Faults:

Needed new discs and pads up front due to steering judder under braking. Probably needs a new steering rack.

General Comments:

Cost £650 with 3 months tax and a full MOT, try and find a 1990 Escort or Astra with PAS, ABS, electric windows, mirrors and sunroof for that sort of money... ha ha no chance!!

Faults:

Gear-box faulty at 70,000.

Engine sensor faulty at 75,000. This caused an intermittent starting problem.

Electric windows moved out of alignment.

Radio cassette faulty twice.

Water leak in the tail-lights.

Coolant top-up required regularly

General Comments:

Beautiful, comfortable cabin.

Solid drive but lacked refinement.

Good power for overtaking at high speed, but poor acceleration from stationary.

Faults:

Cam belt snapped at 75,000 miles (£1000 to repair).

Cam belt snapped again at 100,000 miles (Rover claimed cam belts last 96,000 miles between changing, another £1000 to repair).

Head gasket blew at 110,000 miles.

Head gasket blew again at 112,000 miles.

Radiator leaked.

Overheated several times (each time the head gasket had to be replaced).

New valves fitted.

Valve guides wore out.

New water pump fitted.

General Comments:

In all I spent over £4000 on repairs, the cylinder head spent more time on the garage floor than in the car.

Rover need to sort out the problem with cam belts snapping.

Faults:

New radiator fitted.

Cam belt and the two steel pipes as a precaution.

Nothing else has fell off since!

General Comments:

This car is a pocket rocket! Will blow 1.3 Escorts/Astras into the weeds.

But high revs at the legal limit make it a bit tiresome on the motorway. But the cabin is nice if a little squeaky.

Very good body for a 10 year old British car!

Faults:

Nothing serious, although the tyres wear down fast, and I have a leaky boot.

General Comments:

I couldn't believe how fast the car was, especially for a Granddad looking car. I used to have a 1.3 Escort which was so slow it's unreal. The only problem is the car loves to be revved above 4000 rpm, where it literally takes off, and I don't want to blow the engine. I am told that the Honda engines are pretty good though.

Faults:

Only major problem was that it needed a replacement gearbox at 100,000 miles (apparently common for the 1.4 Rover gearbox at this mileage).

The interior is generally hard wearing, but minor fixtures and fittings such as speaker grilles are becoming loose.

Clutch judder can be irritating.

General Comments:

Apart from the gearbox, the car has never let me down.

Lusty 16 valve 1.4 is fantastic if noisy, the handling is quite good, but the ride is starting to become stodgy with age.

Faults:

The only fault I have had is that the earth lead coroded and broke away cutting all power and the engine in a dangerous postion.

General Comments:

Very roomy compared to other similar sized cars I've had, interior trim very nice for the age of the car and the exterior looks stunning although to improve looks still further fit a chrome grille from a later model. Si model really requires power steering, key fob central locking would have been a definite bonus but not missed unless you've had it before.

Faults:

Needed new alternator - replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

Looks classier than Escort and Astra rivals. Feels superior inside as well with wood and chrome used to good effect. Generally reliable. Ride can feel unsettled at times, even though the car 'sits' quite high. Good performance and economy, definitely worth a look.

Faults:

Petrol pump replaced (7 years).

Clutch linkage arm snapped (5 years).

General Comments:

I bought the car with 23,000 miles at 2 years old and have added 131,000 miles. The above are the only faults to emerge during my six years with the car. It's not an exciting car but it's comfortable, quiet, starts every time, is well finished and is roomy compared to the newer model.

Faults:

Persistent snagging from clutch cable. Clutch replaced at 27,000 miles after which 5th gear whined at speeds 50+.

Service manager:

a) pretended he couldn't hear this then

b) said it was quite normal.

Gear linkage failed completely at 31,000 miles. Temporary fix allowed me to limp home in 2nd gear.

General Comments:

Lovely cabin. Good seats and driving position. Warmed up very quickly on cold mornings. Grave doubts about long-term mechanical durability. Rover dealers' attitude absolutely dreadful - firmly rooted in British Leyland era.