The Rover 75: The Good and The Bad - Final Thoughts
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- What do I think of the Rover 75 having now owned this one for several months? It's a mixed bag to be honest.
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Ian, you DO NOT NEED a T4 diagnostic tool. You can access almost everything on these cars with a pscan diagnostic tool that people can buy from me.
Drat. Sorry for forgetting that yet again!
@@dizzy2020 diesels 2004. I've had european diesels on 53 reg not talking obd2, namely renault trafic and citroen c5
I have a Pscan to work on my MGTF 160. Very useful bit of kit
@@dizzy2020 Rovers had EOBD sockets quite early on, maybe not 800 or 600s been Honda but 400/200/100 had them. My 1998 400 tourer has an EOBD. My T2 diagnostics works a treat on it and LandRover to.
@@dizzy2020 In general MG Rover cars were not EOBD compliant until they absolutely had to be. The diesel 75/ZT wasn't EOBD compliant until I think late 2004. Some other notes:-
1. EOBD only covers the engine ECU, whereas pscan covers engine, transmission, ABS, immobiliser, BCU.
2. Even on the engine EOBD only has to support the "emissions" related information. If you connect the engine ECU in Rover proprietary mode you can access a lot more information that you can in EOBD mode.
Gentleman steps out of an Invacar. Then he enters a flagship Rover and says, "this is claustrophobic!"
I've got to admit, the Rover 75 does not look dated for a 20 year old car
It doesn’t and it’s hard to believe it is a 20 year old car. Shame really had Rover been saved wonder what could of been?!?
@@matty6848 If you'd ever been anywhere near Cowley you'd know that they were in such a downward spiral any kind of rescue was out of the question.
I agree it's a shame but the 60/70's Socialism destroyed a lot of manufacturing in this country, combined with dismal management and an almost total lack of creativity/imagination.
I think it looks like a retro car, isn't that the point?
@@yekateradiffin5939 I'm 66, it looks positively modern to me.
@@philiplindley7384 I know Phil I used to work at the Longbridge plant on the maintenance. Once I finished my apprenticeship I took my voluntary redundancy because even at a mere 21 and pretty clueless I could see what was coming. I left when BMW pulled out, they offered 7k redundancy & living at home with my parents 7k back 2000 was a nice chunk of money. I remember the old boys saying to me “this place will never shut down” & two years after I left Rover literally went bust overnight. Talking to some of the guys who were there to the end they said the last 18 months the track what we called aka the production line hardly moved. They’d build about 15/20 cars in a 8 hour shift where as a few years before they were building 40 cars a hour. I think most knew deep down it was going to happen but we’re in denial. Me, I took my cheque for 7k and went travelling round Asia & Australia for a year. Ironically enough since you’ve mentioned Cowley the now Mini plant I work there occasionally as a sub contractor servicing all the production machinery. I now work sub contracting for the ex firm, that trained me up but instead of Rover 75s and 800s being built it’s the Mini. Don’t know if you’ve ever been through Longbridge recently but the area is unrecognisable from 10 years ago. Now it’s mostly modern housing Estates, pensioner villages and a shopping village called “Longbridge village” nice touch is they’ve named the new housing estate roads of the roads that existed in the factory before it was torn down as remembrance to the history of the area, generations of families were employed at Rover including my Own. when it shut it decimated the area, There were even Cadbury workers turning up at Cofton park in support of the Rover workers who lost their jobs, as Cadbury’s Bournville is only a few mile up the road & many had families working there. There’s a good documentary on CZcams called “Rover the Long Goodbye” basically explains how Rover was a dying company from the 70s strike action era & how Rover never really recovered from it. Well sorry to go on but just thought you’d find that interesting? Thanks for reading🙂👍
"Most people aren't racing drivers" - never a truer word said! There's so much emphasis on performance nowadays it's completely lost touch with reality.
Agreed.
Just replaced all the shocks on my car to pass the MOT. Yes it feels more 'planted' and 'controled' preferred it before though.
