Any Mechanics on here?

Apologies for the long post but I would be very grateful if anyone can help me here.

Basically I have a Mg ZR 105 and recently it was losing coolant and I knew it needed a new Head Gasket.
Took it to a garage I normally use as he always did a good job on my car and was reasonably priced. Took him two weeks to sort out the Head Gasket, which to me seemed a long time. I know there’s a lot of labour involved but it shouldn’t take that long. Anyway I then got a call saying that the heater in the car still wasn’t working and that it needed a new heater matrix. Fair enough I let him sort that out and that took another week.

I got the car back on Monday night and all seemed ok, but then on Thursday as I was driving back from work (I commute around 70 miles a day) the heater was blowing cold air again and the temperature gauge was going to the max. I had to stop around 5 times to let it cool down. So yesterday I was driving to work and the same thing happened, I immediately turned around and took it back to the garage. He worked on it all day yesterday and said he thought it was the radiator and replaced that, but when I got the car back last night I took it for a spin to test it out and once again the temperature gauge was shooting up and down and the fan kicked in.

Went to the garage this morning and as expected it was not open. Bearing in mind he has given me a bill of just under £1k and that’s without the work he has done yesterday you can imagine how angry I was and still am. At the moment I can’t take my car anywhere which has totally screwed me up, can’t get down to Cardiff today and don’t know how I am going to travel to work on Monday.

I have done some research on the internet and think that he should have replaced the water pump when doing the Head Gasket, it seems to me that he is replacing things here and there not actually knowing how to fix the car and obviously the bill is mounting up.

Any mechanics here know what the problem might be as I am pulling my hair out here and just want my soding car fixed. The mechanic is lucky he wasn’t there today as I was not in a good mood this morning and with a hangover I think I might have hit him if he got arsey with me.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any advice for me.

it should show up on a diagnostics machine what the problem is and......................


never ever buy a rover, that was a really bad mistake, i done it once with a mgf and the self destruct button must of been pressed by accident GO GERMAN

it should show up on a diagnostics machine what the problem is and......................


never ever buy a rover, that was a really bad mistake, i done it once with a mgf and the self destruct button must of been pressed by accident GO GERMAN

I know mate, I have saved up money to buy my first house and saving up to buy a new Audi A3, but was hoping my car would last me another 2 years. It's only a 05 plate but the way things are going the Audi might be coming early.

Really doing my head in, I think the mechanic is taking the piss and am thinking about getting legal advice as a £1k bill just before christmas for a car that is still not fixed is a piss take

it should show up on a diagnostics machine what the problem is and......................


never ever buy a rover, that was a really bad mistake, i done it once with a mgf and the self destruct button must of been pressed by accident GO GERMAN

Nice one, mate. Rub it in why don't you. The guy asked for some help FFS....

Hi mate, I know a little about cars but im no mechanic. 1 sign of a bad machanic is guessing what part to replace, He didnt know if it was the Rad or not but he replaced it anyway. I would question him why he has changed parts that didnt need to be changed. If the car still has the problem of over heating he has'nt fixed it. I would'nt pay him a penny untill it's fixed.

Hi mate, I know a little about cars but im no mechanic. 1 sign of a bad machanic is guessing what part to replace, He didnt know if it was the Rad or not but he replaced it anyway. I would question him why he has changed parts that didnt need to be changed. If the car still has the problem of over heating he has'nt fixed it. I would'nt pay him a penny untill it's fixed.

Yep that's my thoughts too. He isn't getting a penny until the car is fixed and I am not paying for the rad he replaced yesterday as it was obviously not the problem. Puts me in a shit position as without my car I am stuck where I live.

Apologies for the long post but I would be very grateful if anyone can help me here.

Basically I have a Mg ZR 105 and recently it was losing coolant and I knew it needed a new Head Gasket.
Took it to a garage I normally use as he always did a good job on my car and was reasonably priced. Took him two weeks to sort out the Head Gasket, which to me seemed a long time. I know there’s a lot of labour involved but it shouldn’t take that long. Anyway I then got a call saying that the heater in the car still wasn’t working and that it needed a new heater matrix. Fair enough I let him sort that out and that took another week.

I got the car back on Monday night and all seemed ok, but then on Thursday as I was driving back from work (I commute around 70 miles a day) the heater was blowing cold air again and the temperature gauge was going to the max. I had to stop around 5 times to let it cool down. So yesterday I was driving to work and the same thing happened, I immediately turned around and took it back to the garage. He worked on it all day yesterday and said he thought it was the radiator and replaced that, but when I got the car back last night I took it for a spin to test it out and once again the temperature gauge was shooting up and down and the fan kicked in.

