gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 (edited) Does anyone have any experience of the reliability of MG's in Thailand? There is a showroom just down the road from me and as I am looking to buy a car the price and location have a lot to offer. Also of course MG was a solid brand years ago in the UK. Now it has been taken over I was wondering if there is a downside to them now. Thanks for (useful) comments in advance Edited September 6, 2015 by gandalf12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiep Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I can only comment on old MG cars.. I my younger days had a MGA 1600 Mk 1 coupe...imported into Auetralia..( not by me ) It is still sitting in the garage up on blocks.... Ah...the good old days.... Regards...aussiep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 I remember the MG-B and MG-C they were good cars. THe new one here in Thailand is not expensive at Bht 1,038,000 with sun roof, reversing camera paddle gear change. Looks good but if there are problems with them I will buy a Honda. Thanks for your input I appreciat it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiep Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I remember the first time I visited Pattaya in 1988. Was walking olong beach road.......so different then. There was an MGA for rent.... Pulled the bonet to look at the engine...... Not a MG engine......walked off..... aussiep...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 I remember the first time I visited Pattaya in 1988. Was walking olong beach road.......so different then. There was an MGA for rent.... Pulled the bonet to look at the engine...... Not a MG engine......walked off..... aussiep...... If I buy one it will be from the MG dealer and be brand new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartman Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Not out long enough in Thailand or enough owners (zero TV members?) for what the OP wants look to other markets with longer sales for feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Think I will give a test drive but be biased towards Honda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Please report back as we were looking at the MG3 as a replacement for the wife's Honda a few months back. Nothing wrong with the old Honda (beyond the prang and age) and fully aware that these marques are in separate leagues. The style and pricing of the MG 3 looks great for what we need in a second car; small, economical and easy in Pattaya's bung-hole traffic. I was toying with visiting their Bangkok showroom but couldn't find any other things from up there to make the trip worthwhile. If you report back here (or PM me), I would appreciate your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Please report back as we were looking at the MG3 as a replacement for the wife's Honda a few months back. Nothing wrong with the old Honda (beyond the prang and age) and fully aware that these marques are in separate leagues. The style and pricing of the MG 3 looks great for what we need in a second car; small, economical and easy in Pattaya's bung-hole traffic. I was toying with visiting their Bangkok showroom but couldn't find any other things from up there to make the trip worthwhile. If you report back here (or PM me), I would appreciate your opinion. will do. I am looking at the MG6 with the fast back but I will give you my opinion. Frm the spec they look good but I need to drive one to find out for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 As a former MGB GT owner, these new cars are not "MG"s. 100mph in a 17 yr old MGB GT on the M1. Lucky all 3 lanes were empty of traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 These are not the MGB or MGC of old but they are in the same genre as the Mini Cooper S. The original was great the new one is nothing like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish fingers Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 The new MG's are designed in the UK. I sat in the MG3 at the last motor show and thought it looked great. It also has a bigger interior than the Mazda 2. What let it down were the interior materials; the steering wheel mounted control button looked like it came off a kids toy. Mind you, the thai market Mini Countryman also has some shockingly cheap plastics Another problem for the MG is it didn't get a 5 star Ncap rating - not sure why that was. Thats a big deal on thai roads imo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrens54 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 (edited) MG is now just a name.............Real MG days have long gone.. Sadly, very true. I am so old, I even had an MGTC , an MGA and a couple of MGBs, including a quite rare "Fast-back." My 15 y.o. daughter is crazy about a new Mini Cooper when she's old enough to drive. Daddy of course would be allowed to drive it sometimes but I'm not sure if Daddy is now able to get in or out of anything that low to the ground. Have attached a shot of the TC and one of the B's. Edited September 6, 2015 by Torrens54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankphuket Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Chinese made "UK" wannabees....not for me! At those prices or just a bit more you can go straight to Honda, Mazda and have peace in mind, a better driving car, much better resale and ownership experience. The MG6 costs 1m Baht, you can get the top model Mazda 3 for it and never look back. The MG3 is pretty cheap, so hard to find something exactly on that price range maybe, but just above will sit the Mazda2 petrol. Indeed the plastics and interior quality looks quite poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Mega Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 As a former MGB GT owner, these new cars are not "MG"s. 100% correct. You had a vehicle from the MG Car Company. These new vehicles are from a company called MG Motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Assembled in Thailand in a factory that has been open for one year from Chinese made parts. Not quite the MG of the past that many of us know and love. Clarkson wrote up a review in 2013, summarising the MG6 as follows: Well, last week I sneaked behind the wheel for a short drive, and very quickly the reason became obvious. This car is not bad at all. It’s hysterically terrible. The MG6 offers an experience that is nothing like that. It may say MG on the rump but it is as far removed from its predecessors as you are from an amoeba. It’s a carrier bag with a Coco Chanel badge. And I think that’s