Remember the Rover brand was for luxury cruising and the MG brand was for the people who wanted to be racing drivers.
This is why people have turned to SUVs. Its the only way you can get a comfortable ride these days. Rewind back 20 years ago and most cars had respectable suspension travel and dampening. Now thanks to modern motoring journalism almost every non suv saloon or hatch has piss poor ground clearance and harsh sporty suspension
You're obviously at the " It's not you, it's me " stage of the relationship
Nah let’s get down to it - it’s you lol!
Hope your next car hasn't got a seized engine and fire damage.
It's been a great series watching you and your Rover 75.
I've had mine now for a good few years and it's been really reliable, but when thing's do go wrong they can cause a real headache and open wallet surgery to get it back in fine fettle.
Saying that though, I just can't bare to part with it.
In my eyes it just looks fantastic to look at, and the drive is so relaxed and comfortable. Even the interior has got that touch of luxury about it all..
Let's hope Rita the Rover goes to a good home and will continue to live for many years to come, as these car's are starting to become a rare sight on our roads now 👍👌🇬🇧
I had two from new, including the MG version. They were very comfortable, relaxing to drive and well equipped. The first one came with satnav and televisions when both were unheard of in mainstream vehicles.
What i really like in that ROVER 75 is its dashboard, and more precisely its speedometer & revmeter! they're SUPERB !!!! And the clock in the middle 👍
Yes those oval speedometers👍
The Rover 75 is one of the rare near-perfect cars in my book.
Sad to hear you and Rita are set to part company, however.
All the best to both of you on your separate ways nonetheless.
Lovely, classy looking car. Prefer the tourer, the light blue one Mr Furious drove a while ago was a gorgeous example.
That's what I've got; a light blue Rover 75 Tourer with diesel engine..it's a beautiful car to drive.
My mother in law had one, same colour but with the V6, full cream leather too, very nice motor 👍🏻
This is a nice looking car. I cannot believe there were so many engine options, including a 4.6 L V8.
Very accurate review of the 75, and I loved my Tourer. As it was a Diesel Automatic, had non of the gearbox/clutch issues. Not the fastest or most spacious but as Ian says, it's a thoroughly nice place to cover the miles
You could have upgraded it with a BMW ECU to put out 168hp.
Besides that the Tourer Diesel Auto was clearly the best choice. Loved the fact that you could only open the rear window without bothering with the tailgate. Nice touch adopted from the 5 series BMW.
I have had 5 of these over the years, including a brand new one in 2000. Funny story time, my wife bought me a private plate (T100RON) which I wanted to have put on the Rover when I picked it up. I made my own plate up (to shape the rear). When I took it in to reception the lady said oh that’s a good plate. She then asked my name! In my best trigger voice I looked her in the eye and said “Dave”.... This was a 1.8 litre petrol which had loads of extras - it was a show car - in a beautiful shade of petrol. In later years I had several 2.5 litre petrol and the diesel above. Without doubt the best new car I have ever bought. I will doubtless get another sone point. Really enjoyed watching your ownership, the work you have done and your views. Thank you!
I love the rover 75s, had a lovely 2.5v6 auto one and loved every minute of driving it..
🙂🙂.
These are my favourite type of videos from Hub Nut. A detailed review from someone who knows their stuff with Ian's great presentation style. Imagine if BMW had taken on board Rover's skill at getting a comfortable drive how much better their 3 series would have been😁
This Rover has been my favourite car so far in Ian's fleet since I started watching 18 months ago. I've got my fingers crossed that the new family transporter will be as classy as the 75.
I remember the italians love the 75. I seem to remember them voting it one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
Nice balanced review Ian, you've cited all the pain points with these. I'm on my 3rd one now, all diesel, a V6 auto is definitely one I'd like to try!
I have not heard one good thing about the V6. As i said elsewhere you can get a BMW ECU for the diesel that ups the power to 168hp.
@@gustavmeyrink_2.0 It's simply a remap and a removal of the EGR. Mine has this modification and it's well worth it, works especially well with the auto gearbox.
