This guide covers the classic MG TF built at Abingdon from 1953 to 1955, including the TF 1500, not the modern MG TF of 2002 onwards. About 9,600 TFs were built, roughly 3,400 of them TF 1500s.
Where to look
This is an independent guide, not a list of cars for sale, and it makes no claims about any one seller.
In the UK, MG TFs are sold through specialist T-Type dealers, through auction houses, such as Mathewsons in North Yorkshire, through online auction and classified sites, and through the classified pages of the club magazines, where cars often come with known owners and real history.
In the US, most cars change hands through online auctions and classified sites, with auction houses and the T-Type club magazines and registers covering the rest. The venues the archive tracks, with notes on each, are listed in Buying an MG T-Type: what they cost, and the trade-offs between buying at auction, from a dealer or privately are set out in Auction, Dealer or Private?.
What to pay
The UK bands below are indicative ranges by condition, not valuations. The source for each row is shown beneath it, and the values guide explains how the bands were compiled.
| Model | Project | Good | Excellent | Concours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG TF (1250)Hagerty UK Valuation Tool (2022) + Classic Trader marketplace analysis (2021–2025), 2022 / 2025 | £10,000–£14,000* | £18,000–£24,000* | £28,000–£36,000* | £38,000–£45,000* |
| MG TF 1500Hagerty UK 2022 + Classic.com US market averages (consulted July 2026), 2022 / 2026 | £12,000–£16,000* | £22,000–£28,000* | £32,000–£40,000* | £42,000–£50,000* |
US market benchmark (CLASSIC.COM, October 2026): $20,455. This is a single benchmark, not a condition range, and the UK bands above remain the site's main guide. Source: CLASSIC.COM Market Benchmark, read 29 October 2026.
US market benchmark (CLASSIC.COM, October 2026): $24,412. This is a single benchmark, not a condition range, and the UK bands above remain the site's main guide. Source: CLASSIC.COM Market Benchmark, read 29 October 2026.
For what moves a price up or down, see the MG T-Series values guide.
Red flags
- The wrong TF. A listing for an “MG TF” may be the mid-engined modern car. See MG TF: classic or modern?
- An XPAG car sold as a TF 1500. The engine prefix stamped on the block is the only reliable evidence: XPEG for the 1,466 cc car, XPAG/TF for the 1,250 cc car. Between chassis 6501 and 6950 the two engines alternated in batches. See identifying a genuine MG TF 1500.
- Numbers that do not agree. The British Motor Museum Heritage Certificate covers the TF and TF 1500 and records how the car left the factory. The chassis and engine number guide explains where to look.
- A tired ash frame. Like every T-Type, the TF body is steel over ash. The MG TF and TF 1500 buying guide covers the checks in full.
Questions to ask the seller
- Is this the 1953 to 1955 car, and what are its chassis and engine numbers?
- What is the engine prefix on the block, XPAG/TF or XPEG?
- Is there a Heritage Certificate, and does it agree with the car?
- Has the ash frame been repaired or renewed, and by whom?
- What history and receipts come with it?
Common questions
- Does this guide cover the modern MG TF?
- No. It covers the classic MG TF built at Abingdon from 1953 to 1955, including the TF 1500. The modern mid-engined MG TF of 2002 onwards is a different car that shares only the name.
- How much should I pay for a classic MG TF?
- The archive's UK bands for a TF 1250 run from £10,000 to £14,000 for a project to £38,000 to £45,000 for a concours car, and for a TF 1500 from £12,000 to £16,000 to £42,000 to £50,000. The CLASSIC.COM US market benchmarks, read in October 2026, are $20,455 for the TF and $24,412 for the TF 1500.
- How do I know a TF for sale is a real TF 1500?
- Read the engine number on the block. A TF 1500 has the 1,466 cc XPEG engine. XPAG and XPEG batches alternated between chassis 6501 and 6950, so the chassis number does not prove which engine the car left with.