Paulie's MG5 upgrades blog, Wheels, Suspension, Foot rest, & much more!

[Paulie68]

Hello all my fellow MG5 custodians and welcome to my blog thread.

Whenever I get a new car, I tend to do a blog about it for the benefit of other owners. So this thread will be all about the improvements, upgrades, & changes I make to my car going forward, to include write up's on each given topic along with copious photographs as appropriate.

I've got over 40 years experience in the restoration and custom modification of a wide range of classic and modern era cars, so will often be able to see the optimal solution to a given issue in short order!

Everything will of course be subjective and I can be very opinionated, (but also friendly and respectful of other opinions!) so you may well dis-agree with or dislike my solutions, (but they will be optimal!) which is just fine and all adds to the fun.

The first issue we'll deal with will be the terrible situation with our UK number plate format, clashing with the Chinese mounting solution the car comes with, due to SAIC not wanting to spend the money changing the tailgate pressing or the front bumper moulding for the European/British number plate format. This is down to our cars not really being part of the current MG family at all, they're actually Roewe Ei5's, quickly re-badged as MG's to opportunely fill a gap in the market for an estate car.

This leaves us with cars as they come from the dealer, looking like grey market imports with afterthought style bits of plastic screwed on to cover mounting holes and plates rammed up tight against badging. it all looks just, well eugh...

But fear not, I have the optimal solution for both front and rear plates already planned and we'll enjoy going through it together shortly.

The fun starts in just over 2 weeks, stay tuned...

 

[salty]

Excellent! Like threads, like this.

 

[Archev]

Hello all my fellow MG5 custodians and welcome to my blog thread.

Whenever I get a new car, I tend to do a blog about it for the benefit of other owners. So this thread will be all about the improvements, upgrades, & changes I make to my car going forward, to include write up's on each given topic along with copious photographs as appropriate.

I've got over 40 years experience in the restoration and custom modification of a wide range of classic and modern era cars, so will often be able to see the optimal solution to a given issue in short order!

Everything will of course be subjective and I can be very opinionated, (but also friendly and respectful of other opinions!) so you may well dis-agree with or dislike my solutions, (but they will be optimal!) which is just fine and all adds to the fun.

The first issue we'll deal with will be the terrible situation with our UK number plate format, clashing with the Chinese mounting solution the car comes with, due to SAIC not wanting to spend the money changing the tailgate pressing or the front bumper moulding for the European/British number plate format. This is down to our cars not really being part of the current MG family at all, they're actually Roewe Ei5's, quickly re-badged as MG's to opportunely fill a gap in the market for an estate car.

This leaves us with cars as they come from the dealer, looking like grey market imports with afterthought style bits of plastic screwed on to cover mounting holes and plates rammed up tight against badging. it all looks just, well eugh...

But fear not, I have the optimal solution for both front and rear plates already planned and we'll enjoy going through it together shortly.

The fun starts in just over 2 weeks, stay tuned...

I just added a sticker and some lacquer to the black plastic bar on mine's.

Not everyone’s taste but it’s stood up well to the last three years.

 

[Paulie68]

Maybe the fun can start sooner...

I've been doing a little research on wheels. I really dislike the Trophy wheels. I don't like black or diamond cut wheels at the best of times, but these things with the skinny lines of silver showing and the rest of the wheel hidden by the black, just serve to make the car look dull. They also remind me of cheap clip on wheel trims for some reason, hardly what you want to achieve from expensive alloy wheels! The diamond cut sections will no doubt succumb to the dreaded "white worm" corrosion after a short while too, just to add to the misery. I've rarely seen a diamond cut wheel more than about 3 years old without it.

So, I just can't live with them as they are. The options are to have them repainted in silver so the whole wheel can be clearly seen, or change them for something nicer. They're just so "busy" though with another 10 thin spokes hidden by the black paint as well as the 10 diamond cut ones we get to see, (cleaning them must be a nightmare!) so I suspect they might just look weird painted silver.