The V6 is super smooth and sounds fantastic. Had a 45 with that engine and it was just lovely. One I should not have sold.
@@gustavmeyrink_2.0 I haven t heard one bad thing about the V6. Engine is reliable, there are no head gasket problems, unlike the K4. The 2.0 is indeed a bit obsolete, the 2.5 has about the same costs of ownership as the 2.0, but it s more beefier and the more wanted setup.
Enjoyed that Ian, very fair and balanced, still a cracking looking motor, look forward to seeing it’s replacement on the fleet
Thanks for not totally slating the 75 completely Ian , there are many avid followers of this wonderful British motor car including myself 🏴
The forward "tilt" of the seats was also a problem for me with my T4's. I solved it by adding a few heavty washers under the front fixing bolts. Works like a dream.
Edit: the T4 's I refer to are a 2001 VW T4 Multivan and a 2001 VW T4 California campervan.
With a car of that spec, I am surprised there is no seat height adjustment on it. Even our base model 1981 Volvo 240 had that. It was manually done, with two levers under the driver's seat, with front and rear of the cushion each having 3 positions. The same was true on the passenger seat, but you needed a socket to remove the bolts.
I liked the styling when they came out, and still do. It looks just lovely from some angles. Only slightly let down by some styling features, such as those fog lights.
My dad owned a 2001 petrol engine. It had no umph, but it did ride well and was quiet inside. A major plus was the air con, it would be icy cool inside even on the hottest days.
It was starting to rust badly underneath by its 10th year, and finally the head gasket failed.
Not a bad car, perfect for my old man, who really liked it I think.
Its amazing that you still see a few of these Rover 75's and the other MG Rover models around Longbridge and other parts of the West Midlands.
I still remember Clarkson saying "75 is the minimum age for the driver"
I still remember Clarkson saying "The BBC will never sack me"...🤣
@@tonyfairhurst4650 lets be honest, the BBC no longer represent the British people, it’s now just a new world order propaganda machine. One of their biggest mistakes was sacking Clarkson, Top Gear is now a third rate motor show that I can’t even be arsed to watch! And the Grand Tour isn’t much better.
He is a tool
@@mastercylinder1939 Didn't these 'car shows' become entertainment programs for people who know nothing about cars? What a waste of an hour.
@@mastercylinder1939 They hijacked the old Tif Needell _et al._ show to make the Clarkson fantasy spectacle. Seems punters demanded it. The old programme helped you choose or fix a motor-JC made it his own vanity project for his humungous ego, to entertain immature 'lads' who loved seeing cars thrown through the air for kicks, etc. BBC claimed there was no appetite among viewers for a basic motoring show any more, yet amazingly Ian and several other notables draw in thousands of subscribers like us. Go figure...
For a few years, I had the Peugeot equivalent of the '75', the '406' in Executive trim. Unfortunately it was the petrol version and although it went like the clappers, even when driven moderately, the fuel consumption was not good. However, with all the toys you could wish for, the most gorgeous soft leather upholstery and an oh so sublime ride, I put on 147,000 miles in it before the cost of a new clutch made me part with it in '07. The irony is that I part-exed it locally (the dealership told me it was the best example they'd seen) and I see it out on the road still and it's 23 years old now!
i´ve had a 75 and Your words at 16:00 nailed it! that´s exactly what I loved about the car.
One of my favourite details on the 75 is the headlights, they have the outline of a regular lamp unit shape around the bonnet and headlight, which meant they could apply the same design to the 25 and 45, giving them the corporate nose but without changing the old sheet metal - Very clever.
That's a very fair and reasoned assessment. I briefly had a £500 Rover 75 V6 Connoisseur. It was lovely to drive but had rusted badly underneath and so had to go. I now have a contemporary - 2001 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0TS - beautiful styling and lusty engine. £1000 and not too much rust - could be a keeper!
