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MG MGB Technical - No Garage...is an MGB still a wise move

We are looking at buying an MG, not sure on GT or Roadster yet and will be looking for one finished rather than a restoration project. The problem is I do not have a garage. I can maybe construct a simple car port for use in the winter, but during the summer use would want the car left up the drive for easy access. Is this is a bad idea even thinking about buying an MG without a garage? How good are these covers for winter...How good are the soft tops if exposed to bad weather and not dry stored? I would really appreciate some advice before making the purchase please?
Paul

Paul,

The problem with leaving a car outside unused for periods is damp. If you intend the car for summer use you could get a roadster and rather than build a car port you could buy one of the air chambers that are available. They are more expensive than a car cover but they control the condensation much better. I know someone who keeps his stag outside in one and has had good results.

If you want to use the car all year on a regular basis you could have a roadster with a good quality soft top or hardtop but you are likly to find a GT more practical and more durable.

A given amount of money will buy a better GT than roadster.

Hope this helps

David
David Witham

If it's a daily driver I'd say go for it. You'll tend to keep in top of things and the car will be fine. If it gets to stand for long periods unused you'll probably find problems occuring due to condensation/damp/rust. Secret is plenty of waxoil in all the cavities and keep her driven.

Stoo
Stuart Robson

Thanks for the advice, I think it would be used throughout the year if possible but not every day. Sounds like while a carport may stop the hammering of the rain (this is while I was worried about the soft top leaking) it is going to be damp that is the real issue. How about the webasto roofs on the GT? Are they OK or can they leak?
Paul

To be fair - B's are no worse than any other car of the era so don't worry. The Webasto roofs are pretty good if in good nick but can be troublesome onec they get tired. I had a GT as my daily driver (75miles/day) and had no problems except 25 mpg!

Stuart Robson

If the car's going to be regularly driven, I'd prefer a car port rather than a full garage. Parking a wet car in a garage will let it stay damp for quite awhile. But the air circulating around a car port soon dry it out.
Charles Goozee

Hi all.

I believe that a roadster with a canvas top offers a much more attractive target for thieves, even though the ACTUAL security is not much worse.

I would buy a good steering wheel lock anyway, the Stoplock Pro is my favourite. I would also fit a simple immobiliser, maybe in the fuel pump line.

A roadster with the top up is rather cramped in my opinion, also the GT has a lot more space for shopping, sports gear, etc.

I believe that Webasto's do tend to leak a little at the front edge when driven into rain.

An overdrive provides much more relaxed high-speed cruising.

Having said all of that, a well sorted MGB is a practical daily driver, just keep an eye (or more to the point, a coat of waxoyl) on the areas that tend to rust, (which are well documented), and be prepared to do a little more regular maintainence than on a modern car.

Don
Don

Thanks for all the advise, I have been looking through the online Autotrader and it seems you can get a good example for around the 3 3.5k mark for a GT? Does this sound about right, what is the minimum I should be looking at spending (Obviously no garage) so only want to really do minor titivation if required to bring upto a good example. As this will be a daily runner what modifications should I be looking for on a car I buy (ie electronic ignition, kenlowe fan etc) at the moment seems a bit of a mine field when looking as there are so many ;-)
Paul

3k should get you a cracking gt with no defects, half that should get you a fine car too but it may also buy you a large,lump of rust, many people have inflated ideas of their cars value.
phil

I'd leave the mods for the moment; the standard car is perfectly up to the job as a daily driver if it's in good repair. I'd instead spend a few pounds on performing a good service and tune-up to get to know the car, and for reliability I'd replace any parts of the ignition system that you can't vouch for. The price sounds about right. Going much under could well be a false economy unless you strike lucky.
Steve Postins

My GT has been my daily driver for sixteen years with no garage, so it can be done. You do have to do carry out maintenance more often, but it doesn't cost nearly as much as a modern does if done by a garage - the beauty of the MGB (and others of it's ilk) is that you can do most of it yourself. Some of the problems we read about here have never occured on my car mainly because it's driven everyday (so that's me doomed now).

The only thing you can't sensibly do without a garage is bodywork. No doubt it would last longer in a garage but as Charles says you would want to put a wet car in there anyway, unless it was really draughty!

