Well Villanbee you ask for it so here goes.
Hi everyone had my MG5 about a week now, so thought I list a few observations plus some likes and dislikes starting with the old favourite which some of you may appreciate some may not ( bearing in mind a lot of what I am saying in this post is mainly on the exclusive model only, not the excite model)
The roof rails issue this is still under review and investigation by the DVSA and the consumer association hoping for more from them very soon.
So now having got the car I see what may be the problem with the rails and why MG have said they are decorative only and must not be used, which is is really bad remembering that in the UK their advertising and brochures showed pictures of cross bars on the rails with a cycle and cycle carriers fitted to the car.
Why they ever tried to get away with the above in the UK is still beyond me, we know thanks to our forum member in China EricGao that the rails on the Roewe i5 are exactly the same, and the Chinese instruction book on page 62 says the same as well, using the rails may cause an accident.
MG motors must have known this there is no way they could not have, and in my opinion it was done to boost sales trying to hide the fact from us they could not be used and then highlighting you could us them buy showing the cross rails and cycle carriers in their brochures and listing them as accessories and adding a 50kg loading for the rails in the specifications very misleading
Yeh I know some of you will say that’s all been removed now and MG have now put in their brochures online at lease the roof rails are decorative only now, and there is a new 5, the mark 2, on its way and on this you can use the roof rails with 75kg I think I read, and fit a tow-bar as well but the fact remains the first models ( mine included ) are still on our roads and might still be misused by someone, so if anyone from MG is reading this forum I say again
( Fix or remove them ) for the safety of all on our roads.
Here is what I noticed when I had a good look at the rails on my car with a small mirror the picture of the screws is a reflection in the mirror.
I’m very surprised that to my knowledge, nobody on this or any other forums as posted anything about these screws as I have here these are holding the rails together there are 2 screws at each joint, where the rail is attached to the roof the foot part that part seems quite strong but I also think the rails may well be hollow as well, I’ve looked at many different vehicles with open type roof rails as on the 5 exclusive, but never seen anything quite like these screws at the joints before so maybe this is the reason, there’s not much holding the 3 pieces together I’m not sure if they are a machine screw or a self-tapping screw did try to remove one but I couldn’t, there’s not a lot of room they can’t be more than 4mm in diameter and 12/13 mm long I would think, so MG is that the reason.?
Next confirming what others have said about charging, my car will charge locked or unlocked, I too have sat in it with the heater and radio on car still Charging, l have only tested this on my ZAPPI at home not done a CCS or public charge as yet.
To check the state of charge there are several ways some of which have been already posted, opening the tailgate is one, pressing the tiny button on the either of the front door handles with or without your key, but if you have the key nearby remember the car will unlock also if sat in the vehicle pressing the switch used to lock or unlock the doors any of these will wake the screen up and show the charge state which will then go back to sleep after 40/45 seconds.also of course switching the car on while charging screen will say plugged in charging but you need it on to use the heater Sometimes if you open a door the Zappi goes into paused state but then restarts after 1/2 minutes so no problems with Zappi it’s a great piece of kit it is, but other chargers might not do things the same
Headlights, mix feelings on them dipped not bad, main could be better but only tried them once as yet, and must admit I have been spoilt rotten with my Skoda Superb lights they where HiD xenons Which where self levelling and turned corners with the steering will miss then very much fantastic they where so on the 5 They are about 7/10 I would say
Controls, none to keen on the cruise control switch where it is I mean, you can’t see it and more than once I have push this up or down to indicate but again spoilt by the VAG systems with everything on one stork, steering wheel controls, much prefer the thumb wheels on the skoda than these buttons on the 5 for menus and volume control storage not a lot again spoilt by my Skoda estates
Radio seems fine to me, I agree Satnav slow to start but works ok once on and going.
I love the way it drives it soaks up the bumps and handles quite well in the bends and all in all is a nice place to be, heater seems fine wish heated seats had more than one setting
Not as quiet as I expected mainly there is some wind and tyre noise plus a faint winding from the motor I think
The handbook for the car ( or do I mean joke book ) is very poor IMHO very small disjointed and not easy to use in anyway at all, almost rubbish.
Some of the symbols in the dash are very small and it can be difficult sometime to know what mode your in Eco normal or sport, kers mode also very small but you can feel the difference in that, yeh not over keen on the system but only had it for a short time I’m sure I will get use to it
I have a couple of other gripes but need to do some photos so will post them later, the boss as said food shopping I said Tesco ok she said so that will be a free top up for the 5 via pod point.