Can't help feel you'd be better off with an early/mid 90s Volvo estate for the family-luggin/winter duties
Is the infamous Eccles, still shunned by the general public?
@@mastercylinder1939 There are no infamous Eccles's - they're all famous
@@preston963 As opposed to what?
Or even better, a SAAB
I agree with most of your thoughts!
I had the MG ZT 1.8T which has the k series petrol engine with a little turbo to slightly boost the power to 160bhp. It was a lovely car to drive, handled really nice, a good compromise of firmness and comfort, ideal family car, very roomy with an adequate size boot, we did a few family holidays in it without issue. The boot did fill up with water once when I left it standing but never had any issues when it was in daily use!
The clutch was very hard and I believe a common issue which can be resolved.
Economy was brilliant , road tax quite reasonable and insurance surprisingly cheap, lots of high end features, good audio system, blaupunct cd changer, electric windows all round etc
For it's size it was quite nimble and very agile, definitely surprised me a few times.
I also had the s type jaguar although that was a 3.0 v6 auto obviously it was slightly more luxurious inside but the MG ZT compared well on terms of comfort and driving but without the expense and thirst of the jag lol 👍😎😁
I honestly wished I'd kept it, getting very rare on the road these days! 😎👍
Edit - just thought I'd add they've aged really well and don't look particularly dated in my honest opinion!
Loved following the Rita series. If you happen to be in Scotland when some sort of normality returns you are more than welcome to have a shot of my ZT to see how you feel about Rita’s slightly more spicy sibling. Looking forward to whatever the replacement will be 👍🏻
I remember the (UK) press of the time comparing this favourably with almost all the competition - Accord, 5 series, E class, Camry, Laguna, C5, etc.
Hmm.
I love the styling! The headlights and the line above them is pretty smart design, is a very good retro/modern car. Sad i can't afford one, here are for sale used at u$s9k 😩
Good review always loved the retro looks of the 75 but always thought the headlights let it down.
Look forward to seeing it's replacement
Certainly a car I’d like to own if I had the space for another one. I think they look simply stunning and I agree that colour is beautiful. I also liked them in both the dark and very light blues.
Ian, got my Foxanne mug, T-Shirt and hub nut hat today, so thankyou.
Rover 75 on the other hand, not so nice!
I own an R3 Rover 216 that has much more room! I bought my 75 for my father to be taken out in and I hated it!!!
Thankyou for sharing.
Yours is a wonderful channel and I wish that it may long continue. I'm unable, at present, to donate or, become a patreon however, I do share your videos and, I also watch the adverts, which, by doing so I understand helps the channel. I would urge other viewers, who may find themselves in my situation, to do the same. Many thanks for the varied and entertaining content. Big thumbs up.
The front end is indeed nicely styled. Those flattened tops to the headlights give it a purposeful almost slightly aggressive look.
Thank you for letting us see Rita for one last time. I do agree that the 75 is a good looking saloon car. But I do agree that I am also more of a fan of the Rover 45 too.
I used to have an MG ZT-T with the V6 and auto box and I loved it. it just got too expensive for me to keep on the road.
I really like your videos! I have never driven a 75, but I always loved its beauty. Maybe I should buy one as soon as possible... At the moment, they are almost giving them away in the Netherlands where I live. Prices starting at 350 euros.... Greetings from Holland, Maarten
I remember this bloke at work bought one when they were new and showed me around it. He loved it but I couldn't really fit in it comfortably. He was about 5'6 and I'm 6'2.
Ian, the upper door trim is close so the side airbags, if it has them, can be right next to your head, so it can be knocked off by said airbags in case of a crash...BRILLIANT!
If no airbags, that way so you are closer to the action when something happens...enjoy...I suggest a helmet.
Beautiful car by all accounts. Agree space and practicality are somewhat lacking and look like a nightmare to work on from your various tinkering videos.
Heading offshore in Angola tomorrow and thanks for keeping me entertained while I have been in quarantine for last 4 weeks. Look forward to catching up on your exploits when I return.
