MG ZS EV Buyers Remorse kicking in

[Jto]

I very much doubt it!!

Sorted!

Did you find away to turn it off?

 

[Andy S]

Finally, the MG ZS EV arrived on Tuesday.

I have purchased many new cars in my life and this is the one that got me excited.

On Tuesday and Wednesday studied the manual and took it out for drives to acclimatise us.

More critical because of my Mother’s 97th birthday party on Saturday 120 miles cross country or 170 along motorways.

Did all the planning, the Motorway was the safer choice in case we needed a charge. But according to the book if we go cross country we can get there and back on one charge.

The hotel (£300 a night for this special occasion would let us plug in. So that will take off the pressure.

Allowed 4 hours for a 3 hour drive to arrive for lunch.

Set off and the first 40 miles on a Motorway.

The Cruise control would not engage, the light on the dashboard was yellow and ready to go. The dashboard cheerfully declared no issue or errors.

But the cruise control would not engage.

Turn off, turn back on.

Still won’t engage.

Pulled over ‘rebooted’ the car.

No change

Pulled out manual on my car.

Everything checks out, everything is good just press the button on the end of the stalk and

Nope

So carried reading manual, this is a three hour drive and really want the cruise to work.

But alas, no joy.

Even tried the entertainment system reboot

No joy

Called the MG dealership - no use

Drive to dealership, they were confident it was driver error right up until, ‘The cruise control won’t turn on’

So now left 1 hour further away from my destination now having to do a 4 hour journey in 2:20 mins on the motorway way because now we will have to recharge.

It is funny that the greater the expectation the greater disappointment when it fudges up.

The MG dealer I got the car from declared this is an MG issue not a dealership issue and I need to take it up with the MG UK.

So now forced to do a long drive, arriving very late, without the use of cruise control.

Extra bonus is that CarPlay is playing up, Google Maps keeps going blank and the MG display keeps going off to the recharge screen on its own

This feels like a lemon.

First impressions of the MG ZS EV - sketchy and unreliable.

A massive disappointment.

On Monday when I get back decide what I need to do about it.

At the moment suffering massive regret at the purchase.

I work for a car dealer and have just purchased an MG5 which I'm really pleased with the MG dealer network is really poor your issues are with the supplying dealer your invoice and payment are in there name let me know if I can help I returned my first MG5 but really happy with this one

 

[IanMG]

Now we have the user manual I can not see away to turn it off, but there could be a sub setting which not in the book.

And therein lies the problem!
RFM doesn't always work when the manual has been poorly written as this one has!
One big advantage of having manuals on-line is that you can use hyperlinks to see a video or series of drawings to explain something.
In the MG ZS EV manual no sub menus are shown which isn't a help!
It gives the manufacturer the option to add a new feature to a menu list and show exactly where to go to find it.
Very few manufacturers do this which is strange, and maybe because they are not particular well versed in software writing?
You only have to look at a Tesla Model 3 screen to see that the folk who wrote it know what they are doing.

 

[IanMG]

Did you find away to turn it off?

In answer to the Greetings message - NO
Getting rid of the underlining in my post - TES!

 

[AK OK]

And therein lies the problem!
RFM doesn't always work when the manual has been poorly written as this one has!

Ah the irony proved irresistible ?
It's RTFM ?

 

[IanMG]

Ah the irony proved irresistible ?
It's RTFM ?

I could try and blag my out of that error by saying I was trying to make it sound slightly Yorkshire!!

 

[AK OK]

I could try and blag my out of that error by saying I was trying to make it sound slightly Yorkshire!!

Don't push your luck today?
You'd need an apostrophe to do it proper 'appen (etc) ?

 

[MichaelJHunt]

'Replace “sounds” with “software” in my post - doesn’t change the context.'
Well yes it does as the software relates to both the radio 'sounds' and Sat Nav!

