1996 Rover - Austin 100 Knightsbridge 1.1

Summary:

Modern car that's practical and cheap to run, till they go wrong

Faults:

Rear arches.

Water pump.

General Comments:

Cheap running costs.

Ideal 1st car/learner vehicle.

Low fuel costs.

Easy to park.

Quite a nice looking car.

Comfy seats.

Practical.

All these Rover/Metros, no matter what age, seem to suffer from the rear arches corroding, so if you're looking to buy one, check the rear arches for signs of filler, and slightly different coloured paint.

Also prone to fail is the head gasket, so check inside the oil filler cap and dipstick for thick white sludge/ creamIness, and check inside the water fill for any oil that's mixed the water.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th February, 2008

11th Sep 2009, 05:29

This review about the car is totally right. I have driven mine all over the UK for the past 7 years, and it has proved very reliable and cheap to run.

The rear arches are the first place of bad rust, and these cars are prone to head gasket trouble, which is expensive to put right.

25th Nov 2022, 16:44

These cars were prone to trouble, period.

1996 Rover - Austin 100 114 Sli 1.4

Summary:

Total cheap and nasty rust bucket; typical Rover

Faults:

Wheel arches have rusted.

Cylinder head gaskets need replacing; blew at about 27000 miles.

Alarm not working properly.

Gas suspension had to be regularly replaced.

General Comments:

This is a car that I just wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Although the 1.4 version is very, very quick, it's literally driving a death trap rust bucket. I eventually had to scrap it at ten years old, which for a lot of cars is nothing, but this car had the arches replaced due to extensive rust, and then they went again three years later.

The head gasket needed replacing about seven years ago, which cost the best part of £500.

The parts might be cheap, but you have to replace so many of them, that in the end you're paying just as much parts as you would with a more expensive car!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 31st May, 2007

1996 Rover - Austin 100 114 GSI 1.4

Summary:

The Go-Kart!!

Faults:

1. Rear drivers side wing has rusted out. My local garage rebuilt & resprayed it, and it is good as new.

2. Central locking on the rear drivers side door has packed up. You can still lock it manually, so it is not a major problem.

3. Nothing else!

General Comments:

I bought this car from a main dealer at approx 6 months old. It had previously been a hire car on Jersey (Channel Islands). Those of you who know Jersey, will know it is very difficult to mistreat cars there as it is almost impossible to go fast, but you do have the sea air to deal with.

My husband refers to it as "The Go-Kart". It is a lovely little car, which handles like it's on rails! It is not the quietest or most highly equipped car, but it's fun to drive. A little car & a 1400cc injected engine = FUN!

I will keep this car until it dies. Partly because I love it, and partly because it is not worth diddly squat! I have seen them for sale for £500, and that is a travesty for such a lovely little car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th November, 2005

20th Nov 2005, 05:02

The Rover 100 is the perfect car for the young driver, yes its and old car that's been knocking about since the Austin metro days, but the car is cheap to run and insure. The 1.1 cars will run on petrol fumes and the 1.1 GSi is fun and has some basic luxuries like electric windows, but most of these cars are factory fitted with alarms etc. they have sunroofs and a very interesting interconnected Hydro-gas Suspension that gives a fun ride. remember the adverts people were blindfolded and maid belive they were driving a BMW. To end with it's a cheap British car from the badge to the boot-lid.

10th Apr 2006, 07:40

The Rover 100 and a BMW have nothing in common I'm afraid... other than the fact that BMW once owned Rover.