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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 131
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 131 |
I don’t think Peter will want his book to be all negative. Of course it’s frustrating to have some half-arsed engineering decisions in a vehicle BUT it’s still mostly fun. Just not cheap or super reliable.
And - as usual for Morgan - there is now a cottage industry slowly fixing it… G56 exhaust and air intake, M3WServices rear disk and fuel lines, etc, Phil Bleazey BB mount, Centa fix and chain conversion, Torino tubeless wheels, etc etc Keep in mind, these mission-critical 'fixes' are effectively only available to UK owners. The ROTW is screwed. It's a case study in island mentality. Someone nailed it earlier.....is my (U.S. based) 3W destined to become a museum piece (or paper weight) because I'm too afraid to break it...or even reach a maintenance interval? I TRULY WANT to enjoy my 3W forever AND to add a Speed 3. But by abandoning the 3W twice (1/ production-era blind eye to manufacturing defects, 2/ post-production abandonment of S&S mission-critical components), it's an audacious ask of MMC to expect a testimonial. MMC would be wise to jump in with a solution to S&S and IMHO, to offer a 20% discount on the Speed 3 to existing 3W owners as acknowledgement that it is committed to do better. The brand metrics its VC's should be watching here are 'consideration' and repeat business. Done with my rant.
Last edited by MichaelS; 29/03/22 09:14 PM.
'17 M3W (BRG)
'03 Plus 8 35th Anniversary (BRG)
'08 Ural Patrol (BRG)
'21 Vespa 'Racing 60' (BRG)
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37,408 Likes: 977
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37,408 Likes: 977 |
If this toy wasn't the most visceral thing on three wheels to drive (when its running), I doubt our tolerance levels would be 50% of I don’t think Peter will want his book to be all negative. Of course it’s frustrating to have some half-arsed engineering decisions in a vehicle BUT it’s still mostly fun. Just not cheap or super reliable.
And - as usual for Morgan - there is now a cottage industry slowly fixing it… G56 exhaust and air intake, M3WServices rear disk and fuel lines, etc, Phil Bleazey BB mount, Centa fix and chain conversion, Torino tubeless wheels, etc etc Keep in mind, these 'fixes' are essentially only available to UK owners. The ROTW is pretty screwed. Michael, I'm sure I have read on here somewhere that Phil exported the drivetrain fix out to the States a while back and one of you boys has successfully fitted it. So the ROTW is not lost to the M3W finishing off process really.
2009 4/4 Sport Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Con Green +8 prev
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 131
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 131 |
If this toy wasn't the most visceral thing on three wheels to drive (when its running), I doubt our tolerance levels would be 50% of I don’t think Peter will want his book to be all negative. Of course it’s frustrating to have some half-arsed engineering decisions in a vehicle BUT it’s still mostly fun. Just not cheap or super reliable.
And - as usual for Morgan - there is now a cottage industry slowly fixing it… G56 exhaust and air intake, M3WServices rear disk and fuel lines, etc, Phil Bleazey BB mount, Centa fix and chain conversion, Torino tubeless wheels, etc etc Keep in mind, these 'fixes' are essentially only available to UK owners. The ROTW is pretty screwed. Michael, I'm sure I have read on here somewhere that Phil exported the drivetrain fix out to the States a while back and one of you boys has successfully fitted it. So the ROTW is not lost to the M3W finishing off process really. Richard, the black hole is labor. Emil Rolando (of oil cooler, oil tank and fuel supply upgrade fame) did install a couple of Phil's fixes but is now retired. As far as I know, Morgan dealers won't touch this stuff because it would be too much of an acknowledgement of MMC deficiency. The only hope will be to engage the S&S motorcycle shop network. But again, why does MMC not take the lead on this?
'17 M3W (BRG)
'03 Plus 8 35th Anniversary (BRG)
'08 Ural Patrol (BRG)
'21 Vespa 'Racing 60' (BRG)
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37,408 Likes: 977
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37,408 Likes: 977 |
If this toy wasn't the most visceral thing on three wheels to drive (when its running), I doubt our tolerance levels would be 50% of I don’t think Peter will want his book to be all negative. Of course it’s frustrating to have some half-arsed engineering decisions in a vehicle BUT it’s still mostly fun. Just not cheap or super reliable.
