Greetings from another Rover 800 owner!

[DLR]

Good evening all, I've not given a proper introduction to myself yet despite lurking for such a long time so I shall say hello and shower you with photos of my cars!

 

My name is Dan, known as "DLR" on most forums (not associated with the DLR in London I might add, I am based in Swindon during holidays and Burnley during term time) and I'm another one of those slightly odd people who like cars that aren't quite your everyday motors. Everybody has a certain type of car they like and tend to buy them in multiple numbers. My interest is quite firmly Rover 800s, which I believe are held in reasonable regard around here.

 

I've owned quite a few cars since I passed my test just over three years ago, but officially I have only had 4 'Daily Drivers'. These have all been Rovers and I've had a '97 100 Ascot Se, a '93 416 GSi and a 1.3 Maestro Van to name but a few. The only constant have been my 800s though, as you will soon see...

 

I've had 5 800s in the last 4 years. At the age of 16 I bought back a car my dad sold, which was a 1995 827 Si fastback in Black. Never drove it on the public road but at the time we had access to some private land so I did partake in a drive once or twice. Sadly I've no photos to hand of this, but it did reappear very recently on ebay here, looking sorry for itself. Sold it to buy my Metro as I couldn't afford the £4000 insurance quote at the time.

 

A few cars later I found myself in full time employment and in need of a replacement for my '93 416 GSi which I had damaged in a "slight bump" with an embankment. I took this as an opportunity to realise the dream properly and bought my current 800, a '95 820 Si, in January 2011. It is currently off the road as it is in need of new gaskets/suspension overhaul/general spruce-up, but that will wait until the summer when I can strip it down and take my time doing it. It's a typical mid-spec 800 with cloth seats and optional climate control and has had many many pounds spent on it, hence my reluctance to part with it.

 

 

 

 

In April 2012 I also bought a 1987 D-reg 820E. This was bought to save from scrapping as it seems to be the one of the only ones of its kind and after selling it and buying it back a more permanent home was found with fellow 800 nut and friend of mine Mo (Lord Sterling). I believe pictures of this car are on his Sterling update thread.

 

I also tried to save a '98 820 Si back in July but I was messed about by buyers three times (two of which were supposed 'enthusiasts') and sadly it went over the bridge shortly before my move north.

 

 

So my current car - bought as a stop gap a few weeks ago to replace the above Si as daily transport, my 1998 Rover 820 Sterling Coupe Auto. Bought for what was a bargain price and you don't see many about on the roads these days! Have some poor ebay school of photography photos, taken on a genuine mobile phone camera of questionable quality:

 

 

 

It is lovely to pootle about in - it is very smooth, if a little underpowered. I don't think the auto gearbox and 2 litre engine are the perfect match but it does the job and is positively effortless around town. It is almost as if the car wants to get you there just that little bit slower so you can spend more time embraced in that cocoon of leather and wood, bathed in a soothing orange glow and in turn you arrive at your destination safe, relaxed and ready to tackle the day. Plus the amount of admiring looks and comments this car gets really do make you feel important - got to be honest driving round this olde-worlde northern town I do feel like one of the local recreational substance salesmen..!

 

Thank you for reading my insomnia-induced ramblings and I hope you approve of my motor vehicles. I'll try and dig out some photos of the other cars I've had, my old 100 had a rather tasteful* GSi leather seat upgrade and the 416 was truly Giffer spec. And the Maestro van was a beauty to behold, I ended up putting my foot through the floor it was so crusty!

[Cavcraft]

Welcome along, that coupe looks fab! 

[HillmanImp]

I was about to say the same, the coupe looks really nice.

 

Welcome along.

[Split_Pin]

Welcome along, the 800 has plenty of fans on here including me. Look forward to seeing your progress with the saloon!

[inconsistant]

Well come. So you got rid of the 800 for a metro? Ah ha!

[rml2345]

Welcome sir! The current collection looks fab. Only a true shitist could upgrade* from an 800 to a Metro.

[DVee8]

Hi and welcome along

Love the coupe i stupidly turn down the chance of a px price turbo a few years ago

Our own 800 guru Lord_S will approve

[Jim Bell]

Welcome in. 800s are giving me the eye lately. Sure I'll have to give one ago at some point.

