Scratching the itch - Rover

[Jewel25]

I'm a big Rover fan having owned 3 since I passed my test back in 2002. I've had a break for nearly 5 years now , but really want another 45. I would mean it being a second car , there is just enough room for 3 cars including the lady wife's. I'm able to do servicing etc... cv joints , exhausts. Question is am I asking for a world of pain taking on a 23 year old car. Should I just stick with my boring modern 2015 supermini and look at my collection of brochures and magazines instead ?

2 kids , wife etc... so not spare time rich. 

It'd be nice to get into a hobby again and see for the kids to see that too. 

 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

As a daily driver, yes a world of pain, but as a second car I don't see why not. It's the same reason why I took the decision to get rid of my 45 in 2019 and cease relying on it as daily transport and replaced it with a MK2 Focus which I still have

I just couldn't quite justify running 2 cars at the time given my relatively low annual mileage and the fact they both would have served largely the same purpose 

I'm passively on the look out for a clean manual 45 or 75, 

Unfortunately the parts started becoming too unobtainium for my liking and things like ABS sensors, suspension bushes, arms, ball joints are just not kept on the shelf any more and you'll be waiting a day or five for them to arrive. Wear and tear items like wiper mechanisms that could break at any time and there aren't any left in breakers any more so you'll be waiting a week for a second hand one to turn up off eBay. You get my jist, I'm sure

The fuel tank was starting to go quite rotten on mine and I predicted that would be the death of it, unfortunately it was scrapped a few months after I sold it so I don't know what killed it but something did!

I had a 25 back when they were current and I decided to recycle it when it suffered HGF because you could just get another one for £500! If it was now I'd have preserved it

My 414 was a bitter tale, the clutch failed the day before I was due to make a long journey (this was 10 years ago, and no-one had a new kit on the shelf...) So I had no option but to trade it in at a bombsite dealer (well, give them the keys and let them pick it up off the side of the road) and drive away in a K12 Micra with a generous* £100 discount for the Rover 

The Micra was a total hateful piece of shit which I replaced with the above 45 until I decided Rover ownership for daily transport was no longer feasible. The salt in the wound was when I saw the 414 go through a police auction a few years later having been seized after getting smashed up. It was a clean, low mileage example as well. Gutting

[Jewel25]

Agreed, as a daily a no no. Mine had done 125,000 but was rotten in many places . They all do that with 45s though 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Values have crept up on them. I've seen stiff listed for £2000 that would have been £500 a couple of years ago .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rustybullethole]

That’s still a new car to many. You’ll be grand, crack on. 

[RoverFolkUs]

They're still £500 cars realistically, there's just so few left that all the ones up for sale are overpriced and never actually sell. In short, no matter how much you buy one for, you'll struggle to get more than £5-600 for it if you came to sell it unless it's a spectacularly clean early KV6, for example 

Keep an eye out on owners groups/forums, particularly the Facebook group run by Paul, as they come up there fairly frequently at a reasonable price

[vulgalour]

The one thing in the 45's favour, and many more modern Rovers like it, is a decent enthusiast following with plenty of knowledge out there and some decent owners willing to lend a hand.  As a second car that you don't have to rely on every day, delays in getting parts and stuff shouldn't be as much of a hassle.  As usual, buy the nicest one you can at a price you're happy with in the spec you want and don't worry about investment/return values because it's just not that sort of a car.

[Jewel25]

The car in question would need both the roof and saloon boot spraying, so maybe this isn't the one. I imagine that is a £500 job for starters. Logistically it's tricky too over 2 hours aways too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rocket88]

12 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

As a daily driver, yes a world of pain, but as a second car I don't see why not. It's the same reason why I took the decision to get rid of my 45 in 2019 and cease relying on it as daily transport and replaced it with a MK2 Focus which I still have

I just couldn't quite justify running 2 cars at the time given my relatively low annual mileage and the fact they both would have served largely the same purpose 

I'm passively on the look out for a clean manual 45 or 75, 

Unfortunately the parts started becoming too unobtainium for my liking and things like ABS sensors, suspension bushes, arms, ball joints are just not kept on the shelf any more and you'll be waiting a day or five for them to arrive. Wear and tear items like wiper mechanisms that could break at any time and there aren't any left in breakers any more so you'll be waiting a week for a second hand one to turn up off eBay. You get my jist, I'm sure

The fuel tank was starting to go quite rotten on mine and I predicted that would be the death of it, unfortunately it was scrapped a few months after I sold it so I don't know what killed it but something did!

