Posted on 11th March 2024

Picking up a 2004 MG TF

The story of my latest vehicular acquisition starts in the midst of domestic DIY destruction. We had just started clearing chunks of rubble from our kitchen which were left over from breaking down the pantry walls. After carrying several bits of breeze block outside and dumping them in the half-tonne waste bag in the garden, I paused for a breather.

Pulling the respirator off my face and my phone out of my pocket I loaded up the eBay app. Taking a quick look at the auction for a car I was watching, I was in two minds about placing a bid. But with not long to go and the price still within budget I was confident I had a good chance of winning it. 'Sod it', I thought, 'what's the worst that can happen?'. I placed a bid and got back to the clean-up operation.

Former glory

A couple of weeks later I find myself in the familiar setting of a small Fenland market town near our old home. 'Chatteris' is a town with a tangible feeling of former glory, possibly due to the closure of the train station under the 'Beeching' cuts. Former glory is also an appropriate phrase for what I had come here to see.

This year's winter had brought with it the largest amount of rainfall in the UK on record. But on this particular morning the sun was shining and there had been a sharp frost overnight. Standing by the car I had was about to buy, dripping with thawing frost and morning dew, it was hard to tell the full extent of the defects in the paintwork, which were declared in the advert up-front.

A 2004 MG TF in Anthracite Pearl Black which had been honestly described as in 'scruffy' condition, it had seen better days. The seller, an affable car enthusiast and classic car magazine editor, opened the driver's door and I peered inside at the tatty interior. I felt a pang of self-doubt. Was I making a terrible mistake?

But once the engine turned over and the car fired up I started to feel more positive about it. The deep exhaust note quickly settled down to a quiet rumble. Moving to the the rear of the car to listen to the engine (mounted in the middle), it seemed to be ticking over healthily. And the seller's description of it being in good mechanical order began to ring true.

It was as though the little MG came to life for a moment and wanted to signal its readiness to get going and explore some new roads with its new owner. And explore them we did.

The deal was done and I quickly acclimatised myself to the simple and effective layout of the car (quite familiar to me being a former 90s and 00s MG Rover owner). I set the heater to full blast and pulled out onto the road.

First impressions

The first thing I noticed about this MG was the throttle response. It only needed a light touch to get moving and the acceleration available on-tap felt effortless, adding to the eager character I had already attributed to the car. Next I discovered the brakes, which had recently been overhauled, were sharp and effective.

The well-worn leather seats were comfortable. The electrically assisted steering was light, but not twitchy. The gear change had a short throw and weighty feel which was pleasing, although the chunky aluminium gear knob was freezing to the touch on this chilly February morning!

For the first few miles I paid close attention to what the car was telling me. Despite the numerous cosmetic defects noted when looking at it static and cold, behind the wheel it was a different story and there was really nothing of concern. Like many cars of the era that were mechanically well maintained, it felt solid and well damped, but not as isolating from the outside world as new cars are these days.

Also being mid-engined, the drive is a more sensory experience than most. As long as you appreciate the sporting nature of the car, that can be a positive as with the engine zinging, humming and whistling behind you it offers more of a connection with the machinery working hard to get you down the road.

Some background about the MG TF

The 1.8 litre K Series engine found in this MG TF gets a bad rap. It is prone to the dreaded head gasket failure. This reputation means it is often forgotten just how good this, and previous generations of MG and Rover engines, were. Powerful and economical for the time, K Series engines pulled well. This car's engine was no exception. The smooth, progressive acceleration and the unstressed noise it made while cruising along reminded me of the T Series engine of the Rover Coupe I once owned. That car is still out there being enjoyed by a new owner and has now been driven over 130 000 miles last time I checked.

Just over 10 years ago there was also another small MG sports car in my life: a black 1975 MG Midget. The Midget name was originally given to an edition of the first 'TF' in 1953 and thus the two cars are distantly linked. The 2004 TF I had just bought shares little in common with the MG Midget or its namesake apart from its heritage. Quieter, smoother, faster and more dependable, the 'modern' TF is a superior car, but also still has some of the character of the old MG Midget. Part of the appeal of both are their basic focused approach to motoring which makes driving it feel like more of an experience, and sometimes an adventure, rather than a chore.

Taking a pit stop

We stopped off in our old home town of Ely for a leisurely lunch and stroll. It was always a bustling place, but these days it seems to be inundated with people rushing around with urgency. I managed to find one of the last remaining spaces in the car park of a supermarket that didn't exist when we moved to the area. It was nice to see our old stomping ground but I don't regret moving away.

It's at this point I should give thanks and a special mention to my wife for indulging my old-car-buying habit by giving me a lift to pick up the car. This effort was hopefully made more worthwhile by a decent meal and walk together in the sunshine with our dog, which I think we both enjoyed. I think it's important my passion for cars with character gives us a few moments of shared enjoyment amongst the many solitary hours I spend fixing them up.

