Rover 200/25 Opinions - Now Citroen ZX Opinions!

[Micrashed]

I like the 25 shape.

Preferred the Metrover100 to drive, but they are pleasant enough cars.

 

I would probably plump for the Dizzler, and even a Streetwise if you could. Here is one with a reasonable mileage:

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

 

Or a black 25

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

[chaseracer]

...P reg Clio 1.2... decent car...

I'm struggling with that particular oxymoron...

[beko1987]

Well, we have had our bonus letters! The budget is £550, with as much tax and test as possible for that price! Shame really, as that 2.0 streetwise looks fun!

 

Still, with that budget in mind I am leaning towards a 25, currently reading the wealth of information on various forums, and am confident that anything it throws at me can be fixed with spannering (and beer).

 

Still, don't get paid until a week today, so next weekend will be car shopping day! Then I'll have to sort out the insurance and start breaking up the Puma, after taking it for one last red-lined rag (I haven't had any interest in the engine, so imagine that will be scrapped).

 

Can anyone better a Rover 25/200 for £500? There's a 1.5 Corsa B dizzler on the blue forum, but it's a bit far away.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Can anyone better a Rover 25/200 for £500?

 

 

Quite easily. £550 will buy a decent mid to late nineties Civic which is about 1000 times better.

[Cavcraft]

Civic is a good call. The one I had recently (97/98 1.4) was a blinding car.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

As if by magic - and it's in the same county:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-HONDA-CI ... 3f1b50fabd

 

 

Good little cars these. They can rust, but most old cars do that.

 

Whay they tend not to do is expire in a cloud of steam - like the 35'000 mile 1 owner Rover 200 did before I weighed it last month. Hateful rubbish.

[beko1987]

Mmmm, Civic. Would have to be a 5 door one, can't say I like the 3 door much.

 

I was lusting after a W reg accord executive which was sat for sale outside our flat for about 5 months at £1k. Hoping I could get the seller down due to the length of time it had been standing, it sold a few weeks ago.

 

Honda Civic - will go and have a google. Honda engines don't go wrong do they? Or is that an urban myth?

[Cavcraft]

As if by magic - and it's in the same county:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-HONDA-CI ... 3f1b50fabd

 

 

'USUAL SCREECHES'

 

[beko1987]

Does anyone have any experiences of the auto civic's?

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201234482347715/sort/default/usedcars/price-to/500/make/honda/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/hp143ta/page/1/radius/20?logcode=p

 

Years tax and a fair bit of test, but never driven an automatic before. As this will mainly be a commuting car, can't say I'm not tempted by the laziness. Got the meriva if I fancy redlining up gears...

 

Sorry for all the questions, I promise when I buy something I will put a thread up (although probably not as interesting as other threads I've read!)

[Cavcraft]

If you're mostly commuting an auto is ideal, far easier to drive and great when in jams.

[Spiny Norman]

I've known 4 different people with that generation of Civic. With one exception (he washed it occasionally! ) they all treated them the way a peasant treats a donkey and they all kept on going. Two of them had their cars until earlier in the year, and one still has his. (a P reg Vtec 3 door in Pogweasel pink) I'd highly recommend any of them over a Kettle of doom series Rover.

[beko1987]

Cheers for the input Cav. I'm getting bored of sitting on the clutch (as the handbrake is pants) on the hills around here. As long as it's not jerky and will accelerate fairly quickly I'll be happy!

 

Will investigate.

[Station]

Civic over Rover deffo.

[Shep Shepherd]

I'm liking the eBay Saab 9000 saloon option. Pity about the crappy repair to the car's rear quarter, though.

[Cavcraft]

In my experience automatics are smooth, fast off the line and reliable. Small engined ones are pretty hopeless if you're always in a rush or want to overtake things for fun but the 1.4 Honda engine is a nippy little thing in manual form at least. See if you can find a trader selling one and go for a decent test drive as you may hate it.

[beko1987]

Well, I drove a Rover 25 tonight for a few miles. Belongs to my girlfriends aunt, I forgot she had one. 1.4 manual 5 door, so as close as I could get. Was ok, feels nice inside (a step up from the Puma), went fairly well, nothing sensational but then I'm not buying it for that. Brakes were shite, although that could be her rather than the car, had fuck all pez in it too, and she couldn't answer my mpg questions as she only potters 20 miles a week in it on a fiver here and there...

 

Liking these still, and looking at the options I can get a better condition 25 for the dollar, and probably have a stab at fixing it myself thanks to the handy walkthroughs on the forums etc.