I had a 25 back when they were current and I decided to recycle it when it suffered HGF because you could just get another one for £500! If it was now I'd have preserved it

My 414 was a bitter tale, the clutch failed the day before I was due to make a long journey (this was 10 years ago, and no-one had a new kit on the shelf...) So I had no option but to trade it in at a bombsite dealer (well, give them the keys and let them pick it up off the side of the road) and drive away in a K12 Micra with a generous* £100 discount for the Rover 

The Micra was a total hateful piece of shit which I replaced with the above 45 until I decided Rover ownership for daily transport was no longer feasible. The salt in the wound was when I saw the 414 go through a police auction a few years later having been seized after getting smashed up. It was a clean, low mileage example as well. Gutting

Avoid manual 75s like the plague….

[Rocket88]

12 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

As a daily driver, yes a world of pain, but as a second car I don't see why not. It's the same reason why I took the decision to get rid of my 45 in 2019 and cease relying on it as daily transport and replaced it with a MK2 Focus which I still have

I just couldn't quite justify running 2 cars at the time given my relatively low annual mileage and the fact they both would have served largely the same purpose 

I'm passively on the look out for a clean manual 45 or 75, 

Unfortunately the parts started becoming too unobtainium for my liking and things like ABS sensors, suspension bushes, arms, ball joints are just not kept on the shelf any more and you'll be waiting a day or five for them to arrive. Wear and tear items like wiper mechanisms that could break at any time and there aren't any left in breakers any more so you'll be waiting a week for a second hand one to turn up off eBay. You get my jist, I'm sure

The fuel tank was starting to go quite rotten on mine and I predicted that would be the death of it, unfortunately it was scrapped a few months after I sold it so I don't know what killed it but something did!

I had a 25 back when they were current and I decided to recycle it when it suffered HGF because you could just get another one for £500! If it was now I'd have preserved it

My 414 was a bitter tale, the clutch failed the day before I was due to make a long journey (this was 10 years ago, and no-one had a new kit on the shelf...) So I had no option but to trade it in at a bombsite dealer (well, give them the keys and let them pick it up off the side of the road) and drive away in a K12 Micra with a generous* £100 discount for the Rover 

The Micra was a total hateful piece of shit which I replaced with the above 45 until I decided Rover ownership for daily transport was no longer feasible. The salt in the wound was when I saw the 414 go through a police auction a few years later having been seized after getting smashed up. It was a clean, low mileage example as well. Gutting

Ref parts… you probably have more chance of getting spares for these than a lot of more modern shite….

[RoverFolkUs]

7 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

Avoid manual 75s like the plague….

I'm a wrongun who would happily put a clutch kit in one myself if needed

I have the facilities and tools to do so, therefore it doesn't put me off

Unfortunately an Autobox would frighten me in regards of long term borkage potential, nobody would touch it and I probably don't have the means to go as far as repairing one myself

7 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

Ref parts… you probably have more chance of getting spares for these than a lot of more modern shite….

I know what you're saying but I have to disagree, things like door locks, handles, fuel tanks, ABS pumps, window regulators, wiper mechanisms are not being manufactured any more and there's only a finite number of second hand parts out there. In the case of a modern at least you have breakers to fall back on

[Rocket88]

It’s the clutch hydraulics that are a nightmare. I’ve had two diesel autos, and a V6 auto. Gearbox really suits the car.

[2flags]

There are some cracking examples out there, but you have to look hard for them now. I would buy the best example I could find and expect to pay around £1500. That would get you a really good low mileage example. Unless you are good with a welder I would avoid the cheaper ones. Using Man Maths, you can run at least two cars, possibly three. You will not be having to find £3-4k for a deposit or the £350-£400 per month for the PFC or the PPC or whatever new thing they come up with to encourage you to buy a new car. You can indulge yourself and buy the car, or cars that you want. Running one of these as a daily may be more of a challenge if it is your only car. So it is off the road for a week until the new parts arrive? Well, you simply use one of the others. If you want a Rover 45, then get one. Life's too short. You could also treat yourself and have a 25 as a stablemate, or even a 75, or both. 😁😁 

[Jewel25]

Thanks for the replies. I've let the low mileage example go 26,000 k. .Both the roof and boot lid had faded and had been tidied up with spray cans. Quotes of £800 to put right. The car is £800 , but I suspect it'll be more than just the roof and lid that are had it. It's also a 2 and half hour drive to view then same again on train to collect. I'll sit tight for now. 

[Ghosty]

a 45? Be fine - I used to daily R8s... and now I daily a 33 year old Civic.