Really good balanced review. I have been fascinated with these cars, since my Dad had one new as a company car in 2002 and there was just something special about it. I haven't bought one but went to Blackburn and test drove a ropey diesel example! The clutch was heavy and it was slow but the ride quality was just sublime. We put some fuel in it fot the guy and at the petrol station, it just looked fabulous parked up. I am not a good machenic so I couldn't fix them and haven't got the money to solve constant problems. I will have to leave it in the past but yes... A brilliant idea and design, badly executed and will always have a soft spot for them. So much more interesting than a Passat of the time. My Dad now has a modern Passat and it is an excellent, very reliable car but it is so dull to drive and be a passager in. 🙃
Yes, the colour of Rita is superb along with the guages. A nice car to look at. It somehow reminds me of a Holden Statesman V6 I once owned which was of a similar age.
The 75 has always been a handsome car
I prefer the touring myself but wouldn't turn down a saloon
Great vlog Ian
That's a fair review, I had mine from new to 15 years old, it was a superlative cruiser. I could get in, set off and 300 miles felt like nothing. As for its flaws: the Bosch fan, the rear-light gaskets, the sun-roof drains, it ate front tyres and brake pads. The ABS sensor, the alternator (thanks oil filter), the ECU mount and 'drain' plugs. I didn't feel claustrophic at all though and I would say the Connoisseur had tilt and slide seats with lumber adjustment - they were the nuts in terms of support and comfort. 195,000 miles later - worth much less than a bag of sand and a likely MOT fail needing all new discs, pads and shocks (£1400) - that was it. Glad you got something from it - they are a 'specialist' car because of the engine layout, they are all transverse, so they are a pig to work on.
I had a Y reg 2.5 V6 automatic connoisseur se some years ago. The V6 complimented the ride and refinement perfectly. It was used as our main family car to transport my wife and I plus three kids. It even swallowed all our luggage and Christmas presents for a Christmas away one year, so I'm surprised you find the boot inadequate and the interior claustrophobic. These were a good car torpedoed on launch day by BMW at the British motor show.
A very excellent Ian Seabrook car review worthy of an 80's Top Gear review. Really shows your craft as a journalist even if HubNut is perhaps not about that :-)
Thank you.
I had a 2 litre V6 petrol Conoisseur and it was fabulous, at 5' 11' I didn't find cramped at all, it was graceful, powerful and great on fuel for a big petrol car, the only things I had problems with was a slow electric window, not a brilliant heater, but a very cold aircon, and it would snap suspension springs( but they are cheap), I would have another if I had garage space....
Makes me want to do a quick review of my newly acquired gold 75 Estate which is in perfect health and irons out a lot of these issues you speak of, mine has also had the MG sports variant flashed onto the ECU and is very peppy and up the great orme absolutely flies up the steep hills, my Zafira struggled in 1st gear! This does it in third!
A very fair assessment of the Rover... 👍
How about a nice old Jag next Ian to keep the luxury end of the hub nut fleet going where Rita will leave a gap? An XJ of some sort perhaps?
A beautiful car , with a colour that suits its shape , which is not always the case . I've always liked the styling , the interior is lovely , it drives well , and was a classic whilst still new , which made it quite unique ! However , if you intend to maintain one yourself , Hub Nut has drawn your attention to some rather salient aspects . Well done sir !
I had a ZTT..in the same colour..lovely engine (diesel)...but a rough, firm ride with a very heavy clutch..still liked it.. to look at, lol
T25 Toyota Avensis is my recommendation for a replacement. Or a T22 if you want some 90s charm.
Same era, would've been a competitor for the 75 at the time. Massive boot, massive legroom, bomb proof reliable and lovely revvy petrol engines that get 40mpg!
Ours has been perfect for three years. Just my recommendation for a mega reliable family daily, best car I ever bought 👍👍
I had one, almost from new. I have owned far too many cars but it was one of the best cars I ever had. I was told to sell it by a bodyshop that were repairing a boot lid following an accident - they said spares would be almost impossible to find in the future. Selling it was a huge mistake.
