I stood in WHSmiths and read that. Quite positive I thought! :beer2:

 

Yes I thought so.

They do criticise the quality of the interior but not the style.

Although, following the motorshow, I was pleasantly surprised how many marques use the same kind of quality and feel material, especially Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo - which in fairness MG Rover is more likely in competition with rather than the big-wigs like VW etc. It seems the hard dash is coming back !

And for the money I don't have a problem with the quality of the materials, they may not have the slushy tough of VW's rubberised everything, but does that really matter when all is said and done!

 

yep i notised the dashes were hard but unlike the toyota yaris they are or quality desine and texture and do not seem cheep in any for the new ZR dash is very nice desinge

 

When I drove the new ZS 180 last Thursday I thought it was great - quicker and more solid than some of it's rivals like the Ford Focus ST170.

I thought the review of the ZS was pretty positive by Auto Express - they certainly sold it's good points as opposed to the negatives.

Also, Autocar declared their end of putting MG Rover down and said "Couldn't help thinking it was time the world stopped viewing these cars as throwbacks, and assessed them for what they are - very well-priced, quite well-equipped, pretty cars (white incidentally sustains the jobs of 5000 Longbridge workers just a few miles away from the NEC and thens of thousands more in ht related supply industries).

 

Yes I thought so.

They do criticise the quality of the interior but not the style.

Although, following the motorshow, I was pleasantly surprised how many marques use the same kind of quality and feel material, especially Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo - which in fairness MG Rover is more likely in competition with rather than the big-wigs like VW etc. It seems the hard dash is coming back !

And for the money I don't have a problem with the quality of the materials, they may not have the slushy tough of VW's rubberised everything, but does that really matter when all is said and done!

I really don't know what your talking about? My Dad's VW Passat uses hard plastic, my mates VW polo (new) uses hard plastic. As far as I can see, the only car to use a squidgy layer of plastic is the old 45! The plastic in the new 45/ZS is, I suspect from what people are saying, the same as what is used in the Ford focus. Which is good.

I think when the article talked about the plastics, it meant things like the window switches, which frankly isn't a huge concern imo. Also a pity he didn't rate the quality that highly.. Perhaps the show model wasn't that great (pre production?) or maybe just self-fulfilling expectations.

I think the artcile was very positive over-all. Most importantly, there were some great shots of the car in action -it really does look good!

 

Well I'm test driving a "new" ZS 180 next Monday so I'll see for myself if it's better than my current 120+ . . . . obvioulsy it has more power but from what I have been told the old 180 was the same as the 120 in terms of suspension etc. so handling is much the same . . . comments ??


cheers, :beer:

 

The new 180 I drove at the motorshow felt a lot more glued down and responsive than my previous 120s... but then I've had a 110 for a while now which has 15" tyres and thus not quite as sharp turn in, so the difference was probably a bit more than you'd expect to see.

Was still well impressed at the speed I could muster through the twisty bits of the course at the NEC.

 

The new 180 I drove at the motorshow felt a lot more glued down and responsive than my previous 120s... but then I've had a 110 for a while now which has 15" tyres and thus not quite as sharp turn in, so the difference was probably a bit more than you'd expect to see.

Was still well impressed at the speed I could muster through the twisty bits of the course at the NEC.

Yeah it was quite supprising to get 55 on the straights & 30+ through most of the bends, handled much better than a 1.8 Astra I had a go in (& upset the rep......!)

 

The new 180 I drove at the motorshow felt a lot more glued down and responsive than my previous 120s...

Did you have 16s or 17s on your 120 ? I have 17s on mine . . .

cheers, :beer:

 

16s... After I kerbed the 17s on my ZR160, I think Richardsons used to make sure any car I got after that had 16"s on it! lol

:doh:

 

I drove the 180 at the Motorshow on Monday and thought that it did feel slightly different to my current ZS.

The big difference though is the pace, these cars really take a while to get to their full potential, I was impressed with my first test drive of the old ZS but that test drive was nothing like my car now. I think it takes a good 10,000 miles before they reach the full power or is it just me?

 

they do take a while before the engine is broken in, we have two ZS's one 18 months old the 3 months old, the difference is very noticeable, but after a while it will bed in and become more responsive.....

 

I really don't know what your talking about? My Dad's VW Passat uses hard plastic, my mates VW polo (new) uses hard plastic. As far as I can see, the only car to use a squidgy layer of plastic is the old 45! The plastic in the new 45/ZS is, I suspect from what people are saying, the same as what is used in the Ford focus. Which is good.

I think when the article talked about the plastics, it meant things like the window switches, which frankly isn't a huge concern imo. Also a pity he didn't rate the quality that highly.. Perhaps the show model wasn't that great (pre production?) or maybe just self-fulfilling expectations.

I think the artcile was very positive over-all. Most importantly, there were some great shots of the car in action -it really does look good!

After having owned recently a Passat, and Various Skoda's I can assure you that the top layer of the dash are all soft moulded.

The new Golf, Astra and A3 all have soft touch dash tops.

 

After having owned recently a Passat, and Various Skoda's I can assure you that the top layer of the dash are all soft moulded.

The new Golf, Astra and A3 all have soft touch dash tops.

