Whats a good first Rover?

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RoverNick1
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Whats a good first Rover?

Post by RoverNick1 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:03 pm

Hello,

Im currently thinking about getting my first Rover and i must admit, i dont know exactly what to go for. Im currently thinking about an 800 mk1 of course. However im also quite drawn to the 600, it seems that you can pick a good one of those up for under 1000 notes. Also what about something like a 200 BRM? of course one that hasn't been turned into a track racer.

Any ideas on what would make a good purchase for a first time Rover?

Thanks, Nick
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by dollysprint » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:19 pm

As you're asking on an 800 forum then the obvious answer is any of the 800 range :)
Its always difficult to answer this type of question as I don't know what you will want the car to do, but as you have access to another car(MG3 noted) then I assume it will be a weekend toy.Also I have no idea if you lean towards performance or comfort, family or solo driving and so on.
So this is purely my personal view of the cars you have mentioned ref 600/200 BRM.
I have owned both, the BRM looks brilliant, goes well, handles as good as any ZS if not better and is pretty rare now. Its also 3 door which is a pain with a family, most of the survivors would have been through the hands of owners that will have ragged them to death and the rear arches on them really do seem to suffer badly from corrosion. Certain parts are difficult to get if not impossible new but then that applies to 800's now too. I do regret selling mine (was nearly 10 years ago) but I probably wouldn't drive it if I still had it so that's pretty pointless.
Rover 600's are the most reliable Rovers ever built but they also have the most Japanese feel to them. I have owned most of the available range over the years and my father still drives a 623 GSi to this day. There was very little Rover input into the 600, BAe deliberately adopted this policy which didn't go down to well with Honda, because it saved development money. However that made 600 more or less a mere licence agreement with a fee to pay on every one sold and worse still a huge hike in engine and transmission costs to Rover when BMW bought the company. 600 became almost untenable to build hence its short life and the 75 replacing both 6 and 800.
The 2 brit engined versions, diesel and Ti do restore some British feel to the cars and both are superb at what they were designed to do in there day but I could never quite get over that japanese feel when I closed the doors or looked around the cabin.
Just my tuppence worth.

Dave
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by RoverNick1 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:37 pm

Interesting, indeed whatever car i get will be the weekend toy as i do have a rather splendid MG3. In your signature you mention you have a 220 Tomcat, what are they like to live with? As one of those will be on my list as well! :)
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by dollysprint » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:17 pm

Yes have to update my list as I actually sold the Tomcat a couple of months ago. Owned that car for 10 years so liked it a lot, it was the normally aspirated 2.0 litre and was fast enough and unique enough to enjoy driving it. Only sold it in an attempt to downsize the fleet as it were and it was the one I drove the least over the last couple of years. Not the most comfortable car in the world but I'm the wrong side of 50 now so for the 400 mile round trips to see my daughter it was increasingly the 800's that I would use for that reason.
Again as with the BRM corrosion can be an issue and the boy racers brigade makes it almost impossible to find a turbo that hasn't been modified and thrashed. The 2.0 litre like mine are quick and reasonably economical but you don't buy a tomcat for economy and so spirited driving would see you dealing with 25mpg. The Honda 1.6 version is reliable but very high revving and tiring with 4000rpm on the dial at motorway speeds of 70mph, not my cup of tea at all. The K series versions suffer the usual K series problems of head gasket failure, the VVC 1.8 is quick but even more fragile but all K series versions handle better because of the lighter engine weight up front.
Like the BRM they are worth a look if you can find a good one and the 2 doors and tiny boot are not an issue.Bodies can be quite flexible and have been known to crack in the front strut pressings and the subframes and the rear sill areas so careful checking is needed. Few 2 door coupés look as good as a tomcat though from any angle, but the 800 coupé is a nicer place to sit.

Dave
1988 Sterling saloon 2.7 Auto Pulsar over gunmetal
1990 Sterling Saloon 2.7 Auto black over storm
1993 Coupe 2.7 auto white gold 1
2005 Ford Transit 2.4 lwb, Club van
2007 Jaguar X Type 2.2 manual Estate

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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by Dickie524 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:41 pm

V8 SD1!!!
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by SJG » Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:57 pm

I would suggest you look at a vitesse coupe if you will use the car for weekends. But maybe I am biased.
Simon

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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by RoverNick1 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:45 pm

dollysprint wrote:Yes have to update my list as I actually sold the Tomcat a couple of months ago. Owned that car for 10 years so liked it a lot, it was the normally aspirated 2.0 litre and was fast enough and unique enough to enjoy driving it. Only sold it in an attempt to downsize the fleet as it were and it was the one I drove the least over the last couple of years. Not the most comfortable car in the world but I'm the wrong side of 50 now so for the 400 mile round trips to see my daughter it was increasingly the 800's that I would use for that reason.
Again as with the BRM corrosion can be an issue and the boy racers brigade makes it almost impossible to find a turbo that hasn't been modified and thrashed. The 2.0 litre like mine are quick and reasonably economical but you don't buy a tomcat for economy and so spirited driving would see you dealing with 25mpg. The Honda 1.6 version is reliable but very high revving and tiring with 4000rpm on the dial at motorway speeds of 70mph, not my cup of tea at all. The K series versions suffer the usual K series problems of head gasket failure, the VVC 1.8 is quick but even more fragile but all K series versions handle better because of the lighter engine weight up front.
Like the BRM they are worth a look if you can find a good one and the 2 doors and tiny boot are not an issue.Bodies can be quite flexible and have been known to crack in the front strut pressings and the subframes and the rear sill areas so careful checking is needed. Few 2 door coupés look as good as a tomcat though from any angle, but the 800 coupé is a nicer place to sit.

