Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) One Wheel Upgrade?

I am a proud owner of a 2013 Treewheeler. I love the funny rides with it, but I am getting older now... After a testdrive with a Plus 4 I am unsettled if this will be a more "real" car... What are your practical experiences with the 2016 Plus 4?
(Please excause my bad english)

Hi Tom,

I went from a 2015 3 wheeler to a new 4/4 late last year.

The 3 wheeler is so dramatic, a real head turner. To be fair the 4/4 doesn't have quite the "wow" factor - i guess its more of a real car in that respect.

The plus 4 would be more practical but bear in mind the hoods are not waterproof as a new MX5 would be and i prefer the 4/4 without side-screens. The heater is nice and it does feel are more grown up car. It would be equally fun to drive as the 3 wheeler however minus the lovely exhaust noise of the V twin.

The other thing is that the plus 4 is likely to be cheaper/easy to maintain and dare i say more reliable? My 4/4 feels a better built car to me.

Its one of those decisions you'll have to go with your gut feeling. I do miss my 3 wheeler very much but wouldn't go back!

Owning a 2013 M3W I went down the route to get a 4/4 later one.
I kept the M3W but for any trip longer than 2-3 hours I usually take the 4/4.
The "modern" threewheelers are just a bait to get you trapped into the Morgan world.
You will love the traditionals and enjoy their reliability (reliability measured in Morgan standards!)
You will miss the M3W but you most likely will not regret a change to a +4.

@PerryP: Real car means for me a car for more than short excursions. For the daily use I have a Mercedes E-Class Station-Wagon. It will be well planned to make a weekend-trip with the 3W.
@andimot: you told me that you miss your 3W - I think I will have the same feelings. I love this car, but on nearly every ride I think I had lost some screws or parts... It rattle like a "mixed crowd of screws (?)" (in German: Schraubenhaufen)
@The Austrian: Reliability in Morgan Standards is different - you are right. But I think they have a longer experience with the Fourwheelers.
@all: Thank you for these first comments.

Just another thing: on the testdtrive I had the stock steering wheel with 14". My legs are very long (inseam 36") and so I like to have a 12" steering wheel. Do anybody have some experiences with this (or pictures)?

Hello Tom,

I have owned 3 Plus 4's and each one has been better than the previous one.
The latest is a GDI engine car which has had a few problems all readily fixed by the dealer. I find it very practical, spacious and comfortable and I am no lightweight and over 6ft tall.
The hood is good, the heater is very hot and the overall build quality is the best yet although there is always room for improvement after all Morgan have only been building cars for 80 odd years!!
I try to use it at every opportunity as I love driving it, hood up ( very rarely) or down but never with side screens.
I think the best thing to do, if you can, is to have a long test drive or even hire one for a week end and find out if the car likes you and you can live with it.
Good luck, it will be fun finding out.

[quote=
@andimot: you told me that you miss your 3W - I think I will have the same feelings. I love this car, but on nearly every ride I think I had lost some screws or parts... It rattle like a "mixed crowd of screws (?)" (in German: Schraubenhaufen)
[/quote]

the closet English expression would be -

'it rattles like a bag of spanners....'!!



James

Tom. I can't comment on the M3W as I have only had a short drive in one. We have a Plus 4 and since March 2012 we have done 55,000 km. We use it for long trips and touring. The main problem has been getting not to pack for a month when we are going for a week, a task at which I have been totally unsuccessful

Despite what others say we have found the car to be reasonably waterproof and the addition of some neoprene in a couple of points has resolved any problems. (Thanks Dave)

The seating position for me is very comfortable and I can drive for longer distances in the Morgan than any other of our cars.

Regarding the smaller steering wheel: I have fairly long legs but not as long as yours, I must admit. If you fit a smaller steering wheel you may like to consider having power steering fitted. The Plus 4 without power steering is a little heavy at parking speeds and a smaller steering wheel would mean much more effort would be required. The other alternative would be an offset steering wheel such at this: https://www.moto-lita.co.uk/steering-wheels/offset-leather-wheel/



Or alternatively a custom wheel with a flat bottom section such as on the new VW Polo

I have a 25mm steering wheel spacer and a 13" wheel. The spacer made the most difference, allowing me to get my foot away from the clutch pedal.

You can test the effect with the standard quick release wheel by carefully releasing it from the first stop.

At the moment I use a 12" dished MotoLita MK IV in my 3W. I think this will fit in the Plus 4, too.
http://s448.photobucket.com/user/talkmorgan/media/image.jpg1_zps4bszuxud.jpg.html

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