At Williams this week we drove a used initial release Plus 4 and spent some time in a new 2021 Plus 4.
The new sports seats are a world apart from the original planks, good enough to make me change my views about keeping the Plus 8 until the end of Time.
I've asked Henry to work out a "cost to change".
As part of this I want to find out if the AeroMax wheels are compatible with the Plus Four...

Mor on this in a few weeks, I'm going back to Williams on 13th December to explore the topic and to leave Tarka there to get a couple of issues sorted.
1. Reversing lights don't come on
2. Cruise Control doesn't work
3 AirCon doesn't work.

My guess is that it is electronics.... a worry!

Peter

Good to hear Peter.

As you've seen both an early and current example of the CX, could you tell if anything more felt different aside from the seats?

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes in December!

P

Hello Peter. What are the things that Plus 4 has that will make you change your Plus 8?

Blimey Peter, how will you cope without that glorious V8 soundtrack?

Yes quite... the V8 sounds like Tom Jones being assaulted by the Mujahideen in a shower cubicle. I think you'd miss that.... and the torque. Plus, we all like the warmer weather.

I've never kept a car for more than 4 years before, I've had Tarka for 7 years...

A number of reasons to think about changing... Partly it is an urge for something new and the joy of specifying and following the build of my Morgan.
I was also partly seduced by an offer from Motorway to buy my car at £69k, so based on my possible specification it would be £6k to change. But I don't believe that offer for a moment. Even so I've asked Henry if he could match it...
The drive back from Williams in the rain and dark was not at all enjoyable, even with LED lights. Worn road markings and mostly no cats eyes on the A36 didn't help one bit.

Then there is the cost of ownership, Road Tax, Servicing and Insurance, they add up to £1500 a year, without adding anything in for repairs. I reckon than in the last 12 months it has cost close to £2.00 a mile, all in.

But, as Neil has said, the sound is special, the PlusFour sounds good for a modern Turbo 4, but a V8 it isn't.
I may well just SORN it when it comes back from Williams...

SWMBO isn't supportive of changing for, as she put it, half a car.... so I suspect that I won't be changing.

OK let's open a book

My bet is that Peter buys a new one....what do you all say?

Nick

Its not unusual to have thoughts about changing your car especially if fiddly little annoying things happen on a regular occurrence. That can from time to time detract from your full enjoyment of the car. You walk away having left the keys with the garage to fix it, with the calamitous thoughts of the worse it could be and how deep will I have to dig this time to get it right. Add to that the sense of the 'chase' and excitement of specifying a new car and no wonder we have anxiety, pangs of remorse, uncertainty, interspersed with potential childhood joy of being handed the keys to the sweet shop.

I try not to make decisions when I'm vexed with a car and the grass is looking so much greener over there, I usually count to ten and then ten again till the mist disappears, calm is restored, there is a sense equilibrium, mind you often easier said than done.

I'm waiting to get my Morgan into Lifes to get the rad changed since early August, such is the back log of works it now looks like it will be January before Mat will have an empty workshop, much of the delay has created by backlogs in spares for Morgans he is working on. I've become a little more philosophical about it, but beautiful sunny days like today, grate with me. I just hope that once its fixed, as I've waited so long that I haven't built up a false expectation that everything major is now fixed and it should be problem free motoring going forward . Something that in my experience of Morgans to-date and their reliability reputation will always bite you on the bum........that may lead to the thank you and goodbye time. The only time I've ever had to be a member of the AA or RAC recovery service has been whilst I've owned a Morgan......

Car changing is a complex mental process.
In my early days, the shortest time I kept a car was six months, and I changed every twelve to eighteen months, driven by the need to improve from my current car, and never being satisfied, along with poor purchase choices. With the benefit of hindsight, most of my early cars I should have walked away from.

Later in life I was much more careful and my usual tenure became over ten years up to twenty two years, which is my current record.

It's primarily about choosing well, and being satisfied. Careful fettling will head off a lot of niggles.

In Peter's case, there will be no more Aero Plus 8's It's a rare limited edition desirable car. Whereas all things being equal there will be a lot more Plus Fours and Plus Sixes. When you rattle all the issues up together, I'm not sure there's a clear cut choice.

If I was looking for an Aero, I would only consider the Aero Plus 8, and I would probably chose that over a CX car.
Right now, the only model I could be at all tempted by would be a late 3.7 Roadster. Because that model ticks my boxes more than any others.

But I don't see the sense in spending another thirty plus grand on top of my current Roadster.

Peter,
I have changed my Plus4 for a MY 21 Plus Four — did I need to do it?— no - did it cost an arm, leg and kidney? Yes!- €40k or so to change!! Am I happy — YES— with a niggle( leaky radiator- to be fixed with new component under warranty) the plus four is a real joy to drive and the comfort seats I find brilliant. We spent 2 weeks in the Pyrenees in September and it proved a fantastic car for the mountain passes and steep sharp turns for which the auto box was great.
I don’t have the sport exhaust so that might give you the noise you may seek, but the sound as is is just right according to the sat nag!!!
Overall it is light years ahead of the 3 previous Mogs — go for it!!

