Intro to my MGTF ownership FYI

What have you done to make your MG into ‘Your own Car’?
I think we mostly all agree that MG F/TFs are a good value and practical means of transport, whether a daily driver, a hobby car or even a big boy or girls toy, and stylish & great fun to own and drive. One way or another all of us make them our own for example with furry dice, or keeping them in concours condition or perhaps with our own sort of neglect: old litter, sports kit etc.
I want mine to be a daily driver but with a few features to make it better to live with especially round town. I don’t want a track car, I want to stay within the insurance & I don’t want to spend much as I know TFs are not yet an investment.
It is a 135 in standard spec with 15 inch rims, the car needing a bit of simple attention when I got it.
Here is what I did & why - mostly from eBay and did it mostly myself over 3 years.
SCU repair - made pectron central locking & 1 window work again - from a guy in Brighton by return mail.
www.technozen-electronics.co.uk
Some clips to stop the wiper elbows disconnecting each time.
2 pairs of LED headlight units - transformed driving in dark and passed MOT tests x2 so OK.
Heater fan control L500 version - 4 speeds now work. This job requires a contortion.
Leather seats from a F needed collection & some TLC - no aspiring trad British sports car should be without them
Leather door panel inserts to match
Bluetooth hands free kit (free gift as used)
Mike Satur Blue springs & Spax - a real extravagance as more than the car cost plus tracking at mates rates - I chose to soften suspension and keep smaller wheels because UK local roads are poor. They were worth it.
Heritage hard top soon to be replaced by heated rear window all year round.
All round new Mintex discs & pads with bleeding the system - firmed brakes up nicely
A set of 4 Toyo Proxes also much better especially in the wet where car has now become completely trustworthy.
Discs, tyres, Water pump & a cam belt & oil change can all be considered maintenance not upgrades over 3 years.
In total I reckon I spent the least I could get away with to make the car the way I want to enjoy it but I’m wondering what you real experts think adds most pleasure and the personal touch to your F/TF ownership?

Apart from putting on chrome items I've spent very little on my car.well no major payouts anyway..has I do all work myself....owned it for about 4 years..I've replaced the rear calipers and discs all round..new coil packs. ...renewed exhaust front pipe and fitted a new rad...although I fitted stainless water pipes the condition of the old were mint...this year I will purchase some new tyres has the originals have age cracks...I replaced cambelt and alt belt etc...and alternator...all balljoints and track rod ends...cantrail rubbers...nothing major..car in good clean condition awaiting some sunshine..

Added some exterior "embellishments"

Bloody hell gorsq...I've got a Samsung s5 phone in a aluminium gorrilla case it's got 6 allen keys securing the thing together...I've just been trying to get the flee out of the case untill I realised you put it there..

Thoughts
The MG TF is wonderful to own and drive. In my eyes it has just one problem that I struggle to live with. Not the K-series engine which is the unfair recipient of so much abuse, nor the seats which are a bit high, nor the flimsy interior which is allowed in the interests of lightness, but the various trims inside and out held on, or feigning being held on by hexagon bolts.
The worst item is the plastic ring round the gear stick gaiter which pretends to robustness and engineering authenticity but can be seen at a glimpse to achieve anything but.
Has anyone a solution other than a piano black spray job or a faux walnut replacement to improve this design mistake in the centre of the car’s interior? I would be grateful to learn of it.

I got an alloy one, don't remember where from.......not very helpful, I know, but at least you now know that they exist out there somewhere

Thank you - it is helpful - at least I know to look!

I thought they all were aluminium, painted to look like plastic!

The paint will polish off, just like the fuel filler surround.

The gaiter trim is plastic and looks like cheap plastic. I wondered if I filled and sanded the embossed hexagon bolt shapes flush I could either cover the ring in a vinyl that looks like the texture of the facia or just lose the ring appearance by spraying Matt black? Any experience of this sort of thing?

Have to agree with G0RSQ in that mine is not plastic but metal, painted silver . I too rubbed it with fine wet n dry and polished it up and it looks great . I take it we are talking about the large lower surround of the gaiter with the faux allen screws in it ?
John

Yes - that’s the item
I had mine apart to put in a Motorola hands free Bluetooth and cut a little notch in it underneath - I’m sure it’s silver-grey plastic - maybe it was made cheaper for the 03 MY when a few other trims were changed?

I think what's happened there is the previous owner has removed the metal part from the plastic base . That is what you have been left with .