Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Morgan's Quality Production Years?

Yes but one is a toy bought for fun, the other is a piece of transport equipment and no more. One you buy with your heart, the other with your head, and someone else's money if you can.

I would differ between early faults and late faults which may occur after years of driving when parts are wearing out. Therefore it is ok, that I needed new king pins.
A lot of the early (and very early) faults could be caused by the hand built process. In my view this faults are forgivable and the best way to sort them is driving a lot when she is new.
That does not mean that improvements of overall quality are not welcomed.

Even if I‘m generally happy after 53.000 km with my 2014 4/4 I‘m not amused that the chrome quality of my door mirrors is unacceptable. And all the plastic or rubber sealants between front screen and car at the sides are porous and show cracks. She is always sitting in a good protecting garage when not driven and she has seen no salt.
The metal/paint below the doors/above the runnings board shows some kind of rusty bubbles. This could be an expensive wings/running boards off job next spring...

Cracks around the headlight nacelles fixed twice under warranty. Fan switch replaced as went round and around. Paint blistering on windscreen surround otherwise all ok touch wood.

1979 +8 coming upto 99000 miles. owned for 17 years, about 3000/4000 miles a year. Had very little problems. I have replaced one water pump, alternater, battery, recondition rad, new set of tyers, and the big one a new mallory duel point distributor. The car has only stopped once on me, broken coil lead. easy fix. Dont think i have spent 1000 pound on it in all these years. Done all the sevicing and maintance my self. I can't ask for a better car.

I agree Heinz. One should distinguish between normal wear and tear, repairs that would be required due to use, and faults relating to materials and or construction.

Such issues as replacing kingpins, and mechanical repairs after long usage, even replacing radiators after many years, are not quality issues.

Seals that don't, badly fitting items, poor quality springs, poor quality chrome plating, under specified components (screws and electrical components), rusting items (screws, steering shaft), etc., etc., are examples of items for which even the excuse of hand building should not be used. Much of this comes down to attention to detail and the rest comes down to penny pinching. Saving even £50 in materials on a car that costs £50,000 or more seems inappropriate in a mass produced car let alone on something as personal as a Morgan.

2005 car
2 replacement radiators - top pipe joint failure - warranty item
3rd radiator top pipe failure - brazed rather than replaced - probable cause of failures dermot quality mounting bobbins.
Fuel tank leak - aluminium seemed to be porous
Fuel filler hose split
3 front wing bracket failures
3 rear suspension bracket failures
Cracked alternator casing - warranty replacement
2nd cracked alternator casing
3 cracked alternator brackets
Sheared alternator mounting bolt
Fuel pump failure
Split in leather to drivers seat bolster
Hood header rail weld failure
Snapped handbrake cable
Melted fuel pump relay
Rear wheel bearings
Rear brake cylinders
Windscreen washer bottle fell off - rivets no good
Paintwork issues
2 No brake light switch failures
Wiper arm failure
Accelerator cable failure
Speedometer failure - warranty item
Tonneau cover useless - water ponds and runs through zip
Severe ingress of water at driver's door cill - inadequate sealing between chassis and frame
Mirror stems’ chrome pitted
Door handles’ chrome pitted
Script badge pitted.

Without doubt, the most unreliable car I’ve had. It has been on a recovery vehicle eight times, four of which have been in Europe. Very good service from Morgan Rescue. Absolutely no point in calling the factory. Best to keep Colin the Spanner Juggler on speed dial.

Ken, that sounds...ehm...more or less impressively shocking. If I would read your story being a novice I would run away from the dealers place as fast as I could. Otherwise...2005 feels not like such a long time but meanwhile it is a period of 12, 13 years. How many miles did you make with her?


BTW I only had one Plus4 type Mog, the P4SS and after 18.000km my alternator mount broke away as well, causing the belt to disapear, water pump stopped working and radiator cracked with a full spread of coolant liquid all,over the place. I never had alternator issues with Roadsters or the 4/4 but I can remember that the P4SS alternator was mounted high and prominent left out in driving direction. OK perhaps it was mounted this way because it was the Madza engine but it was somehow „planned“ that this out of center alternator mount could crack after some time of sporty driving.

I fully agree Peter, MMC behaves in some aspecst as if they would calculate parts for a production number of 2 Mio cars per year if this make sense, just to save 50 GBP per car, and as you say rediculous concerning a few 100 cars per year costing 50K or more.

Otherwise, I am really happy with her! (my Mog) As long as she does not break down at all.

It is the same long time deep emotional relationship as with a real-life-beloved-woman
...how boring would be the „perfect“ woman, always nice and lovely, always endeavoured to let me feel comfortable, bringing perfect relatives with her, perfect cooking, read every wish from my lips, always starts immediately to be in the (right) mood for everything you could wish or imagine on a turn key, never gets ill etc etc............well, no thank you. The emotional relationship needs the flaws of the real world life.

Perhaps the summary is, MMC please don‘t make them really perfect like a Toyota but good enough for a longterm relationship without too many acute illness or chronical disease. Considering my 4/4 this is generally spoken happily the case during the first 3 years. But is my example the normal case or the exception? This thread is of course based on qualitative insight, not a quantitative view.

Perhaps this thread is a topic, important or relevant enough to make a poll like this (sorry for bad English, it just should be a first input, if someone else could create such a poll here). e.g.:

a) How long do you own your current Mog?

less than 1 y, 1 to 2 y, 3 to 5y 6 to 10 y 10 to 20 y longer than 20 y

b) How do you experience „touchable“ quality of your Morgan?

perfectly good, good, ok, not under all aspects, poor, dissapointing

c) How many garage stays have you experienced in ADDITION to normal service since the last 2 years? (if your car is younger, anyway tell the total number).

d) How far do you accept the overall quality and reliability your Morgan is showing?

totally, yes, the bigger part of it, not really, under no circumstances

e) open question, please tell one or two topics where a lack of built quality or reliability is an obvious issue...if any

f) Would you buy again a Morgan?
Yes, No, and reason why.

Heinz, I’ve done 102,000 miles. At one point, coolant on the windscreen seemed a regular occurrence. When I saw water on the windscreen I didn’t think it was starting to rain, I used to think dermot the radiator/alternator has gone again

For me 1969 was a Quality Production Year. Perhaps it was because the guys with brown coats and hammers were 'old school' and had practiced their skills on Spitfires!

Since then the car has gone remarkably well. Only 3 breakdowns in unfortunate places (how about the lights at the Knightsbridge/Sloane St junction for instance?). Constant leaky roof (but this seems normal). New radiator, belts, kingpins etc but many many miles of great untroubled motoring.

Obviously having John Britten, Bob Harper and Brands Hatch Morgans looking after the car has helped this record considerably.