Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 4/4 Sport as first Morgan ??

Many of us ended up at Morgan for the same reasons you have stated and coming from ownership of similar cars (Porsche, Ferrari, etc); therefore, nothing you have said so far is out of the ordinary.

If I had to give you a few points to consider, these would be them (and are only my opinion and in no particular order): -

A 4/4 Sport, when compared to a Cayman, will not have the same level of daily usability. Could you use it daily? Of course; however, the key is that you probably wouldn't want to (mainly because Morgans are best enjoyed with the top down and the side-screens taken off. The Aero 8, with 'normal' style car side windows, is far easier to live with daily but is a different car to the 4/4 Sport (and also, the Aero 8, is no longer available new). However, if you are buying the Morgan as a weekend/nice day car, the above won't bother you.

If you purchase new - and in many cases, even if you buy preowned - you may still need to undertake some mild fettling to get the car 100% to your satisfaction. As post after post on this forum, and every other Morgan enthusiasts source, will illustrate, these hand-built cars can sometimes have very minor niggles. These usually aren't big issues but tend to be things like: getting the hood to fit right, minor rattles and other details that should get resolved at the first service (1,000 miles). Being hand built means that the cars loosen up with the first 1,000 miles and therefore, everything needs a good tighten and service after the break-in period. In essence, and my main point is (and something I wish the dealer of my first Morgan had told me), don't expect it to be a German car because it isn't. These aren't built like a Bosch fridge, dishwasher or washing machine, these are hand crafted products and anyone expecting immediate perfection may be disappointed.

Lastly, the community. The enthusiasts community are very warm and welcoming. Also, other road users respond (for the most part) positively to the Morgan - unlike any Porsche, BMW, etc I've owned. The community is a massive part of Morgan ownership and whether you get really involved or just know it is there if you need it, is a very positive part of ownership.

Where are you located? Who is your local dealer?

The first step is to go and test drive one. It may also be worth considering a test drive in a pre-owned Plus 4 (the 2.0 engine) as a comparison. Shopping for the car - new or old - is a also a large part of the fun of Morgan ownership. If you do buy new, make sure you visit the factory while your car is being built (a good dealer will be able to arrange this for you).

Hi Simon, thanks for your advice.

I totally agree this is a hugely different experience from the German set. To be honest that is a lot of the appeal. I am yearning for something with some real character!

The occasional use nature of Morgan isn't a problem for me either. It's a nice day car that I am really after - I have only done 12k in 4 years in the Cayman!

My view on niggles etc is that I expect them on a hand crafted car. I am less forgiving for a precision engineered German car that is produced largely by robot. There is no excuse there. Besides, the niggles are only an issue if you are not well looked after in terms of customer service, and from what I understand, Morgan dealers are better than most.

I will certainly arrange a factory tour both pre purchase and during the build. As you say,m embracing the whole experience, including the community is all part of it.

I am based in Aylesbury, Bucks. Not sure where nearest dealer is.

Your advice to test the 4/4 alongside the Plus 4 is good and I will do that. thanks

Simon,
I think what you say sums up exactly all the pros and cons in a balanced and sensible way So much so, I've even found myself agreeing with it! ( Now where did I put those tablets?