Pensioner Spec Rover 400

[Milk]

Hello all,

 

New to here but bought a pensioner spec rover 400 which i guess falls well in here. I bought it about 2 weeks ago for dirt cheap as i was without a car and needed one,

The details are

Its green!

Its got a lot of scratches which will polish out but i cant be arsed

48000 miles

Honda d16 engine so should be reliable

Crappy auto box.

Full service history with receipts even for bulbs in 2001,

I only have pics from the advert a few weeks ago and since then its covered in salt and road shit and has done 2000 miles. il get proper pics when its not pissing it down and nice weather,

My plans are simple.

Service it and do the timing belt as i dont have paperwork saying its been done ever. i dont plan on keeping forever but having a crappy auto rover is better than been without a car so if something better comes up this will be long gone but it drives so it will do for now

 

 

 

[Lord Sterling]

Very nice. Liking the look of that. I had one myself for the brief period of 2 or 3 weeks way back when:

I should have bought it.

[Eyersey1234]

Chodtastic save there I'm sure it will serve you well

[Angrydicky]

I do like that BRG colour. Sounds like the condition is very similar to the 600 I had for a while, tatty but just kept going.

I recall the Honda autobox in mine was very nice to use - what's wrong with this one? Or do you just not like autos?

[Schaefft]

You know I really like these 400 Saloons for no good reason, I think they are good looking cars. 1 Random please.

[Milk]

Its not mega tatty just needs polishing really, and its my first auto and not a fan. in changes gear smoothly but needs a 5th gear as revs too high at 70ish.

Finding parts that are reasonable cost is impossible though.

[Milk]

you have a posher interior to me lord sterling with fancy leather mine is just grey cloth seats and grey door cards which the fabric need re gluing on as its droopy and falling off.

[HMC]

^ Agreed! Rover had their hands tied on these stylistically but the 4 door saloon allowed them more or their own input and they look nicely balanced (better than the hatch to my mind)
 

So at this stage it was still the Honda lump? Mines a later saloon (45) also a 1.6 but the k.

[Milk]

up until 1999 only the autos kept the honda d16 lump. then after i believe for the 45 it was ditched. and the 4 door does look better proportioned to the hatchbacks in my opinion

[Milk]

I do need to get around to taking some pictures now its filthy and make a list of everything its needs.

[Out Run]

My dad used to have a silver 420 SLi, saloon on the same wheels as the OP’s.

It was a great car, at the time. I always remember the centre 3 point seatbelt being anchored to the parcel shelf, and it having oil on it from my mountain bike chain ring.

[Out Run]

I’m sure it was P169 SWW. Vehicle details not found.

He had it until around 2001/2. iirc I guess it’s dead, but I’m surprised it has dropped off the system.

[Milk]

Ive paid so little attention to the car so far that i didnt even notice the centre 3 point seat belt, plus i have no reason to be in the back of the car. i pretty much drove it from cambridge to leeds hoping it wont blow up and seemed reliable and put about 2000 on it in a fortnight.

 

I remember ages ago there were loads of these and the older boxy rover on the road but it seems they have all disapeared now

[Milk]

So ive since done a additional 1000 miles in a week and sadly no pictures as im lazy but i have compiled a list of stuff i want to do.

Oil and filter, various other filters, replace fluids, new reg plates, and timing belt as  in the 3 inch thick paperwork which covers everything from bulbs 20 years ago i dont have anything on the belt.

 

Oh and tools to do all that without spending too much, I appear to have misplaced all of mine in the house move.

 

Issues wise its been good this week, there is a clicking sound when turning on full lock, After i turn left the brakes squeel for a few seconds for some reason and i woke up the other day to a dead battery but has been fine since. so a few things to fuck about with.

[Wingz123]

Multimeter on the fuses to see if you have a battery drain ?

Cv joint clicking on full lock?

Squeaky tensioner when on full lock from power steering pulley?

[Milk]

Its lasted 4 days without draining battery but if it does it a multimeter will be on my growing list of tools need to buy.

I think it is the CV joint clicking on full lock, once im set up with my tools ive secured a better place than the main road i love on to investigate it.

 

The squeak is definitly not the power steering pulley as it happens when im turning into road so not full lock and im certain its one of the brakes sticking slighty.

[Snipes]

From what Ghosty has been reporting it seems the Honda D is just as likely to pop a gasket as the K.

[Cookiesouwest]

Joy - I had the same car, including colour. Cheapest car I ever bought. And I bloody loved it. Great fun to drive,  Very jealous of you right now

[Uncle Jimmy]

You are Clive Swift and that's a bifocal windscreen M8. 

[Milk]

sir snipes- hopefully either i have good luck or ghosty had crap luck with the head gasket, i was always under the impression that d series were ok for them. but my car history comes from cheap alfas and ford fiestas so learning new stuff. Ghostys Concerto was twin cam if i remeber correctly, Mine is single cam so maybe it makes a difference?

 

Cookiesouwest- it is indeed a nice car to drive, smooth and quiet but its taking getting used to the softer suspension.

 

Nibblet - you have lost me there who is clive swift and bifocal is the blue staining on the windcreen at top correct?

[Snipes]

I think Ghosty had 3 go on him, though I also think he bought the twin cam knowing it had issues. 

Anyway, don't mean to jinx you or anything!

 

[Milk]

single cam on this and if it goes im blaming you

 

[Milk]

Long overdue update on a dead thread,

 

the cars battery issue only happened the once so must have left lights on.

did 4000 miles since I bought it and it only required petrol.

and its for sale as I've seen something new.