Cheers!

Peter,
I lust after a plus four auto for the stunning power (at the risk of my license) but the lack of storage puts me off as I see it as not practical.
I have the cash but I think that I prefer Belle & would be safer driving a Roadster.
A difficult choice I know. Good luck with your machinations.
John

Robbie, John,

Indeed... Tarka stands as the high point of the Aero Chassis and the CX can be seen as building on the strengths of the Aero and overcoming most, if not all, the weaknesses. Comparing the Trad with the CX is like comparing a late1950s car with an early 2000s one, So it isn't a surprise that the CX cars are better engineered than the Aeros.
I was positively surprised by the overall fit and finish of the 22 year car, the space in it, the doors that open fully and stay open, giving easier access than the Plus 8. The seats were excellent, but I didn't get to drive it, only an original launch edition car.
Running through the configurator came up with £75,000 so it is anything but cheap...we shall see what the cost to change will be.

Performance is not far off the Plus 8 and the BMW auto box is, from past experience, excellent. The now dated 6 speed auto in the Plus 6 is in comparison, somewhat ponderous.... I think with the new sport exhaust, which I understand is loud, it could be good, but it is never a V8.

I don't need to change, I'm not sure if I really want to change and if I wanted to I can afford to change.

We shall see...

In response to all....

By all means open a book, but it will be next year before I know for certain. Perhaps by then life will be back more or less to normal and we will have settled down from the low level angst left by COVID and the associated upheaval.

We also discovered on Thursday that Carolines horse has a serious front leg tendon injury that may not be recoverable and which would leave us with a 22 year old friend who cannot be ridden. This could result in a stark choice as he costs us about £5k a year. So perhaps I'm using the possibility of a new car to distract me from the concern and worry....it is all rather sad.

I am going 60% likely something new occurs as soon as he can get a good trade in price for Tarka but I am going to put money on a Plus Six. After all none of the other cars have the smallest engine in the range.

Peter,

Really sorry to hear the news on your horse and hope there is a clinical solution to the problem.

I know exactly the dilemma you are in as I faced it earlier this year and was within an ace of selling the Plus 8 for a new Plus Four as I have a buyer in the wings on here whenever that day comes. I went out for a long drive in the Plus 8 and that was it I just knew I would regret it so have put the idea away for a while at least.

I'm waiting for the electric roof model

Good luck with both situations.

Wishing you well with the horse. We have had to make tough decisions about horses over the years and it never gets any easier. Don't rush any decisions - unless a vet is telling you otherwise - and you will make the right choices.

Sorry about the bad news on the horse. Good luck with whichever way you go.

Thanks guys, much appreciated.
The horse isn't in much pain, more discomfort and he is comfortable in his box. Medication and cold compresses twice a day.
It is going to cost a fortune in apples...

Sorry about your poor horse. Our experience is only with multiple cats and we always desperately try and make suitable decisions about treatment etc based on what’s right for our family member rather than ourselves (and our emotions) often resorting to the honest view of our vets - it is never ever easy.
I think you are right in delaying decisions re Tarka (despite my obvious bias towards a Plus Four) for a few more weeks even months.
Best wishes to both you and Caroline
HB

Despite the “fun” in speccing a new car from scratch, it is sadly a risky business with Morgan. You can easily end up with a lemon where the doors don’t seal properly, the hood doesn’t fit,....won't take up space with the rest of the common foibles, but you are all aware from the many posts on TM.
If I were after a CX I would be looking at a ready built one or used from a dealer and add the extras myself to personalise. At least then you have a chance to get a close look before parting with the hard-earned. You can fix leaky rads and squeaky brakes but it’s a tough job when things don’t actually fit in the first place!
I am amazed at the patience of Morgan customers...many other new cars at that price, exhibiting similar faults, would probably be rejected under the sale of goods act, without further ado. However, despite improved performance with modern engines etc. I am convinced that the prime reason for holding on in there, is that classic shape. See what happened when the 4 plus 4 was introduced...it was still a hand built Morgan, with all the familiar underpinnings but flopped, simply because it was the wrong shape!
For now and the foreseeable, I shall be holding on to the devil I know. Love it!

Absolutely, and I think this might be a bit of a headache for MMC. You buy a car, fall in love with it, spend years fixing, tweaking and improving it so that it's exactly the way you want. So why buy another and risk all the heartache of spending a cartload of money to find out it's got some considerable loopholes? How can they persuade people to change to a new model if they've already got one they are happy with? It's not like 99% of the population would recognise them as being different anyway.