rotten. The whole car’s rotten, really, and here’s the clincher. It’s not that cheap. The Magnette model I drove is £21,195. And for that you can have a normal car that doesn’t lacerate your fingers, stall, refuse to start, bash your head in every time you go over a bump and ruin your gentleman sausage if you have a crash. Obviously that price is from the UK, but THB 1M in Thailand is not that cheap for this Chinese car assembled in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 The new MG's are designed in the UK. I sat in the MG3 at the last motor show and thought it looked great. It also has a bigger interior than the Mazda 2. What let it down were the interior materials; the steering wheel mounted control button looked like it came off a kids toy. Mind you, the thai market Mini Countryman also has some shockingly cheap plastics Another problem for the MG is it didn't get a 5 star Ncap rating - not sure why that was. Thats a big deal on thai roads imo.. Sorry, I couldn't help but post another quote from Clarkson, this one regarding the interior that you mentioned: It’s a widely held belief that mass- produced plastic was developed around the turn of last century. Well, the dashboard on the MG6 appears to be fabricated from a plastic that pre-dates that. I think it may follow a recipe laid down in the Middle Ages, when villagers would use cattle horns to make rudimentary windows. And regarding the NCAP safety tests: Speaking of which, it didn’t do especially well in its Euro NCAP safety tests. The airbag didn’t inflate sufficiently well to stop the dummy driver’s head hitting the steering wheel, and while the feet and neck were well looked after, protection for the thighs and genitals was only “marginal”. I make no observation about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarpSpeed Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) OP, probably far more reliable and road worthy now that the Chinese own and build them.. Jason Plato was thrashing them pretty good in the BTCC before VW got involved and brought him in as a works driver. Edited September 7, 2015 by WarpSpeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Quite agree with you all. Honda has a good reputation so I think it will be a small Honda nothing too big but enough to get around in and for it to be reliable. Thanks guys. You confirmed my thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Off topic but I saw these vehicles being test driven last June. On Hwy 304. They were disguised but later recognised them. I doubt they reflect the old Morris Garages much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingdoc Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Owned several real MG's and the Chinese versions are certainly not the same ! I might also choose Honda in preference ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farang99 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Made in China with a sticker on the back claiming to be British sport! Believe that and you will believe anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb17 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Saw an MG 3 parked in Jomtien a couple of weeks ago- actually did not look too bad. So trawled through reviews in the motoring press. General consensus was it handled very well- probably due to quite a sophisticated suspension- but the engine was an absolute dog- so a pity. Could not see the interior- as the tints must have been 80% - how you see at night? Also dealer network quite limited- probably would have to go to Bangkok for a service- required for warranty. So stick to Mazda. Edited September 7, 2015 by peterb17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billphillips Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 The only thing that these low end Chinese designed and manufactured cars have in common with MG ..... is the name. Anyone considering buying one should look at the high-end, high-spec model. You may be rather surprised to see a certain lack of anything resembling "high-spec" other than the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 There an abomination.....RIP Morris Garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEFLKrabi Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I test drove the MG3. It was very comfortable and I considered it for my wife. I found switching from manual to auto and back again nearly impossible. Love the colour schemes mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamrock09 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I remember the MG-B and MG-C they were good cars. THe new one here in Thailand is not expensive at Bht 1,038,000 with sun roof, reversing camera paddle gear change. Looks good but if there are problems with them I will buy a Honda. Thanks for your input I appreciat it I used to have a MG.B. It was a nightmare. Every time the patient AA man turned up in the street to sort out yet another problem he would greet me with....."Oh, it's you again!" Hope the Chinese version is a lot better than that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamrock09 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I remember the MG-B and MG-C they were good cars. THe new one here in Thailand is not expensive at Bht 1,038,000 with sun roof, reversing camera paddle gear change. Looks good but if there are problems with them I will buy a Honda. Thanks for your input I appreciat it I used to have a MG.B. It was a nightmare. Every time the patient AA man turned up in the street to sort out yet another problem he would greet me with....."Oh, it's you again!" Hope the Chinese version is a lot better than that! Everything electrical was a nightmare. One of the first things to go was the overdrive. It was so problematic that I gave up on it! Was lucky to find a buyer and settled for a VW Golf instead. The GTI was a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 As a former MGB GT owner, these new cars are not "MG"s. 100mph in a 17 yr old MGB GT on the M1. Lucky all 3 lanes were empty of traffic Yeh, I had a '64 Roadster...........110mph was a handful but great fun.. I often wondered what the MGB V8 was like, never drove one, did drive a Triumph TR8 and it was crap........ I seem to remember the few people who shoe-horned a V8 into the engine bay of an MG found it swapped ends in corners with little provocation, something to do with weight distribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Their now being Chinese is probably a downside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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