Used car guide · 1954–2011

MG TF common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used MG TF, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 27,628 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

27,628MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
13,978on the UK register
2006best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20112010200920082007200620052004200320021954

What usually goes wrong with an MG TF?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the MG TF in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common MG TF MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Sub-frame

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Horn

    up to 4.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

MG TF MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2006 MG TF did best (74% passed first time, 18 points above all 2006 cars) and the 2009 did worst (73%, 14 points above all 2009 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201172%62% +10220 (small sample)
201076%60% +16628
200973%59% +14864
200867%57% +10323 (small sample)
200776%57% +19127 (small sample)
200674%56% +18884
200572%57% +153,688
200469%57% +127,613
200368%57% +117,997
200269%58% +115,284

Questions to ask the seller before buying an MG TF

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 2× as often on the MG TF as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the exhaust emissions (catalyst)? (Flagged at MOT 2× as often on the MG TF as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the horn? (Flagged at MOT 4.3× as often on the MG TF as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at an MG TF?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score