Mission aborted: Not a collection of an utterly shagged Rover 75

[IronStar]

39 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

Rover 75

This is the correct answer! 🥳 2002 2.5 V6 

Unfortunately it’s also a mission abort. It’s utterly, utterly shagged.

There’s a tick coming from the intake, it’s shaking inside like there’s no tomorrow, but doesn’t sound like it’s working on 5 cylinders, so I don’t think it has a single working engine mount. Lacquer peel galore on the trunk, roof and door. Replacement key. Very concerning looking rear arch. Hail damage on the hood. Something is wrong with the throttle, and it feels very sticky both on pressing it and releasing the pedal. A few other things that caused me and the Mini specialist that volunteered to come with me nope the fuck out of there in under 3 minutes. 

It’s just looking very very very sad for itself and generally feels on its last legs. I’m a sucker for a lost cause, but this is too much for me unless it’s at scrap value. 

No collection tonight, sorry all. 😕

[mintwth]

3 minutes ago, hairnet said:

hes not insane

 

Too far to travel? 

[hairnet]

for him

no

[Split_Pin]

That'll be the variable intake motors making the tick. 

A tired 75 is a horrible experience,  a well maintained one is a joy.

Next time!

[IronStar]

7 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

That'll be the variable intake motors making the tick. 

A tired 75 is a horrible experience,  a well maintained one is a joy.

Next time!

That tick and sticky throttle sealed it as “let’s fuck off, sharpish”. 
I read up on those, easily fixable with a new one, but there was just too much wrong with it even for my standards. I was willing to accept a lot but no-toys, cosmetically challenged and obviously neglected V6 is too far. 

Hopefully another 2.5 V6 comes along soon, this time significantly less broken.

[JMotor]

20 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

That'll be the variable intake motors making the tick. 

A tired 75 is a horrible experience,  a well maintained one is a joy.

Next time!

As he said.

A bad 75 will be awful. There will be a better car out there.

Just wasn't meant to be with that particular car. So you were quite right to bail on it. 

[IronStar]

The sole problem with “another one” is that it not really a common car here, and what little there is are mostly diesels. Couple of 1.8 and 2.0 cars, but 2.5 (and any other car over 2.0 really) is VERY rare for tax reasons. It’ll be a while until next one in any condition comes along, let alone a good one at the price I’m willing to pay.

That still doesn’t mean this one is worth spending money on though. Too far gone.  

 

[stuboy]

i know aborted mission but did u get a picture?

 

[IronStar]

20 minutes ago, stuboy said:

i know aborted mission but did u get a picture?

 

For sale ad here

https://www.polovniautomobili.com/auto-oglasi/25984469/rover-75-25?attp=p0_pv0_pc0_pl1_plv0
 

Single photo I took

[IronStar]

40 minutes ago, IronStar said:

The sole problem with “another one” is that it not really a common car here, and what little there is are mostly diesels. Couple of 1.8 and 2.0 cars, but 2.5 (and any other car over 2.0 really) is VERY rare for tax reasons. It’ll be a while until next one in any condition comes along, let alone a good one at the price I’m willing to pay.

That still doesn’t mean this one is worth spending money on though. Too far gone.  

 

And as I type that, two more 2.5 V6 come along for sale tonight.

One very shagged, one too expensive.

https://www.polovniautomobili.com/auto-oglasi/26038188/rover-75-v6?attp=p0_pv0_pc0_pl1_plv0
 

https://www.polovniautomobili.com/auto-oglasi/20284547/rover-75-25-v-6?attp=p0_pv0_pc0_pl1_plv0

[JMotor]

Wow.

You know when something is rough when it looks rough that in a picture.

Shame as it appears to look like an early Cowley built car with the Rover badge on the boot lid and the black sills (happy to be corrected tho)

Didn't realise they were that rare there. Still. As before, you were correct to walk away.

[DSdriver]

Do they have Ovals in Serbia?

[Split_Pin]

Thae cheap ones have all the hallmarks of a tired 75

✅️ Shit android head unit

✅️Missing grille bars

✅️ Smoked in

I bet half the interior plastics are on the floor or door pockets as well. Well avoided.