Not only do I know my car inside out, it's also old enough not to be burdened with any complex technology or restrictive emissions constraints. I can furtle with it to my heart's content, it goes fast enough, handles well enough, stops well enough, and is dry enough in the rain. You'll not find me changing it, even if I could afford to.

Silverstone auctions have a brand new (so the ad says) unregistered Plus Four auto listed for sale at NEC this weekend Est 60 - 65k, very strange

This one?:
http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/722138/Searchpage/1/Main/43842/Words/%2BMorgan+%2Bauction/Search/true/this-looks-a-bit-odd#Post722138

Lot 366 shows a red one at a “good value” price of £69k but not only does it have the older type hood, they have shut the door on the flaps!
Aargh!

I haven't put a comment on here for a few years. I'm more of a watcher now....!

I've had 8 trad Morgans over the years, I've been without for a few years though going back to 911's.
I sold my last 3.2 carrera a few months back with the intention of buying a +8 (Rover).
I've looked at/driven quite a few +8's but not found one that was worth buying.
I was offered a test drive in a new Plus Four by a dealer last week.....................

Amazing!
Like no Morgan I've ever driven, and I've driven examples of everything.
Incredible
I'm sure it will leak and have no end of 'issues'.
The sensible choice would be a Boxster or a 911 or one of many other sports cars, but none would be as much fun.
The storage is poor, but I've no doubt that someone will be designing a solution right now.

It's not a trad, at all, in any way. It's very modern, although it obviously has to look familiar to retain the 'normal' Morgan client base.
It is a Morgan though, undoubtably, undeniably.

Way too expensive, but probably worth every penny......
All the options are expensive.
The new seats are an absolute must, the first generation seats are rubbish in comparison. The new seats are not only the most comfortable seats in any Morgan, they're most comfortable seats I've ever sat in, in any car..!
You definitely couldn't tinker with it in any way, it's very high tech!

I guess the factory/Italians want to appeal to a whole new market.
I didn't want to give it back, it really felt so good that you could just set off for the south of France without any worries at all.

I want one. More than any other car on the market right now.

I'd advise everybody to test drive one, with an open mind, judge it against anything you've ever driven.

Can I afford it........probably......maybe.
Can I justify it........probably not....

But.......






Just my personal opinion.
Back to watching again now....

Exactly

@ Julian BB.
Very well summarized.

Looks as if it was unsold. But you can Buy It Now for £69K. Or for similar money you could have had https://www.silverstoneauctions.com...r-mini-moke?el=16973&pn=1&pp=100

No thanks, I never really 'got' the Moke, a bed frame & tent with a Mini engine, I'll stick with my proper Mk1 Cooper

Apparently sold for £60k!

Thanks for your insight Julian. You've got me wanting to get behind the wheel of MY22 and think next years plans through....

Julian, thanks for your interesting summary of the Plus Four.. I hope the stars align for you

Used to drive one out in Kenya. They were a bit of fun in that climate. Last time I looked at C&C they were going for around the £16k mark.
You could by a new manufacture one for a little over £26.5k - https://mokeinternational.com/news/moke-comes-home-uk/
Going EV from next year.

Julian,
Exactly my position.

Boredom? The longest I have managed with a car, apart from one that was a garage queen and never used, was 7 years. Done slightly better with boats at 11 years. But in all cases it has been boredom that got to me.

And in a way that is Peter's problem. Why change for much the same, because for most people, all Morgans ( Aero excepted) look the same , have similar faults and foibles and appeal. . Sure the CX has better underpinnings but in most areas its more of the same.

Maybe a better choice would be to try something really different?

Howard,

You have hit the nail on the head. The CX Plus Four is a new, shiny version of the same. So why change?
For the fun of it?
In many ways the Tesla is the "something completely different"......
I'm going to go back under my stone...

I think I personally would keep the V8 as long as you are still allowed to drive it. But I also understand very well if you want to savor the appeal of the new. I know that this is not very helpful to simplify a decision.

I give you 6 weeks Peter you'll be ordering a plus four...
Nick

6 months, perhaps...

Dear Santa, this year I've been a really good boy, and I would like a...

Let it take 9 months and she is you new baby:)

LOL!! Rather have a lus Four than a new baby, two were enough!!

A brief update following my post the other day.

Faced with the choice of a very good deal on a Plus Four and a very good deal on a +4, I chose the +4.......!

I wanted another Morgan after having had a few years away. I've had loads, and driven loads more recently to find the one.........!
As good as the 'modern' car was, and it was, I just couldn't see/justify the value in the massive difference in price.
It is a toy after all, perhaps I should have tried harder a school so I could afford better toys.........!

I know both cars will leak, rattle and fail, but that just seems easier to accept when I'm not paying the big money required for the CX car.
The CX car is good, I really liked it, I'd still recommend that folk go and drive one. Who knows, I'll probably get one at some point in the future when there are a few more used ones on the market!!!!
But, for now, and who knows maybe for ever, I'll soon be back in a trad.
I can't wait to get it.