And - as usual for Morgan - there is now a cottage industry slowly fixing it… G56 exhaust and air intake, M3WServices rear disk and fuel lines, etc, Phil Bleazey BB mount, Centa fix and chain conversion, Torino tubeless wheels, etc etc Keep in mind, these 'fixes' are essentially only available to UK owners. The ROTW is pretty screwed. Michael, I'm sure I have read on here somewhere that Phil exported the drivetrain fix out to the States a while back and one of you boys has successfully fitted it. So the ROTW is not lost to the M3W finishing off process really. Richard, the black hole is labor. Emil Rolando (of oil cooler, oil tank and fuel supply upgrade fame) did install a couple of Phil's fixes but is now retired. As far as I know, Morgan dealers won't touch this stuff because it would be too much of an acknowledgement of MMC deficiency. The only hope will be to engage the S&S motorcycle shop network. But again, why does MMC not take the lead on this? Michael, sorry I hadn't realised about Emil retiring and essentially taking the talent with him. I wish you luck with finding a workshop willing to take on this work otherwise as you say it looks a little bleak. Very interesting the attitude of the dealers and to an extent I understand as it's almost an admission of guilt or failure on the design front which we all know to be true.
2009 4/4 Sport Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Con Green +8 prev
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,360 Likes: 2
Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2012
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 399 Likes: 15
Learner Plates Off!
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Learner Plates Off!
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 399 Likes: 15 |
We missed out on the first round of Peter's book - will keep an eye out this time....
Reading the last few posts, I am left thinking that the recently "retired from production" M3W works well for people who combine a love of driving with the interest and capability to fix the various issues arising....a decent/helpful dealer or mechanic nearby obviously helps but if touring any distance, one needs the confidence to diagnose/fix things on the road. Even in the UK dealers are not abundant and elsewhere very thin on the ground. There seems to be plenty of evidence that some buy, do lots of miles and hang on to their cars...others seem to do v few miles and rack up a larger number of owners as the realities bite.
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 6,667 Likes: 433
Talk Morgan Sage
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Talk Morgan Sage
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 6,667 Likes: 433 |
M3W works well for people who combine a love of driving with the interest and capability to fix the various issues arising....a decent/helpful dealer or mechanic nearby obviously helps but if touring any distance, one needs the confidence to diagnose/fix things on the road. My impression is that owning a M3W is more akin to the experiences of owning a 60's/70's 4 wheeler. I spent (for me) an absolute fortune on my 4/4 and have been in a constant state of fiddling, fettling and replacing stuff ever since. I've only used a professional garage three times (fixing rear hub, rear core plug replacement, and gearbox upgrade) as I don't have the facilites to remove an engine on my drive. Everything else has been done by me on my front drive, or on the roadside. However I can fully understand the realistic expectation that if you spend a large amount of money on something new, you want it to work properly and be reliable.
"Y mae dafad ddu ym mhob praidd"
1972 4/4, 1981 MGBGT, 1984 FLHT1340, 1980 XLH1000, 1990 ZX10
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Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 62
Just Getting Started
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Just Getting Started
Joined: Jan 2022
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It's always possible to fix something, providing the spares exist....is this the case with the X-wedge and for how long? I would have thought (hope) MMC would have bought up a stockpile
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 6,667 Likes: 433
Talk Morgan Sage
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Talk Morgan Sage
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 6,667 Likes: 433 |
It's always possible to fix something, providing the spares exist....is this the case with the X-wedge and for how long? I would have thought (hope) MMC would have bought up a stockpile If something has been made, then it's possible to make it again. However, at what cost.... Were I ever in the position to own a M3W, I would probably look at the possibility of swapping out the X Wedge in favour of something from the Harley range - far greater availability for spares (and probably more reasonably priced).
"Y mae dafad ddu ym mhob praidd"
1972 4/4, 1981 MGBGT, 1984 FLHT1340, 1980 XLH1000, 1990 ZX10
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,035 Likes: 36
Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,035 Likes: 36 |
My impression is that owning a M3W is more akin to the experiences of owning a 60's/70's 4 wheeler........However I can fully understand the realistic expectation that if you spend a large amount of money on something new, you want it to work properly and be reliable.
There is a difference in that, unlike running an older 4 wheeler or even a classic car, the M3W suffers from some very basic design issues such as suspension design, chassis structural failures, bevel box, compensator, exhaust systems etc. etc. most of which are outside the realms of standard "fettling" and are beyond the scope of most owners to rectify themselves. And why should they have to ? The lack of support from the factory and the ongoing difficulty in obtaining spare parts doesn't help matters either.
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