This leads me to looking for an alternative I like better. Now the fun really starts, there's a myriad of after market alloy wheels that will fit, as well as lots of VAG group wheels, but the one style that has really caught my eye at the moment is an Audi Q2 fitment from about 2017 onwards. Audi part number 81A601025B. These are a bright silver metallic, 5 spoke wheel that may just tick all the boxes. 17x7, that matches, tick. PCD of 112, again tick. Centre bore, standard late model Audi, 57.1, again tick. I'll need to double check the offset, but think MG5 is ET41 and the Audi wheels are ET45, pretty close, puts the wheels inboard by 4mm, so probably use a set of 5mm hubcentric spacers to get them within 1mm (further out, for the stance! ) tick!

I'll need to use VAG bolts, as they use radius seats, not tapered, no issue there. I'd swap out the Audi centre caps for an MG alternative as well. Luckily I already have a set I made up earlier, kept from the Audi wheels I used to run on my ZS EV!! Woohoo, I love it when a plan comes together.

Here's a mock up of how the Audi wheels look in comparison to the standard issue gloom units. I feel the styling is much more in keeping with the overall style of the car, they just brighten it up no end:

Anyway, that's it for now, nothing's set in stone yet, but this is definitely how I'm leaning.

I just added a sticker and some lacquer to the black plastic bar on mines.
View attachment 32410
Not everyone’s taste but it’s stood up well to the last three years.

Always do what makes you happy, the only taste or opinion that matters regarding your car is your own.

Well, except in cases where bad taste can harm others, this is the current trend in parts of Texas...

Yes, I know, but this is a real thing, and they really are legal to use over there!!

 

[salty]

There you go, Paulie. Nice simple Bright Silver 19 inch, 5 spokes and lowered. Nuff said.

 

[Paulie68]

There you go, Paulie. Nice simple Bright Silver 19 inch, 5 spokes and lowered. Nuff said.

View attachment 32414

View attachment 32415

A bit too rad for me, from the tyre thickness, they look like 20's!

I'd think about running 18's and a 30mm or so drop though, that would be my sweet spot, but I want to keep my existing tyres and not get too carried away as this is our family run about, not my main fun car, I have vintage VW's for that and I'm getting a Cyberster next year as a late mid life crisis/early retirement present.

 

[salty]

A bit too rad for me, from the tyre thickness, they look like 20's!

I'd think about running 18's and a 30mm or so drop though, that would be my sweet spot, but I want to keep my existing tyres and not get too carried away as this is our family run about, not my main fun car, I have vintage VW's for that and I'm getting a Cyberster next year as a late mid life crisis/early retirement present.

Fair enough.
Definitely 19s though.

 

[Paulie68]

Fair enough.
Definitely 19s though.

I'll take your word for it, maybe they look bigger to me as my last car, a Tesla Model S, had 20's with much fatter tyres.

 

[salty]

That's one of the reasons I like a nice,
5 spoke, particularly like the one in the pic. The spoke goes right to the outside of the wheel, giving illusion of a bigger wheel.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

There you go, Paulie. Nice simple Bright Silver 19 inch, 5 spokes and lowered. Nuff said.

View attachment 32414

View attachment 32415

That looks the absolute Bollox Tony!

If it had the X Power running gear (minus the bloody vibes) I would seriously entertain the MG5.

I have always had fast estates in the past.

The X Power is only the second hatchback I've owned.

MG!

Are you listening?

Build a fast estate please!

 

[salty]

That looks the absolute Bollox Tony!

If it had the X Power running gear (minus the bloody vibes) I would seriously entertain the MG5.

I have always had fast estates in the past.

The X Power is only the second hatchback I've owned.

View attachment 32429

MG!

Are you listening?

Build a fast estate please!

Agree. It does look good. And s'pose,
0-60 In 7.5 secs with the instant torque, of an EV, would still see off most cars. It's just not fast enough for us.

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Agree. It does look good. And s'pose,
0-60 In 7.5 secs with the instant torque, of an EV, would still see off most cars. It's just not fast enough for us.

7. . ....



Yawn.