Dave
Interesting, thank you for the tips!
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by RoverNick1 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:47 pm

Dickie524 wrote:V8 SD1!!!
I wish! :lol: :wink:
Simon Hubbard wrote:I would suggest you look at a vitesse coupe if you will use the car for weekends. But maybe I am biased.
Nothing wrong with being biased! :wink:
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by Alucard7002 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:15 pm

mrpcpc wrote: This way you can still do a tip run by covering the interior with sheets.

You go that far?! Everyone needs a dogmobile for tip runs! :lol:
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by scoobyh123 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:21 am

Alucard7002 wrote:
mrpcpc wrote: This way you can still do a tip run by covering the interior with sheets.

You go that far?! Everyone needs a dogmobile for tip runs! :lol:
And for taking the hounds walkies too! :wink: :lol:
Cheers,
Dave

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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by soundrediscover » Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:21 am

For reliability, practicality and general all round comfort go for a Sterling 820 fastback.
the only downside for some is that most were auto rather than manual.
Upsides are that most of these would have been cherished (and garaged) by older owners rather than thrashed and abused.

in 2007 I picked up a base model R-reg 820 fastback for £100 and ran for several years with very little maintenance (I think I had a couple of tyres and maybe mid section exhaust to replace in that time) and sold it on for £300.
It had air con (no sunroof) all electric windows (which all worked) and I put in the interior from my 825 Sterling that died from HGF

Performance was OK, motorway cruising and commute to work were very easy with 30+ mpg generally.

I loved my original Vitesse (M-reg 180bhp) fastback, but the gearbox was fragile and the later Vitesse I had also had the gearbox replaced.
If people are not fussed about the LSD that was standard, the 825 manual gearbox slots straight on and is much cheaper.

I now have a manual 827 Coupe which has the Vitesse ARBs fitted which stops it rolling around like a Thames barge. The cruise control works as well :)

Alternative to my original suggestion would be a Sport Lux Vitesse fastback (effectively the Sterling Vitesse without cruise) but these are rare.

Higher spec models will still be more expensive, lower spec could well be in better condition given that all 800s will be at least 15 years old now.
Better (sterling leather or Vitesse Recaro) interiors are very easy to swap into late i/Si models with all electric windows.

Does that help?
Rock On!

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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by RoverNick1 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:03 pm

soundrediscover wrote:For reliability, practicality and general all round comfort go for a Sterling 820 fastback.
the only downside for some is that most were auto rather than manual.
Upsides are that most of these would have been cherished (and garaged) by older owners rather than thrashed and abused.

in 2007 I picked up a base model R-reg 820 fastback for £100 and ran for several years with very little maintenance (I think I had a couple of tyres and maybe mid section exhaust to replace in that time) and sold it on for £300.
It had air con (no sunroof) all electric windows (which all worked) and I put in the interior from my 825 Sterling that died from HGF

Performance was OK, motorway cruising and commute to work were very easy with 30+ mpg generally.

I loved my original Vitesse (M-reg 180bhp) fastback, but the gearbox was fragile and the later Vitesse I had also had the gearbox replaced.
If people are not fussed about the LSD that was standard, the 825 manual gearbox slots straight on and is much cheaper.

I now have a manual 827 Coupe which has the Vitesse ARBs fitted which stops it rolling around like a Thames barge. The cruise control works as well :)

Alternative to my original suggestion would be a Sport Lux Vitesse fastback (effectively the Sterling Vitesse without cruise) but these are rare.

Higher spec models will still be more expensive, lower spec could well be in better condition given that all 800s will be at least 15 years old now.
Better (sterling leather or Vitesse Recaro) interiors are very easy to swap into late i/Si models with all electric windows.

Does that help?
Indeed that does! thanks
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by scoobyh123 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:04 pm

I happen to know the whereabouts of a very nice condition Stone Beige leather Sterling interior that might be up for grabs soon too if that helps.

Also think there might be a grey one available from a different source.
Cheers,
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by BlueRover » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:09 pm

My son's first car was an M reg 214SEi in blue which he promptly wrote off when taking out a fence. His second was an immaculate 214SEi in nightfire red which he then sold when he got a 220 GSi. The 200s are easy to work on, early K series were massively reliable and the SEi interiors are very comfortable.
Gordon:-
Only two 800's now,white 1991 820i with TWR and full special order leather (been stood for 15 years) and now a Nightfire red Tickford with 135k on the clock
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Re: Whats a good first Rover?

Post by midnite » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:26 pm

Image


one of these, find a nice one for fairly cheap money in trophy blue(best colour in all the 01 colour range mg models) few mods maybe, these go like fcuk, and still look more exciting than most of the hot stuff today, other than maybe the new type r civic.
fleet now includes
89 827 sterling auto saloon grey dead and gone
90 827 sli auto saloon pulsar silver
91 820 i special edition flaming hell red
99 820 vitesse turbo sport manual nightfire rust sold to a better owner than i

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