Great news Julian, really happy to see you back in Morgan ownership once more and posting
We'll look forward to more news and pictures..

Looking forward to the pictures

+1

Julian, congrats, which MY is your new pride and joy? And pics please.

2014 +4 from bhm......

Very nice

2014 is a very good vintage for a Morgan.... !
Looks wonderful, but I'd have to cover the dash in black leather... or paint or best of all, black ash: in my view white dashboards are just, well, wrong.
Enjoy your new car.

@Julian BB
A Happy New Yeare veryone. In a quandry/dilemma having sold my Aero8 last Year. Julians posts sum up my views somewhat, having owned only 2 Morgans (not8) a 96 Plus 4and a 06 Aero8 i feel a need to fill a void and the CX platform cars are very appealing. Although I can probaly afford a new Four or Six can I jusify it Hmmm ! not sure. Having driven both a Four & Six i definetly prefer the 6 (more in keeping with the Aero performance) so should that be NEW or USED !!. and what spec?

My thoughts are two fold

- Used Plus Six (find basic and add extras as and if required). The view I get is to avoid early basic seats in a Six and get the Comfort plus (the Factory test drive had those fitted and felt right). 2nd Sports exhaust or not ?. Not really a day one requirement is it ? so probably fit later

- Used Late3.7 Roadster. My concerns here are would I be taking a Big Step backwards ?- (having Really enjoyed the Aero). Suspension wise cant see it competing with a taught CX chasis (even if both front & rear were upgraded ?). Power wise it will be down (however so what - not going hard racing anymore).

So its down to:-

- Handling- /traditional chasis v Cx.
- 6speed Manual v 6 speed Paddle Auto.
- Trad cabin v Wider easier access platform
- Cash £45k v £77k a differential of circa £32-£35k (dependingon final spec).

Realistically the Morgan will be driven 6 months of the year. It will clock up around 2500 per annum and whilst it will be Car No 5 in household it will be a Number one choice.

Views /commentts on how to proceed would be welcomed

I couldn't get past the extra £30-40k and the at the time hard awkward seats. I bought a 3.7l Roadster & am very happy. It also has space for tools & all my junk.

Thanks it’s hard for me to justify the extra £32k + for occasional use. Glad you are enjoying your Roadster is the 3.7 really an improvement over the 3.0ltr.. some comments I’ve seen refer to a narrow (awkward)pedal area due to a bulkier tunnel.

I cannot see what might induce me to change my Roadster other than some unforeseen accident. The daily driving here is a gentle affair . There is nothing about the car that is disappointing; it doesn't leak,( or to be accurate I have only had the hood up in the rain a few times ); the seats are comfortable; the heating system works very well and nothing has fallen off so far. I am always pleased to be in it and should the circumstance arrive when that BMW gets dangerously close and the road is clear...........
It is the best trad that we have owned. Am I old fashioned to want to pay cash and not borrow money which is what it would take to finance a cx car? I suppose that something will change: my wife doesn't rule out another. Perhaps we'll change the colour.

Speaking as a highly delighted 22MY Plus Four owner, I would say the decision to spend that amount on a Morgan and not for instance a Porsche is driven totally by desire and a sense of why not be different. It’s not really about any calculation of value for money etc comparing one model with another. Having made that decision, definitely go for the 22MY and just have which ever you fancy. Don’t over think it. For me the CX Plus Four gives much better access and comfort with tremendous all round performance. I looked at the extra financial outlay partially as an investment, given I will get some of the extra bunce back when I eventually sell it. I also regarded the cost as being 40% less than list price, as it avoids later IHT!

In the end, the only financial aspect worth noting is Morgans will depreciate less than most alternatives.

But at the same time that doesn't mean they retain a value close to new. Which means that any upgrade, even a later version of the same model will cost money.

I fully intended to upgrade my Roadster to a 3.7. I even chatted to Steve Morris (Name Drop) about the new 3.7 at the time he was negotiating the engine deal with Ford. The problem with that turned out to be an extra £30k necessary to do the upgrade. Even using man maths this makes no sense. It made more sense to use that £30k to get a Plus 4. Which is what I did.

In terms of which model to chose today.

1) Test Drive all models on your shortlist. Are you comfortable? Is it "good enough"........At the launch, the S5 Aero failed that test because I'm the wrong height with short legs and the driving position for me was intolerable.

2} If you want "Modern" go CX. If you want "Character" go Trad. The CX is only better than the Trads if that's your preference. If you're a fettler, a CX has much less appeal.

3) Buying new is an amazing experience. You can see your Morgan assembled day by day if you have the time. What is not so easy to manage is things on the margins, such as paint "defects" and leather "defects". I speak from experience.