Think they looked good at the time and even now. The MG 190s were fun to drive
Poor Rita, she has not had the love she deserves but you definitely gave both sides of the story on this episode, my only 75 I owned was a shit bag and according to my local friendly mechanic should never of passed its last mot.
Big elbow bumbs to all hubnuts and I hope to again be able to visit your beautiful land soon.
My current car is a 45, a vehicle I derided in the snobbery of my youth. I have to say, it's really good, the interior space is slightly too small for my needs and some of the switchgear wouldn't look out of place in a Triumph Acclaim, but it's one of the best cars I've had.
The rovers departing, I do hope the replacement is a Mondeo, ST24 perhaps..I can dream cant I.. Great video, best wishes.
Not many ST24s around now sadly. I think a v6 Ghia X would be more Mr HubNut's thing really, comfier suspension. Then again, not many of those around either, a few 3.0 Mk.3s, very few 2.5 Mk.2s. Estates are cavernous, perfect family holiday transport. STTDCis are more than a bit agricultural, but chip for power very well.
The 75 has grown on me over the years and I can certainly see your argument for it's take on retro styling being perhaps more pleasing than the s-type (has never been one of my favourites despite my love of Jaguar). You'd have to say the engines available on the Jag are rather more appealing though. That 4.6 v8 75 would be magnificent - if only they werent rare as rockinghorse droppings.
I had a mg zt-t cdti before my jaguar x type it was a brilliant car wish I still had it just ordered a hub nut sticker for my rover 216 gti
Dear Hubnut .
I first saw a 75 here in Holland in 1999 and I remember my jaw dropping to the concrete .
But gosh , they were expensive !
Well , five years ago after a lot of shit with my Nissan , I had enough !
I collected all my Dutch courage and bought one .
Its a Cowley built 1.8 Connoseur , Arden green with Sandstone leather interior and automatic tranny .
I did 50K miles with it , and I am HOOKED .
This Britt Beauty is still rustfree and that big K runs like a Swiss clockwork , so smooth and silent .
And yes , I had the headgasket replaced immediatly after purchase with the multi layer steel gasket , and it was perfect from day one .
I love its chroombits and real wallnut dash , the 50s style Bentleyseats , that one of a kind instrumentpanel .
But most off all I love its stiff upperlip aprouch to hard sidewind or worn out tracks in the road surface , it goes strait ahead like a train even at 90 miles an hour .
Its a wonderfull car with loads of caracter and stile only Brittish cars seem to posess .
I will keep it alive as long as I can even if I have to spend thousands of Euro's , thats how much I got attached to this amazing jewel of a car .
I remember my colleges five years ago , smiling about that idiot that bought an old Rover .
Well , they don't smile anymore ..............
I’ve had a couple of trucks that the seat angle hurt my back. In both cases I made shims and raised the front on the seat and bought longer bolts
Nice final summation. I can see why you're letting Rita go but she isn't leaving in disgrace by any means. My feeling is that the 75 (like many future classics) needs a few years yet to be truly appreciated. It almost needs to be forgotten so it can be rediscovered and properly appreciated. But nobody can really afford to or be bothered to hang on to cars long enough for this to happen. You'll at least be able to look at these videos in 40 or 50 years and marvel at what a lovely looking car it was and will remain.
My experience of a Rover 75. I remember travelling in the back of a family friends 75. A 75 tourer turbo diesel. At first I was very impressed. Nice interior, quiet engine. Reasonable performance and acceptable room. Think we had a 3 series at the time and the Rover felt plusher. Then we got to a B road and all I could think was how long to my destination. I don't feel well. The car wallowed. My mum also in the back felt bad too! Their kids were in our car. Neither of us fought to ride in it on the way home. In the back of the 3 series there was no nausea. We had to make up an excuse to avoid travelling back from our walk in it to not disappoint our friend. Then next experience was when someone on my street at uni got one. It didn't idle well so he had to rev it but it was the V6 so I'm glad he did as it made a good noise. I'd definitely opt for a V6. Maybe the ZT suspension would suit me better. Best car on that road was an E39 5 series. Made it feel like there was no bumps or undulations in it and no corners either. Nothing else has been as good.