Once back on the road it didn't take long to rediscover another reason I'm glad not to live in this area anymore. 'The fens' is a flat area of drained wetland (or 'Fenland'). The roads around there are subject to constant movement of the shifting ground underneath which creates undulations and pot holes that are impossible to avoid. You just have to drive slower unless you want to damage your car or end up in a dyke.

Having heard the TF had a harsh ride I was apprehensive about this part of the journey. But the car did cope OK and it didn't seem too bad: a good sign that the suspension was in fair condition. Before long the worst roads were left behind and I had made it to the Norfolk country lanes which, while not perfect in this age of hastening austerity, were more forgiving.

It's a convertible, we're in Britain and the sun is shining

With the first sun in weeks showing no sign of letting up, of course I stopped and lowered the convertible hood. Dropping the soft top and fitting the hood cover which keeps it securely and neatly stowed only took a few minutes and a bit of fumbling around to figure out. I intended to just do a short stint 'topless', as it was only about 7°C after all. But the roof stayed off for the rest of the journey.

Driving through Thetford forest, dense rows of trees lining the road on either side, I started to appreciate the feeling of having the roof off more. Such a simple thing changes the character of a drive. With the added visibility and exposure to the elements, it puts you in touch with the world around you. It can really make you appreciate the privilege of driving. This sort of environment suits convertible sports cars well. I made a mental note of the fact these roads were only half an hour from home.

Cheap car, great handling

With MGF and TF values back in the doldrums for a while, buying this MG was an opportunity to own a cheap toy for fun drives without the need for breaking the bank. Generally speaking sports cars are expensive, but with a purchase price of just over £1000, given how well this TF drove I'm already a convert of these 'modern classic' MGs.

Of course it will need money and time spending on it at some point. £3000 - 5000 will probably buy you one that doesn't need as much work. But with no garage space currently to store a really good one, this will do just fine for something to enjoy and not worry about too much. I take heart from the fact that, while obviously a luxury, proper MGs are still available at the more affordable end of the spectrum (as they have been for many years now).

What makes this a 'proper MG' in my mind? Not only is it quick, the MG TF is easy to enjoy because it inspires confidence in its abilities. That's all down to the handling which is something MG Rover did well.

There's something to be admired about the lack of compromise found in a true sports car. Commercially they rarely make sense for mainstream manufacturers, but the MG F and TF were by all accounts very successful. As soon as I started driving this one, I could finally see why.

This is a car worthy of a name that evokes the MGs of old: As long as you pay your full attention to driving it, it will reward you with a sensory experience that is hard to forget. If you don't concentrate on driving in one of these, don't be surprised if you unexpectedly end up going sideways. But as long as you're sensible it can be a lot of fun. Much like driving my old MG Midget, I found driving the TF on this mercifully sunny day really cleared my mind.

Nearly home

After nearly an hour on the back roads, it was time to merge onto a dual carriageway. I was a little disappointed it felt that the most fun part of the journey was over so soon. But I'd had a good day out and it would at least be a useful test of the car on faster roads.

Getting up to 70mph with the wind whistling around me, my hair flapping around like a bird about to take flight, I felt a little vulnerable but the feeling didn't last long. Compared to the experience of driving my old MG Midget on these faster roads, the difference was night and day. Perhaps at this speed a wind deflector or having the roof on would be a good idea, but it was tolerable and not excessively noisy either.

In what seemed like no time at all I was back home with my new purchase on the drive. I didn't spend long going over the car and assessing its faults once home. It seemed kind of rude to the little MG which had performed faultlessly in mechanical terms and been so enjoyable on my way home.

Back where I started

I know a tatty old British sports car isn't everyone's idea of enjoyment and not everyone would understand what car enthusiasts see in spending time and money on them. But for me at least, it's not just a machine. I see some value in the heritage and how a shared passion for cars connects people. It can be a talking point and also an important part of people's lives.

Cars like this may be the last of their kind, with the exception of specially homologated vehicles produced in small batches. Perhaps, for people like me, the answer isn't to unrealistically demand that manufacturers make more mass-produced sports cars for a rapidly shrinking market at great environmental cost, but instead to redouble our own efforts to preserve examples like this one and use them sparingly.

It was not until a few days after collecting the car that it dawned on me: After over 10 years of owning different classic cars I've ended up more or less back where I started. From the days of spotting MGBs outside village pubs in my childhood, through to my first classic MG Midget in my 20s and on to my mid-life [crisis?] purchase of an MG TF: I'm an MG fan first and foremost when it comes to cars. I just had to take the scenic route to find out.

Despite some prior apprehension, having collected this MG TF, I'm pleased with my purchase and excited for it to be a part of my life. I can't wait for the next drive in it and I'm also itching to get stuck into improving it too.

But I suppose I should get rid of that rubble piled up in the garden first.