[fordperv]

Hello and welcome, I'm surprised that Lord_s hasn't popped along yet, I also am sure he will approve

[eddyramrod]

Oh boy are you going to fit in here!    Welcome aboard Dan, and don't apologise for the photos, it was clear enough what they were supposed to be.    Nice fleet, btw.

[brickwall]

Welcome. This is the Year of the Rover for me, I think

[Spiny Norman]

That coupe looks well swish, a serial Rover 800-ist should fit in well here, welcome.

[Mr Livered]

That coupe looks absolutely gorgeous.

 

Welcome

[Lord Sterling]

Hi Dan! Welcome to the site. I really hope you enjoy your stay. Just before I closed the door on the Rover 800 site I did see that you'd purchased Brads old 820 Coupe. Funnily enough I've recently had a drive of a P-reg 2.0 Coupe which you should be able to see in the 'News 24' thread.

 

As you know I have taken myself completely off the Rover 800 site due to the 'unpleasantness' that happened between myself and the Green Vitesse Coupe owning keyboard warrior/self appointed internet cop. I'm happy here.

 

Glad to see you are staying with Rover 800s, enjoy Coupe ownership, I know I would. Rover 800s really are an addictive car! 

[mercedade]

Hello Dan - welcome to this Other Forum from another 800 owner.

 

My Vitesse is also green, but I haven't yet managed to fall out with LS

[Jim Bergerac]

Two lovely cars there. I really like the Coupe which looks fantastic in that colour.

 

As another Rover (and related firms) enthusiast please do upload pictures of your previous cars. I'd love to see them.

[DLR]

Thank you for your kind welcomes! I am glad the 800 is so well received, it has to be said that they are fantastic value for money buys at the moment. Budget for a grand and you can have a factory fresh Sterling that is literally perfect, or do what I did and spend half that and you've got yourself a thoroughly presentable daily hack, as they say. Now is definitely the time to buy, the coupe cost me £550 and for that I got a very pampered car with a little bit of style and 11 months MOT/2 months tax. Doesn't get any better than that! 

 

Well come. So you got rid of the 800 for a metro? Ah ha!

Unfortunately so. Long story short I wouldn't be able to afford the insurance after I passed my test, so I had to downsize. The 827 was originally my dads, but he sold it due to running costs. It came back for sale a few months later and I bought it back, realised my error and sold it on again. I tend to have a habit of buying cars back, and buying cars that never see the road...

 

Hi Dan! Welcome to the site. I really hope you enjoy your stay. Just before I closed the door on the Rover 800 site I did see that you'd purchased Brads old 820 Coupe. Funnily enough I've recently had a drive of a P-reg 2.0 Coupe which you should be able to see in the 'News 24' thread.

 

As you know I have taken myself completely off the Rover 800 site due to the 'unpleasantness' that happened between myself and the Green Vitesse Coupe owning keyboard warrior/self appointed internet cop. I'm happy here.

 

Glad to see you are staying with Rover 800s, enjoy Coupe ownership, I know I would. Rover 800s really are an addictive car! 

 

Hi Mo, good to speak to you again. I did see what happened and it is a shame that you left, but I'm glad you're happy here. I did see that coupe you posted about, looks like another good'un. How's your fleet? Still got the 'E'?

 

Two lovely cars there. I really like the Coupe which looks fantastic in that colour.

 

As another Rover (and related firms) enthusiast please do upload pictures of your previous cars. I'd love to see them.

 

Thank you, When I have another night of sleep deprivation (probably later on tonight) I will dig out some photos for you lovely people. I may even treat you to a Hyundai Accent and a write-off Ford Escort if I can find them!

[RichardMoss]

Hello dan. No surprise to see you here

[Lord Sterling]

Hi Dan. Yes I've still got still got the E, it's safely tucked in my garage in Telford. Once I've got my finances sorted it'll join the others in Worcester hopefully.

[DLR]

As promised, I have found some photos and a little bit of back story for some of the more significant cars I have owned in the last 4 and a bit years.

 

My car history so far can be divided into three stages. 1 - cars I bought before I passed my test and didn't actually drive; 2 - cars I bought and used as a "daily driver"; and finally 3 - cars I bought after passing my test but never used as a daily driver.

 

Despite my preference for Rover cars, it all started with a 1995 Ford Escort at the age of 16, which was given to me by my grandmother after the car was written off after a rear-end shunt. It had hideously crusty arches and the gap around the boot after the shunt was large enough to fit my hand through, so it was sold on to a bloke who I believe broke it for spares. It was a shame as it had covered a genuine 45,000 miles from new and the interior was spotless. It was a 'Cabaret' spec, too, which meant alloys, white dials, sporty steering wheel and a rather fetching shade of loden green paint. Sadly I can't find any photos of it.

