Content by tsedge in February, 2026

By the way, contacting the dealer group feedback line seems to have been a key move here. Apart from triggering a quick response last night, I was contacted by their group customer support team this morning who have opened an enquiry of their own into what happened, and they have already talked...

Well it is one operation: my dealer has sales and service under one roof. So I complained to the service manager and then when I heard nothing I threatened escalation and cc-ed in the dealer group customer services mailbox. That got a prompt response. I had the group CEO contact details to...

I will ask on Tuesday.

Suspension arms both being replaced under warranty on Tuesday. I had to push quite firmly with the dealer.

I back, but only to update my thread on the suspension arms. Love, Tom and the pigs 🐖

I'm not sure it merits a thread, but I'm taking a break from the forums and the podcast for the time being. I've enjoyed participating in both, but right now I need to put my energies elsewhere. I expect I'll be back before too long!

Well I said that in my message, we disagree. yawn we seem to be repeating the conversation we had two years ago (dunno why this thread got revived) and I am not hearing anything new, so I'll leave it there.

Thanks for responding with an argument rather than abuse, much appreciated. Better to listen to the professionals* I think, such as BS AU 159: https://www.btmauk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Minor-repairs-to-passenger-car-and-light-van-tyres.pdf Or to take advice from people who know...

You're a (presumably) British forum member dealing in one-line dismissals through negative labelling. Unfortunately you take a lot more words to do the same.

It is worse than that. The SOH can only be accurately measured by draining the battery from 100% to 0% under controlled repeatable conditions.

No problem, I thought it might have been but I wanted to make where I was coming from clear. Thanks. It baffles me too. It appears they don't care and that is sad, because they used to. This is helpful advice, thank you.

Fully agree now, I am sad to say. I think it is the end of the road for me. I have more important priorities to spend energy on than hassles maintaining my car.

I really get tired of all the SOH crap. The numbers don't mean anything and are algorithically generated and not comparable at all across models, let alone makes. They are not a measure of anything. Either the needed range is still there or it isn't, that's the relevant factor. Mine is.

I agree we are just single data points, but it clearly is an issue a number of people have had and I can't recall another car suffering from this so early on?? Something has to be causing it and I know it isn't the driving of the owner. My beef at the moment is with my dealer, not MG. MG's...

Order the logs Chop into planks Buy some nails Build The Ark Floods are coming! 😁

No, they seem to have stopped doing infotainment updates unless the customer makes a big fuss. I get why, it takes a lot of time and they aren't paid for it. I didn't bother bringing it up this time as it basically works.

I think maybe the way to go with MG is buy a secondhand one and just use a good trusted local independent garage for servicing and MOT.

Thanks. That's probably why my garage stopped giving me updates after R59. I will sit tight. Things work well enough and I know where the bugs are.

I just put my registration into autodoc: https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/arm-bushes-10672/mg/mg-4 Gave me this: https://www.autodoc.co.uk/moog/26135599

Sounds like long filenames being overwritten on an OS that doesn't support them - classic evidence for that.

I wish I'd lived 33 minutes earlier. Not sure of the exact time, I wasn't paying attention to the clock.

They do indeed. Our customs of lovingly caring for our charge levels are apparently quaint cargo-cult rituals akin to witch doctory.

What makes me feel old? People posting about how old they feel...! 😉

It seems like people are a dab hand at doing these updates now, which is great. With my 2023 Trophy (phase 1), can I update the infotainment myself with USB only or do I need SIPS etc... for that to work? I am on R59.

There already is one - look at the top of the list on the MG4 forum.

Well, no response to my complaint so far. Would have been nice to have at least had an email acknowledging it on the same day. It is my understanding that this is because when it is often needed the lower arms are rusted as are the bolts. Mine aren't and they are in excellent condition - so...

Had my 3 year service and MOT today and it failed: both front lower arm bushings worn and one seriously so. Now arguing with my dealer whether or not this will be fixed under warranty. They initially said not and this was normal for all cars - I pointed out it wasn't and the warranty said...