 

Alternatively, something much more great could show up. All the civics within reaching distance of me are pretty ropey, certainly not as much t&t as the equivalent 25.

 

Got a week before the cash can be in my hand, want something bought next weekend! Then the puma can go live on my parents drive for a month getting hollowed out into a shell. Do scrappies generally mind dragging wheel-less cars onto their flatbed and paying for the privilege, or should I keep it drivable (cheapo drivers seat, dont sell the wheels) and deliver it?

[catsinthewelder]

Do scrappies generally mind dragging wheel-less cars onto their flatbed and paying for the privilege, or should I keep it drivable (cheapo drivers seat, dont sell the wheels) and deliver it?

 

I took the other option with this recently and broke the car at the scrapyard. This could have been a really great idea if I'd agreed a price for the car before he picked it up

[Morgan84]

Dont get stuck with a 1.4 83 BHP Rover 25 as they are terribly slow off the mark,and at motorway speeds very unrefined,and struggle.The 1.6 petrol or the 2.0 diesel go very nicely;small engine doesn't always mean more economy,as the gutless ones need flogging harder to keep up,and end up drinking more fuel to make the misery of owning a gutless wonder even greater. Great handling though,and fun to drive

[beko1987]

Must. Not. Bid. On. Saturday...stay away from the beers...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290764475766?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1203

 

up the bloody road as well, there had better be some ones like this next weekend!

[Lankytim]

We had an N reg 214 5dr and it was great. Economical (can't remember how good it was), handled well and was nice to drive. Pretty roomy too. I cant agree with the 1.4 being slow, but then ours was a 16v. No OMG HGF dramas although our one had quite bad rust issues with it being a very early one.

[Morgan84]

The earlier 214 wasn't 'detuned' like the later 25 which was offered in 83 and 103 BHP,so would have been quite lively,and yes,economy is pretty good

[ashmicro]

The 83 bhp Rover isn't actually detuned as such - there's just a stop on the throttle body quadrant to stop it opening all the way. Cut off the (plastic) stop with a hacksaw and adjust the cable, or (better) get an unrestricted TB from a breaker for about 20 quid. The earlier low power 200 was an 8 valver, both in 1.1 and 1.4 forms, basically a Metro engine.

[Morgan84]

Yes,the 83 BHP is easily upgraded;I think it was launched to be a lower insurance group model,but was only issued in the shite trim levels.Swap the cable and the plastic body for a metal one,and it will unleash the beast !

[Volksy]

The 220 Diesel I had as a company hack gave myself, and others, backache. Anyone else had this?

 

Although the diesel was fun, Wuvvum off of here has one that he loves, which has been 'tuned', and embarrases most modern stuff.

[ashmicro]

Yes,the 83 BHP is easily upgraded;I think it was launched to be a lower insurance group model,but was only issued in the shite trim levels.Swap the cable and the plastic body for a metal one,and it will unleash the beast !

 

Doesn't matter whether the TB is plastic or metal - there are restricted versions of both. Some say that the plastic ones stick. IME, only the metal ones stick (open - scary!)

[MikeKnight]

 

The 25 is exactly the same car with different headlights and a lot more tax/insurance to pay on it.

.

 

More to it than that old boy! For example, all pez engine 25s have the suspension set up from the old Vi, different electronics etc.

 

Well you learn something new every day.

 

I pretty much thought of the 25 against the 200 like an MG TF against an MG F. Pretty much the same car with different looks and a slightly superior loadout.

[ashmicro]

MGF is hydraspaz, TF is steel sprung.

 

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2012/01 ... ago-today/

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Liking these still, and looking at the options I can get a better condition 25 for the dollar, and probably have a stab at fixing it myself thanks to the handy walkthroughs on the forums etc.

 

Alternatively, something much more great could show up. All the civics within reaching distance of me are pretty ropey, certainly not as much t&t as the equivalent 25.

 

 

T&T are the least of your worries. When you're buying at the shit end of the market, you don't want to be spending money fixing the shitheap - and it costs money to fix a buggered K Series. You want something that will run and run and eventually die of MOT failure rot. That'll be something old and Japanese.

 

Still, your choice.

[Morgan84]

Yes,a old Corolla is a far superior car mechanically,and will have a longer life span if its cheap and cheerful motoring you are seeking

[Guest]

Yes,a old Corolla is a far superior car mechanically,and will have a longer life span if its cheap and cheerful motoring you are seeking

 

No way! Rover 25s are GR8!