MG 6 Diesel

[Wak]

The factory are bring me a car over this morning to test drive overnight.

Wonder how it will compare to my Octavia VRS?


Wak

[Windy]

Everyone who drives the diesel says good things about it - let us know your impressions

It is a bit heavier than the petrol but that all alloy diesel is cast using low pressure sandcasting technology the same as the lightweight K-Series, no cast iron like the old L-Series.

[Wak]

Well I love the heated seats!

Quality of interior is better than I expected but 1 or 2 things I don't like such as handbrake set up and steering wheel shape but seat feel is good and the positioning.

Only been round the block but picks up ok, sound is a bit agricultural but I had no radio on.

Further report to follow. Have to admit I'd have one just to be back in the fold!

Wak

[redzs180]

sounds good must say they are a bit tempting

[Windy]

Originally Posted by Wak

Only been round the block but picks up ok, sound is a bit agricultural but I had no radio on.

With 350NM at just 1800 rpm it should pick up well, although by the time you get to 1800 rpm in top gear you are doing 70 mph...

[peteT16]

Is it a bought in engine or MG's own

[shroonie29]

Originally Posted by Windy

With 350NM at just 1800 rpm it should pick up well, although by the time you get to 1800 rpm in top gear you are doing 70 mph...

Nice bit of umph then.

Also like the casting usage

[Tracy]

Originally Posted by Wak

Well I love the heated seats!

Quality of interior is better than I expected but 1 or 2 things I don't like such as handbrake set up and steering wheel shape but seat feel is good and the positioning.

Only been round the block but picks up ok, sound is a bit agricultural but I had no radio on.

Further report to follow. Have to admit I'd have one just to be back in the fold!

Wak

Glad you're enjoying it

The heated seats in our 6 have been getting a big thumbs up at the moment. The only trouble is that the kids argue over who gets to sit in the front passenger seat

Does the diesel have the hill hold function? It means that the handbrake isn't too bad as you only need to use it when you're parking or about to pull away. Other than that you don't need it

[aldon]

Handbrake is designed for men! (some women haven't the strength to release it)

Only thing that annoyed me about the steering wheel is the plastic bit at the bottom, but you get use to it.

Absolutely love ours, if we didn't have so much traffic on the south coast I would have waited for the diesel, just for the extra oomph.

Its getting good reviews in the press, and I've had nothing but praise for ours wherever we go.

Heated seats are brilliant when the weather is like this, unlike the saab I had they warm up when no one is sat in them. Turn them on, go scrape the windows and then snuggle in to a 40 deg seat, lovely.

Take for as long a drive as you can, it will grow on you the more you drive it.

[aldon]

Originally Posted by Tracy

Does the diesel have the hill hold function? It means that the handbrake isn't too bad as you only need to use it when you're parking or about to pull away. Other than that you don't need it

Tracy, I have discovered that if you are parked on a hill and have the handbrake on you can press the brake pedal, take off the hand brake and then the hill hold works, so you don't need to time the hand brake release with biting point to stop rolling back.

[Windy]

Originally Posted by peteT16

Is it a bought in engine or MG's own

It is essentially MG's own. It's actually built by a joint venture with Yunnei Diesel of China and developed from their Euro III version although just about everything is new including the block casting method. The development was mainly by SAIC @ Longbridge and FEV (diesel experts) of Germany. origins


Does the diesel not have the new electronic handbrake now fitted to the Roewe 550?

[MG ZS STE]

They had one at the autosport show but I was on my way to the piston heads action arena so didn't really have time for a good look. But the guy said it was an MG own design that cost 450m to develope. They also had the MG6 with BTTC stickers on.

[new160]

Originally Posted by aldon

Handbrake is designed for men! (some women haven't the strength to release it)

Only thing that annoyed me about the steering wheel is the plastic bit at the bottom, but you get use to it.

Absolutely love ours, if we didn't have so much traffic on the south coast I would have waited for the diesel, just for the extra oomph.

Its getting good reviews in the press, and I've had nothing but praise for ours wherever we go.

Heated seats are brilliant when the weather is like this, unlike the saab I had they warm up when no one is sat in them. Turn them on, go scrape the windows and then snuggle in to a 40 deg seat, lovely.

Take for as long a drive as you can, it will grow on you the more you drive it.

The handbrake.

Mine was like that at about 13k miles

Take it in and get it sorted it needs adjusted.

I could not get the handbrake to hold the car on a steepish hill. Not so bad when pointing up a hill because of the hill hold but very bad when reversing up a steep hill.

There are a couple of problems.

Because the handbrake is on a drum and is completely seperate from the foot brake disk mechanism there is no cleaning mechanism as you drive to keep the inside of the drum and the handbrake shoes clean.
It is necessary to apply the handbrake on lightly on at regular intervals in order to keep the working surfaces of the handbrake clean. I was not told how frequently this is necessary but was told that is essential to do this.
My garage also adjusted the handbrake mechanism through a hole in the brake drum.with the wheel off to take up the free play in the cable and handbrake mechanism. They have suggested that this is necessary at every service.