Is the 5N not available with any discounts? It might be worth it, especially if you factor in after-sales service, but I have no experience of Hyundai.

Any experiences on this one? ChatGPT is telling me that changing bushings can be a lot of hassle, so many places charge as much for that as replacing the whole arm. Is it right? I am also thinking I'd like to replace them with better bushings, not the same again - which would obviously have a...

Heavier cars and cars with massive power can wear their suspensions much faster - that is a thing - but doesn't apply to the car I have, which is neither particularly heavy nor high performance and certainly hasn't been driven in any way out of the ordinary.

Yes, it requires new legislation. That, in fact, is my whole point. We should have that legislation. That is also why we need new legislation. :) By the way, the way I think would make sense to do this is - if a business takes on a franchise, with the logo and marketing of a manufacturer...

Thanks Gary, I wasn't having a go at you, just trying to get it clear. Totally agree with the above.

Says the same thing - they should be covered to 36 months, 45,000 miles. Anyway, surely the relevant version is the version when someone buys the car? Or are we saying they can change the warranty whenever they like? (it is a legally binding contract at the point of sale - and I believe it is...

If this is generally true across dealers (as a policy change) then I may have to avoid ever having an MG again.

Yes, I don't dispute the issue, although I think it is due to poor quality bushings or a fault in the suspension design.

I'm putting it down to the service representative for the moment. He is young and one of the generation that call customers "mate" which I find irritating (I don't expect Sir but how about "Mr Sedge, can I call you Tom?", would be better). It is possible MG have tightened up on warranty claims...

It is black and white on the document I provided above on page 3: Bushings, 36 months and 48,000 miles. Perhaps I shouldn't be so annoyed about all of this but I did feel I was being made a fool.

Yes, they should just replace the bushings and fit sturdier ones if this a failing of the MG4. I am beginning to wonder if I would be better off doing MOTs and basic maintenance at an independent garage and just coming back to MG for the service. It is definitely time government changed the...

By the way I have sent a detailed complaint to the service manager. My complaints are: I was misleadingly told "all cars need bushes replaced, this is normal". They didn't check if it was covered by warranty, even though I queried it. When I showed them the warranty they complained how much...

That sounds like a different issue. Mine is bushing wear, not "debonded" and isn't covered under warranty (as is a wear and tear item). Edit: Just checked the warranty and shown it to the service guys - Bushes are covered up to 3 years and 45,000 miles, so it should be covered. I've asked...

Just been in for third service and first MOT at 32,000 miles and it failed the MOT on worn lower-arm bushings (both at front, one failed and one part-worn). The video evidence looks convincing. Anyone else had a problem with these? £250 each at my MG dealer to fix, because they replace the...

So.... if I keep waiting then logically the price will fall to zero for a second hand MG4?

As I said, they didn't think the benefit was worth the cost. With the new platform and heat scavenging and weight saving and more, clearly they now do think it is worth the cost. Probably also cheaper for them to do now than it was when the MG4 launched.

MG4 platform hasn't changed - it is a mid-life refresh only. Presumably it will come when the MG4 is replaced with a new RWD/AWD platform car.

We've discussed this before (and on the podcast). A heatpump in a car isn't a magical range-extender device. Cars can have heatpumps added and show little difference in the range and poor heatpump installations can even make the car worse (e.g. slow to warm up in cold weather). Or they can...

Back to range and efficiency - I'm hearing that the MG4 Urban rivals a Tesla M3 for efficiency and does the same kind of heat recovery to do this with its version of a heatpump, plus has a lightweight platform and structural battery pack in a similar way to a Tesla. Will be interesting to see...

No deposit also allowed.

Yes, I'm hearing about some amazing deals MG are offering, especially to existing MG owners.

Is it just servicing or does it include tyres and other items not part of the normal service schedule?

A normal dealer service gives you warranty protection and free AA breakdown insurance, that isn't an extra just for service plans. The main point of a service plan is to give you a predetermined price for your servicing and potentially pay for it monthly (as some makes do). Be careful to check...