4) Buying used means that you get to see the whole Morgan before you part with any money. You can test seat comfort, you can examine the leather, you can check the hood fit, and bonnet fit.

There's no answer to any of this. Make a decision, see it through, and live with it!!!

2014 on MMC added a bit more room in the form of a box to side of the car. I also added an adjustable throttle pedal courtesy of Wolf Performance. Now it is fine.

Like John, I can't see the full worth to upgrade to CX yet
A play with the configurator gets to £79,800 for a PlusFour and £95,700 on a PlusSix close to my Roadster spec, add on all the shiny bits, on the road costs, and then realise all the touring space lost, I'll be sticking with the 3.7 a bit longer

There's an element of willy waving about the whole purchasing of sports cars.

No one 'needs' a sports car, and certainly no one 'needs' a Morgan.
A 4/4 is realistically just as good as a 3.7 roadster, it just is. One is just faster than the other. Thats all.

If we're talking about 'handling', they're all rubbish (by modern standards), by modern I'd say anything post 1940. If you really need 'handling' on a day to day basis, it's certainly not a Morgan you need. They don't really 'handle' and they're not designed for modern roads, or the 21's century....!

Some folk have done really well in life and made loads of money, and some folk have done...............less well.
I guess people buy what they can afford/realistically justify, or maybe they just want to buy 'the best' that a manufacturer produces, cos they can...... and why not.

If you're the sort of person who likes to have the very latest thing, then a cx car is the thing for you. Enjoy.
If you're trading in a late model trad or an aero for a cx, you'll notice a difference but probably not a massive difference, (not £35k), but then, if you can afford it, and really want one, why the hell not. Life really is too short, and the factory need the orders........!

If you go in to a car purchase worrying about residuals and depreciation then..................... crack on....! Keep worrying.
A cx might depreciate like a stone, who knows, the factory need to get them out in to circulation asap so there will be quite a few out there, and the development is .......... ongoing....!

My view, for what it's worth, (not a lot really), is that all Morgans are pretty rubbish (controversial, I know), but If we wanted a modern car we'd buy one.
Modern would be a far more sensible, better bet, in reality, but no, we chose a ladder frame chassis and Edwardian suspension with a modern (ish) engine and a vintage body style. They are different and unique and odd, but so are the folk that buy them..........

They're all good and bad in equal measure, frustrating and brilliant, pointless and essential.

Just because it's more expensive doesn't make it better in Morgan terms. The feeling of raw and basic 'conected-ness' (!!!), is available from an entry level price. The 'right car' does find you, it gets said a lot, but I think it's probably right in the Morgan world.

If you want to waft around without ever having to change gear with +8 torque then thats ok. If you want to rev the nuts off a sigma 4/4 and really connect to the car by changing gear, that's ok as well.
There's something for every one and (almost) every pocket.
Just enjoy the drive.

Well said Julian and hit a personal note for me as well. I'm about 6 years in with my 4/4 and having the itch for a change but deep down I think it's a change for the sake of it. The CX was/is an option but having read your post which sums up what's been floating in my head has brought some clarity.

I agree with you but not on one point, the différence between a last trad and the cx is massive.
In Belgium we have more and more low emission zone. I am pretty sure that
my 4/4 of 2000 is not allowed to enter Brussels , im not sure about my arp4
wich has another engine as indicated on the CoC.
Now with the plus four i should not have a problem for several years.
The next will be electric ( the new three wheeler?)

Well said Julian. The CX is a great car. The Plus Four is a stunner in auto mode but the trads have for me more character / feeling I guess.

I think Cooperman's mention of luggage space is important if you like touring holidays. The Trads have a bit more space inside, not a lot, but enough.

Well said Julian, I will be keeping my 4/4 (for now)

Spot on Julian, the 4/4 Sport delivered the pure essence of a Morgan to me and 24,000 totally joyful miles and the Plus 8 does exactly what you describe + that totally addictive soundtrack.. which is what put the stops on the Plus Four for me, at the moment anyway

We shouldn't lose sight of the fact they are "toys" and not to be taken too seriously

Yep, important to me as we do some tours that can approach 2000+ miles

We have a proper glovebox, a footwell locker, a transmission tunnel map pocket, trinket box between seats, electrical spares in the engine bay fusebox, very useful door pockets, stuff under the seats, space behind the seats, large(ish) parcel shelf, alloy tool tray stuffed full of tools & spares, and that's all before Mrs M fills the luggage rack

A lot of the above simply isn't possible with a CX

Ditto. We use Belle to tour. Last year Northumberland and Guernsey.

Storage is CX's number one problem.

On the other hand, the road qualities are much better on the CX than on the trad and the car is much less tiring to drive on long journeys.

I would add one other aspect, maybe personal but worth mentioning?

