Morgan, is buying one a good idea.
MIKE SHAKESHEAVE
Does anyone know any good/bad points about buying a new base model morgan
(apart from the 6 year waiting list), and how expensive are they to run and
maintain.
Thanks
Mike Shakesheave.
Martyn J Culling
<mike.sha...@virgin.net> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Does anyone know any good/bad points about buying a new base model morgan
>(apart from the 6 year waiting list), and how expensive are they to run and
>maintain.
>
snip
A thoughly biased reply!
I think the older ones are nicer, but Mssrs Morgan won't thank me for
saying so. (I've got a '72 4/4)
Running costs should not be that expensive. It will cost a bit more
than the Eurobox with the same engine (I forget which one), but the
Morgan agent will (those I know will anyway) do a proper job. Morgans
probably still recommend sensible things like changing axle and
gearbox oils etc which is often not done these days.
The 'bete noir' for many people is the sliding pillar front suspension
design. Morgans have recently improved the lubrication to this and it
probably lasts longer now. Parts to do the job are almost
ridiculously cheap but you will end up paying a modest bit of labour.
If front suspension lubricated regularly, lifetimes of +30k miles are
not unknown but if you don't lubricate, stupidly low milages will be
the result. I can do the full job both sides in under a day, if lucky
with clearances etc 4 hours being my record.
Join the Morgan Sports Car Club and meet some people who own the cars.
This club covers all four wheeled Morgans (ie 1936 to date) and is for
owners, would-be owners and anyone with an interest.
Email me direct if you want me to dig out MSCC joining details (remove
the 'nospam' bit of course).
regards Martyn J Culling
absolutlely and totally my veiws and not those of my employer!
Jeremy Edwards
>Does anyone know any good/bad points about buying a new base model morgan
>(apart from the 6 year waiting list), and how expensive are they to run and
>maintain.
I have run a 1972 Morgan 4/4 since 1991 and I have done 8k-10k miles per
year. It does about 30mpg, costs £230 to insure and I spend about £150 a
year in servicing. (It was rebuilt completely in 1996, so is virtually
as new, but it has a kent engine, no catalyst and no electrickery).
The current Morgan 4/4 uses a Mondeo 1800 engine, but I'm told it still
does about 30mpg, it will cost GBP250-350 a year to service, depending
on mileage and your local dealer.
The biggest single cost on running a car is depreciation and a new
Morgan, once you have got one, will not depreciate a great deal. New
with some options will cost you £23000 and will be worth either the same
or slightly more for 2-3 years and then will slowly depreciate.
Problems: could you really live with one? a lot of new cars get sold
quickly as the rose tinted owner discovers that the UK can be cold and
wet and the car just doesn't fit into their lifestyle! The ride is poor,
although a new one is much better than an older one, it does need a lot
of basic maintanence, (tightening the exhaust bolts!), it really needs a
garage to dry out in and it is not secure, but only a moron would steal
a whole one.
Good Points: people will normally let you into traffic queues and smile!
any Ford dealer can service the engine, the rest of the car is so simple
that anyone who has had lego as a child should be able to learn how to
service the rest, it's a damn sight more interesting than the doner
Mondeo!
Rent one and see if you can live with it before waiting 6 years.
--
Jeremy Edwards
1972 Morgan 4/4
Melton Mowbray, England