Last concern is one that I posted on the 1st of January about the drive selector controls and as not had much comment made on it on the forum (please correct and tell me where if I have this wrong ) so I will post it again it is the drive selection and what would happen if that big knob was to be press while the car is in motion I know you shouldn’t but could it happen page 152 in that silly little handbook says if press it will cause severe damage to the drive train or cause an accident !!!
Ho my ho my not another part of an MG vehicle that could cause an accident
Here the thread I posted 1st January 2021
Happy new year everyone
I Have question about MG5 but I think its the same on the ZS as well so the Question is on the rotary drive selection control you have on the top P for park and of course settings R N D on the dial but can the P be pushed while the car is motion? on ICE cars with an automatic gearbox that I have owned you need to push an interlock button in to move the gear stick between D R P but there does not appear anything to lock the rotary dial or stop you from pressing P on the MGs in the handbook it tells you you must not do this while the car is in motion but can you do this and could it happen accidentally with the P button being pressed by perhaps catching it while reaching for something else maybe KERS or MODE switch or even someone driving the car for the first time I would like to think that the drive selection controls LOCK once the car is in motion and can only be operated when your stopped
Thank you
Surely this should lock when in motion many years ago, a passenger I had whilst remove a jacket accidentally pushed the gear stick from D to N in an ice car I had, did no damage except the engine went from around 2000 rpm to I no not what rpm but it was screaming it head off for a few seconds thank god that could not go passed N without pressing the interlock button on the side of the stick as the next setting was R at 60+MPH
But on the MG there is nothing from what I can see I’m going to ask Miles Roberts if he can ask the MG technicians that he must see at his branch do they know if this could happen and what would happen to the car as this as been hanging around now for over three months without a yes or no answer
So take care it’s on page 152 then on page 153 the book says to prevent accidentally pressing the P button it requires a firm press.
So that tells me it could be pressed and could cause an accident, this book is a joke please be careful I wonder what else there is hidden away somewhere
Something else that drives me mad is the way it defaults to Normal and kers 2 why can’t they stay where you had them set when you left the car does my head in.
The rear seats swab not been hinged so the backs can fold flat I know on here someone I can’t remember who said it is easy to remove the seat swab but I did have a little try but couldn’t move mine not sure where it is fastened down
Les
Hi everyone had my MG5 about a week now, so thought I list a few observations plus some likes and dislikes starting with the old favourite which some of you may appreciate some may not ( bearing in mind a lot of what I am saying in this post is mainly on the exclusive model only, not the excite model)
The roof rails issue this is still under review and investigation by the DVSA and the consumer association hoping for more from them very soon.
So now having got the car I see what may be the problem with the rails and why MG have said they are decorative only and must not be used, which is is really bad remembering that in the UK their advertising and brochures showed pictures of cross bars on the rails with a cycle and cycle carriers fitted to the car.
Why they ever tried to get away with the above in the UK is still beyond me, we know thanks to our forum member in China EricGao that the rails on the Roewe i5 are exactly the same, and the Chinese instruction book on page 62 says the same as well, using the rails may cause an accident.
MG motors must have known this there is no way they could not have, and in my opinion it was done to boost sales trying to hide the fact from us they could not be used and then highlighting you could us them buy showing the cross rails and cycle carriers in their brochures and listing them as accessories and adding a 50kg loading for the rails in the specifications very misleading
Yeh I know some of you will say that’s all been removed now and MG have now put in their brochures online at lease the roof rails are decorative only now, and there is a new 5, the mark 2, on its way and on this you can use the roof rails with 75kg I think I read, and fit a tow-bar as well but the fact remains the first models ( mine included ) are still on our roads and might still be misused by someone, so if anyone from MG is reading this forum I say again
( Fix or remove them ) for the safety of all on our roads.
Here is what I noticed when I had a good look at the rails on my car with a small mirror the picture of the screws is a reflection in the mirror.
I’m very surprised that to my knowledge, nobody on this or any other forums as posted anything about these screws as I have here these are holding the rails together there are 2 screws at each joint, where the rail is attached to the roof the foot part that part seems quite strong but I also think the rails may well be hollow as well, I’ve looked at many different vehicles with open type roof rails as on the 5 exclusive, but never seen anything quite like these screws at the joints before so maybe this is the reason, there’s not much holding the 3 pieces together I’m not sure if they are a machine screw or a self-tapping screw did try to remove one but I couldn’t, there’s not a lot of room they can’t be more than 4mm in diameter and 12/13 mm long I would think, so MG is that the reason.?