[Angrydicky]

A manual K series 45, with head gasket history, and without the usual galloping front floor rot, is a nice car. I also prefer the looks of the saloon. They have lovely seats.

Pre project drive (about 52/03 was the changeover) have much nicer quality interiors. Avoid the CVT auto at all costs. Very unreliable.

Have you considered a 600? Much more reliable and much less fragile than a 45, and probably rarer. They aren’t as nice inside but they make up for that in the reliability stakes. I’ve got a 2.0 manual 620 with the Honda engine and it’s lovely to drive, smooth and wafty. I’ve also had very little go wrong with it and nothing that’s ever caused a FTP.

 

[Angrydicky]

I don’t know much about 75s but the KV6 and diesel look to have piss poor engine bay access, which is not what you want as they’re going to need repairs here and there. Personally I’d only touch a 75 with the 1.8 K series for this reason. They’re reliable if the head gasket has been changed properly and the right type of gasket has been used.

[Jewel25]

7 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

A manual K series 45, with head gasket history, and without the usual galloping front floor rot, is a nice car. I also prefer the looks of the saloon. They have lovely seats.

Pre project drive (about 52/03 was the changeover) have much nicer quality interiors. Avoid the CVT auto at all costs. Very unreliable.

Have you considered a 600? Much more reliable and much less fragile than a 45, and probably rarer. They aren’t as nice inside but they make up for that in the reliability stakes. I’ve got a 2.0 manual 620 with the Honda engine and it’s lovely to drive, smooth and wafty. I’ve also had very little go wrong with it and nothing that’s ever caused a FTP.

 

Agreed , my previous 45 was a an early 2001 car , so wasn't affected too much by project drive. Almost all seem to have rot where the 3 panel join at the bulkhead. 

I'd rather pay more for one that is sorted than paying £100s on paint to get one looking smart. 

Time is always an issue with kids , but it is a passion /hobby . 

 

 

[Jewel25]

9 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

A manual K series 45, with head gasket history, and without the usual galloping front floor rot, is a nice car. I also prefer the looks of the saloon. They have lovely seats.

Pre project drive (about 52/03 was the changeover) have much nicer quality interiors. Avoid the CVT auto at all costs. Very unreliable.

Have you considered a 600? Much more reliable and much less fragile than a 45, and probably rarer. They aren’t as nice inside but they make up for that in the reliability stakes. I’ve got a 2.0 manual 620 with the Honda engine and it’s lovely to drive, smooth and wafty. I’ve also had very little go wrong with it and nothing that’s ever caused a FTP.

 

Am I right in thinking they are less prone to rot? 

[Angrydicky]

Mmm, the rear arches go and so, eventually, does the back of the sills which is hidden behind the sill covers.

So the rot is a bit more obvious than it tends to be on the 45.

Apart from that, not really. I had to patch a corner of the boot floor on mine, which a previous owner had hidden with thick underseal. But I think it was the leaking rear light gasket that had caused that rather than an inherent rot spot.

[Angrydicky]

8 minutes ago, Jewel25 said:

Agreed , my previous 45 was a an early 2001 car , so wasn't affected too much by project drive. Almost all seem to have rot where the 3 panel join at the bulkhead. 

I'd rather pay more for one that is sorted than paying £100s on paint to get one looking smart. 

Time is always an issue with kids , but it is a passion /hobby . 

 

 

Mine was just starting to blow apart when I got it. I lovingly wire brushed, kurusted and painted that and took the sill covers off and did the same behind there where the factory paint had flaked and it was starting to go.

The poxy thing rewarded me by promptly shitting its gearbox.

Had it not been for the gearbox it would probably still be with us. I viewed a Y reg 1.6 hatch with a mate a couple of years ago. One owner, looked mint on the outside. Had a look underneath and the front floors looked dreadful, they should have definitely failed the last mot. Strangely, no mention of corrosion on the mot history. It had been done at the same place for years, maybe they didn’t want to worry the old boy!

 

[BorniteIdentity]

I think a nice 45 saloon makes eminent sense tbh. You need to approach it in a different way; expecting the factors to have a central locking relay on the shelf is madness - but stockpiling things when they come up and having your own supply chain makes sense.

I always caution people using older stuff as “second cars” - the more you use them, the more you rely on them and the more you keep on top of stuff.

Just go for it. You’ll be fine. 

[barefoot]

I don't understand this thread.

I have 5 cars and my modern, the wife's daily, is an '02 plate Rover 75 - KV6.