Talk Morgan Forums Community Welcome Forum Why buy a Morgan?

Good morning enthusiasts.

I am about to change my current car with that from the Morgan stables. Before making the leap I really do need honest advice, if possible!

I currently drive a Maserati GranTurismo which has not met with expectations I am afraid. Without drilling down into the nitty gritty the two main reasons are: Too big!(One feels like a passenger not a driver) and obscenely expensive to repair.

I have spent months looking for a replacement and deep down in my heart I am a classic car man having driven most of the mid range classics (My last was a TR4 sold in May).
I came across the Morgan and felt it was a possibility.

BUT what has recently put me off is the review from: Top Gear / Fifth Gear / Evo and a couple of other car journalist who slate the Morgan PLUS 8 for its driving experience. They all mention poor road noise and very hard and rough suspension feedback. None of them would recommend it!

I will eventually find someone to give me a test drive but in the meantime - your observations/advice/guidance would be gratefully appreciated?

Thanks in advance.

I am limiting the purchase to a 2000-20004 Plus 8 if possible. I definitely want a BIG motor under that hood!
A roadster would also be a consideration but I had planned to keep the costs to below £30k as I have other plans for another 'hobby' not connected to driving.

You need to drive several or hire a Roadster for a weekend.
They area bit like Marmite, love them or hate them.

Comparing a Maser with a Morgan is like comparing parmigiano with chalk.

Try a Plus 8; you'll either love it or hate it. It's roots lie in the 1940s, even earlier. It's a blacksmiths solution to a motor car that the Morgan Motor Company have evolved and others have taken much further.

Think TR4 but with stacks more power and torque; oh and charisma!

Myself, I love the experience but for many others they just don't get it. That's ok, we wouldn't want to all be the same. Variety is the spice of life!

It is this sentence that makes me think that the Morgan may well be for you. The reason I bought one new back in 2011 (albeit a 4/4) was that I too love the whole classic car thing, but haven't got the time available for constant tinkering. I love the "classic" driving experience I get with my Morgan, but the whole thing has been hassle free.

I would recommend that you also test drive other variants as well as the +8; tho' your heart tells you the more cubes the better, they all have quite different character, and you may find that the reality doesn't match your preconceptions. If the test drive convinces you, take the time to find yourself a well sorted example and it should prove to be a rewarding and hassle free experience without being too hard on the poor old wallet.

As to the articles you mention, I guess they were tests of the new aero chassis type +8, which bears no resemblance (other than the general aesthetic) to the model you are talking about. Some of the reviews I read of the new car were written by testers, who didn't appear to "get" the whole Morgan thing, comparing the new model to the likes of your Maserati & were surprised that a fairly raw convertible car with sidescreen windows is noisy at speed with the hood up.

You buy one because you WANT one.
I fell in love with them aged 10yrs but have waited until I could afford one (aged 59yrs)
All cars have foibles the Morgan more so than most.
If you want fast /nimble/tyre shredding/quiet sports car you have just owned one.

If you want to stand out from the crowd and be "Different"
Have a MORGAN its a "Marmite" car

Good Luck

I bought Top Gear's 'Sportscar of the Year' for 2012. The BMW M135i. I kept it for three months and lost £14k on it ... One of the dullest cars I've owned.

They don't like a few cars that I drive and love

I have bought my first Mog yesterday ! My previous car was very different indeed , caterham 7 and a very fast one at that , so used to fantastic road holding , speed x 10 , utter madness , so going to a tuned Mog is very different , BUT I am a classic car chap so just had to get one at last and yes its different but Its growing on me and the wife !

Hi Zoros,
As others have said going from Maserati GranTurismo to a Morgan , is going to be a culture shock. The fact that you have TR experience gives hope that perhaps you can survive and actually enjoy the change.

If you want the "classic" experience then go down the Trad Morgan route , but don't dismiss the Aero chassised cars , as they are definitely worth a look . They have much softer suspension, lower road noise, and reasonable handling, and they all have a lovely big V8 motor up front. They are also much closer to your Maserati than any trad.

If this is going to be a touring car , then a +8 will suit you with its effortless acceleration propelling you into the next bend, but that wave of torque can be a handful in the wet. You have no ABS , or traction control, so you need to be able to catch the tail , and quickly in lower friction conditions. In many ways the Roadster , with its V6 engine is much easier to drive quickly in the wet, the torque arrives much higher up the rev range , and it is not delivered in quite such a "lump" , so the tail breaks more gently and is more catchable.

If are looking for more nimble and forgiving handling then go for a 4/4, you will need to rev the engine more to get it to give of its best, but the car can be driven sideways round corners at will.

In many ways the +4 is compromise between the nimble 4/4 and the V engined cars , highly recommended , especially with the Duratec engines. These combine good handling with a less peaky power unit , and good economy (something you are never going to get with a V8!)

The front end can be "softened" by addition of the new "Suplex" suspension kit , and there is a new coil-over-dampers rear end under development which promises similar improvements.

I think many commentators miss the point of Trad Morgans, so don't be put off by them , test drive a few and make up your own mind.

As a last point , I don't wish to be pessimistic but a budget of £30k might struggle to get a 2002 to 2004 +8 , consider the slightly older 1998 to 2002 "Hotwire" cars , the injection system is far less complex and you still have all the "nice" bits like stainless bulkhead and wings, BTR axle etc.

Andy

I will get to the point do you like sex if so ask all these lads " where do you spend the most time in the garage with the mog or in bed with your women " . What would you rather do get the mog out and go for a long blast wind in your face fly's in your teeth and it does not nag . Its the most fun you can have with your clothes on and if you feel like it with them off.
Go give them all a try ( mogs not women ) you will love it .

Ignor the press they have not a clue how to enjoy a car it has to have all the electronic gismo's and do the driving for them . How dull can that be , a mog is true seat of the pants motoring YAHOO YIPEE BROOM BROOM .

Thanks guys - so far. I loved driving the TR4 but because it never went above 70 comfortably - I always felt "in charge" with it.
Now if the Morgan is a TR4 with more power (and reliability) it worries me a little (only a little) that driving it hard on A roads etc - could be a little unnerving perhaps? What is all this 'hard suspension feedback' they are on about?

Does the Morgan Plus 8 have any bad steering/suspension traits like over/under steer or rock hard bushes? Are there optional after market adjustable shox? PTFE bushes etc?
Could I drive for a 100 miles without feeling like I have just been horse racing cross country for an hour!!