 

After this I had two Rovers, one of which was a 1994 216 Cabriolet (a sight-unseen ebay purchase and literally nothing worked, the interior was revolting and it was just generally rubbish) and the other my father's old 827Si as previously mentioned. Here's what the 827 looked like when we owned it many years ago:

 

 

(the oil patch underneath was caused by another car, not the Rover!)

 

After this I became sensible and turned 17. Sold the 827 to a man in Darlington and bought my 1998 Rover 100 Ascot Se. Not a bad little car, slight rust on the arches and I sold it after putting a jack through the sill. Only 'mod' as a boy racer youth person were some GSi leather seats from a '92 Metro. They didn't suit it really but my goodness it was comfortable!

 

 

And the leather seats:

 

 

This is the only car I have owned which was given a name. We nicknamed her 'Susan', like a lovely middle-aged lady my friend and I were acquainted with. Why? Well like Susan her sills were crusty and her front was sagging, but at the end of the day she was a lovely ride!

 

 

At this point I turned 18 and decided to upgrade! I pooled all of my financial resources and purchased a lovely one-owner 1993 Rover 416 GSi. Sadly I had a small accident in it and sold it on because I did not have the storage to keep it and fix, it was such a clean car I would still have it now had I not bumped it.

 

(The MAX POWER car mats were actually in there from the previous owner!)

 

At the same time as owning the above GSi I decided to expand my fleet and for the first time have two vehicles on the road at once. I bought my Maestro van which was so crusty I literally put my foot through the driver's floor. It had spent a lot of time on a farm as the stable car, carrying hay and feed and such, so was filthy beyond recognition. Fitted with the 1.3 engine and a 4 speed gearbox. I liked it until I could see the road through the floor.

 

 

Then followed the 800s as mentioned in my introductory post. See my 820E I saved from the scrapman...twice:

Now owned by Mr. Lord Sterling of this parish (in fact the above photo is actually his as I have lost all of my photos, hopefully Mo doesn't mind me borrowing his photo purely for illustrative purposes..?)

 

 

Another car worthy of mention is this:

 

It was a 1997 Hyundai Accent GLSi 1.5. It is the newest car my dad owned and I did learn to drive in it (well we stuck L plates on it and off we went). Bought in 2004 I think for nearly £3000 it is also the most expensive car my dad has owned in my lifetime. It did over 90,000 miles without a service and we owned it for 4 years, sold it to a friend of a friend, bought it back two years later and when it was at the end of its useful life as a family car I bought it for scrap in a deal involving a Rover 45 for the parents. I so desperately wanted to keep it but my parents persuaded me to scrap it (at the time I didn't have a choice as it was their driveway it was on). The headgasket had gone and I was going to strip it and rebuild it as it was quite the family heirloom. Despite the mileage the bodywork was near-perfect. 

 

 

You could also say that British cars are in my blood, my dad and both my grandfathers spent time working at Pressed Steel, my Grandfather has had two Rover 800s which is why I like them so much and when I was growing up my dad had two Maestros, an Austin Montego 2.0 turbo, a G-reg Rover 216, a couple of Metros, a Rover 45 and three 800s. And for the shiteist's touch a Vauxhall Belmont was once had within the family and my grandfather has a history of Cortinas, Vivas and Skodas with the engine in the boot (before my time). I'll see if I can borrow his photo album for you all.

[fordperv]

Very cool update, I love rover 100s in nightfire red, I had verbally agreed a deal on one while we were out one night, it was for Mrs fordperv when she had just passed her test, we were following the lady back to her house to complete the paperwork and hand over the cash, she was speeding didn't notice the speed camera, panicked and jumped on her brakes then lost control and went into a tank slap then hit a tree.

The woman got out of it unhurt as most of the speed had scrubbed off.

[Lord Sterling]

Nice update Dan. Good to see all of your past cars here. I hadn't realised that you'd bought a Maestro van. Wow! You've trumped me there, I never knew about it and have never driven a Maestro van, or even a Maestro for that matter.

[DLR]

Just thought I'd update this thread with some info on how the cars are currently.