They are also a little bit mobile-work-of-art and I think most of us like the visual lines of the car regardless of the model/age. People will let you out of a junction and smile at you/car which makes every day better. I think the CX retains that value of beauty but attracts the people who want something that can be treated like a modern car (e.g. spend a bit at the dealers and let them sort out the issues) and bring more modern to travel in? Thats cool if they have the pockets and desire. Not everyone has that desire.

There is a bum for every seat so I do not see one as better than another,

I totally agree. We were looking seriously at buying a Plus Four but the principal reason for not doing so was the lack of storage space inside. It was a tough decision as I loved the drive of the CX.

No doubt about it, the cx is the better car in terms of driving. But I also found, that it has not quite the character, the trads always gave to me. But I had a lot of fun with the cx car and I would really be thinking seriously about collecting a plus 4, if the price increase wouldn´t be that steep. An increase of 20% would be ok with me, if you see the new chassis and the materials, that are now standard (like the hood for example), even if I don´t need and want most of them. But to get a new car here in Germany, I have to spend around 60% more than in 2018 for my gdi +4! And this is just ridiculous in my view!
And I know, you should not have another hero beside your Morgan, but it must be allowed to look at other little cars and compare. By ordering a 718 Porsche you get a 300 hp convertible with an really incredible chassis (sorry Morgan, but in real live this is still another world in terms of driving!) and outstanding build quality. And you save at least around € 20.000.- to a plus 4. So to me, as a Morgan driver for over 30 years, this gets now a little bit unrealistic. And, as I just learned, prices will rise again in March and some dealers start to whine, because they are not selling their cars as easily as before. It seems, that they scare away quite a few old Morgan drivers with their pricing.
But in summary I was very pleased with the new cx and an trad +8 carb and a cx plus 4 would be looking great in my garage. ;-)

If a Series 1 Roadster had been available new in 2016, I would have ordered one. If a Series 1 Roadster was available now I would have one over a CX.

I think MMC are missing a market of a limited run of Trads. I'm not saying a Series 1 Roadster, but something between two and three litres, and maybe 50 or 100 a year production. Yes I know limited production makes no economic sense, but I reckon the demand is still there.

There has been an interesting range of comments such as "wafting along in a +8" or "no doubt the CX is the better car in terms of driving."

As I have oft times typed I came to Morgan +8 ownership from a different direction when in search of a pseudo vintage driving experience without the cost implications of buying or maintaining a wonderful vintage car with 100mph plus performance. Thus I was not in search of a machine that could match the handling of my former 911, or the bling and real GT comforts of my also former Jensen Interceptor..and various others I have been fortunate enough to sample.

Yes I have wafted along in my +8 and more than happy to have done so while touring Southern Europe, however that was not the intended usage of my Morgan at the time of purchase circa 20 years ago. I had bought my +8 to roar around the local countryside to blow the cobwebs away whenever I felt the need.

In an attempt to warn wildlife of my impending arrival I removed the rear mounted "resonators" and my habit of using the gearbox far more than the brakes to make even more noise, involving a necessary degree of heal and toe, knowing well the many wonderful bends I would be heading into, use of the brakes was looked upon as a failure to read the road well enough, unless a rabbit or squirrel demanded extra retardation. Thus wafting along played no part in my initial Morgan ideals.

Touring came about as the result of my good lady suggesting we drive the Mog down to LeMans for the 24hrs...!!! "But,but, but...that is nor what a Morgan is designed for my dear, and we usually go sailing in June"...Yeah well Le Mans it was.

Much to my surprise with a large case on the rack storage space behind the seats and passenger footwell all loaded with my good lady`s essentials, I even found room for a grease gun, a few tools and spares. In truth I would have confidence tht the old +8 could repeat the process tomorrow if asked, though I suspect the limitations would be all mine and not the Mogs..

Sad to read that more modern Trad derivatives may lack storage to some degree for the sake of a hood that is easier to make use of or whatever other luxuries might be required to match the expectations of modern-day Morganeers..

As I have typed previously I suspect the few older Morgan types who may have been happy to apply their spannering skills in a bid to reduce the effect of foibles built into Morgans, may have..err.. matured and suffered a change in their Morgan priorities which once were to modify it to be faster, stiffer and stop better, and may perhaps have for the last ten years or more, been looking for softer springing, comfy seating, even air conditioning and wider doors to make access and egress a tad easier for their their more portly/stiffer selves, all of which seems like a natural progression..?

For those new to the Morgan scene who were perhaps a tad more youthful being in their late forties or so, my guess is their expectations of a Morgan would match that which their elders have now created, and be somewhat different to my own Ideals when I wondered "Which Morgan" all those years ago.

Given my total lack of knowledge of the CX other than that which I have read here, I make no judgements in terms of comparisons between it and the Trad, and freely admit that I can not enjoy my old +8 as once I did as the result of advancing years, but still would not wish to have all those extra comforts in my old Mog given the degree of my Luddite tendencies and vintage preferences for it.