Went to the garage this morning and as expected it was not open. Bearing in mind he has given me a bill of just under £1k and that’s without the work he has done yesterday you can imagine how angry I was and still am. At the moment I can’t take my car anywhere which has totally screwed me up, can’t get down to Cardiff today and don’t know how I am going to travel to work on Monday.

I have done some research on the internet and think that he should have replaced the water pump when doing the Head Gasket, it seems to me that he is replacing things here and there not actually knowing how to fix the car and obviously the bill is mounting up.

Any mechanics here know what the problem might be as I am pulling my hair out here and just want my soding car fixed. The mechanic is lucky he wasn’t there today as I was not in a good mood this morning and with a hangover I think I might have hit him if he got arsey with me.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any advice for me.

it would really help with this problem if you were a blonde female,loads of people would want to help

...so it's not a fuse ?

Might be worth checking that it is actually over heating? Could be that the gauge is fucked.

I'd check the oil too.

I'm not a mechanic by the way.

Might be worth checking that it is actually over heating? Could be that the gauge is fucked.

I'd check the oil too.

I'm not a mechanic by the way.

Done that mate. I think it's a big air lock, going to bleed it myself this afternoon. The mechanic should check all these things, it's the last time he gets work from me.

Take it down to Dainton's in Hengoed. They are all season ticket holders. That doesn't mean they'll do it cheaper but they'll look after you down there.


As for the heater matrix though I had that problem many moons ago on a old car. Basically that's all that happens is it fills up with crap and the water doesn't flow through it tidy. What I did was disconnect the two rubber pipes going in to it then I literally shoved the garden hose pipe on to the inlet and then the out let. Flushed all the shit out of it and it worked fine after that. It's better if you can remove the matrix (which btw is just a small radiator) and flush it out like that, but mine was awkward to remove so I flushed it while it was still on the car.

Take it down to Dainton's in Hengoed. They are all season ticket holders. That doesn't mean they'll do it cheaper but they'll look after you down there.


As for the heater matrix though I had that problem many moons ago on a old car. Basically that's all that happens is it fills up with crap and the water doesn't flow through it tidy. What I did was disconnect the two rubber pipes going in to it then I literally shoved the garden hose pipe on to the inlet and then the out let. Flushed all the shit out of it and it worked fine after that. It's better if you can remove the matrix (which btw is just a small radiator) and flush it out like that, but mine was awkward to remove so I flushed it while it was still on the car.

Hengoed is a bit far for me, especially as the car is overheating after only driving 5 miles. He replaced the heater matrix with a new one, I think it's either the water pump or still a massive air lock somewhere.

Hi chris iam not a mechanic but with him taking thing off and replacing them, an airlock sounds like a good shout and I would check this before changing anymore parts!

Are you losing anymore coolant?

Hi chris iam not a mechanic but with him taking thing off and replacing them, an airlock sounds like a good shout and I would check this before changing anymore parts!

Are you losing anymore coolant?

Yes I am, but I don't think it's actually leaking anywhere.

Chris try bleeding the system to get rid of the airlock. Some good info here

http://www.75andztclub.com/showthread.php?t=347972

Hope the link works, I'm on my phone in work.

Hi chris iam not a mechanic but with him taking thing off and replacing them, an airlock sounds like a good shout and I would check this before changing anymore parts!

Are you losing anymore coolant?

Yes I am, but I don't think it's actually leaking anywhere.

Obviously then if you are putting more water in and it's not leaking then that's got to be the air lock working it's way out. Like others said just keep bleeding it. Probably just running it for a few minutes at a time will work the air out anyway.

hello chris i am a mechanic and have been for some years and i think you are correct in saying they took there time doing the head gasket as generally a few hours will have the job done for you. but i would strongly advise any info taken from this should be used as a guide not a repair as the type of vehicle you have does have a few different things that cause overheating problems and seing a mechanic in the flesh that somebody closer to you can recommend to you but this is what you can check.

if coolant level falling check on ground for leak and check oil colour as there are well known to leak into engine oil
when up to temp after few mins running is the top and bottom of radiator hot (be careful with this one)if not circulation could be a problem ie water pump/thermostat/air lock
there just the basic tests the other ones will require a mechanic as it could be internal engine or incorrect fitment hope this helps with your probs