It looks like a Club spec, manual but with a 2.5 v6 which is a pointless spec. 

The expensive one will be worth it if it has a good service history. Lovely paint, Crown alloys and it looks like it might have a Personal Line interior from the 2 tone steering wheel and contrasting seat piping. Also 4 button centre console and an auto.

Even in the UK where they're still quite easy to find, a top spec car in good condition with evidence of careful maintenance will be at least £2500.

 

[IronStar]

10 hours ago, DSdriver said:

Do they have Ovals in Serbia?

No

9 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Thae cheap ones have all the hallmarks of a tired 75

✅️ Shit android head unit

✅️Missing grille bars

✅️ Smoked in

I bet half the interior plastics are on the floor or door pockets as well. Well avoided.

It looks like a Club spec, manual but with a 2.5 v6 which is a pointless spec. 

The expensive one will be worth it if it has a good service history. Lovely paint, Crown alloys and it looks like it might have a Personal Line interior from the 2 tone steering wheel and contrasting seat piping. Also 4 button centre console and an auto.

Even in the UK where they're still quite easy to find, a top spec car in good condition with evidence of careful maintenance will be at least £2500.

 

I’ll probably take a look at the lacquer peel blue one. At 500 which it will probably sell for, it will need to be totally, utterly, point of no return shagged not to be worth throwing some money at it to get it serviced, and then throwing world’s cheapest blowover to make the paint look nice. Saving a car + getting it on a deep discount, as I’d change the oil, belts, thermostat housing and water pump at the world’s most expensive one, if there’s no evidence that it was changed recently as a precaution. Am I going to be in for a world of pain?

I don’t get the manual box in the 2.5 V6 Rover 75 though. It’s meant to be wafty, why would you be shuffling gears yourself? 

I…er…may have accidentally just sold the expensive one. Sent links to the Mini specialist. Get a call back 30 seconds later. Turns out that the 4k one is the one he is eyeing for a while, and he thought it sold before he was able to get the money together. Rover 75 collection mission 2.0, but not for my car, is probably on as a weekend activity. 
 

Oh, there’s another top spec Lithuania-plated 2.5 V6 for sale as well. Evidence of being in a sandwich and import duties make this a not-so-appealing proposition though.

https://www.kupujemprodajem.com/automobili/rover/rover-75/oglas/177534906?filterId=6482868178

Supposedly 2004, but I think the details are off for a 2004 car?

[Split_Pin]

3 minutes ago, IronStar said:

No

I’ll probably take a look at the lacquered peel blue one. At 500 which it will probably sell for, it will need to be totally, utterly, point of no return shagged not to be worth throwing some money at it to get it serviced, and then throwing world’s cheapest blowover to make the paint look nice. Saving a car + getting it on a deep discount, as I’d change the oil, belts, thermostat housing and water pump at the world’s most expensive one, if there’s no evidence that it was changed recently as a precaution. Am I going to be in for a world of pain?

I don’t get the manual box in the 2.5 V6 Rover 75 though. It’s meant to be wafty, why would you be shuffling gears yourself? 

I…er…may have accidentally just sold the expensive one. Sent links to the Mini specialist. Get a call back 30 seconds later. Turns out that the 4k one is the one he is eyeing for a while, and he thought it sold before he was able to get the money together. Rover 75 collection mission 2.0, but not for my car, is probably on as a weekend activity. 
 

Oh, there’s another top spec Lithuania-plated 2.5 V6 for sale as well. Evidence of being in a sandwich and import duties make this a not-so-appealing proposition though.

https://www.kupujemprodajem.com/automobili/rover/rover-75/oglas/177534906?filterId=6482868178

Supposedly 2004, but I think the details are off for a 2004 car?

Don't buy the cheap one as they're never cheap enough. Once they've got tired theres just no point trying to bring them back because you'll never win. I've been there, twice.

