Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Such a shame

My remaining thoughts on my much loved but now ex M3W are ones of disappointment and disillusionment

Have owned a lot of cars and bikes, my first car when I was 18 was a Datsun 240Z. The M3W is the best car I have ever owned/driven by a country mile,nothing else has even come close. Best toy ever!

I understand that, and I'm sure you are doing absolutely all you can to keep them.

But with cars such as those produced by MMC, there isn't many alternatives.

With customers willing to wait months (or years) there's no real threat to MMC's business there; changes in government regulations etc. related to vehicles on the other hand must be very important, I imagine. I'm just a bit surprised they have been so bad at communicating potential problems with the three-wheeler, as has been mentioned here recently. But given older stories mentioned here and elsewhere, not surprised at all. I don't remember all the details about the problems with the windscreens on the 4/4 Sports, but all those stories didn't instil confidence. Guess there have to be a couple of threads about success stories related to warranty etc.

On the one hand there is all that talk about hand built, traditions, long experience, one of the oldest, on the other the aforementioned problems. One could say, given that so many things have stayed more or less the same in the design, that they should have mastered it by now, more or less. A cap to the oil tank on the M3W? (Yes, the M3W is completely new, but MMC isn’t.) Doesn't instil much confidence in their engineers. Plenty of stories here; wasn't there broken hand brake cables on the trads, treated as "wear and tear" within months … I do understand that they are a very small company, and I assume with small margins, that need to reinvest to keep things going. Are they afraid to set a precedent, so that everyone expects everything? It’s very cheap to use communication; newsletters related to maintenance etc. to show that old customers are still recognised as potential future customers. I also understand that one, for example, sometimes have to create concept cars as studies, research and perhaps to show the market some bits, but perhaps, if you are a very small company, some part of those resources could be used to keep customers happy. If I understand things correctly there were many in the dealer network that also complained about lack of information last year. A forum, no matter how good, shouldn't have to be a substitute for warranty, information and responsibility from a manufacturer.

"The M3W is the best car I have ever owned/driven by a country mile,nothing else has even come close. Best toy ever!"

Which is the way it should have been for all Three Wheeler owners and it just isn't. Great if some people have a trouble free ownership experience, but there are quite a few who don't do many miles, the 2012 advertised in Miscellany this month for example, which has done just over 1000 miles.

I too cannot believe how cavalier Morgan can be with their customers and why they continued manufacturing the car even though they knew each one they sent out was faulty. Hearsay says it was down to Charles apparently.

Like 4/4Boy, I am now an ex Three Wheeler owner and sadly disillusioned even though my ownership experience was probably better than many. Like quite a few of us though, I have gone on to buy a 4 wheeler, which, I think everyone will agree, is quite a different ownership experience

I know the management read these forums, so come on guys, get your act together and don't rely on the uniqueness of the product and the goodwill of your owners.

My thoughts on the highs & lows of M3W ownership have been well aired on these pages over the previous 18 months or so, and I can really empathise with how you feel at times.

There is no doubt that the continual development since the introduction of the model is now paying dividends. The 2014 model year roll out was a major turning point in the models history, with by far the most 'issues' being related to owners of the 2011/12/13 cars that haven't been attended to in the same way that are now filtering onto the market out of warranty.

The car was rushed into production far too early, and as a truly unique vehicle it carried with it many quality issues. Many of these issues were from suppliers such as S&S and Quaife, but the air gets foggy when it comes to ascertaining responsibilities..

The only 2014 model year onwards issues that are coming to light are the poor quality Brooklands exhausts and the rear pulley materials as far as I can think.

My car had a problem with the bevel box and I've had four oil leaks from places that shouldn't leak on the S&S. I've had a suspicion that the engine was over pressurising, and since my dealer found that S&S had supplied Morgan with a cross threaded throttle body, the replacement along with the associated breather routing, seems to have cured this.

Is it Morgans fault that the TB was fitted cross threaded? Probably not. Could they have checked deeper? Possibly yes.

Does the car work now? Hell, yes!

I'm up to almost five thousand miles now & it's had a good caning at times, and I am so, so happy that it's running like a Swiss watch at the moment.

Like 4/4 Boy, it disappoints me to think that people pander to the myth that motorcycles are high maintenance. Those days died with the 1970's. I've been lucky enough to earn a crust on two wheels & I've never ever had to pander to them.

I've only experienced one Morgan dealer, although I've visited a few, and I simply cannot fault their ethos. Of course, there are always those moments when communication breaks down, but soon forgiven and forgotten & I'd recommend them any day.

Like the car, really..

Just to add to my previous post, I believe that Morgan dealers and the factory themselves really do know of the faults, but just choose to say they don't know for a quieter [and less expensive] life. It's wrong and no way to endear them to their customers, but we all know it happens. How many times do people complain about something, anything, only to be told they are the only ones, then later find out they are not?

If I bury my head in the sand maybe the Lion won't eat me.

I'm a "Tinkerer" by nature. I have a 2012 and with this year I'm in Tinkerer Heaven. I grew up with BSA"s so the M3W is nothing new to me. Some will think I'm crazy but I enjoy solving the MANY problems I've had with my 3 wheeler. Its running really well at the moment. Yesterday I was in a July 4th Parade in amongst numerous classic cars (Cord, '39 Cadillac Convertible etc) and guess what car was cheered and photographed most? My Lil M3W! After the parade I went for a curvy ride in the hills above my place. Life just doesn't get any better than that.

What concerns me is the resale value of the earlier M£W's

I know I did not buy mine as an investment but always thought Morgans held their prices fairly well.

I bought mine, a Dec '12 model, with a lump sum received from a retirement pension but now it is out of warranty and has 8500 miles on the clock.
With the now common knowledge that the earlier cars (mine included) had a number of major faults, what will the be chances of getting an acceptable price now if I wanted to sell it?

I have had a complete replacement engine, 3 replacement compensators (now on a Centa one that seems to be OK), 2 replacement rectifiers, comfort kit, new rear sprocket, water deflector (to keep the inside of the boot dry) and 4 punctures in the same (offside) front wheel (too much of a coincidence I think) despite MWS stating that the wheels DO NOT need rim tape over the spoke nipples.

At present I love the car and it is running well (I hope I am not tempting fate by saying this) and am not currently thinking of parting with it, but when I (and the many owners of the earlier cars like me) do, I can't help thinking that we will all take a big hit finacially.

I wonder if MMC have any professional indemnity insurance which should cover poor or inadequate design.

If I design a heating system for a building and it does not perform as it should then I am ultimately responsible and it is up to me to sort it out at my cost. If I cannot or will not my professional indemnity insurance kicks in to cover my customer.

This is not a 1 or 2 year affair either, I have to guarantee my work for 6 years, this does not cover the parts I buy in as they would be covered by their respective manufacturers.

Since MMC designed the vehicle, all parts that are outsourced ie. rear pulley's etc. must be to their design and specification, it necessary follows that MMC should be responsible for parts that are wearing out prematurely regardless of age.

It could be argued that 4-5000 miles constitutes such premature wear therefore implying the pulleys are not fit for purpose.

Am I being too unreasonable?

A big plus 1