I am on my 3rd Rover 75 , I currently have the CDT .I had the 2.5 V 6 manual , previous to that one was another CDT. The 2.5 was a Connie in moonstone green , my first CDT was a black Classic.My current one is also a Classic moonstone green colour. Before I got my 75 I had 2 45's a MG ZR 2.0 TD , and a Rover 25. I obviously didn't have them all at the same time! What can I say I like Rover's faults and all!
I think had the motor industry in the UK not been nationalised and consolidated into one big group, a number of the old marques would still be here today, including Rover, but it was just one huge mistake after another given it was all management-run for the big bucks rather than run by the people who knew what a car should be...
@M Bacon But even in early times the independent companies sourced components, large and small, from different companies. Its why its called assembly line. some went vertically integrated and others acquired others starting in the 1920s!
i always liked these, as a fan of proper classics these had some definite aesthetic appeal at a time when cars had become horrible from that point of view, i quite fancied one but i bought a 1983 BMW 628 CSi instead, lovely car, another enjoyable video like all of the one's i've seen, thank you
I like your comments on the size of the Rover 75. Some years ago, a caravanning friend of mine had a Rover 75, whilst I had a 2000 Astra G Saloon. Both in a similar dark red metallic. One day, we happened to park the two vehicles side by side, and our conversation immediately turned to the size of each vehicle. We both decided there was nothing to choose between the two of them, both were almost identical in size. So the largest vehicle in the Rover range was the same size as the next to the smallest in the Vauxhall fleet. Peculiar that!
There's over 20 inches extra length in the Rover...
I heard you say you preferred the Rover 45 to the 75. I have a 45 and last year it wasnt running very well and my garage told me it would cost £1,500 to fix it , so I seriously considered getting a 75. However, though I like the 75 its a bit too big for me, it's only me and my girlfriend and my 1.4 45 is so cheap to run and I couldn't think of any other car I preferred so I fixed it myself for £300 during lockdown and I'm glad I did. It was only a leaking valve, but while I had it in bits I reground all the valves, fitted new oil seals , new piston rings, new head gasket with updated bolts, new water pump, cambelt and battery. It's a very nice little car, refined yet cheap to run.
You improved her and made a profit…nice work👍
I think they totally nailed the styling. It manages to look both classy and timeless at the same time.
Rover may have run out of money but curiously the Phoenix 4 didn't. Small wonder really and a great shame that they lost the public trust.
Looking forward to seeing what screeches into the Hubnut fleet next
I also I have a Rover 75, though mine is the 1.8 Kettle Series, I do agree with most of the points you make. I dont get the claustrophobia as much because, being taller, I tend to sit with the seat all the way down. But with the seat set for me the back seats are near on impossible to use for people.
I always find Rover clutches heavy and a bit unforgiving.
The main things I like are, how quiet it is, super soft suspension and the fact at 6ft7 I can spread out a bit.
I think it was very much engineered to fit around the design and not particularly well.
My dad had the V6 75 and he loved it. It had a few minor faults he had to rectify but nothing major. He said it’s was powerful and comfort in another level. Trouble is the 75 was too little too late, the damage had already Been done to Rover by the stage it was released.
The problem you had removing the alternator, is what happens when you fit someone else's engine in your vehicle. I encountered similar things when trying to do an oil change on an FSO Caro 1.9 GLD. The oil filter was a "cosy" fit in the engine bay.....
afternoon to all i purchased one before xmas 2004 in silver from ipswich it gets a few looks happy motoring to all
I really came to like these when they featured in a PS2 game set in London: "Oi, 'Arris!"
Look forward to seeing the next addition to the fleet.
The Getaway by any chance? That takes me back!
