It's here.

Collected my MGF this morning. Handles ok, needs the gearbox warm in order to shift well, has a few more dings and scratches than it had in the pictures and I paid more than I should have. It needs a front wing and it pops and bangs off the throttle so I need to give the exhaust a Hard Stare but everything works, the hardtop doesn't fit well and the car is loosening up well with a few miles. Doesn't seem fast until you look at the Speedo and the security system is strange. That said, I am setting used to it and I think it will be a lot of fun. MG Prototype car seat base has a driver's seat that is lowered by 20mm. I like the driving position and look forward to giving it a good scrub up.

Hi, I have a Mk1 mpi F and it goes ' like a pocket rocket' It had 57,000 miles on the clock when i bought it (only had one previous owner) service interval on the manual gearbox is 96,000 miles, i replaced mine at 57,000 miles with Castrol Syntrans 75w90 (not MTF94) on the recommendation of MGOC (Roger Parker) this improved the gear changing, further improved by fitting a new cable (original snapped) new master cylinder, slave cylinder and Lotus slave stiffening bracket as well as a Mike Satur bell crank and shortening the gearstick. Pops and bangs on overun come either from an ECU remap or a particular exhaust , My TT Mk7 pops and bangs on overun and engine is a standard 120ps. What do you find strange about the security system ???? - Enjoy your MGF. OH, and replace the cambelt, tensioner and water pump asap and alternator belt .

And my vvc belt,too. Think the aftermarket stainless exhaust is the noise source. I tend more these days towards the Passed and the Curious but it is good to hear that there is nothing wrong. Vvc happens at 4000 and it then goes quite smartly. Quickish rather than searingly fast but generously noisy!

As above, a fluid change for the gearbox works wonders. Some versions are "fitted for life", others until 96k. Either way that fluid is at least 15 years and possibly 25 years old. Often 40 or 50% of the fluid has simple gone as well. It takes half an hour and £30 to refresh and the difference is night and day.

Also the clutch fluid will be a similar age. Considering it is the same fluid as used in the brakes and it's recommended that is at a maximum of 4 years you are 4 times over due on the clutch.

What is is happening with the security system.

The need to work the remote whenever the engine has to be started is just plain silly.
My car has the shorter final drive which is a surprise so it will have had a gearbox change at some time. The clutch is fairly heave, engaging a couple of inches up and disengaging fully when pushed right down, as it should be. I have never opposed the idea of changing the gearbox oil. It is never a bad idea and I have usually found it beneficial. The car has new calipers all round, certainly new enough to get away with flushing it and refilling with dot 5 once the master cylinder has been re rubbered but a regular fluid change for the clutch and brakes is all that is really needed. That and the servo bracing kit. I had to give a real shove to activate the abs and by comparison my Fiesta stops like a BX. It is very easy to throw a ton of time and money at any car, of course. The smart thing is to know what is really needed. New water pumps and 1000 mile old tensioners don't need changing if the belt has merely timed out from disuse. After 500 miles, there are no leaks and no untoward noises from the tensioner. Order of works will therefore be reproof the hood then cam belt. Vvc belt. Regas the suspension. New fluids to clutch and gearbox. Enjoy Enjoy. Enjoy. Personal circumstances mean I will only have two years with this car before moving abroad. I want to spend my time in it, not under it.

I changed my gearbox fluid at about 53k and ended up having to do it again about 1000 miles later, the "new" fluid came out black!