1993 Rover - Austin 200 218 SD 1.9 diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Cheap comfortable motoring... would buy another

Faults:

Cylinder head gasket blew at 130000.

Head was skimmed and pressure tested and found to be OK, Gasket from main Rover dealer quoted £75 + vat!! (for a piece of card!)

Motor Factor sourced, £30.

General Comments:

Main dealer prices for parts are absurd. The age and value of these cars is not reflected by the dealer parts network. Best to use Motor Factors and the likes of Halfords.

Really comfy car, and roomy and airy inside. Rust is starting to show around the rear wheel arches and bonnet, but nothing drastic.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th October, 2004

1993 Rover - Austin 200 Si 1.4 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice features - terrible engine - buy a Honda Concerto instead!

Faults:

Head gasket blew at 97000 miles - expensive.

Drivers door outside door handle failed at 97000 miles.

Drivers window winding mechanism failure at 97000 miles

Blocked radiator due to head gasket failure at 97000 miles - replacement needed.

Head gasket blew again at 98000 miles.

Intermittent dashboard lighting faults from 97000 miles.

Drivers seat starting to wear badly.

Terrible steering wheel judder between 50 and 60 mph (not wheel tracking or balancing)

General Comments:

Not a bad car for performance considering the engine size. The car is comfortable and has excellent view around the car through the windows. Nice features like electric sunroof and some nice trim to the interior.

However, the K-series engine in these cars are its downfall - the coolant capacity for the car is just enough for the car and the slightest leak will cause head gasket failure if not caught early enough - twice within 1000 miles in my case.

Steering is very heavy and could definitely do with power steering as parallel parking is difficult.

It's a shame about the engine in these cars because its not a bad buy otherwise, but be prepared to pay out £300 + every time the head gasket goes.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 16th September, 2004

20th Oct 2004, 09:43

214 Si. Nice car, no troubles like written above. one time cool fluid pump (on distribution belt!) lot of work. around 140.000 km.

One brutally annoying trouble, again and again the dynamo gets loose. Been everywhere. made my own steel construction around it, drilled extra holes and it works again for over 5000 km now.

Very smooth, nice, reasonable comfortable car for little money.

30th Jan 2005, 06:46

Having read many car reviews over several years of internet & print media use, and bought and run many cheap used cars, I have to conclude that many problems owners have are simply caused by neglect. I have never had a car with major or ongoing problems. My Rover 214 was bought at 9 years old & 86000 miles. I had a new rad & water pump at 100000. Now it's done 170000. All I've had go wrong is a failed ignition coil. Even the head gasket has not gone! Three simple rules - only buy known reliable cars, find a good, properly maintained one, look after it. 200000 plus miles is quite possible!

1993 Rover - Austin 200 214 SEi 1.4 16v DOHC from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A speedy little car, underrated

Faults:

Exhaust (middle and Back Box)

General Comments:

Hmmmmm, only a 1.4, I don't beleive it, a nice drive car which handles and performs excellently for a car of its age, exhaust was cheap too at £160 with fitting, eats petrol more than a standard 8v motor though.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th March, 2004

1993 Rover - Austin 200 214 Si 1.4 spi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A mid-range bargain car

Faults:

Replace front brake pads L (worn)

Clutch judder when pulling off

Rounded off sump bung

Hole in radiator (65000 miles)

Rear bushes twice in 2 years

Leaking hose (One with filler stem)

Possible head gasket now gone.

General Comments:

A very cheap car to run, parts cheap and easily fitted at home.

Very economical, very reliable and No rust yet!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th July, 2003

1993 Rover - Austin 200 214SLi 1.4Mpi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

With uprated brakes and suspension a "B" road rocket, without modification? a good motorway cruiser.

Faults:

Indicator stalk snapped off.

Radiator blew at 111000 miles.

Down-pipe cracked at same time as radiator.

Rear driver side window seized shut.

Back box is now blowing.

Front disc's have warped and turned blue.

Rear suspension bushes have seized on.

General Comments:

This is a Comfy, quiet, fast car.

However it doesn't like corners and suffers from lots of body roll, the back end steps out often under braking or aggressive driving.

The brakes are appalling and are no match for the engine, as a result my disc's are warped and have turned a different color due to not being able to dissipate the heat build up. I will be fitting the brakes from a Rover 220GTi with uprated pads soon.

Steering is heavy when parking and has too many turns lock to lock.

It's very frugal, if driven at 70mph it will return 40mpg, but also achieves 26mpg when driven fairly hard.

Really quiet and relaxing on long journeys, easily does 100mph. Max speed I've seen is 126mph.

Great engine pulls, from 30mph in fifth and likes to rev all the way to the limiter.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th July, 2003