I suspect if the Morgan ideals of my younger self could have been allowed to evolve much as others seem to have, and were the MMC`s built quality matching that of Porsche, I might just have been tempted to buy an Aero 8 tin top for my modern sports car enjoyment in the colder wetter weather often "enjoyed" hereabouts... However that was not to be for somewhat obvious reasons..?

As ever each to their own ideals..

I'd go along with that - particularly the junction and smile bit

Having jumped straight out of my Roadster 4 seater into a CX demonstrator, within minutes I was completely at ease in the CX, everything felt fluid, the car ride was a step change over rough surfaces and the CX was more competent cornering and braking, less of the road surface bumps and rattles passed thru the cockpit, it was without question a much more controlled compliant and smooth ride. As I settled back into the drive, I stopped comparing the CX ride with my Morgan and started to compare the ride etc with my Mercedes Cabriolet and I must admit the CX was very competent by comparison.

Then the realisation , other than the Morgan body style, I could have be driving any modern convertible with added advantage of higher build quality, greater reliability and more useful accessories like fully lined, draft proof and watertight electrically operating hood, effective heating and air conditioning, lots of boot space, the list went on and for less money etc.

When I got back into my Roadster, all the trad. little current niggles made themselves known but soon evaporated, as I settled down into my full of character ride home. I noted my driving style adjusted, I had slowed down and found the engine sweet spot and enjoyed the ride home far more, seeing and experiencing more of the surroundings I travelled thru, waving to passer by etc, more than I ever experienced in my all other non trad Morgan convertibles over the last 40 years or so. The CX without question is a step change and struck me as potentially being a very competent long distance mile muncher with luggage capacity limitations etc, but somehow with a CX I would potentially become more focused on the destination rather than the journey. As they say each to their own.

something nobody mentions: wether you drive an Aero, Trad, M3W or CX: you're welcomed everywhere with joy
all the models are charming to bystanders
that for me is the biggest reason to buy another Morgan

Absolutely. Even my greenest of green eco-warrior mates think the Morgan is cool.

I agree with that line of thought Alistair relative to behaviour of other motorists at junctions and in today`s traffic than it was hereabouts circa 20 years or more ago, there is no doubt that on the road a Morgan can bring pleasure to others given the interest and smiles, even occasional waves it can generate, compared to the degree of envy that can be experienced when driving other sports car marques.

Likewise I agree with John too who put it a tad more succinctly than I seem to be capable of...

As I have typed before it seems perhaps best to incorporate a reasonable degree of relativity in terms of ones motoring priorities when choosing a vehicle which is hoped to provide the preferred range of automotive experiences..?

If you have perhaps read any of my rambling, my priorities were to seek out a more involving driving experience in my fifties, a time when my appreciation for many things seemed to be ..err..maturing ... as was I. Up until that time the latest would be the greatest in sports cars, m/cycles and much else.

It was not immediately obvious to me, but I was suffering a growing resistance to digital decision making in so many aspects of life, which was growing within, and in the process increasingly killing off the value of hard won skills in all sorts of areas... Yeah, for sure it is an age thing...!

At the time I desired to get myself into a rip roaring old car that demanded my full attention to keep it out of the surrounding scenery when enjoying a challenging bit of twisting and undulating Tarmac, and at a time when I was still young and fit enough to enjoy such nonsense. It seems possible I made the right decision relative to choosing not only the right machine to buy, but at precisely the right time too, which was most unusual for me..Though in truth much of that was down to the internet Morgan community in the mid 90`s and the GoMoG webmaster who greatly educated me as to the realities of Morganeering...

The right machine..? One devoid of as much modernity as seems reasonable..?

The tight time..? A time prior to the degree of regulatory emission changes that removed carbs to be replaced with digitally controlled fuelling solutions and so much more to complicate maintenance and repair processes. Not only that, but the increased digital processes involved in monitoring so much more which increased exponentially to an extent then unimagined by me as it is today, be that in road speed recorded or by others or all of the decisions a series of sensors and actuators working together to over ride some decisions the driver might make, should he think to operate outside the parameters of the programming... Hmm..?

Yeah well, it seems unreasonable not to consider the advantages of evolution that can come in to play, where our older selves may not be as precise or nimble of mind as once we were and perhaps less physically supple too, thus a bit of extra comfort and digital decision making might just become more acceptable as being superior to our own abilities in ever more circumstances...? Thinking beyond ABS and the many other digital controls, and on to proximity sensors not only to avoid bumps while parking, but to keep you in lane, or maintain a safe distance from the car in front, not to mention all the comforts to minimise the level of skills required to pilot a machine on the road today, with entertainment and comforts never ever thought by me as being a requirement for motoring enjoyment... and none of which were on my list of desires when I thought a Morgan might be the ideal machine for ME.

