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Aug 24th, 2023
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468 |
DAM - Dashed Dreams , definitely dented. !
Disillusioned after a week only on the site. Not with the members of this blog but with MMC.
I seem to have learnt that the CX has or had biggish problems - warranty provisions, high financial amounts that you would not expect on a P&L account ? Plus 6 models often pranged due to …….? Younger drivers, poor braking and others mods required ?? High cost, short life and probably going extinct.
Looked last night at Plus 8 prices and was a bit surprised how low they were especially as my 79 plus 8 in the garage will probably cost a good bit to really update and will it be suitable for the driving I want to do ?
I’m old but my early work involved driving long distances and running our own business also meant heavy mileage.. Holidays fly drives, For many years we have been driving in Europe and having now fully retired we enjoy road trips . We want to keep doing this, we love it.
The plus 8 did not stop easily, I carried an anchor….whilst I could handle no power steering my wife found it difficult. Thankfully it was reliable as in truth most of my 4 Morgan’s were. South London Lancashire trips in record times compared to the extra 2 hours I now allow.
I think I need some modern comforts but ‘definitely’ an auto sadly. The Morgan I need just has to be fully reliable as most modern cars are ( apart from the new Volvo that locked the brakes on, locked in gear, partially blocking the village street my wife had just driven into from park…….approaching 2 days to ‘uplift’ - actually skates in the end. Having made me get petrol as it would not start even though I told them it had petrol, asked by Volvo to open all 4 doors and boot, close to see if it would reboot !! ? I thought we were on Candid Camera ! A softwear issue and updated for all cars as a result.) .
So we need a Morgan to travel distance in style, taking by ways and motorways enjoying and giving fun to us and admirers.
Should I give up the dream ??? Any consoling agony aunts out there ?
Perhaps this should have been posted on the Positano thread - sorry.
PS Dirty petrol in my opinion is extremely rare having been in the oil industry for 16 years back in the day…….don’t get me started on cheap petrol v dear brands. I was even a Tribology expert once - I remember nothing about oils now! Move on and forget is my mantra. Have a word with MOG615 Andy in Spain right now for the 40th and Stephen888 as they both travel many miles in their older Plus 8's over many years. We haven't as my good lady is not Morgan partial and prefers her Polo GTI with 192 bhp glass sliding roof with the aircon full on whilst burning the tarmac up. It is fun to play with and just as quick as my Plus 8 too 
2009 4/4 Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
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Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,792 Likes: 161
Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,792 Likes: 161 |
May I suggest you need to know the starting position (condition) with regards to your current Morgan as to the necessary if any works needed. Once you understand that and the likely costs, you can determine whether it still features in your plans for continental touring;
In its favour is a basic electrical system, no catalytic convertors and associated sensors and so on, With fitment of eg electronic points it might prove a very simple car to keep on the road compared to a modern Morgan. Automatic conversions have been done on +8's so there's a known solution; perhaps fitment of unleaded heads may make it easy for refuelling on long journeys.
The reality is there are very few modern brands that deliver 100% reliability.
Last edited by JohnHarris; 20/10/24 05:29 PM.
Prev '12 Plus 4 Sport OZZY
'08 Roadster FELIX
'06 4/4 70th LOKI
'77 4/4 SEAMUS
'85 4/4 MOLLY
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 4,607 Likes: 192
Part of the Furniture
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Part of the Furniture
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 4,607 Likes: 192 |
Having done a bit of European touring in my mid 80`s +8, with little or no issues, all be it that was when I was circa 50 years old, today, I doubt I could manage that sort of mileage in my +8..
Modern ish machines... Having had a couple of issues with my 2012 991,as it arrived at circa 40k miles, and that I know of others who had Volvo issues due to software, it seems that which was once guaranteed to be reliable is perhaps not these days... I would have more faith in 70`s/80`s technology than later, same goes for Porsche when in it`s day my old 911 SC seemed to be bullet proof back when it was ten years old... The problem would seem to be that we are too used to modern convenience and comforts and those old cars are now 30-40 years older ...!!!
As John suggested there are upgrades available for the likes of your +8, you could also include power steering and redesigned suspension to smooth out the somewhat vintage feel of the original, I doubt upgrading brakes would cost the earth.... but by then you would have spent a lot of cash on a car that still might not be comfortable or driveable enough, and worth less than it might have cost to convert it, all a bit of a conundrum... Sorry .