No decision yet... I need to get out there and see some of the options close up. I am in no hurry as dad's old diesel has just had MOT and service and passed with flying colours. Will want to change it this year for sure, but I don't have to rush into it.

Thanks for all the info on the Niro and Kona guys, very helpful and appreciated.

Every time devolving decision-making to local people gets mentioned, central government says: "But what if they spend the money badly?"!! Makes me laugh out loud.

Oh yes and I will send you the bank details by DM. 75% is normal. Pay quickly please. I have shopping I need to go out and do! 😆 Potholes are a misunderstanding... the budget exists to MAKE them! 😉

"Buy an MG if you want to live."

It is my observation that sometimes people who aren't sure have subconsciously already made up their mind not to buy, but they are looking for a good reason or justification. Then they go asking questions and find reasons aplenty. Not saying that is necessarily the case in this example, but it...

Be careful what you ask for! Claude gave you a report on all the problems that could be found, not a balanced view. All of the things mentioned have happened but quite a few them are old and only affected a small number of vehicles. The way some of those problems are presented in that report...

Yes and actually it is making the argument to me to wait and see what these cost at 6 months old.

Well well well well well well well!.... Affinity price in an entry-level brand new MG4 Urban is currently £17,378! Got to make one think.

Amazing... so rather than buy a secondhand EV as I have been thinking for £15k, I could almost get the basic Urban!!

Yes, basic build quality is high with MG, better than many established marques. Weird that some makers still can't do it properly in 2026.

Hmmm... MG4 EV £195 Golf Diesel £35 (from the dieselgate era)

I had forgotten about Ora Cats, another one to look into. There's also a bunch of Stellantis cars, most notably the little Vauxhalls and Jeeps, but I have always thought Stellantis wasn't great for quality, technology and reliability... but maybe that's my prejudice?

Oh and the community here is a strong point! 😁

MG strong points: Build quality Car design Driving experience Mechanical reliability Amazing value / low price MG weak points: Delivery delays (too popular). Aftersales experience / communication. Long warranty but many shorter-term items in the small print Software bugs and difficulties...

Okey dokey: what are the pros and cons with these?

Don't know much about the Dolphin... I will take a look. Interior is important and that's one area where the pre-2026 MG4 isn't brilliant.

I'd really prefer to experience something different... but it is possible you'll be right! 😂

Mmmmm.... thanks for all the suggestions so far folks, very helpful. I've probably been too harsh on the Nissan Leaf, although I must say I don't particularly like them. The VW ID.3 is a nice car (my brother has one) but it is that bit more expensive so means getting a somewhat older example...

I'm also wondering if the MG4 Urban might be in my price range in 6 months time? (ie second-hand ex demo). My guess is not that quickly, but I could see them going for £17-18k with demo mileage.

There's already another £500-£1000 off at some dealers on the reduced-by-£1,500 MG launch prices and it hasn't even launched! Can't be long before it starts below £20k.

Factory reset might well work, depending on what is triggering the bug. It seems a good idea that some people try it out.

Sadly the car industry isn't like a typical organisation. There are 3 separate businesses in the chain: your dealer, MG UK and SAIC/MG China. Your relationship is with your dealer, not the others. Vertically integrated (like Tesla) would indeed be better but it isn't the reality of today's...

It isn't so much that the lack of communication is being defended, it is simply being explained. Marketing posts are usually scheduled in advance so staff are likely not working today. There seem to be expectations of a level of communication that I really haven't ever seen from any make. I...

Running out of cars can simply be because they miscalculated and didn't order enough from China, it isn't proof of great success, although the sales numbers have been impressive.

Two white MG4s.... there's a thought! But I do like the red you had.

Yes but the neighbours are unaware!! 🤪

It can be relatively slow, it depends how the car is used. I wouldn't say never, but if there are alternatives that last better...

I wondered how quickly that suggestion would come up! My current preferred buy is an MG4, though probably Trophy as the price difference secondhand is low. But I want to consider non MGs too and having two MG4s on the drive (at least until we replace our current one next year) could make me...

