Roffle Rover 25 GTI - *flashback*

[Jim Bell]

I would like to read to you all from the book of Autoshite.

Psalm xollob, Verse 69;

 

"Where there is need,let there be provision.

Allow distance and logistics to be issues not.

Let there be shite. And let it be good."

 

 

And in the true spirit of the great book of Shite, we see below the latest offering to the world famous Mr Bo11ox! long term loan a car to a stranger scheme .

 

In the spirit of the good book, the car was expedited by Craigtheprincess from the southernish branch of Cheatteaux Bo11ox to the North East Coast. A very kind gesture indeed.

 

 

And so, to the pictures!

 

 

Upon arrival:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First on the list was to clean this mother up a bit....

[Jim Bell]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theres quite a shine under all that muck!

[Cavcraft]

That's ace and I now wish I owned one.

[Jim Bell]

Interiors:

 

 

 

 

 

Needs moar shelf

 

 

 

 

 

Youve come a long way for a kettle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kettle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rimz yo

 

 

 

 

 

Laquer appeals;

 

 

 

 

Original dealer sticker:

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Bell]

First impressions are that I fucking love it.

 

Its eager, tight and fizzy. Just like a mermaids fanny.

 

I love the VVC engine, and was hoping that the 25 would be half the car of the MGF that I had to let go, but the 25 is so much more than that.

 

Throttle response is cut-throat razor-sharp, power is explosive like the poo's you get when you go on holiday to India. Unlike India holiday poos, the Rover is a very lovely way to spend the day.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yessss!!!! This is such an ace car, its great to see it getting out and about. I’ve only driven it ¾ of a mile myself!

 

I think it looks really classy as a Rover (i.e. not an MG) but with the 16†hairpin wheels and slightly lowered suspension. On the short drives I did in it, I found the suspension was pretty hard and it was a bit raucous but seemed quite quick and very ‘pointy’, felt a bit like what I imagine a mini cooper to feel like.

 

I was super relieved that it made it up to Whitley Bay alright, quite an undertaking seeing as it had not really had anything like a proper test drive since I did the cylinder heed!! Anyway if it can make it up there it can probably go anywhere, it must be alright mustn’t it.

[Jim Bell]

Just goes to show; You are the K-series Head Gasket Fix King.

 

It is very pointy. very eager in straight lines, but likes to push out if you try and apply throttle while attempting a turn.

 

Might need better tyres. Which I'm sure will be suicidally expensive in 16 incher flavour.

[trigger]

I really like that, I've had a look on online to see if any are for sale but i only found two, both in rubbish colours though.

[Mr Lobster]

They are a nice looking car, looks very 'right' that. Excellent collective shite loaning gang!

[Hertz]

Brilliant! And another very generous offering from Bollox. With this popularity you may need a flyer bollox. Anyone good with Photoshop fill yer boots...

 

[trigger]

I'm rubbish with photoshop but here goes.

 

[dugong]

205\50 and 205\55 16 tyres aren't that expensive if you know where to look - they're probably the most common tyre size in use at the moment. Mytyres usually has a few good 'uns.

 

25 looks fab by the way. MGF is behaving itself and will appear as a tiny caption column in MG Enthusiast once I've taken off the horrible 'MGF' Halfords lettering. Why do people do that?

[skattrd]

As dugong says not all 16's are expensive, I run this 205/55/16 on the boring and its winter tyres were under £40 each new from mytyres.

[dugong]

As dugong says not all 16's are expensive, I run this 205/55/16 on the boring and its winter tyres were under £40 each new from mytyres.

From what [very] little I know about those MGR 16" wheels, they appear to run 205\50 16s. See if you can track down osome of the remaining Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 stock, they're phenomenal boots and it won't matter that they ride hard.

[Jim Bell]

Time for a bit of DIY.

How to put a shelf up.

 

Step 1. Find a suitable space.

 

 

 

 

Step 2. Measure and insert.

 

 

 

 

Step 3. Ensure it hangs straight.