Well, you must be talking about a different kind of 'soft moulding' then, cause my Dad's '03 Passat feels nothng like the old 45 dash used to. :fishslap:

 

Well, you must be talking about a different kind of 'soft moulding' then, cause my Dad's '03 Passat feels nothng like the old 45 dash used to. :fishslap:

The old 45 uses old plastics technology which is basically plastic over sponge.

New cars use what is called slush-moulding but when pressed the material is soft and rubbery to the touch.

The new 45 uses straight old hard plastic, same as in the Focus, although the pattern finish on the 45 makes it look a whole lot classier.

Tap it with a knuckle, you will soon tell the difference.

Slush-moulding is expensive though, so I suspect for the facelift the appearance rather than expense was the priority - still I like it anyway, at the end of the day I don't sit on the dashboard nor do I caress it often so it can be hard for me so long as it looks good and the new 45 does looks good.

 

Slush-moulding is expensive though, so I suspect for the facelift the appearance rather than expense was the priority - still I like it anyway, at the end of the day I don't sit on the dashboard nor do I caress it often so it can be hard for me so long as it looks good and the new 45 does looks good.

Agreed. Come to think of it unless I am cleaning the interior I never really touch the dash so therefore 'looks' should be the priority.

However I do like the 'plastic over sponge' on my 400 dash. It is nice and soft too touch... but that contradicts what I said before.. :shake:

Pleased to hear the ZS got a good review... but it is not like the car doesn't deserve it.

What is the quality of the new air vents like...?

 

What is the quality of the new air vents like...?

I think the airvents feel well made, and robust but I have to say I prefer the chromed finish in the 45, the silver effect in the ZS looks cheap IMO

 

Yup, I work in the plastics industry (rotationally moulded oil tanks) and the new dash on the 45 leaves me baffled as I can't immediately determine the process behind it.

To tap, it's as if it was vacuum formed, the appearance looks like injection moulded and the quality looks like it was slush moulded!

Regards

John

 

Yup, I work in the plastics industry (rotationally moulded oil tanks) and the new dash on the 45 leaves me baffled as I can't immediately determine the process behind it.

To tap, it's as if it was vacuum formed, the appearance looks like injection moulded and the quality looks like it was slush moulded!

The plot thickens...... at least you know what you are talking about Jon.

I want to touch it........! Wonder when MG-Rover will start exporting the facelift MG-Rovers.... are they selling on the continent yet..?

 

I was pleasantly surprised how many marques use the same kind of quality and feel material, especially Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo - which in fairness MG Rover is more likely in competition with rather than the big-wigs like VW etc.

To me it's a very sad day when enthusiasts honestly think that MG and Rover are in competition with the Western World's lowest end, most budget brands when just 30 years ago both brands had a very high brand cachet. Next I'll hear someone saying that Skoda is high end luxury and that really MG and Rover compete with Lada and Yugo. Honestly... MG and Rover are competing with Renault, Peugot, Lancia, Volvo, Audi, Saab and yes BMW - NOT the mainstream mass market manufacturers.

 

To me it's a very sad day when enthusiasts honestly think that MG and Rover are in competition with the Western World's lowest end, most budget brands when just 30 years ago both brands had a very high brand cachet. Next I'll hear someone saying that Skoda is high end luxury and that really MG and Rover compete with Lada and Yugo. Honestly... MG and Rover are competing with Renault, Peugot, Lancia, Volvo, Audi, Saab and yes BMW - NOT the mainstream mass market manufacturers.

I'd second this view, but John Towers still thinks that MGR is a 'universal provider' and has to compete at all levels. But MGR can't. If you look at Renault, they sold 700000 Meganes last year and expect to match this with another 700000 of the cheap Dacias. Their target sales are 4M a year!

Realistically with sales of at most 200000 MGR can only compete in niches and with the MG and the bigger Rovers is has niches that it is very competitive in. However the CR is an answer to the wrong problem and its failure may at last get through to JT et al that the Rover is an upmarket brand or nothing.

Trouble is they've signed up for the bloody things for 3 years...

 

I'd second this view, but John Towers still thinks that MGR is a 'universal provider' and has to compete at all levels. But MGR can't. If you look at Renault, they sold 700000 Meganes last year and expect to match this with another 700000 of the cheap Dacias. Their target sales are 4M a year!

Realistically with sales of at most 200000 MGR can only compete in niches and with the MG and the bigger Rovers is has niches that it is very competitive in. However the CR is an answer to the wrong problem and its failure may at last get through to JT et al that the Rover is an upmarket brand or nothing.

Trouble is they've signed up for the bloody things for 3 years...

And I third that....

700,000 Renault Meganes last year :yikes: The Rover 75 sales figures are no where near that volume. It pains me to think why anyone would buy a Meganes over a 75 :shake: :shake:

 

Yeah, but compare a single market and I suspect its a little closer. I think you'll find that the renaults are sold in a lot more countries than the 75.

 

Honestly... MG and Rover are competing with Renault, Peugot, Lancia, Volvo, Audi, Saab and yes BMW - NOT the mainstream mass market manufacturers.

Well Renault and Peugeot are just about as mainstream as you can get :err:

John

 

I drove the ZS and the ZT at the motorshow too (shame the track wasn't bigger) - more impressed with the ZT than the ZS (off topic ) but the sound from that V6 was nothing short of superb.

However, as much as I hate to admit it, I could imediatly see why people complain about the dash on the ZS so much, it did seem really, really bland and cheap.