Leafs suffer from battery degradation as they get older as they lack thermal management of the battery. Zoes suffer from the same and are also prone to motor failures after 50,000 miles or more. But thanks for the response anyway.

Hi, I'd like some suggestions please. I'm considering replacing my dad's inherited diesel Golf with a second hand EV. Main criteria are: Spend £15k or less. Prefer small cars. Range of 150 miles is enough. Performance unimportant. Want something I can keep for maybe 5 years without major...

For example: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352152X25019334

Indeed.

You are both incorrect: thermal runaway can occur and cause a fire whenever there is oxygen present in the environment (whether self-generated in the chemistry or ambient). The result can still be fire although the intensity is far greater when oxygen is produced by the chemistry. LFP...

Domestic electricity supply has a host of its own network, distribution and supply costs, plus profits, so public charging could easily be comparable or even a bit less.

I highly doubt this is the problem. Plenty of people have lived in no-4G-signal areas with MG EVs for years without this problem.

True. False. LFP can still suffer thermal runaway at higher temperatures, oxygen being supplied from the ambient environment. Of course this is a smaller fire than NMC but not no fire. All fair points but it will still take years.

Sodium Ion is also yet to ramp up to significant volume and manufacturers keep lines running for years. Many European makes have only recently started to use LFP. So while it looks much better for medium-to-long-term to go Sodium, this will take years and years to play out. Solid state will...

I've suggested: Zero rate public charging for VAT (government is currently thinking about reducing to 5%). Apply the customer electricity price caps to public charging providers (they pay higher commercial rates). Force the supply agreements to be usage-based, not capacity-based (currently they...

Thanks for doing the fact-finding. Yes, LFP is heavy.... but much cheaper to make. My guess is this is all about hitting the sub-£30k starting price for the new MG4 EV. That doesn't mean it is bad though, will be slower but you can use the whole 100% whenever you like without worrying.

Because not everyone can have home charging. It is an un-level playing field. I've outlined before a plan to dramatically reduce public charging costs. That's a false analogy - everyone can go to Tesco but not everyone can have home charging. I suppose you could reduce charger costs at...

Yes, the whole efficiency argument is only really of consequence while Ultra-rapid charging is so expensive.... if it is was comparable to home (which it should be), then range would matter much less. But you know, if you amortise the Ultra-rapid costs across all your journeys for a year - I...

I often drive myself on autopilot, thinking about something else entirely, but my autopilot is built-in to me. :)

Car companies don't generally communicate directly with customers except in the case of critical safety recalls (of which this isn't - as it doesn't affect the core safety systems). What they tend to do is: Investigate the issue in their labs. Find a fix / mitigation. Test the fix /...

And hitting the steering wheel is still preferred to hitting the steering column, which used to happen in the bad old days.

Absolutely. We don't know - the different server response might be "update available" that triggered the problem. As it seems to take 36 hours to resolve itself and affects different markets in different time zones it could be a combination of server changes rolling out across regions...

That suggests perhaps a change of motor or gearing or maybe they are just more confident it will sustain higher speeds (the improved aero could also be the reason). Is the weight different? Be interesting to see if the performance is affected much.

Yes, I think that's the one (without rewatching it).

It isn't about the airbag, it is testing the steering wheel's own effectiveness as a cushion for the driver. Arguably a yoke has a missing area that won't prevent the driver's head moving forward.

If an update has been done then new version number(s) should appear in the interface somewhere (not sure where this is on the MGS5).

Technically they are NOT safety critical systems. They are merely driver aids - which is why they can be turned off by the driver. If they were actually safety critical (like anti-lock brakes) you would not be able to disable them. I think many people consider them safety systems and it is a...

Yes, 64kWh version of the new MG4 is LFP, interestingly with a HIGHER max charge rate than the former NMC version. Not sure what the cold weather performance will be like though (generally weaker with LFP), but still charging to 100% all the time would be nice. This is very likely to be a new...

As I recall, it wasn't a comment from MG, it was a personal comment from Miles sharing his experience as a former refrigeration engineer. You could make the same argument for all the companies that have decided to include them.

Well, apparently 5.6% should be doable on £25,000.... which will beat the Affinity interest rate for sure, assuming you have a good credit rating.

The proposed Chinese ban on yokes has nothing to do with their steering abilities - or lack of variable ratios. It is all about driver safety in impact situations: they have regulations coming in requiring impact testing at 10 points around the "wheel", which obviously doesn't work well with a...

But is it the Giant Pineapple?

And 10% car import duty. And shipping fees and port fees and transporter fees and registration fees and local-market-homologation costs (often done at port). It all adds up and then gets the nice 20% VAT on top!

Specifications vary across markets. That it isn't normal in the UK doesn't mean it isn't elsewhere in Europe.

Obviously Affinity is greater for cash buyers. And not great for dealer finance because of the much higher interest rates. But, does it ever make sense to buy on Affinity and arrange your own finance independently? Or is that always a losing proposition? Just curious if anyone has done this.

The MG4 never had a heat pump in the UK, so I doubt one would now be included in the updated version. It is not impossible but I think it would get in the way of the price-lowering they have done. We should remember that "having a heatpump" means relatively little. It isn't a magic guarantee...

It is my understanding that the feedback was given and we wait to see what happens in terms of improvements to the cars. I don't think there was ever an undertaking from MG/IM that they would give us a direct response.

All these reports and speculation about the underlying issue are very interesting (and I am sure frustrating for those affected). The Infotainment system is self-contained and glitches like those reported suggest that it was overloaded due to some kind of problem activity taking all its CPU...

Just drive for a few miles, the systems will automatically reset themselves. You should also lower and raise each window individually in turn to recalibrate the closers and also turn the steering wheel all the way left and then all the way right and back to centre to recalibrate. This is...

Sounds like an unfortunate bug rather than intended behaviour.

What's the problem?

🌞 is out 1C at present Rain again tomorrow

Leasing rates will come down over time.... they are very rarely good from the start with MGs.

Oh my god We will all burn alive, flee!!! 😂😂😂

And what are your impressions of the cars?

Sun for 20mins

Awfully tempting.... (NB: this is the ER with most expensive paint):

Missed that! I wonder if the 0% finance no deposit offer is on these too??

Yes but still over £25k so technically I win. 🥇 😆

Might take longer than that, but yes, that's a great price and can only come down over time. Are the vibes included?

Cheap as chips!

Maybe, or maybe my MG4 has depreciated so much that it is inexpensive to write it off!

Yes, clearly not being offered a good renewal price is still rife, despite legislation.

Nice to have the shout out for this community from the Nevo review 👍

I was offered £750 renewal and went elsewhere for £300.

Yes, EVs built with large castings are expensive to repair and often written off even in slight impacts. Parts availability will also be part of the issue for IM: they have a whole supply chain to get working before it is repairable. I did notice this year, how much cheaper it was to re-insure...

46 for the 75kWh, but yes for the other two.

I think the robots like it!

Track use invalidates the warranty anyway; it is about as far removed from track use as a car can be designed to be. Reviewers get more eyeballs with clickbait headlines. A review that slates a car as dangerous will earn them more money. The good ones don't do that; but there are many that...

This might be why they are so cheap:

Only joking, of course....! 😝

I'm partial to a Booby at breakfast time.

What a Bustard!

You know I think the 75kWh version is the bargain of the range for sure. Yes, it doesn't have the same performance/range as the other versions and doesn't charge as fast (if you can ever find a fast enough charger), but it is otherwise everything you need.

Remember, £30,000 today is £20,000 in 2011 and £15,000 in 1997. Not as much as we think it is. Edit: or in 1997 money the same as a new VW Golf 1.8 SE.

It was here: https://www.mgevs.com/threads/pay-per-mile-another-blow-for-ev-drivers.24040/page-19#post-412576

I did a few months back... will have to find the original post if I can!

That's the psychology at work! We could have done find with an SR MG4, because we tend to charge our LR at 30% anyway. But it felt more comfortable to have more range, for sure. Now though, I'd be willing to have less range.

Yes, I acknowledged that the cost of Rapids charging is a big issue - which any government could fix if they followed my plan. But that aside, having to stop to charge on these kinds of trips isn't a big deal for most people.

The stats say this is pretty rare these days. Of course there are always outliers, but the market will build for the common cases, which is why ranges are clustering around 150-200 and 250-300 miles.

Yes, people don't check anything any more, they just drive around and assume their car is fine. Tesla owners are told their car doesn't need regular servicing, so it isn't surpising if they turn up at MoT time with a failure.

Hopefully it isn't emissions...! 😆

I agree concerns about range are overblown in people's minds. Unless you have a very long commute (<1% of people in surveys), even 150 mile range means 2 hours on the motorway between charges. Many people stop that often anyway. 250 miles takes care of 9 out of 10 needs. There are always...

I think it is pretty simple - either you have occasions where you need the extra range or you don't. For me the attraction of the ER would be the higher performance without the X-Power 4WD setup. (Nothing against the X-Power but it is more power than I ever need, so I'd rather have less and...

Wonderfully helpful, thank you @Giller !

Which three words?

I was being generous, but you are right that there are still problems, just as there are with current batteries - although 400-500Wh/kg batteries are now appearing which would make smaller GA planes and light turboprop replacements viable.

Yep, it is not worth trying to get one before then.

No indeed. But it was an area I was specifically interested in and have followed for over 30 years. So HAD the man in the street been interested, he/she could have known. Hydrogen infrastructure is far, far more difficult and expensive due to the extreme difficulties making, transporting and...

Dealers don't have any cars yet, or any detailed trainings/briefings, it will take at least two weeks to sort that out.

That's just like checking the boot is locked with the key in your pocket.... the car isn't clever enough to know your intentions.

Yes, current attempts at AI seem to be about the level of intelligence of a calculator. 😉 I don't buy most of what Sam is selling, in practice I've found LLMs to be nothing like the hype they generate. They are interesting but a dead end technology as far as intelligence is concerned and far...

That's because you think ai will be nice and intelligent - but true AI will have personalities far more varied and weird than the average human!

Maybe salty can build a complete car out of the accessories alone???

Oh no, now you've made me think about the MG Marvin R, cheap but hard to persuade it to do anything without a lot of grumbling! 🤣😜

Must admit, I am seeing an awful lot of Leapmotors on the roads...

You are assuming you get a nice robot! But at the same time, you will not have real human company, someone you can talk to who knows what it is to be human and can give you genuine empathy and conversation, not a fake facsimile. I am strongly of the view that even when true AI appears (we...

Orange MUST GO!! 😆 Remind me... what's the nearest competitor to the XPower and how much is it? (must have comparable performance).

Dashcams really take very little power, so I doubt draining the battery will be an issue, it should get topped up by the HV battery anyway. It would be nice though to have someone use a battery monitor to chart the difference with and without. Very useful thread, thank you.

It was well known before EVs that electric motors were a far better powertrain, the trick was being able to make them sufficiently efficient and able to operate with longevity at high rpm without gears. There was no great mystery about charging infrastructure. We knew it could be built, the...

Would you really rather have a robot than a human? I'd prefer the human every time. Now if the only option is a robot that's different.... but then we should be asking do we really want a society where the caring isn't done by human beings? The techno-utopians say "yes" or at least "if I...

People wanted better cars and EVs are better cars for most people. The key isn't the EV bit per se, it is what it does for the cost of ownership and the driving experience. Musk didn't come up with the idea, it was around for decades as we saw with GM's EV1 in the 90s, but the technology...

Musk is convinced that the future must belong to self-driving robotaxis and humanoid robots. He is certain everyone will want one. Techno-utopians like him think new technology is the answer to everything. I see no firm evidence that this is what people want: - Most people like to own their...