 

 

 

 

Step 4. Check reciept and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the MOT had a few Advisories on Tyre issues,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to treat it to a set of 4 Goodyear Efficientgrip Performance tyres in 205/55/16 flavour.

These new xmas shoes are to be fitted by local firm Tyne Tyres tommorow.  I really rate these tyres for general use, and the reviews are all good too.  You may think me a bit of a pussy for my concerns about rubber, but better to be safe than sorry when it comes to safety.

 

 

 

I Have also ordered a Cam Belt kit, water pump and a new set of Genuine Rover coolant pipes with new saab valve, which should all see the car up to an acceptable level of repair and fit for long term ownership.

 

 

 

Running total costs:

 

Car: free (so far)

Tax: er £20 a month.

Tyres : £350

Cam belt and water pump: £70

Coolant/heater pipes: £55

Stickers: £2

 

Spend so far:

 

£497. Thank god for credit cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still loving it.

[Largactil]

I had one of these in non-VVC form (a 218 Si or something) and it flew - GR9 for catching out the 2.0 TDi brigade when they attempted to assert their superiority over your giffer mobile.

 

Well wear!  

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Buying nice tyres is a real pleasure. They always make a massive difference to how an old crate rides and steers. PLus theyre always better balanced than cheap tyres making for a generally better 'feel' to the whole thing even on a straight smooth road. Nice work! This car has come a long way since I dragged it home from the welsh valleys a few months back.

[skattrd]

Hasn't this already had a cambelt and waterpump change under the Bollox k-series revival scheme?  .... I may be getting it confused with one of the others.

[Lacquer Peel]

CLASS.

[trigger]

It's nice to see unloved cars getting some real love at last, I bet it will drive even sweeter with the new rubbers fitted.

[Jim Bell]

Hasn't this already had a cambelt and waterpump change under the Bollox k-series revival scheme?  .... I may be getting it confused with one of the others.

 

Waterpump was indeed done, I really should have read that thread propperly before spending money! Cam belt is to do though. I'm sure the new boots will make a big difference.  Id never been one for "new" tyres until I put a full set of Efficientgrips on the Astra I had.  Up until then it was all mismatched part worns for me.  I really noticed a difference in handling, wet grip and noise with the new Goodyears on, and I think that has converted me really.

I'm now a good tyre devotee.

[trigger]

I found the same thing with the Civic, I was running on 30 year old Firestones which I thought was alright, until I upgraded to a set of new tyres and the transformation was amazing, it handled and rode so much nicer and was much quieter on the motorway.

[skattrd]

If the water pump was changed then wouldn't the cambelt have been done at the same time?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

You would think so, but in fact I didn't put a new belt on, I think I reached a point where I didn't wanna spend another zloty till i had heard the bastard thing running properly. Eventually I got it running right but the belt is still the old one.

[greengartside]

Fantastic to see this little gem get some loving, looks like a proper wolf in sheep's clothing. I do have a set of the 'Rodgers of Plymouth' number plate surrounds at home, which coincidentally were on my 214. Fabulous.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Parky]

K W O L I T Y

 

That is all

[Jim Bell]

 

Live tyre fitting.

[Jim Bell]

 

In the bay.

[Jim Bell]

Hup

 

 

[inconsistant]

OMG that's a really nice car. I absolutely love how these are so understated. I nearly got one of these in 2013 while I was waiting for GarethJ to not want his 924 any more. Local giffer letting go of a black 3 door for £600 owned from new. Lovely condition, low miles but a bit too modern as I wanted something a bit more mechanical. I like that they're really rare but most people couldn't care less. We had a new (company) 200vi in the late 90s and it was a orsham car. I enjoyed the dilemma of being at 4000rpm in 2nd and having to decide whether to chose a gear change for ecomomy or red line hoonage. Mostly hoonage if I recall. I would sleep with that 1.8 vvc engine if I could convince the wife that our bed wouldn't end up covered in fluids. For me, Rover 25gti, Rover (sd3) Vitesse and MG Maestro= dream garage.