Rover Forum
21 December 2003, 10:32 PM
#1
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Mate has just bought a Rover 200 Vi, with the 1,8 vvc engine.
I want to find out a bit more about them.
Anybody know of a rover forum ?
Cheers
Jonathan
I want to find out a bit more about them.
Anybody know of a rover forum ?
Cheers
Jonathan
22 December 2003, 12:44 AM
#7
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Mint car very very good 
I had one for over a year loved it to bits. Strange car that not many people look at as a performance car but they are rapid little things 
just about 150bhp as standard 0-60 in 7.9 I had nothing go wrong with it at all very reliable.
I had one for over a year loved it to bits. Strange car that not many people look at as a performance car but they are rapid little things just about 150bhp as standard 0-60 in 7.9 I had nothing go wrong with it at all very reliable.
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22 December 2003, 12:53 AM
#8
I'm really trying not to make any nasty rover comments
*cough*
head gasket
*cough*
oops did it anyway
For some info: http://austinrover.mg-rover.org/ has pretty much all the development and teccy info you need.
*cough*
head gasket
*cough*
oops did it anyway
For some info: http://austinrover.mg-rover.org/ has pretty much all the development and teccy info you need.
22 December 2003, 05:37 AM
#9
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23 December 2003, 06:08 PM
#13
Any K-series engine does it Crapaud62!
Officially Rover only said it was just the 1.4's that had problems. In reality they all do it (not yet seen a turbo'd 1.8 or v6 go yet...but there's still time) Don't know why, probably either crap design, crap gaskets, or crap/poorly serviced cooling system.
It's not a big job to fix and it's a routine job for a decent garage (they will have done plenty beforehand - Rovers are always good for the repair business). Probably better to fix it and get more money for the car when you sell it (and as a bonus get the cambelt done too).
Officially Rover only said it was just the 1.4's that had problems. In reality they all do it (not yet seen a turbo'd 1.8 or v6 go yet...but there's still time
) Don't know why, probably either crap design, crap gaskets, or crap/poorly serviced cooling system.It's not a big job to fix and it's a routine job for a decent garage (they will have done plenty beforehand - Rovers are always good for the repair business
). Probably better to fix it and get more money for the car when you sell it (and as a bonus get the cambelt done too).
23 December 2003, 09:26 PM
#14
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Ali,
I believe it's a gasket problem with the 4 cylinder non turbo'd K series. For some reason it seems to happen more on the 25/200 and 45/400 than the 75/ZT. Maybe the te 1.8 is a little better.
As for...
We can't be too smug, the ZT finished higher than the classic and bugeye in TG customer satisfaction survey, the 75 and ZT had higher marks than the Scoob for reliability, the 75 has just been awarded best used car 2004 by used car buyer magazine (Scored top marks for reliability) and for some unkown reason The 75 has just been voted "Best looking car" by a panel of Italian motoring jorno's, they rated it higher than the Enzo, 360 and Zonda. 
Lee
[Edited by logiclee - 12/23/2003 9:33:51 PM]
I believe it's a gasket problem with the 4 cylinder non turbo'd K series. For some reason it seems to happen more on the 25/200 and 45/400 than the 75/ZT. Maybe the te 1.8 is a little better.
As for...
Rovers are always good for the repair business
The 75 has just been voted "Best looking car" by a panel of Italian motoring jorno's, they rated it higher than the Enzo, 360 and Zonda. Lee
[Edited by logiclee - 12/23/2003 9:33:51 PM]
23 December 2003, 11:22 PM
#15
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On Scoobynet sometime back, in response to one of these Other Marque Rover threads which as sometimes happens degenerated into a "K series they all do that!" type threads .... a professional repair guy openly made an admission worth repeating here. He admitted that he had changed and professionally charged for a number of "They all do that m8" K series cylinder head gasket jobs when all that was really necessary was to replace the MANIFOLD gasket (about a tenners worth). With time, these K series manifold gaskets sometimes allow coolant to escape which a cursory glance by the inexperienced eye, even the eyes of a professional, sometimes wrongly indicate head gasket damage. No doubt some other professionals have wrongly diagnosed the cause. An edition of the Monthly Car Mechanics also outlined the possibility of this happening within the trade when an owner with a little under the bonnet nouse made his own investigations. He previously had an incorrect HGF diagnosis by professionals.
The careless or ignorant driver (plenty of them about) of any car losing coolant will eventually experience head gasket "failure". In these circumstances more correctly described as head gasket DAMAGE through neglect or ignorance, not failure. There is a big difference. Reading some of the responses here and elsewhere, apparently not many people know that ....