I guess my chosen forum I.D. suggests I may not be impressed with the tec on modern machinery..
Good luck in your choices...
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,011 Likes: 31
Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,011 Likes: 31 |
Hi Mike, welcome. For my part whilst I love my Aero, I do also have a secret yearning for another +8. I had a 1975 +8 1979 - 81, although this wouldn't really be as suitable as the Aero for our needs now. Assuming the +8 gives you sufficient luggage capacity for your travels and you can enter and exit the car and handle the clutch, then have it refurbished/upgraded. Whatever you need to spend on top of its present resale value to change to a modern offering could be looked at as spending money for recommissioning and upgrading works. There are well thought out upgrades available for exhaust, suspension, steering etc and keeping its patina saves on painting costs and would give you a car that's easier to live with and use. Whatever you choose enjoy the ride.
David
Aero S4
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1 member likes this:
+8Rich |
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468 |
Hi everyone, I’m Michael and I have just started reading this forum, old Miscellanies, as considering a new Morgan, although now somewhat concerned from some comments. I have had 4 Morgan’s.
The first was bought in 1970 from two ‘Afghan’ wearing lads (only those from the 60s and 70s will know this great fashion !) the Stapleton Brothers (?) in South Kensington, London. Is this now Morgan London? It was from their showroom and perhaps one of the last +4 s built?
There might be lots of minor errors as I have a bad memory due to age etc. ! My first job after my postgraduate and having been living not too far from the factory for 3 years, visited wanted one, and now as funds allowed bought a +4 in a BRGreen .
I still have my monthly wage payroll slip and it was close to £78 a month ! Sadly the car cost me £44 a month……….well worth the sacrifice of little food and flat sharing.
I seem to remember belonging to Smogmog , I remember a nice chap called Chis Woods and John someone,I remember seeing PLU58 on a plus 8 about town and I completed the 1 year hood down challenge, even though on one trip up north to my hometown, having to put my head fully in a service station hand dryer. Happy days.
Sold my first Morgan in the 70s for a blue plus 4 again but quickly followed the purchase of a new signal Red and cream leather plus 8 from my then friend Alf Miles(?) of Phoenix Motors in Woodbury, Devon. This car, I seem to think it was DDL346T - would that be appropriate/likely as I’m now lost with reg dates. I sold it at a good price to someone who was shipping it out to Japan to use. Alf was good to me and secured me a new Black , stone leather interior , Plus 8 , the hot colour combination in 1979. It looked stunning but in hindsight not as pretty and I had to write a letter to Peter Morgan to get the faults sorted! Still have his personal reply and still have the car . I did not have any real issues after the factory and Alf sorted but the battery did fall out on a trip to St Tropez . My rich mate had a 928 and he was so disappointed that everyone looked at the Morgan and not the Porsche. My wife also found the steering too difficult and heavy , so she did not enjoy driving it much.
Sadly it’s in the garage and not been used in a decade, with only 17/18K miles on the clock
Excuse is, I’ve been real busy for 20 years and now retired have some choices to make. My wife always said when we sold our equity rich house in London and move to the coast I could buy a supercar. She has kept me here in London until I probably cannot get in a supercar , no longer sure I want one - her plan all along perhaps.
So some decisions need to be made in 25. I seriously thought the new cars would be super reliable, super easy to drive , so I might buy one. I hated the cross eyed era …….so the latest models did retain the visual charm.
The price makes me wince as I seem to think my last Plus 8 was under £4K - - have I lost the plot with that figure ?
Also the new Plus 4 without indicator units , especially in light blue, now looks like Noddys car ( oldies know what I mean).
Are they again trying to make their cars less attractive like all the cross eyed, boat back nonsense that put me off some years back. I guess I am a an old traditionalist but I want reliability, non leaky hoods etc also
The loss of those minor details on the plus 4 and the headlights has put this buyer off…….The plus 8 without the spare wheel , agghh, looks pants !
Squirty stuff in punctured tyres is not for me and my Volvo had to be bought with a spare run flat or I wouldn’t buy it .
Now a real dilemma. I wanted a quick fix, new car, sell the old to someone to bring back to life. I just don’t have the time to get it done myself, although I know a body man who sprays classic cars.
