1987 Rover - Austin Montego Mayfair review from UK and Ireland
"Cheap, comfortable workhorse, excellent in its day, but dated quickly"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
1) Rust - see below.
2) Intermittent unexplained loss of power (after 10 years old)
General comments?
The car was in my family for 17 years from (nearly) new. Overall it was a very good car: very comfortable ride, very smooth gearchange, smart interior, reasonably fast and lots of extras/luxuries.
The main downside was rust and build quality. If it wasn't for this, the Montego would have been a winner. To be fair though, the problem was generally only annoying surface rust which spoilt the aesthetics. It was only after 17 years that it affected the vehicle structurally.
In its day, when the main competition was Ford's Sierra and Vauxhall's Cavalier, the Montego offered more luxury and class, if not kudos. Apart from occasional unexplained loss of power in later life, the car drove as smoothly and powerfully as day 1. There aren't many Montegos around now, but to anyone considering buying one, best go for a late model (1992 onwards) when build quality and reliability were better.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1987 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 7000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 130000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 7th February, 2006 |