There are two K series engines in my family. Both run like turbines and are a delight to use fully ..... no problems in ten years and a year ..... he writes touching wood ..... just in case ... .... can happen to anyone and ANY CAR!
The careless or ignorant driver (plenty of them about) of any car losing coolant will eventually experience head gasket "failure". In these circumstances more correctly described as head gasket DAMAGE through neglect or ignorance, not failure. There is a big difference. Reading some of the responses here and elsewhere, apparently not many people know that ....
There are two K series engines in my family. Both run like turbines and are a delight to use fully ..... no problems in ten years and a year ..... he writes touching wood ..... just in case ...
.... can happen to anyone and ANY CAR!
23 December 2003, 11:38 PM
#16
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There's more .....
I've just replaced the head gasket on my D reg Montego Turbo. This otherwise tidy example came with a large file of history which included a recent 500 quid Invoice for "Dressing the Cylinder head and Replacing the Cylinder head gasket" by a well respected establishment. So why did it "fail" (there's that word again) less than 1000 miles later? I'll tell you why! That gasket did not fail it was destroyed! Removed the cylinder head myself recently to discover a flattened pea sized piece of carbon or other crud sandwiched between the block and gasket near the fire-rings between cylinders 1 and 2. No way that gasket would remain 100% sound for long like that. So it proved. Had those professionals taken a few more seconds to check the cleanliness of their otherwise good work prior to replacing that cylinder head, me and the previous owner would have had less hassle.
I already had a spare Turbo cylinder head prepared ready and when fitted, the repair transformed the car. Can now use sustained boost without the dreaded over-pressurisation of the cooling system. All I did that was any different was take a little more care. But then, I'm not a professional ....
Remember ...BEWARE PROFESSIONALS because they DONT all do that MATE!!!!! .... have a nice one...
I've just replaced the head gasket on my D reg Montego Turbo. This otherwise tidy example came with a large file of history which included a recent 500 quid Invoice for "Dressing the Cylinder head and Replacing the Cylinder head gasket" by a well respected establishment. So why did it "fail" (there's that word again) less than 1000 miles later? I'll tell you why! That gasket did not fail it was destroyed! Removed the cylinder head myself recently to discover a flattened pea sized piece of carbon or other crud sandwiched between the block and gasket near the fire-rings between cylinders 1 and 2. No way that gasket would remain 100% sound for long like that. So it proved. Had those professionals taken a few more seconds to check the cleanliness of their otherwise good work prior to replacing that cylinder head, me and the previous owner would have had less hassle.
I already had a spare Turbo cylinder head prepared ready and when fitted, the repair transformed the car. Can now use sustained boost without the dreaded over-pressurisation of the cooling system. All I did that was any different was take a little more care. But then, I'm not a professional ....
Remember ...BEWARE PROFESSIONALS because they DONT all do that MATE!!!!! .... have a nice one...
23 December 2003, 11:42 PM
#17
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Jonto,
In response to your original request, can confirm that they are a well informed and helpful bunch of genuine automotive enthusiasts over on Rovertech.net .... have a look-see and judge for yourself.
As I suspect you have already discovered, modern Rovers are under estimated by many and not only by the great unwashed .... or should that be brain-washed .... have a nice one ...
In response to your original request, can confirm that they are a well informed and helpful bunch of genuine automotive enthusiasts over on Rovertech.net .... have a look-see and judge for yourself.
As I suspect you have already discovered, modern Rovers are under estimated by many and not only by the great unwashed .... or should that be brain-washed .... have a nice one ...
23 December 2003, 11:50 PM
#18
LOL I was waiting for John to pop up on this one (let the fun begin)
logiclee: Seen a few 1.8 75's and Freelanders with blown head gaskets I'm afraid. Less about on the road therefore you see less in the garage I suppose.
And as for diagnosis of blown gaskets...yes "O" ring failures on the inlet are equally as common, but that would lead to the engine using coolant...not mixing oil with water (now try and get out of that miss-diagnosis eh?).
And stating the obvious...If the repair job isn't done right then it will go wrong again - doesn't matter what make car it is Unless John is hinting that the K-series engines aren't put together correctly from the factory in the first place 
[Edited by ALi-B - 12/23/2003 11:51:43 PM]
I was waiting for John to pop up on this one (let the fun begin) logiclee: Seen a few 1.8 75's and Freelanders with blown head gaskets I'm afraid. Less about on the road therefore you see less in the garage I suppose.