My current one had a massive ring binder of receipts from someone that clearly did their research on worthwhile areas of the car to spend money on. I've had it 5 years now and while the body is a little tired in places, it's been a joy and is still a very capable car.

Your Mini man has got the right idea with the more expensive one. I bet it needs nothing doing and I'm slightly jealous!

I can't see the 2004 example as its behind a login unfortunately. Happy to take a look at if you can get the details though. 2004 was a changeover year and some MK1s had a few MK2 parts.

[IronStar]

12 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Don't buy the cheap one as they're never cheap enough. Once they've got tired theres just no point trying to bring them back because you'll never win. I've been there, twice.

My current one had a massive ring binder of receipts from someone that clearly did their research on worthwhile areas of the car to spend money on. I've had it 5 years now and while the body is a little tired in places, it's been a joy and is still a very capable car.

Your Mini man has got the right idea with the more expensive one. I bet it needs nothing doing and I'm slightly jealous!

I can't see the 2004 example as its behind a login unfortunately. Happy to take a look at if you can get the details though. 2004 was a changeover year and some MK1s had a few MK2 parts.

So bottomless moneypit that will never work right? That’s a proper shame.

I’m honestly not willing to spend 4 grand on that. I like it, I want it, but not 4k of want, as I assume any car of that vintage will need a grand thrown at it post-haste. I don’t really need it and just want a toy to celebrate plenty of good things that happened lately. 2ish grand total is what I’m willing to spend overall to get a running, driving thing. Maybe I’m being too optimistic and/or tightwad for this?

It shouldn’t be walled off,  just close the login prompt.

[Split_Pin]

4k is indeed strong money, normally I'd expect a very good, if not mint car in absolute top spec from the first few weeks of production.

If it's had evidence of money being spent on it, the car should need little doing.

With 75s, it's better to get the best seats in the house and enjoy the show than to be up in the stalls and miserable.

[sierraman]

8 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Thae cheap ones have all the hallmarks of a tired 75

✅️ Shit android head unit

✅️Missing grille bars

✅️ Smoked in

I bet half the interior plastics are on the floor or door pockets as well. Well avoided.

It looks like a Club spec, manual but with a 2.5 v6 which is a pointless spec. 

The expensive one will be worth it if it has a good service history. Lovely paint, Crown alloys and it looks like it might have a Personal Line interior from the 2 tone steering wheel and contrasting seat piping. Also 4 button centre console and an auto.

Even in the UK where they're still quite easy to find, a top spec car in good condition with evidence of careful maintenance will be at least £2500.

 

I figure with these someone that will have bought one as an enthusiast and looked after it will have gone for the decent spec. If you wanted a Rover 75 you’d go for a Connie etc, the full effect wouldn’t be there with an ‘04 1.8 base. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

I think this one went through at some price around £2K last night - couldn't swear to it as it was burbling away in the background so it may have been totally different.
https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/auctions/2692-19-Mar-2025/9699~1-2003-rover-75-connoisseur-se-auto

 

[bezzabsa]

cheap V6's would mean cam belt job, and i hear that's not A- Fun, B - Cheap.. 

[IronStar]

Getting an import quote for Lithuania-registered one today. 🙂🤦‍♂️

[IronStar]

@Split_Pin Lithuanian one is ‘99 car. Are they all Euro 3 compliant? For some bizarre reason, it’s EURO 3 or newer for import here (or 30+ years for historic vehicle, which is going to become the same thing in a few years) 

[Split_Pin]

I think all petrols are Euro 3, some are Euro 4 aswell as it's a bit hit and miss whether they are ULEZ compliant in the UK.

[Split_Pin]

Obviously a totally different country but it's a good spec and very likely cheap. They have roads, you have roads and they all join up somewhere.....

[IronStar]

5 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Obviously a totally different country but it's a good spec and very likely cheap. They have roads, you have roads and they all join up somewhere.....

Requested to join the group. Trans-European collection in the future?

[jim89]

8 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Obviously a totally different country but it's a good spec and very likely cheap. They have roads, you have roads and they all join up somewhere.....

What's that lurking in the garage behind this?