Description
Bought as a car I'd wanted since they were launched. This became available when the previous owner sadly passed away after owning the car for 19yrs. I don't feel the need to tell you about the car and the model history etc - if you are looking at this advert, you may know the history or have done some research.
I bought it having not viewed it in person, based off the photographs the seller provided, showing that there were some areas that needed to be addressed and had it transported to me in the Scottish Borders.
Upon arrival I found - The expected bodywork issues I'd seen in the images - dent in front passenger door, all alloys requiring refurbishment, badges faded, roof requiring paint, rear window trim perished, front windscreen seal perished, head lining dropped.
Then I found -
A/ C had been removed.
IPK display has lines missing.
Coolant leak. (Resolved)
Electric mirrors didn't work. (Fixed)
Stereo/ CD changer didn't work. (Replaced and upgraded)
Glove box broken. (Fixed)
Needed a service. (Done)
No pollen filter. (Replaced)
Bulb fault on rear reg plate. (Repaired by rubbing down the contacts)
Bobbly alcantara seats and rip in driver seat. (Rubbed down/ patched)
I set about sorting it out.
New badges.
Rubbed down the seats restoring the alcantara look, so they are now far more acceptable, and patched the rip in the driver bolster.
Used a headlining repair kit (and some glue) to pin the headlining back up.
Fitted a BT Pioneer head unit. (Factory fit Kenwood will come with the car, and supplied with CD changer which is still fitted in the boot).
Repaired the faulty electric wing mirrors using a forum "How to" guide.
Got the scuttle panel off, cleaned it and used some Autoglym trim restorer to get it back to black which allowed me to fit a new cabin/ pollen filter and replace the windscreen seal.
Replaced the wiper blades.
Fitted some SS exhaust tips.
Professional refurb of the wheels. Tyres are all good Avons.
Refurbed the centres myself.
I had a go at repairing the rear window trim, which hasn't been my best work ! I rubbed it down but not well enough, so the plasti-dip I then used isn't smooth so really the trim needs to be replaced or done again.
Local garage sourced the coolant leak to the water pump which was replaced but they then found that it also needed a thermostat so they replaced that too. They changed the spark plugs and air filter that I sourced from DMGRs. I also have an oil filter for a service which I plan to do if I've still got it in Sept when the MOT is due.
I have got 2 new drop links for them to fit on the front too which were MOT advisories last time it was tested. The other MOT advisory was for corrosion on the springs which has been the same for the last few years.
The engine as far as I can see appears to be standard, but is fitted with an Accufab throttle body.
The car itself goes really well. 4th gear pretty much does everything. It sounds great. Standard exhaust fitted. Sounds understated and nice until you accelerate hard and it really goes and sounds very nice indeed.
It's a non SE car. That means wind up windows in the back, no sunroof, single DIN head unit.
Paint code is HFF, so it is British Racing Green pearlescent and does look nice.
What's left to be done? It's done 112k miles, and is 22 years old having spent 19 of them parked on the road.
Cosmetics that are over and above expectations of a car this old with this mileage - in my opinion.
The dent in the door - paint-less dent repair guy told me £180 plus VAT.
The roof - needs painting
Few areas that you may want to touch up.
Mechanics.
It doesn't have A/ C. You may want to reinstate but that's your call.
The springs have been an MOT advisory for a while now - I've seen them available but they will cost you £400ish plus fitting if you need to get other to do it.
Why sell it...?
This is what I do - I see something I want, I get it, I tinker, I learn and enjoy doing it, then when what remains is beyond my level of competence, or something else comes along, I pass it on.
I'm really happy with where this car is now compared to how it was when it turned up on the transporter. I feel like I've rescued it, and I now know what driving a V8 is like.
I'm in no rush to sell it - I use it once a week to go to work which is about 20 miles round trip and the rest of the time it sits in the garage.
The insurance cost me £200 as a second car without any NCB, and the tax is £39 a month as it's a 2004 car.
I have a lot of bills that came with it, including the original bill of sale as a pre-reg car - and the bills for what I've done on it since getting it in April.
Please do not think that this is a show winning car that is totally sorted. It is a running project to use and enjoy, and/ or improve as you feel at what is a low and I think, fair, starting point for one of these.
Private plate will be removed and it will go back to an "04"
I'd take an interesting swap or px but straight sale preferred. The forum guys identify it as #98 - and in total of the 716 MG ZT 260 V8's, there were 19 British Racing Green models produced over all. There were only 6 x ZT 260 non-SE saloons like this and 2 of them were LHD exports, so this is a rare version - of a rare car.