I went for the GT as I felt that the soft top was vunerable to the low life with whom we are forced to mingle....but then you don't have a boot you can keep things hidden in (although the passenger foot well is nearly as good).

I'd say go for it - 3 to 3.5K seems to be the likely price but you can only tell by looking - there are some who are realistic about the value of their car and others that think that because they spent 6k on restoring it then that's it's value. Get some advice on specific points to look for (club websites may have a good list) and go kick some tyres!
Dave Smith

Hi.

I would go for a later model GT (ie a rubber bumper model) for a daily driver, they are good value for money and have an electric fan and other refinements as standard.
Replacement chrome bumpers don't seem to last well.

Sills are a common rot point, and are expensive to repair properly.

Be aware of the overdrive inhibit switch adjustment problem, which allows potentially damaging use of reverse gear with the overdrive engaged, and the overdrive wiring-short-by-the-gearlever problem, there is lots about these in the archives.
Don't let these put you off, they are not too difficult to sort.

Don

Don

I just sold my GT due to the fact that I am rebuilding a roadster in my garage and the GT was living out under my car port. I also wasn't driving her as much as I used to. I did notice the condition starting to deterioriate from when she was moved form the garage to the car port. Little things like the chrome bolts on the bumpers starting to rust and a little corrosion inside the engine bay. Nothing serious, just surface but noticable. I think the trick as other people have mentioned is to drive them. A GT is probably more practical for day to day use but as someone pointed out there is no boot to hide stuff in!

Simon
Simon Jansen

Wax helps.


Dan Robinson

I kept an MGB & MGTD for 10 years without a garage! Invest in a good car cover, keep them cleaned & weaxed. My driveway was crushed stone, which was horrible when working on them!
Robert Dougherty

Hi Robert

Good point about the driveway, I have a gravel driveway and had not considered the problems of working on the car, jacking up, ramps etc!
Paul

All you ever needed to know about purchasing a B (or any other car for that matter). Talk about what the seller didn't want you to know!

http://www.theautoist.com/buying_an_mg.htm

Will also help you sell and set a reasonable price for any B you're selling. Very, very good article.

Curtis Walker

I bought a BGT as opposed to a roadster because I didn't have a garage - 2 years later I swapped it for a roadster. The key thing is to protect it with something - I opted for a Weathershield cover from Covercraft in the UK. It's not cheap (from recollection it was about £250) but it protected the car from anything you could chuck at it, including the sun. Because of that, the deterioration was insignificant compared to the BGT without a cover. I've since moved to a house with a garage though - the main advantage being that fixing the car is a whole lot nicer than on an open driveway in the dark and wet!
Martin Port

Martin

I like the sound of that, I had thought about a cover (admit the tyoe you get in Argos) but was concerned that it may do more harm than good in particular sweat and possibly scratching the bodywork when removing? This sounds like a more purpose fit cover and presumably you had no issues with the above? I see you are failry local, have you ever been to the Beuliue Autojumble? I heard on this forum it is on this weekend so will be going to get a taste for the MG, spare parts etc, just wondered if it was any good...sounds good by the web ad?

Paul
Paul

Curtis, that is a great article, thanks for that...printing now !
Paul

Paul. My garage is still "under renovation" and my MGB is under a fabic breathable cover and a vented vinyl cover. It's been that way for four years now and yes I too want my garage. Your question about does the MGB make sense is somewhat of an oxymoron. No it does not make sense at all!! It goes with the idea of spending money to grow your lawn and you spend money to cut your lawn. Paul, buy the car, if that is what you want. It does not have to make sense - get out there and enjoy it

cheers

Gary :>{D
gnhansen

Paul, I currently only have a carport - I want to enclose it, primarily so I can work on the car when its raining or cold. I have a car cover, and I don't drive my car in the rain. I have a roadster, and my wife and I really enjoy it.

I'll probably step on some toes here, but owning an MGB makes at least as much sense as some other hobbies, like deer hunting or fishing, and a LOT more sense than golf. Also, its probably cheaper than smoking in the long run!