When I test drove the 2020 ZS EV, I was more than impressed with the car. I had a Jaguar I-Pace an infinitely more expensive car but felt that the ride and handling of the MG was well up to par. In some ways the panel fit was better than the Jag!
Obviously the Jag will win on the quality of the interior, as it should for a £70K car!
But for a £22K car it was brilliant.
Roll onto late 2021 and the 'facelift' ZS EV and the introduction of the LR model, and I couldn't wait for a test drive to become available.
The necessity for the I-Pace had gone and the MG ZS EV LR was the car that ticked most, if not all, my boxes.

A test drive confirmed this and as an 'experienced' EV owner I knew what I could expect on range etc.

I was assured that the software in the test car was 'pre-production' and would improve when launched.

The I-Pace was always having updates over the air and the improvements were well worth having.

This, I believe, should be the case with any new EV these days, MG shouldn't be an exception.
But it should start from a baseline of reliable functionality not something that crashes or totally fails to work!
Tesla had issues with the 'black screen' and very quickly remedied the problem.

As I found out with the I-Pace, you have a manufacturer who makes excellent cars and has done for many years, but whose software writing abilities are a little weak, if I can put it like that.
Tesla on the other hand is brilliant at the tech but lacking in the car manufacturing
aspect. They are improving, the cars made in China are infinitely better than those coming from the USA, Berlin should be even better.
With SAIC, who are an enormous car manufacturer, they manufacture VW cars for instance, I would expect better than this. Clunky but works or techy that crashes, and SAIC would appear to be falling into the second category sadly.
The responsiveness of the infotainment screen is far better than the Mk1, so why let themselves down by having a sat nav that isn't fit for purpose or at so it seems after a DC charge?

Maybe there is a variation of chips that they have got hold of that just quite up to spec.? Which would explain why some Trophy Connects are OK and others not!
In a way I am hoping that it is the software as this can be corrected easily.

Wow , you had an iPace too

I had one for a few months and got Jaguar to take it back. Software was a joke. MG has nothing on Jaguar for writing poor software. I foolishly ordered it as soon as I could, so had one of the first deliveries - what a mistake that was.

It’s a pity you have had a poor experience with the MG ZS EV, it is a good car.

To the best of my knowledge, the READY sound cannot be turned off -though I am happy to be corrected on that one.

 

[AK OK]

Wow , you had an iPace too

I had one for a few months and got Jaguar to take it back. Software was a joke. MG has nothing on Jaguar for writing poor software. I foolishly ordered it as soon as I could, so had one of the first deliveries - what a mistake that was.

It’s a pity you have had a poor experience with the MG ZS EV, it is a good car.

To the best of my knowledge, the READY sound cannot be turned off -though I am happy to be corrected on that one.

Birds of a feather?

 

[East Coast Cruiser]

So looks like progress, thanks to everyone here.

To get SatNav to work disable ‘dead reckoning’ in options Then reboot entertainment system.

If Cruise Control does not work, pull over, open and shut each of the 5 doors to ensure they are all properly closed.

I am absolutely certain these are not the only quirks of the MG ZS EV LR.

Perhaps……. If the brakes stop working turn left passenger light on and off 3 times quickly to reset braking system?

Hilarious, the last time I encountered this sort of quirkiness I was driving a Hillman Avenger that had far too many miles……

Anyway, many thanks for everybody’s help.

I‘ll chalk up the idiosyncratic behaviour to character.

So it all seemed like user error unfortunately!?

Despite you saying you did RTFM, it seems you accidently discovered the MG Drive, and your SatNav wasn't faulty!?

Glad you got it sorted, nothing more disappointing that a new purchase going south.
At least it wasn't the car!

 

[Jto]

Oh yes it is!
But I would add that even with dead reckoning on it shouldn't do this!

Hi Ian
had a play with a car today waiting on my car been serviced I found in the radio sub setting the station following photo below and make sure it switch on so as you drive up and down the county will follow national radio stations.
on your car it’s service following.

 

[busta999]

So it all seemed like user error unfortunately!?

Despite you saying you did RTFM, it seems you accidently discovered the MG Drive, and your SatNav wasn't faulty!?

Glad you got it sorted, nothing more disappointing that a new purchase going south.
At least it wasn't the car!