And as for diagnosis of blown gaskets...yes "O" ring failures on the inlet are equally as common, but that would lead to the engine using coolant...not mixing oil with water (now try and get out of that miss-diagnosis eh?
).And stating the obvious...If the repair job isn't done right then it will go wrong again - doesn't matter what make car it is
Unless John is hinting that the K-series engines aren't put together correctly from the factory in the first place [Edited by ALi-B - 12/23/2003 11:51:43 PM]
24 December 2003, 12:26 AM
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Ali-Baby ..... you set 'em up ...
You obviously speak from much experience .... the finest available, that of your own eyes and ears .... or am I wrong there ... Please tell, me, is it ONLY Rovers which have such problems? ... all other cars, particularly foreign ones being superior and devoid of faults.
Those surveys which the great unwashed set so much store by JD Power or summut ..... Rover 75 the ONLY car to top TWO of the classes. Not even finest krautmobiles managed that. Must be a freak result that .... and "logiclee" must have read that good looking R75 report wrongly......after all what do they Italians know about building good looking cars .... nuffink .... that's what .... name one ...
[Edited by MGJohn - 12/24/2003 12:27:49 AM]
You obviously speak from much experience .... the finest available, that of your own eyes and ears .... or am I wrong there ... Please tell, me, is it ONLY Rovers which have such problems? ... all other cars, particularly foreign ones being superior and devoid of faults.
Those surveys which the great unwashed set so much store by JD Power or summut ..... Rover 75 the ONLY car to top TWO of the classes. Not even finest krautmobiles managed that. Must be a freak result that .... and "logiclee" must have read that good looking R75 report wrongly......after all what do they Italians know about building good looking cars .... nuffink .... that's what .... name one ...
[Edited by MGJohn - 12/24/2003 12:27:49 AM]
24 December 2003, 12:30 AM
#20
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Ali-B
More seriously -
>>(now try and get out of that miss-diagnosis eh? <<
Fact! Coolant loss can lead to DAMAGED gaskets, leading to ..... FAILURE! What came first the horse or the egg..... gorn then clever cloggs ..... answer that one ...
More seriously -
>>(now try and get out of that miss-diagnosis eh? <<
Fact! Coolant loss can lead to DAMAGED gaskets, leading to ..... FAILURE! What came first the horse or the egg..... gorn then clever cloggs ..... answer that one ...
24 December 2003, 12:48 AM
#23
Yeah Ok all cars have their faults (don't get me started on Italian stuff ).
You may guess that I'm anti-Rover, it's true, but only because of personal burden the damn things (yes I was had 2 of the things)had on me.
It's always perplexed me a little as to exactly why they the gaskets fail regardless of perfect maintance and servicing (so don't start on improperly bled cooling systems etc).
OK, as I said all cars have faults, such as MkV Escorts burning out fuseboxes, BMW E39 dashboards, Early Range Rover air-suspension, Subarus with knackered MAF sensors. But there is one distinct difference - all other makers have addressed the issues and rectified the faults on later vehicles. I'm yet to see evidance on Rovers. Perhaps they have finally sorted it with their 1.8 Turbo variants....time will tell
).You may guess that I'm anti-Rover, it's true, but only because of personal burden the damn things (yes I was had 2 of the things)had on me.
