1999 Rover - Austin 200 SE review from UK and Ireland
"Best performance/quality all in one!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Absolutely nothing has gone wrong!
One fuse blew once the day before it was due to go in for a service anyway so I let them replace it (I've blown more fuses myself in my ICE installs).
The quality is amazing and so even after nearly 2 years and 12000 miles, it's still mint. I leave the car outside and I believe it's one of the only small cars on the market which wouldn't rust to bits due to the British/German quality/engineering.
General comments?
I've outrun my mate in his 1.1 Fiesta whilst being 2 up, hands down!
It's definitely the fastest 1.1 on the roads and even beats 1.4 hatches. This is due to the superb road holding, you just cannot slide it! The back suspension has a little trick which keeps you going right, and the revvy engine makes for a great driving experience which is even more fun when there's two people to keep the weight distribution right.
My ICE (stereo) system gets some funny looks, I think more people can't believe what they're seeing, as the 200 sometimes has the pipe and slippers image, but a little customisation makes this car into a very mean machine! Just look at the aggressive front and compare it to, hmm say a Fiesta, or a Saxo or a Corsa, they all look really boring and dull.
If you want quality, style and performance when you're young and insurance is a problem (got mine as my first car 2 years ago at 17 after I had passed my test), then this is the car to go for!
The beauty of this car is that because it's so revvy, it's no slow coach on the motorways. I'm down in Cornwall and we don't really have any within a 3 hour drive so when I went to Norfolk and got my speed up, there was a really nice power band higher up in the rev range meaning that slowing down and pulling away was leaving very higher spec cars behind. So it's doing me proud!
Search for New and Used Rover - Austin 200s available in the UK
Click here to advertise your car
Recommended reviews
|
| Performance with economy. Doesn't look as quick as it is |
|
| If you after a small hatch, with only 750 made, you'd be daft not to try it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.1i Manual |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 12000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 14th March, 2001 |