I also want a quick fix because I drive 900 miles ‘non stop’ several times a year in to Europe to my favourite country. Leave late pm or early evening on The Shuttle and I can be in our paradise early, mid or lunchtime latest, depending on toilet stops, roadworks on nighttime German & Austrian motorways. I just cannot drive long distance during heavy daytime traffic truckin, hours. (Try Trieste to Venice to get a plane - it’s trucks on the inside lane all the way, hate it.) Our trips home are always more civilised with stops in Germany or Belgium. I want to do these trips in a Morgan again, until I simply cannot due to age.
Yes I did consider an electric car for normal motoring but all our U.K. trips and European do not lend themselves to this type of propulsion and I like driving through the nights to miss traffic.
This forum might have the answers for me but at the moment my reading of the threads has confused.
Lovely to join you but I will for a while only be reading not Morganing yet…
Regards Morganmike
PS Apologies if all you technical wizards know of mistakes in this post but it’s just my fond memories Do have a look at this Plus Four being sold by a TM'er Here donaldosaurus takes no prisoners with his cars so it will be immaculate.
2009 4/4 Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
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Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 235 Likes: 31
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 235 Likes: 31 |
+8Rich, how shallow am I ?! Looks a great car you suggest . My BR racing green one, the darkish blue one, the signal red all were easy to clean and polish, visually looked good but and my current garaged black Morgan……..hmm …..keeping a black car is a skill I don’t seem to have. None of my everyday rides have been black, silver grey the darkest.
Cleaned & polished, black looks good for a day or so but in London they seem to soon look dirty .
My next door neighbour has an Audi RS6 estate (fast & noisy), a Porsche Boxter (sporty model, unsure which) and a Ferrari 360 all in black ! The 360 is in some special garage a few miles away . They are all valeted regularly at £100 to £150 a pop !
I wash my Volvo and Kangoo along with one other local resident who has a black Volvo . Nobody washes their own car on a Sunday ….the other neighbours don’t seem to own a bucket and sponge. The Discos and Range Rovers get stolen before needing washing !!!!
I swore I would not buy another black car . If you can look after them, they look spectacular. The Audi looks fantastic
Best from Shallow Michael.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,774 Likes: 468 |
Mike, I understand that totally but I do enjoy your neighbours car selection if not colour choice. Those RS6 are a very potent cars and look good.
Donoldosauros has always owned black cars too, the exception being the Super 3 he currently has on sale.
A bit sniffy where you are with valet at those prices, we don't do valeting down here in the heart of Devon it's just way too many pints of Scrumpy wasted..
We get our hands in the bucket down here once a month or so - infact we get to do our own drain clearance too when needed, that Dynorod are robbers..borrow an Old Holborn rollie from a smoking friend and go like _hit with the rods jobs a goodun.
The Disco and Strangerovers seem to fare better down here as nobody wants one and we see far too many in Chelsea on Sea (Salcombe + Dartmouth) they are just common boxes..and black would appear to be the preferred flavour ok if you like travelling in a hearse, not that keen myself still fighting it off.
All the best Smelly.
2009 4/4 Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
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Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 235 Likes: 31
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 235 Likes: 31 |
In fairness to my neighbour, it does include a bit of Detailing at that price. Or what this northerner says “cleaning it properly”.
Salcombe just a bit rich for our move to the coast - need to release money to buy the new or restored Morgan ! Dartmouth too far .Exmouth to Weymouth for the fish & seafood?
Best regards M
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1 member likes this:
+8Rich |
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Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,792 Likes: 161
Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,792 Likes: 161 |
This is one Morgan I would consider getting, plenty of luggage space, power steering, cruise control, automatic apparently heated front and rear seats and it's a trad. Was up originally at an optimistic £55k now down to £40k one of the last of the 4 seaters https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-de...age=5&postcode=FY8%202NR&fromsra
Last edited by JohnHarris; 22/10/24 12:43 PM.
Prev '12 Plus 4 Sport OZZY
'08 Roadster FELIX
'06 4/4 70th LOKI
'77 4/4 SEAMUS
'85 4/4 MOLLY
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,866 Likes: 167
Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
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Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,866 Likes: 167 |
That 4 seater should be snapped up at that price. It's lovely.
DaveW
'05 Red Roadster S1
'16 Yellow (Not the only) Narrow AR GDI Plus 4
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