I've given up any idea of MG doing anything productive on this and customer service isn't worth dealing with. Given that the infotainment and navigation is 'sub par' anyway and MG have confirmed I can't pay for something better than their 'solution' (when/if they get round to it), I've done my own improvement project. Here's what I have done:
- Bought an Android AI (Auto Infotainment) box that mimics a car play connection via USB that I can add software alternatives to the inbuilt music player, navigation, bluetooth phone/call handler and of course, a DAB solution you can actually use, add favourites to, have programme information display etc.. I spent a bit of money on trial and error, as USB tuners don't work on them all. For info, I got an Ottocast Picasou 2 Pro. Through a carplay wired connection, it essentially mimics an Android head unit in the car, with all the original nav unit functionality left in place.
- Connected the window sticker aerial to a better DAB dongle, plugged in to the AI box. I re-routed the cable under the dash by removing the footwell trim either side of the centre console and secured the dongle in the void with some 3m command pads. There is the smallest piece of USB lead showing where it plugs into the AI box that I have tucked into the little side storage area on the driver side of the centre console, but that section of lead is more or less still under the dash. I have a low profile braided usb lead running from the AI box to the carplay/android auto usb port under the sliding cover, which can fully close as the lead is thin and can barely be seen as it is a dark colour lead. Certainly far less horrendous that the original MG effort. Note on the MG dongle - while it looks like standard fare from Amazon, it has been doctored and will only work with the car radio. I tested it on several android phones and head units before buying an alternative.
- Installed DAB-Z for playing over the air digital radio, Tom Tom navigation that I already pay for on other devices (the Picasou comes with Waze and Google Maps anyway, but I also use NavMii which is free and nearly as good as TomTom) and my preferred music playing and organising app that supports playlists
The DAB reception, even using their window sticker aerial, is better, clearer and more reliable than the MG bodge, with the added bonus of having programme information and station logos in addition to being able to set up favourite channels.
With the better music player, I can use playlists, individual songs or albums and use random or loop play that I couldn't with the stock offering
Other than a very short wait for TomTom to start up sometimes (NavMii starts immediately), the navigation experience is much better and more responsive, even when inputting addresses that seem to have a lag with the stock navigation. Connecting to a wifi hotspot on my phone means I also get traffic alerts etc that you can't get with the inbuilt navigation
While I wish MG would have sorted things, I now have something I can live with, and apart from the window stick aerial (which I could address by fitting an external shark fin at a later date), it is hard to spot anything obtrusive in the cabin area, and the sliding cover for the USB and 12v ports can close fully at all times, which wasn't possible when the MG bodge was plugged in.
Without the trial and error bit (wasted money initially on other AI boxes that didn't work and what I thought might be a better DAB box), I spent about £200 for the Picasou box, the slimline USB leads, the DAB dongle and an adapter that converted the window aerial connector from MCX plug in type used by the MG bodge to SMA screw in to match the new dongle
