Leigh,
The problem has not completely gone but is vastly improved. I am taking the car to Morrison's of Falkirk on Weds. to get a second opinion. I got the 195/45's today but will not have them fitted until I think problem is sourced. It seems to me that the largest body of opinion is that this is the optimum size for the front and I should have the tracking set to toe in 0 deg. 5min. all round. I will try this as soon as possible.

Alan.
Alan Dunlop

Alan,

How did you get on at Morrison's? I know I keep going on about this, but can't understand why fitting different wheels to your car didn't help. Odd that it only started happening after you got it lowered. Maybe they drove into something at the garage?

Hopefully replacing the buckled wheel will do the job. I think it would still be having an effect on the car even if it has been reduced.

Leigh
Leigh

Leigh,
Thay were very helpful and they LISTENED to me (which is more than I can say about McHargs.) The mechanic took me for a drive but said he said it felt pretty much as he would expect.(It has been vastly improved by moving that wheel to the back though). It is going in next Weds. for a four wheel alignment and I've asked them to set tracking to BBS recommended toe in of 5mins. Thay will fully check suspect wheel, and as a treat to myself I am having K&N fitted. I have, this afternoon had the 195/45's fitted and that feels better already. One interesting suggestion he made was that he'd noticed the VVC models with 16" wheels over the last 9 months or so seemed to have a much firmer ride (somewhat like the Trophy) and wondered if in the last few months of production they may have changed the subframe mounting bushes from rubber to polyeurethane as they had in the Trophy as this might explain why I feel it so much 'bouncier' than my previous cars. Can't wait for next week now. Alan
Alan Dunlop

didn't happen to see a BRG MGF with 17's while you were there?
(hoping to get my car back very soon.)
paul weatherill

Yup, and has been for the last 16 weeks. don't ask.
Problems with insurance, whether to write it off, getting 3rd party parts (techspeed), can't get parts from Rover, Xmas new year holidays, and on and on.


I am hoping to get it back at the beginging of next week, all nicely resprayed, with new 17's.
paul weatherill

Alan

I assume you have fitted the F1s to the front only ???

If so and you have NCTs on the rear still = please be aware that IMHO this is dangerous - As the NCTs are inferior tyres to the F1s you may lose the rear end without warning!!!

I know its more money - but would honestly advise to fit F1s to rear as well!

Thats unless I have read your message wrong!
tony

Tony,

As it's a new car, I think Alan has F1's on the rear too. He just wanted to try a thinner tyre on the front.

Leigh
Leigh

Tony,

I already had F1's all round. There has been some improvement but it is still not right. Hopefully when it's all checked and set on Weds. it will finally be okay. I did call MGR again though as I don't feel I should be spending money to fix a new car. I threatened to reject car and involve trading standards so we will see if that has any effect!

Leigh,

Where do you take your car? An MGR dealer or an independent?
Alan Dunlop

I've not had a lot done to the car (and it's 3 years old) so I took it to an independant classic car place for any works. However the 4 year service will probably be done by the local dealer (Nobles at Penicuik, outside Edinburgh). Thinking about a run down to M. Sauter for the 5 year one though!

I think Paul'll know more about dealers in the Strathclyde area, and might be able to give you some more to try.

However if it was new, I'd be at the dealers until they fixed it! Can't they just replace the suspect rear wheel to see if that alleviates the problem?

Leigh
Leigh

On a note about tyres. Whilst I was in Costco the other day, I noticed there new policy for getting any Michelan tyres. Might be worth a price, as they include fitting, balencing etc. In the price.

Is on my F for just over 8 monthes now, no complaints !

Lee
Lee

Ok understand now !

:)

Hope all works out well
tony

Well,
I have waited some time before reporting my tyre experiences. NTC3's are poor in the wet, and unpredictable in the dry. I tried SO2's, and they were quite good.
I am now using Kumho's and they are great. Great in the wet, great in the dry, last well, low road noise, look really cool, and cost about 35 quid a piece. Hasn't anyone else tried them? Or are they too cheap to be considered?
Someone else mentioned them a few weeks ago, but I forgot who, and didn't seem to get a good reception. I must admit the first 20-30 miles they seemed a bit dodgy, but I gave them a chance. 5000 miles later, I'd pay a premium for them, and wouldn't do a straight swop for SO2's
george

Is that UK price or PX?

Ted
Ted Newman

This is UK price. Just checked my receipt, 84 pounds for 2 195/50/15 V 82. Including new valves, balancing, Copper Ease between the wheel and hub, and VAT. Thetford Tyre and Exhaust, Norfolk.
george

This thread was discussed between 12/02/2002 and 21/02/2002

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