Rover 25, any good?

[carlo]

Evening campers.

 

I need a cheap small car for Mrs_Carlo very shortly, there seems to be lots of low mileage, good condition Rover 200/25s around for no money at all; are these things any good or to be avoided like the plague?

 

Ta muchly

[Landy Mann]

I'm on my second... Yes they're very good. Only thing to watch is the OMGHGF on K series, although I've never suffered from it. See my bubble shaped adventures here: http://autoshite.com/topic/23846-landy-manns-project-deprive-boring-update-now-avec-towbar-43/.

[Cavcraft]

420 a better bet. He said, completely unbiasedly.

[carlo]

Yes I was just reading the Autocar tests of the time and they had excellent reviews, especially the 1400 engine, which I presume is a K series?

[The Moog]

Or a Suzuki swift...

[Brodders]

I had one not too long ago, a 2000 1.4iS. Not bad at all, it handled pretty well and was pretty powerful for a 1.4 (103 BHP) which meant you could have a bit of fun surprising people behind you on the slip road as you zoom off into the distance.

 

It was also pretty economical and was fairly reliable, apart from when the alternator failed as I was joining the A14; but considering it was the original 16 year old one I can't complain too much. Pretty good for less than £400.

[dollywobbler]

Yes I was just reading the Autocar tests of the time and they had excellent reviews, especially the 1400 engine, which I presume is a K series?

The 1.6 was in these too. It isn't a Ronda.

 

I've only driven the CTV version, which I really liked, apart from the rattling sunroof.

[greengartside]

I had one of the newest bubble shaped 214's on an N-plate about 10 years ago. Super quick and not bad on fuel. Had an indicated 120mph on a private* road once. I never had any problems with it and it got abused every day. Back then it seemed like every young lad had one and barry'd them - including me.

 

 

 

TOP TIP: If you're into this sort of thing. Remove stock airbox and fit a cone filter. Makes a lovely growl when you give it some beans.

[sierraman]

Nice cars, obviously be wary of any cooling system issues. Fairly solid cars. Probably best bet if you can find one would be the 220d. The 1.8 more prone to HGF than the 1.4. Ones that are left are likely to be decent as they don't take well to neglect, so ones that are still motoring must have had some frequent attention.

[Doctormop]

In 2009 I had been without a car for 5 weeks and public transport was getting me down, saw a Y reg Rover 25 1.4 advertised quite local to me, £600, no further info, a quick call to the seller (A police woman no less) revealed a fully Mot'd re headgasket'd 5 door 25 in dark blue,  went to have a look at it after dark due to Local Constabulary shift patterns and thought it worth a gamble, excellent car all round, did everything reasonably well and gave no trouble in 2 years and 20.000 miles, always kept an eye on the temp gauge and coolant level but even through the hot summer of 2010 it refused to put a foot wrong, it was nippy, handled well and generally did everything I asked of it; the best part was that each time I filled it with petrol or just parked it some 'expert' would make a point of telling me it was about to implode and I should p/x it for something reliable.

[MarvinsMom]

yes, both myself and kerry have had R3 bubble Rover 214/25's and they are a nice steer.

 

ok so we did have OMGHGF in both of them, but otherwise were trouble free. 

 

they both had 1400 K-16 engines and were both comfortable and easy on fuel, and inspite of the head gasket business, we'd both have another one again.

[Tam]

Using a 25 as my daily just now and I actually prefer it to the 45 I had a few years ago. Mine is the L series diesel and it is pretty nippy also does 53 mpg easily. Really easy to tune for speed if that's your thing and I read somewhere they run on veg?

Think the diesels cost a little more to buy and it does sound like a tractor from the outside. However I got mine with 44000 miles, good mechanically but a bit rough on the body cosmetics for £450. The later cars do suffer from shit electrics but all in all very good so far!

 

[matty879]

ive owned 5 of these great machines,2x 1.4 both hgs went,but 3 220 diesels never missed a beat,best cars i ever owned

[Insideimsmiling]

As most have said these are good cars to own for little money as long as you check for signs of hgf and go for the actually very good 1.4 engine as these are less likely to boil and are light years ahead of other engines such as ford at the time in terms of power delivery and refinement. The MG versions are quite sporty and the earlier Rovers can be quite well appointed but refinement and quality went downhill as the company was strangled for cash. I have sampled all versions pretty much but the choice for me would be the Streetwise. An original idea since much copied which makes for a more practical car in terms of managing city touch parking and raised ride height for our austerity maintained British roads.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

A good mate bought one for his Mum off an old dear - one owner, 27'000 miles and a late one - 2003 iirc. Already rusting on all four arches, but it did 2500 miles before the head gasket failed. I drove it to a metal yard in Shirebrook and the engine had pretty much melted by the time we got there. It was the smallest engine, 1.4?