 

[Paulie68]

7. . ....



Yawn.

7 or so is fine by me. My last EV did it in 3.7. Only tried it once, it's just too unpleasant!

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

7 or so is fine by me. My last EV did it in 3.7. Only tried it once, it's just too unpleasant!

For you maybe, but I still laugh out loud at the speed of my land based missile.

And 3.7. Yawn.

Fast just doesn't grow old, even when you're old!

 

[Paulie68]

For you maybe, but I still laugh out loud at the speed of my land based missile.

And 3.7. Yawn.

Fast just doesn't grow old, even when you're old!

But I was an old fart when I was young! Would rather tootle about in my '54 VW than do 0-60 in less than 4 seconds. Anyway, vintage VW 0 to 60 is measured in minutes & the very early buses don't even get as high as 60.

Anyway, back to the blog... I've just done a thing

 

[Ian MG5]

My preface lift Mg5 with 18” alloys

Took them off after a pot hole gave me 2 punctures because of the low profile tyres
Now running on 17’s

I too have been modding the car will post photos when I’ve done

 

[Paulie68]

I've now made a decision on the wheels. I present to you all what I've just gone and bought for my MG5 silver dream machine...

Have you all got your sunglasses handy?, I don't want to hurt anyone's eyes.

Proper old school, bling-a-ding-ding...

Oh yeah!! Genuine, brand new VW part number: 7N0601025H Avus wheels made by Ronal in ultra silver. These are going to look S-weeeet... I know many won't like them, but I just love bright silver wheels, especially on a silver car.

Plug and play too, no need for spacers, or spigot rings, the spec is almost exactly the same as the MG 17s all round, just a slightly lower offset of 39, so they'll sit 5mm further out for the merest hint of stance. Just need to use VW bolts as they have radius seats.

Need to somehow source a set of VW size caps now with MG logos.

My preface lift Mg5 with 18” alloys
View attachment 32435View attachment 32436View attachment 32437
Took them off after a pot hole gave me 2 punctures because of the low profile tyres
Now running on 17’s
View attachment 32438
I too have been modding the car will post photos when I’ve done

I hated those wheels on my ZS, they're too small for it, but they look really good on your 5, looks great, good call on the flaps too! What offset were your 18s, they look much further out than standard.

 

[Ian MG5]

18 x 8.5 34mm offset
235/40/18” tyres
I loved the look of them but wasn’t happy with the 2 punctures


Hi Paulie
This is what I did to the rear number plate
Richbrook stainless steel number plate surround and debadged

 

[salty]

I've now made a decision on the wheels. I present to you all what I've just gone and bought for my MG5 silver dream machine...

Have you all got your sunglasses handy?, I don't want to hurt anyone's eyes.

Proper old school, bling-a-ding-ding...

View attachment 32439

Oh yeah!! Genuine, brand new VW part number: 7N0601025H Avus wheels made by Ronal in ultra silver. These are going to look S-weeeet... I know many won't like them, but I just love bright silver wheels, especially on a silver car.

Plug and play too, no need for spacers, or spigot rings, the spec is almost exactly the same as the MG 17s all round, just a slightly lower offset of 39, so they'll sit 5mm further out for the merest hint of stance. Just need to use VW bolts as they have radius seats.

Need to modify a set of VW caps now with MG logos.

Like them.

 

[Paulie68]

Christmas came early... (They look matte in the picture because of the light, but in real life they're a deeper gloss like in the earlier pictures)

And the manufacturing date appears to be from the future too!!

(... or I suppose it could be year/month/day format, but that's far less exciting!)

Sadly MG wheel centres don't come in 65mm diameter though, so I've ordered some custom made gel domed badges and a set of 65mm blank caps to make up a set.

Today I've also ordered a set of mud flaps and a set of floor mats, the fun never stops!

Just need an actual car now!

PS. If anyone is interested in a virtually as new set of 17" Trophy wheels with drive home mileage only on them, drop me a PM, the price will be stupidly low as I just want to get back what I paid for my new wheels and they were an absolute bargain.