Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Is your Aero/Morgan reliable?

I'll try to remember that when the water is pooling on my transmission tunnel and soaking my ankle!

A cheap, comfortable, effective and fast Porsche 987 will make the job. But are you sure you'd like to have that instead of a lot of fun, charme and wet ankle?

2 years into ownership - and the list goes like this:
- lightly buckled wheel - which hasn't been repaired - perhaps this winter
- dead battery. My fault for not using it regularly in bad weather and not having it on charge
- slight leak from PAS reservoir - cheap fix
- slight leak from the roof (centre - rear)

That's it, that's the lot, that is the full list of "things that have gone wrong in 2 years" - on a hand built car. I should add that the leaking front (windscreen) was resolved by the dealer refitting the windscreen, that the stereo occasionally flickers between death and life - and that if the battery goes flat it takes a manual reboot of the fuse box to bring the Cruise and Air-con back on line - and the air-con belt squealed recently - once.

After 3000km last year I've even gambled on not servicing it this year - the brakes, tyres, oil etc have all been checked - and there is no play in the suspension - so I'll wait until September to get it done.

I don't have a warranty on it - and for what it is then it is ludicrously cheap to run.

She runs solely on 95 octane, regularly leaves stretches of Avon on the road and gets a good spanking whenever possible.

That is very promising, especially giving it a spanking!

For what its worth.
Had my S1for four years and done 12,000 miles (total mileage 24,000).
I suggest mine is a fairly typical and positive story.
New battery and air fuel mass flow sensor virtually immediately after buying it
New headlight unit.
New heater control valve
Another new battery
total cost of bits and fitting say well less than £1000.
Has passed all its MoTs without comment.
Only the slightest occasional leak and has seen some pretty extreme storms crossing France.
I don't think you can say fairer than that for the privilege of driving what by pretty much any measure is an extraordinary machine.

Had mine for over 10 years now, only let me down once with mass air flow sensor failing. Most expensive item was a new steering rack eight years ago, and of course batteries and wheels since.
However factory servicing was expensive, but for the last few years with servicing being carried out by Mark Middleton, costs have been minimal.

Funnily enough on my latest Aero (Plus 8) the only issue I've had in the first almost full year, is a replacement auto gearbox which comes from ZF, via BMW (I believe the 458 also has a ZF box!).

I do enjoy "buying British" (even though our daily tin tops are German). I do get great pleasure out of driving our sportscars and I also used to buy suits (back in the day we wore them) from a guy who couldn't sew very straight, but charged more than Boss for their laser cut jobs with deadly accurate stitching!

Each of us to their own, I always feel that cars with character always have some foibles as this is what makes them interesting. Whatever turns you on I suppose...

P.S. I thought that's the Nissan factory in Sunderland was rumoured to be one of the most efficient in the world, presumably they employ Brits, or are they all Polish. Just thinking!

And mine. Can this be fixed?

Try getting some new D shaped door seals from a main dealer that fit around the inside edge of the door. I did this on my 96 +8 for the same reason. They are about £10 for two doors, they are self adhesive backed and easy to fit, just clean off any dirt and polish of fist with alcohol wipe before fitting.

Try Woolies for rubber seals. They sell a wide range and I have used them a couple of times. I use self adhesive D-section and self adhesive strips in various pkaces on my Mog.