This had not been done at my first year service by the garage I bought the car from down south hence I found the handbrake almost totally innefective when I got home to Scotland..

The handbrake is now very good. My wife has commented on how easy it is to use. It is now on hard at just four clicks.

I would suggest that you take your car to your MG dealer and get them to sort your handbrake problem out.

Dreadnaught garage in Callander have certainly been able to sort out my handbrake problems and we now have as good a handbrake as we have ever had on any car. Even the unusual shape of the handle is quite accectable to us.

We both love the heated seats.

Iain

[aldon]

Originally Posted by new160

The handbrake.

Mine was like that at about 13k miles

Take it in and get it sorted it needs adjusted.

I could not get the handbrake to hold the car on a steepish hill. Not so bad when pointing up a hill because of the hill hold but very bad when reversing up a steep hill.

There are a couple of problems.

Because the handbrake is on a drum and is completely seperate from the foot brake disk mechanism there is no cleaning mechanism as you drive to keep the inside of the drum and the handbrake shoes clean.
It is necessary to apply the handbrake on lightly on at regular intervals in order to keep the working surfaces of the handbrake clean. I was not told how frequently this is necessary but was told that is essential to do this.
My garage also adjusted the handbrake mechanism through a hole in the brake drum.with the wheel off to take up the free play in the cable and handbrake mechanism. They have suggested that this is necessary at every service.

This had not been done at my first year service by the garage I bought the car from down south hence I found the handbrake almost totally innefective when I got home to Scotland..

The handbrake is now very good. My wife has commented on how easy it is to use. It is now on hard at just four clicks.

I would suggest that you take your car to your MG dealer and get them to sort your handbrake problem out.

Dreadnaught garage in Callander have certainly been able to sort out my handbrake problems and we now have as good a handbrake as we have ever had on any car. Even the unusual shape of the handle is quite accectable to us.

We both love the heated seats.

Iain

Nothing wrong with how the hand brake works, I have no problem with it, fully on at 4 clicks and I can get it off. Just the wife hasn't the strength because of the position of it. She can take it off from the passenger seat but not the drivers because it is too far away. If the car was lhd it would be in the right place.

[new160]

Originally Posted by aldon

Nothing wrong with how the hand brake works, I have no problem with it, fully on at 4 clicks and I can get it off. Just the wife hasn't the strength because of the position of it. She can take it off from the passenger seat but not the drivers because it is too far away. If the car was lhd it would be in the right place.

I thought that your handbrake problem was similar to mine as my wife had to use both hands to release it once I had applied it.

Reading some of your other postings I would imagine that your MG 6 was still very much in it's infancy, unlike mine which today reached the dizzy heights of 14,400 miles, I had not realised on how few miles would have been covered by your car when I typed my bit out.

Prior to geting the handbrake sorted there must have been at least eight clicks before it became firm but even then I could not hold the car on a hill.

By the way I put my full sized (18") wheel with 225/45 tyre in the boot today instead of the 50mph/60psi one. I had to replace the foam spacer under it with the boot carpet from my old ZR and had to slightly trim the holder for the jack etc to let it sit inside the new wheel. The MG 6 boot carpet fits perfectly with the new wheel in the boot tyre well.

Cheers

Iain

[aldon]

Whats the verdict then Wak?

[Windy]

Originally Posted by aldon

Whats the verdict then Wak?

I thought he had to give it back today, can't still be out test driving it

[Wak]

Sorry was not around all day yesterday.

I had it overnight but due to family duties didnt get chance to really go anywhere in it other than local runs.

I can say it drove well and picked up ok but as its down on power and torque to the VRS not quite as nippy.

Steering was a bit light but saying that when I got back in Skoda that felt heavy for a while!

Seating position was good. Interestingly my daughter who still wishes we had the 180 thought it looked and felt expensive.

Shame I didnt get chance for a motorway drive as thats where it would spend most of its time.

Overall way better than I was expecting and if I can persuade the powers that be I'll have one but a GT not the saloon. Has a change of mind there, which I noticed you did Aldon.

Wak

[Wak]

Oh and I hate the handbrake. Looks horrible and kept catching my fingers.

Tracey aint got a clue about that hill thingy.....


Wak

[Tracy]

We also changed our minds and went for the GT despite usually preferring saloons. The hill start thing is good. You get a few seconds delay when you release the brake before you start rolling backwards so enough time to start accelerating without needing to use the handbrake.

[Jerry]

Wak - did you buy one?

[Wak]

No Jerry I had another test drive and did a longer motorway/dual track journey but it was only averaging around 46 mph. My VRS does 55/56 easy.

Leaving it for now to see what happens.

I bought an 02 TF instead for a bit of fun!

Wak

[Jerry]

We have an 02 TF in the garage.

Great news - hope you are liking the TF!

Must have a test drive myself and make a judgement on the diesel.

[Wak]

Its not a bad drive Jerry and does look quite nice in the flesh but the interior looks too foreign if thats the right thing to say. Could have been a bit more classic say like the ZS or ZT but updated.

I've only driven the TF when I brought it home but seems a top little motor. I just wanted another MG.....been 3 years without!

Wak