[sierraman]

No the smallest was the 1.1 sohc k series.

[oldcars]

Blue one for sale on here i think Dugong has it.

[cros]

I've never had one of these or even been in one but I know they're excellent. I can feel it in my water.

[carlo]

All sounds quite encouraging so far, think we'll be looking at these and 98-05 Clios probably.

[Junkman]

you could have a bit of fun surprising people behind you on the slip road as you zoom off into the distance.

 

In the UK you can do that with a Lanz Bulldog.

 

All sounds quite encouraging so far, think we'll be looking at these and 98-05 Clios probably.

 

I think the Clios are the better cars, if they just weren't so grotesquely gopping.

The Rovers are so much more stylish and available in this beautiful swimming pool metallic like Tam's.

[sierraman]

You'll probably have less trouble with the rover. The old clios are nice cars but seem prone to FTP electrical faults. The rover apart from the HGF are fairly durable. Just find one that's had the gasket already done.

[Cleon-Fonte]

 

I think the Clios are the better cars

 

If you don't mind being driven to a nervous breakdown every time you perform basic maintenance, or spending many happy* hours on the hard shoulder.

[Junkman]

If you don't mind being driven to a nervous breakdown every time you perform basic maintenance, or spending many happy* hours on the hard shoulder.

 

As I said, my biggest issue would be having to look at it every day.

Same goes for the Peugeot 306, which would be another good alternative for a 200/25.

[dugong]

Another parts bin special that transcends the spares bin.

I remember driving a friend's R3 giffer 25 1.4 recently and was astonished - MAN THIS LOOKS IT SHOULD BE COLLECTING A PENSION BUT THE BLOODY ENGINE GOES TO SEVEN GRAND!

 

The usual Rover caveats about terrible driving positions and fastenings made of brie apply.

 

No disrespect to Mrs Carlo but does she mind doing underbonnet level checks every other day? I wouldn't trust a K Series to hold together in a lot of stop start traffic if the inlet manifold gasket and associated upgrades hadn't been done. Blah blah media conspiracy blah blah the K Series was cheapened gibber gibber excuses.

 

K Series engines are a bit like modern diesels in that they always, always need running up to temperature, getting nice and warm and worked hard to stand a chance of lasting. They're racehorse lumps in donkey cars but R8s, R3s and HHRs drive well for the pittance a good one will stand you at. I know of a daily driver K engined Elise S1 that has 130k on the clock that has never had work done beyond routine maintenance.

 

Build quality? About on par with contemporary PSA stuff but it gets worse the later you go into Project Drive.

 

L Series diesels are clattery, agricultural and laggy but effective and swift on boost (they calm down under load anyway) - and a match for the XUD and DW8 on fuel.

If longevity's your thing, I'd get an R3 diesel just as long as she can put up with that oddly elevated driving position.

One thing I didn't like about the L (and this isn't just a Rover/Powertrain thing) is that the servo and the PAS are driven off one massive poly V belt; if that snaps, you lose your steering and brakes.

[wuvvum]

Re driving position - try and find one without a height-adjustable driver's seat.  The adjustment gubbins are so bulky that even on its lowest setting the seat is higher than a non-adjustable one.

[AMC Rebel]

..... much but the choice for me would be the Streetwise. An original idea since much copied which makes for a more practical car in terms of managing city touch parking and raised ride height for our austerity maintained British roads.

 

Plus you can lower them really easily by fitting standard suspension

[carlo]

Thanks for all the advice, all taken on board.  Still the low cost of them appeals, as this one for example:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322246024492?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Mr A Lawrence]

I bought a brand new MGZR105 version in 2003 and, although it handled extremely well and went quite quickly especially with the custom back box and cone filter it was THE WORST CAR WE EVER OWNED!!

 

Bits of trim fell off on a daily basis and in the 9 months or so we owned it it went back to the dealership almost every month.

 

Chopped it in for an Mgf in the end.

 

Would I own one again??

 

Too right!

 

Mine must've been a Friday afternoon car.

[Ghosty]

If you don't mind being driven to a nervous breakdown every time you perform basic maintenance, or spending many happy* hours on the hard shoulder.

 

And the bonnet catches have a mind of their own, too.

[Guest Lord Sward]

I sold a new Rover 214Si to a chap on Aug 1st 1998.  He stuffed it the next day, very hard.  I can confirm these cars are very strong.  The 25s even more so.