V6 sports sedan already well over 3 tons
“My name is Theo, my wife Thea. Our surname is Haverkamp, so I married ‘Woman Haverkamp’, after the iedje of Normal”, it sounds joking. But we are concerned about their sparkling blue MG ZS, a real V6! Yes, indeed, this MG ZS dates back to the last years when MG was in a revival as a sporty Rover branch. And of course the blue sports sedan has nothing to do with today’s MG ZS, an electric SUV. Theo and Thea will do everything they can to keep the blue 180 hp strong sportsman on the road for a very long time.
The MG ZS of Theo and Thea
- Bought for I keep to myself
- How long owned 14 years
- How many owner are you? Unknown
- Driven kilometers188.139
- Biggest plusGreat performance
- Biggest flawThe variable intake manifold
- Largest expenseA major service, including timing belts
- How long are you keeping him?As long as we can still get in and out!
Anyone who has ever seen a bright blue sedan whiz by near Terwispel (a village between Drachten and Heerenveen) now knows that this is the pride of Theo and Thea Haverkamp. And dusting, that’s what 62-year-old Theo does every now and then. “Yes, sometimes I am challenged. I play those games every now and then.” Theo bought the car in 2009 and had to drive all the way to Limburg. A conscious choice and it has paid off. Because now, fourteen years and 188,000 kilometers further, the gas-fired Briton is still in service, although in all those years it was sometimes quite an edge whether the sedan could and could stay or not. “I like the unusual, I’ve never driven normal cars. I’ve had an Alfasud Sprint, some Sunbeams – which I still have – and also a Subaru Impreza Plus on LPG.”
MG ZS replaces Subaru Impreza
Because that Subaru got rusty, a replacement came. “An MG ZS with gas seemed like something to me. I found this one in Limburg. I drove back via the German A31. At 210 km/h I thought it was enough, but I had the idea that there was more to it, also because of the stable handling at that high speed.”
Bought ZS with 129,000 kilometers
When Theo bought the Briton, he was eight years old and had 80,000 miles of experience. All in all reasonable, but the four-wheeler turned out to be not flawless. “The clutch pedal was very high, a tilting piston caused a noise from the engine, the gearbox whined slightly, a rear brake engaged during emergency braking and the headliner started to release. I was able to do a lot myself, I am originally a car mechanic. Funny thing is that I came across various brands of parts when doing odd jobs, which is not surprising given the model history: Honda, Rover, MG, Land Rover … “
Gearbox from a damaged ZS
Half a year after purchase, the clutch began to malfunction again. Then to the garage, because the gearbox had not forgotten howling. “Fortunately, he had a bucket of a damage ZS from 2004 with only 50,000 kilometers of experience. My wallet was crying, because I was suddenly two grand lighter!” Fortunately, it turned out to be a prelude to a lot of driving pleasure, but also regular maintenance and repair.
Variable intake manifold 2.5 V6 known weak point
In addition to standard wear parts such as exhaust (parts), brake pads and battery, a defective remote control for the central door locking also appeared on Theo’s plate, which also prevented the car from starting. Furthermore, the driver’s seat was renewed in 2013, because the old one sagged and the leather tore. The variable intake system (VIS) of the 2.5 V6 is known as a weak point, because oil residues and the like can get into it. Mounting a small oil storage tank is a remedy and our Frisian had done that soon after purchase.
Overhaul and new distribution: sell or drive on?
In 2014 the dilemma arose: sell or have a very major service carried out, because: two fresh timing belts, the assembly of which – due to the thick six-cylinder block – was known to be difficult. Theo went through all the pluses and minuses, tapped €1,650 out of turn and continued. Not long after: a hissing sound. “The LPG filling hose was torn. I was not afraid: there are two valves on it, so as soon as the hose was empty, the leakage stopped.” Just before the 200,000 km mark was reached, the engine started to leak coolant and a brake line tore during the brake test at the MOT inspection. Theo then mounted fresh rear shock absorbers and the MG drove great again. As a second car, Theo bought a Chrysler PT Cruiser to be on the safe side. And? “Well, the PT Cruiser is better and more comfortable. But it’s not MG. It drives much better.”
.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl