Love the MG4, dealer network - not so much...

[FunkyWorm]

A few weeks ago my facelift 2023 SE LR started alerting that the airbag module had a fault. Initially it raised a fault (in the app and as a text & email message) every thirty seconds which quickly got tedious, but disconnecting the yellow multi-way connectors under the front seats, squirting in some contact cleaner and re-connecting got it down to every few days (amazing what you can find on YouTube!) - so, called Glynn Hopkins in Mill Hill (North London - conveniently near my wife's work) and the best they could offer was six weeks before an appointment.
My local independent garage who I'd used a lot in the past was happy to investigate but neither of his scan tools could make any sense of it and since cleaning the connectors had got it down to merely an annoyance I tried three other MG dealers in/around North London; the best offer was three weeks (and it would mean taking a day off work to sort it).
So my observation is - six weeks for service essentially means the car is out of support; who can afford two cars if one is a month-and-a-half away from being fixed? Although I'd happily have another MG in the future this has become something of a deal-breaker for me. Any thoughts? Should I just book speculative service appointments in case I need them?!

 

[tsedge]

Try going further afield. London seems like it is overloaded with MG owners vs customers. No problems in some other areas. Locally I can normally get an appointment in a few days.

 

[FunkyWorm]

But that’s a day off work to do that and then possibly another after they’ve had to order a part.
As I say, love the car but the very poor after-sales support (where I can actually get to) will probably stop me from buying another MG.

 

[MG Clive]

But that’s a day off work to do that and then possibly another after they’ve had to order a part.
As I say, love the car but the very poor after-sales support (where I can actually get to) will probably stop me from buying another MG.

There aren't really very many MG Dealers in the UK, and they all tend to work the same hours as the majority of workers in the UK, so the unfortunate reality for most of us, is that we'll need to take time off work to visit an MG Dealer.

 

[tsedge]

But that’s a day off work to do that and then possibly another after they’ve had to order a part.
As I say, love the car but the very poor after-sales support (where I can actually get to) will probably stop me from buying another MG.

I'm not saying it is good, I'm just trying to help out.

MG have expanded sales enormously and the after-sales experience "needs works" for sure.

 

[JonnyG]

.. but the very poor after-sales support (where I can actually get to) will probably stop me from buying another MG.

It already has for me . I’ve gone back to VW as despite liking my Xpower the :-

• poor MG after sales.
• high cost of annual servicing.
• high cost and availability of parts.
• long wait for booking car in for any work.
• MG UK response to some issues calling them “characteristics” of the car and not faults.
• the poorly implemented ADAS systems.
• no free software updates and no OTA updates.
• the battle to get warranty issues fixed without having to pay a deposit first etc.

have all contributed to me deciding to stick with European manufacturers and dealers for now who I trust.