Next confirming what others have said about charging, my car will charge locked or unlocked, I too have sat in it with the heater and radio on car still Charging, l have only tested this on my ZAPPI at home not done a CCS or public charge as yet.
To check the state of charge there are several ways some of which have been already posted, opening the tailgate is one, pressing the tiny button on the either of the front door handles with or without your key, but if you have the key nearby remember the car will unlock also if sat in the vehicle pressing the switch used to lock or unlock the doors any of these will wake the screen up and show the charge state which will then go back to sleep after 40/45 seconds.also of course switching the car on while charging screen will say plugged in charging but you need it on to use the heater Sometimes if you open a door the Zappi goes into paused state but then restarts after 1/2 minutes so no problems with Zappi it’s a great piece of kit it is, but other chargers might not do things the same
Headlights, mix feelings on them dipped not bad, main could be better but only tried them once as yet, and must admit I have been spoilt rotten with my Skoda Superb lights they where HiD xenons Which where self levelling and turned corners with the steering will miss then very much fantastic they where so on the 5 They are about 7/10 I would say
Controls, none to keen on the cruise control switch where it is I mean, you can’t see it and more than once I have push this up or down to indicate but again spoilt by the VAG systems with everything on one stork, steering wheel controls, much prefer the thumb wheels on the skoda than these buttons on the 5 for menus and volume control storage not a lot again spoilt by my Skoda estates
Radio seems fine to me, I agree Satnav slow to start but works ok once on and going.
I love the way it drives it soaks up the bumps and handles quite well in the bends and all in all is a nice place to be, heater seems fine wish heated seats had more than one setting
Not as quiet as I expected mainly there is some wind and tyre noise plus a faint winding from the motor I think
The handbook for the car ( or do I mean joke book ) is very poor IMHO very small disjointed and not easy to use in anyway at all, almost rubbish.
Some of the symbols in the dash are very small and it can be difficult sometime to know what mode your in Eco normal or sport, kers mode also very small but you can feel the difference in that, yeh not over keen on the system but only had it for a short time I’m sure I will get use to it
I have a couple of other gripes but need to do some photos so will post them later, the boss as said food shopping I said Tesco ok she said so that will be a free top up for the 5 via pod point.
Last concern is one that I posted on the 1st of January about the drive selector controls and as not had much comment made on it on the forum (please correct and tell me where if I have this wrong ) so I will post it again it is the drive selection and what would happen if that big knob was to be press while the car is in motion I know you shouldn’t but could it happen page 152 in that silly little handbook says if press it will cause severe damage to the drive train or cause an accident !!!
Ho my ho my not another part of an MG vehicle that could cause an accident
Here the thread I posted 1st January 2021
Happy new year everyone
I Have question about MG5 but I think its the same on the ZS as well so the Question is on the rotary drive selection control you have on the top P for park and of course settings R N D on the dial but can the P be pushed while the car is motion? on ICE cars with an automatic gearbox that I have owned you need to push an interlock button in to move the gear stick between D R P but there does not appear anything to lock the rotary dial or stop you from pressing P on the MGs in the handbook it tells you you must not do this while the car is in motion but can you do this and could it happen accidentally with the P button being pressed by perhaps catching it while reaching for something else maybe KERS or MODE switch or even someone driving the car for the first time I would like to think that the drive selection controls LOCK once the car is in motion and can only be operated when your stopped
Thank you
Surely this should lock when in motion many years ago, a passenger I had whilst remove a jacket accidentally pushed the gear stick from D to N in an ice car I had, did no damage except the engine went from around 2000 rpm to I no not what rpm but it was screaming it head off for a few seconds thank god that could not go passed N without pressing the interlock button on the side of the stick as the next setting was R at 60+MPH
But on the MG there is nothing from what I can see I’m going to ask Miles Roberts if he can ask the MG technicians that he must see at his branch do they know if this could happen and what would happen to the car as this as been hanging around now for over three months without a yes or no answer
So take care it’s on page 152 then on page 153 the book says to prevent accidentally pressing the P button it requires a firm press.
So that tells me it could be pressed and could cause an accident, this book is a joke please be careful I wonder what else there is hidden away somewhere
Something else that drives me mad is the way it defaults to Normal and kers 2 why can’t they stay where you had them set when you left the car does my head in.
The rear seats swab not been hinged so the backs can fold flat I know on here someone I can’t remember who said it is easy to remove the seat swab but I did have a little try but couldn’t move mine not sure where it is fastened down
Les
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