It's always perplexed me a little as to exactly why they the gaskets fail regardless of perfect maintance and servicing (so don't start on improperly bled cooling systems etc
).OK, as I said all cars have faults, such as MkV Escorts burning out fuseboxes, BMW E39 dashboards, Early Range Rover air-suspension, Subarus with knackered MAF sensors. But there is one distinct difference - all other makers have addressed the issues and rectified the faults on later vehicles. I'm yet to see evidance on Rovers. Perhaps they have finally sorted it with their 1.8 Turbo variants....time will tell
24 December 2003, 01:10 AM
#24
OK OK, my grammer, punctuation and spelling may be a little off. You get the idea - you can understand it I hope. It was 23:50 when I posted that; after a days work what I type in a post doesn't really bother me
And, well done! You've caught me out in my fatigue. Lack of coolant causes failure, mind - you try getting the average numbnut motorist to look under the bonnet as a matter of routine
Than again, can contridict it with another marque Had a BMW 535 several weeks back...owner kept phoning saying it was going into the red on the temperature guage - he didn't want to leave the car (too busy, places to go, people to meet). Coolant fine, off he goes 
Car comes in a week later boiling over big time (and sheepish owner), split header tank on the rad and a stuck thermostat, and cracked thermostat housing. The damage was fixed, with the expectance that said gasket may be damaged - nope! Perhaps it may go in the future, who knows, unique maybe? I've also ran a Rover v8 with no coolant myself when I holed the rad offroading , but I'd guess the gasket is already blowing into the valley anyway
So perhaps damage to air/lack of coolant is just a Rover thing? Well, if they didn't loose coolant in the first place then, perhaps they'd never go wrong...still does'nt explain the ones that blow gaskets which haven't lost or ran low on coolant
And, well done! You've caught me out in my fatigue. Lack of coolant causes failure, mind - you try getting the average numbnut motorist to look under the bonnet as a matter of routine
Than again, can contridict it with another marque
Had a BMW 535 several weeks back...owner kept phoning saying it was going into the red on the temperature guage - he didn't want to leave the car (too busy, places to go, people to meet). Coolant fine, off he goes Car comes in a week later boiling over big time (and sheepish owner
), split header tank on the rad and a stuck thermostat, and cracked thermostat housing. The damage was fixed, with the expectance that said gasket may be damaged - nope! Perhaps it may go in the future, who knows, unique maybe? I've also ran a Rover v8 with no coolant myself when I holed the rad offroading , but I'd guess the gasket is already blowing into the valley anyway So perhaps damage to air/lack of coolant is just a Rover thing? Well, if they didn't loose coolant in the first place then, perhaps they'd never go wrong...still does'nt explain the ones that blow gaskets which haven't lost or ran low on coolant
24 December 2003, 01:13 AM
#25
And another thing.....
Can you fit all your replies/points in one post?
It helps with the readability of this off-topic thread, seeing that you like grammatical corectness an all that.
(do I need to point out that I intentionally made 3 replies in a row?)
Can you fit all your replies/points in one post?
It helps with the readability of this off-topic thread, seeing that you like grammatical corectness an all that.
(do I need to point out that I intentionally made 3 replies in a row?
)
24 December 2003, 05:25 PM
#26
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No, you dont need to point that out....... additional postings merely afterthoughts ALi-Baby ...
Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all our readers and may all your gaskets problems be little ones ..... and do please check your fluid levels frequently (Oh Matron! ...) .... you know it makes sense.....
... additional postings merely afterthoughts ALi-Baby ... Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all our readers and may all your gaskets problems be little ones ..... and do please check your fluid levels frequently (Oh Matron! ...
) .... you know it makes sense.....
24 December 2003, 05:33 PM
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ALi-Baby ...... Just noticed yow from DudlAy...... that's West Midlands init? That's almost Blick Countray M8 .... workshop of England and all that .....
Don't let THAT die ..ever! .. Old IKB would turn in his grave if you do....
Don't let THAT die ..ever! .. Old IKB would turn in his grave if you do....
24 December 2003, 06:29 PM
#28
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FWIW Jonto -
I tracked down a mint, low mileage Vi 3 years ago for my parents, who wanted a quick, discreet car. I bought it when I was driving a Classic Impreza and drove it the 200 miles to them.
It was a great fun drive - I still remember having a sprint for half an hour on the A50 in traffic with a 200bhp Volvo T4 which it left for dead on the roundabouts and could barely keep up on the straights. The engine just revs and revs.
The car has been totally reliable and very cheap to run including a regular 35mpg. If I get the chance I'll try and get it back from them if and when they fancy a change.
Much under-rated especially by those who don't have a clue.
Autocar tested it to a 7.1 0-60 and a similar 30-70. With the variable valve timing I think of it as a cut-price Civic Type R.
[Edited by Flat 4x4 - 12/24/2003 6:32:32 PM]
I tracked down a mint, low mileage Vi 3 years ago for my parents, who wanted a quick, discreet car. I bought it when I was driving a Classic Impreza and drove it the 200 miles to them.
It was a great fun drive - I still remember having a sprint for half an hour on the A50 in traffic with a 200bhp Volvo T4 which it left for dead on the roundabouts and could barely keep up on the straights. The engine just revs and revs.
The car has been totally reliable and very cheap to run including a regular 35mpg. If I get the chance I'll try and get it back from them if and when they fancy a change.
Much under-rated especially by those who don't have a clue.
Autocar tested it to a 7.1 0-60 and a similar 30-70. With the variable valve timing I think of it as a cut-price Civic Type R.
[Edited by Flat 4x4 - 12/24/2003 6:32:32 PM]