Time and tide wait for no man, and today, flappy paddles, air con and so many aspects of engineering advances and digital decision making certainly make driving less of a challenge for the old man I have become than it might otherwise have been had things stayed as the were when my priorities were entirely different. For other than some of those advances I would more than likely have had to accept the limitations of the ageing process as opposed to extending the enjoyment of our last trip down to the LM Classic and more Southerly regions of France in a flappy paddle air conditioned and rather comfortable 4x4 ..Hmm..? Had a similarly equipped sports car been available at the time...Hmm..?

However, all that aside, I still managed circa 600 miles in my old Morgan this year which included the occasional short RIP, and perhaps even the odd pop and bang thrown in, while allowing just the correct amount of time for second gear to accept my need of it when dropping down from third, with just a hint of heel and toe in the process.... Yeah my dancing and Morgan driving has slowed down somewhat, but I would not want my Morgan to be other than the wonderful old car it is.... Except perhaps without it`s electric enrichment device for cold starting, I would have preferred a choke cable, back when choices were made, and still think similarly today...Though what are the chances of remembering to push the choke back in before the engine begins to falter somewhat, to remind me of the need to do so before I further poison the planet...Hmm..?

As ever just thinking in type. Each to their own indeed.

I’ve had a 2014 4/4 and my new Plus Four drives so much better. I can live with the lack of storage. Luggage rack and suitcase will help with Classic Le Mans. I had two M3Ws so used to little storage in cabin. The 22 MY seats are great .

Just GREAT that folk can enjoy their Morgans their own way.... it is all entirely subjective is it not...

I am coming up to nine years of Morgan ownership during the first seven of which I covered some 48,000 miles in a Plus 4 and then a Roadster 3.7. My mileage has reduced considerably since but only because of Covid. I changed the Roadster for a 22MY Plus Four in September and barring a couple of outstanding issues am delighted with it. Like many in the forum when I first drove one in 2020 I dismissed it because of lack of internal storage space given the amount of touring we do. Half a glove box, no door pockets, no option of fitting a foot locker and seemingly much less room behind the seats. My mind was changed when the lockable internal box arrived albeit rather small to put it mildly. Then MMC came up with the transmission tunnel pockets, one on each side. I decided I could live with half a glove box. Last but not least there is more room behind the seats than I first thought as is demonstrated by the following. I am six feet tall and I do not need to have the seat right back as I had to in the Plus 4 and Roadster. My wife is five feet five so her seat is quite forward partly because she likes to use the optional passenger foot brake from time to time. But what about tools and jack I hear you ask which now have to be in the car rather than in the tray which no longer exists. Well, when we collected the new car we were in the Roadster packed for a weekend away the space behind the seats being completely full. We were able to fit all of our stuff out of the Roadster into the new Plus Four along with the tools and jack So I would recommend that you try doing that at your local friendly dealer if the lack of internal space is the one thing that is holding you back. You should also consider how many tools and spares you might need to carry in a CX car given that you can probably do little or nothing to fix it unlike a trad.

Best regards,

John

One very plus point for the CX is the automatic option, I hadn't driven my Roadster for a few months, ( so took it for a quick local spin yesterday to check the radiator out ,to see of it could it get me to Lifes at Southport needless to say the radiator failed completely upon return to garage, another story for another day) I found the steering amazingly heavy and not driving a manual car every day. my left leg which has been problematic for years soon started to ache from the heavy clutch operation.

There is no way my wife (only 5 foot tall) would have the strength to turn the steering and certainly would struggle with a manual gearbox.........so if we wanted to share the Morgan driving experience, an automatic CX would be the only option.

but what about CUPHOLDERS
@morgandesign

I bought the Mrs a cupholder from Librands. It sits under the seat permanently. On the odd occasions she brings a hot drink out with her, she prefers to hold it in her hands and/or spill it down her front.

The auto box is superb both in full auto around town and in Sport or Sport+ where IMHO it is an automatic clutch rather than gearbox when using the paddles. Just brilliant. As you say the legroom provided by the missing clutch pebble is a god send especially for me as I have sciatica in my left leg.

John

[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/IVvkjuEAwgU?t=12[/video]

in the Aeromax I let it shift up a higher gear by itselve and pull the gearleaver to do the downshifts manually; that worked absolutely fine and I never missed the manual gearbox in that car
I orderd a new GT3 with PDK with the intention to shift manually by the gearleaver, my wife will use it as a full-automatic (I hope )

The auto box for me makes the plus four. The manual ratios aren't right. The auto is a license looser with endless power.

My resident nav/speed limiter does the same

Cupholder would be the smallest problem but the lack of internal luggage space and first of all the lack of money

Got a whole ton of luggage space. Money, not so much

Very neat solution if you don't need the rear seats very often for touring

Yep, the cushions just sit over the top, and are easily removed. Can get a weeks camping kit in there