Talking of a reverse tardis,I have always found the Vauxhall insignia to look massive from the outside,but confined on the inside,I had a 17 plate as a loaner,and it just felt dark and cramped inside.
Rita’s got a great looking rear end. Nice looking car for the most part who’s styling has aged well. Then there’s the front end: It looks like it was designed for more traditional headlamps bookended with turn indicators and hastily converted to roundish headlamps to chase a styling trend. Can’t wait to see the latest addition to the fleet!
Agreed Jeff. A 20 year old car which still looks great today. Just shows what Rover could do when they put their heads into it.
Very nice car which has a lot of supporters here in Germany. Every day on my way to work I see a 75 V6 in the same colour.
All manual cars have concentric clutch slave cylinders these days. I agree they are an expensive PITA, and they are all plastic including the master cylinder/pedal box and they all break far too easily. It's not a Rover problem its an industry problem....or not a problem as it gives them lots of work fixing them, and makes people scrap otherwise good cars because of the cost of repair.
Echoes a lot of my experience with a diesel 75 tourer - I’d be keen to drive one with an engine that has refinement more in mind - like the V6. Automatic gearbox and a less worn drivers seat would no doubt have helped too 😂
I have always liked the Rover 75. Lots of nice touches.
Ahhhh I’ll be sad to see Rita go, I got 06plate 75 cdti, back in sept so far very very impressed for a very small amount of money one rear wheel bearing to do soon. Put 4500 on her in that time
Been great.......Damn! That’s jinxed it 😊😊
It's beautiful. I had an MG ZS (45) which I loved until it fell apart
At a smidge under 6' 4" 'cramped' is absolutely not how I would describe the 75 diesel estate I had.
I also found the electrically adjustable, heated leather seats to be very comfortable. On the whole very reliable for the 6 years I had it once you take care of the weak spots (ECU flooding and fuel pump death if run consistently with
Great video and very interesting
Every time i watch a video of you and your rover i have to tell myself, "i have an XM, i don't have space or money for a 75, i don't need it." but i want one.
On my second 75 (2005 Connoisseur diesel, before that a W-reg V6). The V6 was incredibly smooth and quiet, the current one tauter, quicker and noisier, but very economical. Not claustrophobic, but the small boot lid is a problem. At least the back seats fold.
Gorgeous looking car, great video.
We only got V6 auto's down here in Oz, which surprised me when I heard yours running sounding like a transit van!
You also got the extremely rare, oz market only supercharged v6 that unfortunately had a penchant for blowing up
I owned a 75 diesel, low milage and A1 condition, never really warmed to it, my heart belonged to a Rover 800 that I'd owned a few years before the 75. The 800 was a 1996 KV6 auto, SLI, I loved it, I still wish that I'd kept the 800.
Very nice balanced review Ian; I'd never have considered one of these cars personally but it's good to find some positive points about them.
PS I understand Tesla has posted its first annual profit recently although I am sceptical about it. I'm sure EM has very good auditors??
Hi Ian I got to agree with you on the colour and the stile it does look a very nice car,the Renault Laguna 2 all so has a slave cilinder in side the gear box, witch I had go on me when I had one, nice to hear your thoughts on it,I also agree that the 45 is a nice car. can't wait to see what you get next I do enjoy you unvall videos,and it will give the hublets another car care to name, best wishes to you and the family.
Looking forward to seeing what the next family car is
It's a gorgeous car, the first that I remember did retro styling properly, and looks great even today. But all the complications and issues that come with it, you really have to love it and live in the UK where there is an ecosystem of parts that help keep these cars alive. They were surprisingly common in my corner of southwestern Europe, and I see a tourer and a ZTT as daily drivers nearby, but they are a nightmare to sell as few people have the expertise or the parts to keep them properly maintained. A true shame as these cars deserved much better.
I had an MG ZT diesel for 6 years. Pretty reliable until it got flooded. I loved it. Most of the flaws you mention didnt bother me. Mine was a 130bhp model but had a tune to ~160bhp via the owners club. Made it much better to drive.