Should I, shouldn't I?

[Dukestar25]

I found this on FleaBay:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-Kensington_ ... dZViewItemOk, it's a metro but a rust free, tiny mileage one at that (I e-mailed about the condition and was told that apart from a couple of dents, it's in excellent order). the only other fault lies with the Head Gasket which is why I could do with some help on this one. Should I buy it or not? Any advice is much appreciated...

[Guest]

Probably not, it's got a drift handle on the steering wheel.

 

 

As seen here: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... ryrn_70567

 

GRANNY DRIFT!

[Torsten2001]

Noooo! Love Metros but if the head gasket's gone then it'll never be right without an engine swap, of course if it's not the head gasket then it'll be a cracking little motor!

[Mat.T]

definatly not

[pogweasel]

I say buy it. Then crush it. While you watch. One less Metro can only be a good thing. Think of it as doing your duty to your country.

[Dukestar25]

Noooo! Love Metros but if the head gasket's gone then it'll never be right without an engine swap, of course if it's not the head gasket then it'll be a cracking little motor!

I take it a gasket change and a head skim aren't possible (economically) with the k-series then? I've never owned a car with one of these engines so don't know what would be involved...

[Torsten2001]

Possible but just not worth the grief, cars with good engines are cheap enough and after all it's not a particularly great example, try for a convertible over winter, that'd be worth spending on long term I reckon

[pandamonium]

Yeah, isnt it funny how campers and cabrios sell so cheap in the winter!?

[Albert Ross]

Head gaskets are a piece of piss on these motors. Just get a ggod skim done, and use Payen gaskets, (the steel shim type, not the composite things that Motorworld lob at you. I've done dozens of K series head jobs in my time, and once done correctly, with a new water pump, head bolts and cambelt, and thermostat, they run for ever. Do it, you know you want to!!!! If you chicken out of doing it, bring it to me in Sunny Donny, and I will do it for you if you cross my palm with Magners and cash..............Just in time for the summer too.....................

[marinast]

K series engines with sympathetic ownership can make 170k easy.Metros with intact rear arches are about as rare as a Muslim Pope.Sling in a 1600K (fits straight in, even uses the same gearbox and mounts) and you will have a handy road rocket there.Fit a genuine latest spec Land Rover multi layer head gasket (£28 from Land Rover, one gasket fits all K series engines) and a head skim for £75 and do the rest of the work yourself. The single cam K is a doddle to work on.

[Guest greenvanman]

It's a Metro - no!

[55bloke]

What a fascinating variety of replies! Seems you either love these things or loath them! Personally, I wouldn't have one given, but if it's nice and you like them, go for it!

[Jason A]

December 9th, Wimbledon Stadium, all Metro Banger racing. Perfect therapy for all those times you've been stuck behind an old granny doing 15 miles an hour oblivious to the world around her & you've felt the urge to give her a little shove out of the way.Not that any of you would of course, but always a highlight in the racing calender. Cheers.

[Volksy]

Had a 111GSi, which i bought for 2 pints of stella, head gasket had gone on that, but i ran it for ages without getting it fixed. Was fine round town, even on the motorway (until you hit a hill) in fact unless you booted it you couldn't tell. If you did though, it spat it's dummy, and the contents of the cooling system out. Engine froze manytimes, (had to top the water up every day, no chance of it seeing any antifreeze). So I used to top it up with boiling water first thing on a morning, then run it (whilst covering my ears from the noise of the waterpump doing an impression of a Mr Frosty machine). But to its credit it kept on going. It got to the stage where anything over gentle acceleration would cause the coolant to piss out onto the exhaust manifold through a gaping crack in the head.Odd car to drive, and being a 5 door, impossible to get in and out of with the comedy short doors and mega high sill combo. Had bizarre 'wood trim' inside, all stuck on the dash (badly) like an afterthought. Strong little bugger though!Metro abuse, it has to be done..

[Dukestar25]

Thanks for that everyone... The idea behind getting the car was to get it fixed and present it to the other half when she passes her driving test. I'm kinda partial to Rover metros myself as I learned to drive/ passed my test in one many, many moons ago and enjoyed driving it. Plus, my favourite 'traditional' scrappy has them in wall-to-wall at the moment so parts won't be an issue for a while...

[pogweasel]

I passed my test in a Metro ('cos I wasn't allowed to do it in a ropey Skoda???) Possibly another reason for the vitriolic bile that spews from me every time I see or hear of one.

[Dukestar25]

I passed my test in a Metro ('cos I wasn't allowed to do it in a ropey Skoda???) Possibly another reason for the vitriolic bile that spews from me every time I see or hear of one.

In all honesty, if I'd had to choose, I'd have picked the metro for the following reasons: a) easier to steer at low speeds with nippier engines than the Estelles. good all round visibility for reversing round corners etc. and c) Neither of my Estelles would have survived the trip as they were both unreliable and in dire need of cubing

[r.welfare]

Wossa problem wiv Metros eh? A K-series example in fine fettle is a pretty nice device, corners well and great throttle response. Naturally, a HG-blown, leaky-suspensioned, crusty-arched-and-silled example (as most are these days) is no good at all. And I wouldn't want an impact any harder than a love tap from a shopping trolley in one, but I have great memories of my mum's.An unassuming Kensington or Ascot (or whatever the boggo models ended up being called) with a big-cube K (1600 or, ideally, 1800 VVC), would be a fun device indeed. But I concur with the board that there are probably better motors as a starter for minimal money - I'd be looking for a Breadvan Polo, early Bubble Micra or 106/205, pref. diesel if the latter. Mate of mine bought a K-plate 106XN 1.1, years' MOT and full history privately last year for £180, so the bargains are there, especially at this time of year. It was toothpaste blue, though.

[Dukestar25]

It's all academic now though, the seller's pulled out a day early !Ah well, maybe next time...

[MrRegieRitmo]

It's all academic now though, the seller's pulled out a day early !Ah well, maybe next time...

I saw that & assumed he'd ended early to sell to you!

[Dukestar25]

It's all academic now though, the seller's pulled out a day early !Ah well, maybe next time...

I saw that & assumed he'd ended early to sell to you!

Hell no... I was waiting to see if anyone else would bid but everyone else must know something I don't. That or it's gonna be cubed, we'll never know...