1995 Rover - Austin 400 414 Si review from Portugal
"Rovers are good cars, if well maintained"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
My head gasket blew at 55,000 km.
My brake discs had to be replaced at 70000 km.
The air conditioned doesn't work... The gas goes somewhere. Have to find the leak.
The car was totally abandoned by previous owner, and seems that dogs had slept inside of it... The interior was full washed several times to reach its brightness.
The varnish is getting out, because it seems that the previous owner had the idea that not washing the car keeps it OK...
Some plastics lost its colour due to intense sunlight exposure.
General comments?
The car is very comfortable. I can do hundreds of km without stopping.
The engine is very nice. After being in the right temperature, revving it to 4000-5000 rpm is a pleasure. However, you can use it from 2000 up, and it has enough torque.
Doesn't handles like a sports car, but it is nice to use it in any road. Engine response doesn't get you embarrassed in any way.
Immobilizer/alarm is very good, for a 14 year old car.
Electric sunroof is nice in winter.
Its exterior lines are beautiful, even after 14 years passed from its release (but that's just my opinion).
How much you spend in petrol depends on your driving. I can do from 6l/100km to 10l/100km. The more you rev, the more you pay. However, it is not difficult to make 7l/100km.
Brakes could be better, but if you change the disks to vented ones, it brakes better.
Interiors are nice, but driver seat could go lower than it does.
It is a good car, sometimes unfairly underrated.
Its engine is a bit sensible, mostly when driven cold. Be sure to warm it properly before revving it up. Avoid more than 3000rpm before it is in good temp.
Keep an eye in fluid levels and check water and oil at least once a week.
If you experience head gasket failure, find someone who do the job well done and change all kit: Gaskets and head bolts.
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| Lot of car for not a lot of money |
|
| 1995 - 400 414 Si 1.4 DOHC Gasket GT-R Bargain? Yeah rite! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1995 |
| Year of manufacture | 1995 |
| First year of ownership | 2008 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.4 i Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 50000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 80200 kilometres |
| Previous car | Ford Mondeo |
| Date of Entry | 17th August, 2009 |