Yes I found the source of these issues and their remedy in these forums!!

Not in the manual and not through the dealer.

Both of which should be Authorative.

I am one of plagued people who do read manuals but did me no good on these occasions except for provide me with the confidence to know it was a bug and not user error.

 

[busta999]

Update on this.

Having now lived with car for a month and done 2 long range drives, as many as I have done in the last 2 years!, I can say I am bloody impressed by the MG ZS!

I love the MG Pilot and use it all the time.

I love telling the car to cool down 10 mins before we leave home.

Having overcome the initial glitches, the MG is awesome.

However, the Bridgend Nathaniels dealership are awful, they knew nothing about the car, when asked they replied they don’t make the cars they just sell them. They really are awful and not to be trusted on any level.

 

[Jto]

Update on this.

Having now lived with car for a month and done 2 long range drives, as many as I have done in the last 2 years!, I can say I am bloody impressed by the MG ZS!

I love the MG Pilot and use it all the time.

I love telling the car to cool down 10 mins before we leave home.

Having overcome the initial glitches, the MG is awesome.

However, the Bridgend Nathaniels dealership are awful, they knew nothing about the car, when asked they replied they don’t make the cars they just sell them. They really are awful and not to be trusted on any level.

I am glad you are loving the car it just takes time to find every thing and how it works, hope you have miles of enjoyable driving.

 

[SteveP]

Finally, the MG ZS EV arrived on Tuesday.

I have purchased many new cars in my life and this is the one that got me excited.

On Tuesday and Wednesday studied the manual and took it out for drives to acclimatise us.

More critical because of my Mother’s 97th birthday party on Saturday 120 miles cross country or 170 along motorways.

Did all the planning, the Motorway was the safer choice in case we needed a charge. But according to the book if we go cross country we can get there and back on one charge.

The hotel (£300 a night for this special occasion would let us plug in. So that will take off the pressure.

Allowed 4 hours for a 3 hour drive to arrive for lunch.

Set off and the first 40 miles on a Motorway.

The Cruise control would not engage, the light on the dashboard was yellow and ready to go. The dashboard cheerfully declared no issue or errors.

But the cruise control would not engage.

Turn off, turn back on.

Still won’t engage.

Pulled over ‘rebooted’ the car.

No change

Pulled out manual on my car.

Everything checks out, everything is good just press the button on the end of the stalk and

Nope

So carried reading manual, this is a three hour drive and really want the cruise to work.

But alas, no joy.

Even tried the entertainment system reboot

No joy

Called the MG dealership - no use

Drive to dealership, they were confident it was driver error right up until, ‘The cruise control won’t turn on’

So now left 1 hour further away from my destination now having to do a 4 hour journey in 2:20 mins on the motorway way because now we will have to recharge.

It is funny that the greater the expectation the greater disappointment when it fudges up.

The MG dealer I got the car from declared this is an MG issue not a dealership issue and I need to take it up with the MG UK.

So now forced to do a long drive, arriving very late, without the use of cruise control.

Extra bonus is that CarPlay is playing up, Google Maps keeps going blank and the MG display keeps going off to the recharge screen on its own

This feels like a lemon.

First impressions of the MG ZS EV - sketchy and unreliable.

A massive disappointment.

On Monday when I get back decide what I need to do about it.

At the moment suffering massive regret at the purchase.

Silly question but the “joystick” was pulled towards you? As I said, silly question.

 

[BrianG]

Update on this.

Having now lived with car for a month and done 2 long range drives, as many as I have done in the last 2 years!, I can say I am bloody impressed by the MG ZS!

I love the MG Pilot and use it all the time.

I love telling the car to cool down 10 mins before we leave home.

Having overcome the initial glitches, the MG is awesome.

None converted like St Paul!

Glad to hear it has worked out. Those of us who have had the ZS for 2 years, yes not the same as yours, have been delighted with the cars. The range of the MK 1 is a little limiting and it doesn’t have all the toys but terrific driving experience if you don’t intend racing. Just so easy to drive. My missus and I fight over the driving seat!!