I have a rule of thumb - everything minor costs $20 to fix - everything major costs so much it'll have to wait. The good news is you can get the parts, and its not too difficult to fix most things yourself - and I'm not even close to being a competent mechanic. All you need are basic tools and this BBS. I drive it regularly, I park it sometimes to fix something, and I spend money, but no more than the other hobbies I just mentioned.

As others have said, the secret to keeping them in good condition is driving them. The one I have wasn't driven regularly for three years, and I had to do a lot of minor stuff when it was first purchased. Now, its more maintenance than anything else.

Buy one - you'll like it!

John
John English

Paul - Beaulieu is a good day out, providing you go knowing exactly what it is you need to find. Otherwise you end up roaming around for hours without any aim! Personally, I've not been for a couple of years because everything I need for my B is so easily available and relatively cheaply too, that I don't need to trawl through boxes of old stuff to find what I want.

On the contrary, I am actually going to Southampton this weekend for the Eurojumble to try and find parts for my 1969 BSA Bantam D14/4 that I have just started restoring. It's cheaper as well, at only £5 entry!

Whereabouts in Hampshire are you?

Martin
Martin Port

I live next door to the eurojummble but have nver been as I assumed it catered just for bikes, is that correct?
phil

Hi Martin

Thanks for the info on the Autojumble. My main reason (as I have not got a car yet) was hoping to see some of the ones on display and for sale. How big is this bit of the show, if it is pure Autojumble then maybe it is not worth visiting ...just unless I come away with the tempaation to build one from scrath! I am in Fareham, Hants.
Paul

Everyone...

Thanks for the advice. I have made up my mind and will go for an MG regardless of having no garage after the good advice so thankyou all. I originally wanted a roadster, but now thinking towards the GT??? Anyway will start looking at the end of the year for a car, just a little more homework to to do...let's hope it is cheaper to run than my Rover 75 V6...just cost me £650 for a service! That's the trouble with cars that you cannot touch..it cost me £65 to remove the 3 spark plugs on the bottom of the engine as half of it had to come out first to get to them....cannot wait until I get the MG and have the challenge of changing the spark plugs on that engine..bet it's a lot easier ;-)
Paul

Paul - I used to live in Fareham when I was a kid (now 32) - Lechlade Gardens if that means anything to you! Anyway - there's all sorts at Beaulieu, not just jumble - there are a lot of complete cars for sale which may be of interest to you.

As for the running costs on an MGB? Well, the owner before me had the car for 21 years and averaging out what he paid for maintenance and replacement of bits as needed, he paid 500 a year on upkeep - less than ONE service on a Rover 75 V6!

I've had the car for two years now and through choice, not always necessity, I have spent 2,000 - that's included a new engine, dashboard, wire wheels, hubs, radiator, overhauling all the clutch cylinders, brakes, some new guages... 2k may sound a lot, but I've got a lot of new bits on my car for the money and if I'd stuck to just replacing what HAD to be replaced, then it would still have only come out at around 500 a year.

And yes, changing the spark plugs on an MGB is going to cost you a lot less than 65! I'm not a terribly competent mechanic, but the MGB is an excellent learning tool - I can now replace the head gasket in just over two hours if I need to - that saves me at least 200 compared to putting it into a garage!
Martin Port

Paul
When I lived in Reading I had a ¡¯74 B Roadster. I never had a garage only a car cover. Here is a link to the company.

http://www.thoroughbred-covers.co.uk/

If the cover was damp and the following day was very hot it made the paint on the bonnet turn white (bloom). I think this was down to the quality of the re-spray it had years before I purchased the car.
The parking area was all of my front garden so I could get 2 cars off the road. Surface was tarmac. I had the job done by a ¡®traveller¡¯, who made what I thought would be a temp job until I could afford something better. It lasted over 14 years with only small indentations where I had used the trolley jack. It is slightly cheaper for insuring too.
Go for the best car you can afford and enjoy it.

Here is another company, which i have seen as is local to you. http://www.classicadditions.com/?CFID=519412&CFTOKEN=10422578
Cecil Kimber

Good show Paul!! Let us know what you buy and join in with the rest of us on our MG lives. No regrets here in the north country of New York!!

cheers

Gary :>{D
gnhansen

This thread was discussed between 05/09/2005 and 09/09/2005

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.