 

The red 820 Coupe is still my daily, although it's future is in the balance. Had problems with seized brake calipers, potential wheel bearing required on the nearside rear, chipped windscreen (insurers want a £75 excess for repair, or £150 for replacement - that can wait) and more recently it has developed a habit of dumping transmission fluid. Need to have a better look for it, but for now I am nursing it through until the financial situation improves. Looks good, though.

 

Oh and when I bought it the speedo was not functioning. Turns out that the sensor was missing, but thanks to the generosity of Richard Moss a replacement was sent to me and installed, meaning I now know how fast I'm going.

 

The blue 820 Si is still off the road and looking dusty and neglected. I've done a compression test and it seems to have piston rings/head gasket issues, so needs some 'minor fettling'. Given my inexperience it seems daft for me to consider doing it myself, but in theory it seems "straightforward" and I've got to learn somewhere - after all, I can't make it any worse than it is already!

 

There is a possibility that I may be taking on another car soon. If I've not mentioned it already, my parents are currently driving a '96 825 Sterling Fastback and recently it was involved in a small prang and now they want rid. If I can I am going to buy it and fix it up, for a KV6 it's a really nice car. Have some pictures to make up for the wall of text:

 

 

Also investigating the purchase of a small 1.0/1.2 car as my sister is 17 in a few months. Refuses to have a Rover, so I'm thinking Nissan Micra as they seem to be reasonably priced and are more likely to have been looked after compared to their Corsa/Saxo/insert competitor here.

[Tetleysmooth]

Hello Dan.

 

Welcome to a world of shite.

[dollywobbler]

Great stuff. If you're looking at small motors, I bleat on endlessly about the Daihatsu Sirion. With good reason (probably).

 

I do like 800s. Must get one before prices rise.

[inconsistant]

 

Refuses to have a Rover, so I'm thinking Nissan Micra as they seem to be reasonably priced and are more likely to have been looked after compared to their Corsa/Saxo/insert competitor here.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/16377-for-sale-nissin-goaled-car/

[Lord Sterling]

Dan_lad, I say stick with the 800. You'll miss it and you'll also feel the difference of being in a bigger car compared to a small car. Small cars are nice and nippy and fun little things to drive but I know you love your 800s just as I do.

[AnthonyG]

That grey fastback looks lovely, hope you end up with it. The number plate font is great. I remember when in the mid 1990s dealers started taking up more and more of the number plate with their name etc, in the end the police/dvla got so fucked off with it they banned anything about from the bs number (and national flag if you were so inclined) when '51' started.

[RoadworkUK]

Noice! That Fastback is the spit of my 825Si, which continues to live in my garage under blankets and cardboard. Talk about an easy life. It'll be out in the summer, mark my words. Be nice to have a car with air conditioning again.

[DLR]

Great stuff. If you're looking at small motors, I bleat on endlessly about the Daihatsu Sirion. With good reason (probably).I do like 800s. Must get one before prices rise.

Mr. Wobbler I have been following your Sirion thread with interest and it is definitely a car to consider. Not actually driven one yet but when the time comes to purhase a small car I will find one to at least test drive!

 

Dan_lad, I say stick with the 800. You'll miss it and you'll also feel the difference of being in a bigger car compared to a small car. Small cars are nice and nippy and fun little things to drive but I know you love your 800s just as I do.

Yo Mo! How's it going? Saw the tall one the other week and he informed me that you are now working abroad! Congratulations, hope it works out for you. Don't fret Mo I'm sticking with 800s for a good while yet. Any small car will only be a temporary thing until my sister can start learning. Don't like the coupe though, looks nice but I just can't bond with it, especially with everything beginning to break! It's time with me is numbered, either going to be sold on (if it's even worth the hassle) or, don't hate me, but used as a donor for my Si. That's unlikely though, so don't lynch me just yet!

 

That grey fastback looks lovely, hope you end up with it. The number plate font is great. I remember when in the mid 1990s dealers started taking up more and more of the number plate with their name etc,

Thanks, it is a rather lovely old bus. Sadly those are old pictures, a couple of weeks back an arse in an Alfa decided the front of the car needed restyling and the front is a bit battered. The original number plate did not survive nothing that won't be sorted with time and effort, but I'm hoping to make a deal with my dad soon and this can take over the coupe's daily duties. Worth saving, only done 73,000 miles and the KV6 has actually been rather reliable for us despite the horror stories you hear! (touch wood!!)