Station Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Has anyone owned one of these? There don't seem to be too many about - purely because I think people just scrapped them because of boredom. I've had two in the past, and they're the best car I've owned. A totally solid, boring, safe car that seems to never break ever.If anyone sees one around for sale and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Not averse too them myself, like the Honda Ballade version too. Floorpans rot out badly though I believe so thats porbably why there are very few around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXrescuer Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 My ex had a red 86 Vitesse. Not that bad a car as I recall, not my cup of tea though tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I saw one only recently, well a 216 actually but nowadays to see either is notable. It'll be on my spots page shortly. I see a couple of the Honda-badged versions locally too.Father-in-law had to scrap his otherwise clean one back in 2001 or so due to the rot RG mentions, they seem terrors for it.I saw one at the banger racing a fortnight ago, despite bending fairly dramatically in the middle, ending up distinctly shorter and crablike, the thing still shifted fairly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rover420 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I see a red d reg 213 fairly regularly. Looks in fairly good condition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shite_meister Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I've had the 213SE and the 216 Vitesse pre-and post face-lift, both cars much better than alot of other cars in the same class. There was a Vanden Plas EFi which as per SD1 was the top of the tree same as Vitesse but without the 'sportiness' but the addition of leather chairs. 213 nice-obviously being Honda it shouldn't give any cause for concern wheras the 216 had a few cooling/head gasket issues. All have an obvious Jap feel inside and the fit and finish of mine were better than their reputaions might suggest. There is a 213 over here that I would like, I've always fancied a 213 Vanden Plas and am sure I'll own another one day and a 216 Vitesse in British Racing Green would be another off my 'Cars to own' list. Browsing Practical Classics this month there is an advert for a 216 Vitesse with 12k miles from new at £1795, I thought it was Country-Classics but I can't see it in their website. Pre-facelift Vitesse: Ex-Gaydon delivery-mileage post-facelift Vitesse that was auctioned off: Any Father Ted fans will remember what happened to this one: One was also featured heavily in Keeping Up Appearances. The only differences between the pre/post facelifts is that the boot aperture is much larger i.e lower on the later ones-handier for carting big shit about and the interior was slightly nicer but basically an added centre console and different inner door trims although the earlier ones may have a certain charm now and then it was just slightly different bumper trims and rear lights but nothing major really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Didn't Victor Meldrew have one as well?? I seem to remember them sat in one on a motorway for ages? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Meldrew's was a Ballade. It's got to be the 1.3 every time, GR8 motor that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
155V6 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I seem to remember a Sprint model which was a less expensive version of the Vitesse,or maybe I imagined it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 there was a sprint model, but it had a carb - not injection like the VP/Vitesse, so not very sporty.I can think of a couple of these that i've had, both had unbelieveble rot for their age, I would say these are one of the most rust-prone cars since the days of alfasuds, Betas etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lobster Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Not a big fan myself but an early Vitesse does look like a nice thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 I can remember one of mine being rot-free. The other one had a rusty boot corner on the top corner. I mean, how does that happen. I'd only really have a 213, I've really never heard an engine as quiet and smooth as that, and interior was totally solid. Didn't know they rusted badly though, that's put me off a bit. I would've had this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-213-se-AUTO ... 1|294%3A50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I never liked them when they were around, had an aunt & uncle with an early red one (always seemed to be red, and the post facelift always seemed to be blue!?), I found them far too square & boring. Mum hated them too which might have been an influence. They seemed to be a cross between a Montego & a Maestro & I didn't particularly like them either back in the day. However, like what has happened with Volvo 340s, time has mellowed my feelings for them & I now quite like the earliest ones, rarity has a bearing on that too. Must be a nostalgia thing! Can't see me ever owning one though. A few years back I regularly saw & eventually photographed what to me was a real oddity, it was like a cross between a Ballade & a Rover but was definitely an early Ballade, C reg it was. Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! There's a few of these old square Rover 200s knocking about in Malta, this one from the recent update of my Malta thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I seem to remember a Sprint model which was a less expensive version of the Vitesse,or maybe I imagined it?It was in the same category as Golf Drivers, Escort Eclipse and all that - had the bodykit and looks but no power to back it up.I remember someone who worked with my mum having one, not sure if it was a Sprint but it was metallic red with those Vitesse multi-spoke wheels painted white. Tasty it was, for the late 80s.I think they did a similarly tarted-up Maestro and Metro too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! A 'pop up' Ballade? It looks like a mk1 CRX front end, might be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 A few years back I regularly saw & eventually photographed what to me was a real oddity, it was like a cross between a Ballade & a Rover but was definitely an early Ballade, C reg it was. Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! Go show us the photos then? UK spec Ballades I think were D-reg and onwards so C-reg sounds just too early, but could be a Jap or US import perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Could it be some freaky mashup in the style of the oh-so-autoshite Monstro? Do the Ballade front end bits bolt straight onto the 200? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garycox Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I like these, my cousin had a lovely Vanden Plas from new on an E reg until it failed the MOT on rust a few years ago. It was then given to me but I had about 20 cars at the time and I needed to cut down quickly so I scrapped it. It probably wasn't worth saving at that stage anyway but it was nice while it lasted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VWPowered Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I can remember one of mine being rot-free. The other one had a rusty boot corner on the top corner. I mean, how does that happen.I'd only really have a 213, I've really never heard an engine as quiet and smooth as that, and interior was totally solid. Didn't know they rusted badly though, that's put me off a bit.I would've had this one:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-213-se-AUTO ... 1|294%3A50wow tidy that :Dhave to admit like the later Vitesse, but Vanden Plas was a good thing too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 A few years back I regularly saw & eventually photographed what to me was a real oddity, it was like a cross between a Ballade & a Rover but was definitely an early Ballade, C reg it was. Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! Go show us the photos then? UK spec Ballades I think were D-reg and onwards so C-reg sounds just too early, but could be a Jap or US import perhaps?Was it something like this? Not sure if this is a early Ballade or 4 door Civic though, The sites i am looking on are american and calling the Civic Sedan but I'm sure they are early Ballades though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shite_meister Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 A few years back I regularly saw & eventually photographed what to me was a real oddity, it was like a cross between a Ballade & a Rover but was definitely an early Ballade, C reg it was. Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! Go show us the photos then? UK spec Ballades I think were D-reg and onwards so C-reg sounds just too early, but could be a Jap or US import perhaps?Probably a bit newer but was it an Aussie spec Integra-based Rover 416i? Or was it a Quintet? (obviously this doesn't have a sleek front end though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 Hoi, look at the end of page 1! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Recessed front headlamps & a slightly more aerodynamic front end but everything else about it was the exact same as the Rover & from the rear looked exactly like the Rover, same rear lights & everything! A 'pop up' Ballade? It looks like a mk1 CRX front end, might be the same. Yes it was just like that gold one! The Ballades normally look like this; So it was neither one thing nor the other - a very early form of Ballade? Was def C reg so the MkI Rover 200 ness of it fits in with the age. Unfortunately the pictures I took were with a film camera, this would have been at least 6 years ago, probably longer as I didn't go digital until 2004. I have about 80 undeveloped camera films spanning the period 2000-2004 that I've never got around to doing anything with & probably won't be able to now! They would contain a lot of shite seen during that time. Fortunately I was on the ball with all the shite I saw in Cyprus in 2001, came back with 9 used camera films of shite & developed the lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I have about 80 undeveloped camera films spanning the period 2000-2004 that I've never got around to doing anything with & probably won't be able to now! Why not? There's still people out there who develop camera film... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted June 3, 2009 Author Share Posted June 3, 2009 Get yourself a cheap darkroom and develop them yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnde Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 In 1996 my girlfriend at the time drove one of these. A light metallic blue 213 on a B or C plate. I remember particularly the spindly steering wheel and the pop out cassette tape holders in the dash Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I have about 80 undeveloped camera films spanning the period 2000-2004 that I've never got around to doing anything with & probably won't be able to now! Why not? There's still people out there who develop camera film... They must all be past their expiry dates by now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I'd send them in, I've sent films that I've found it the cupboard that have been there for years in before now and they always come back fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Can you only send them off to places like Trueprint these days or can you still take them to all the usual suspects on the High Street; Boots, camera shops etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 In 1996 my girlfriend at the time drove one of these. A light metallic blue 213 on a B or C plate. I remember particularly the spindly steering wheel and the pop out cassette tape holders in the dash Mark.I always remember the steering wheel being quite chunky?Does anyone know what engines these things take. Are there any chances of 16v/K-series upgrades? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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