2000 Rover - Austin 75 Connoisseur from UK and Ireland - Comments

Cruise Control (Faulty on delivery) took 4 visits to repair (5 days off the road)

Interior auto dipping mirror (Faulty on delivery) 1 day to repair

3 of the 4 alloy wheels began to peel! within the first 4 months (Rover would only replace them one at a time so meant 3 separate visits)

Windscreen replaced twice. (The tinting in the galss was smeared the first time. When the engineer replaced the screen, he managed to damage the new one with his diamond ring - hence the second screen (2 days off the road)

Rear screen replaced (same fault as the front one)

Exterior door handles faulty on all, but one door (1 day off the road)

Interior door handles faulty (2 days off the road)

Electric seat recline switches (both sides) broken so seat cannot tilt

Airbag light continues to come on and go off at erratic intervals despite having been "fixed" three times at the dealers

Trim piece at side of front screen fell off

Drivers side window does not raise fully without repeated pulls on the switch

MAS or MASS air filter (or something like that) failed at 30,000 miles and the car drove like a fiat panda 750 with 27 rugby players in it. We happened to be in East Germany at the time so had to drive all the way home at about 50mph!

Countless headlight bulbs, brake light bulbs (27 at last count I believe) dealer says there is no fault!!!

Various other bits and pieces that I can't be bothered typing about, but I am sure you get the idea!!

My business partner and I thought we would treat ourselves to a couple of the 75's on contract hire with Rover. At the time, the connoisseur SE diesels were quite rare and took a bit of tracking by our original dealer. We live in Warrington, Cheshire. One car was in Doncaster the other at a dealer in Jersey. When my car finally arrived (after a run in with Customs and Excise) the problems started. In the first 3 months, the car spent a total of 18 days in the dealers with countless visits since. Even the other car is not without fault, it has 30,000 miles on the clock and has recently spent almost 3 months off the road awaiting a new clutch!!

Would I buy or lease another Rover? Will the Queen leave the Duke of Edinburgh and move in with me over a chip shop in Peckham???

Well the Rover has now gone...goodbye! I have decided not to replace it with a company car due to the excessive and unnecessary tax burden placed on us poor unfortunate drivers. I have however bought my first car in 12 years... A 1998 Ford Scorpio, 24V, 2.9 litre Cosworth.

Wow what a car in comparison to the 75. This car has everything and it gets noticed too because of the (controversial at the time) "buggy headlights" but just look at the Mercedes range, the new Mini and the Citroen Saxo, they all have them now.

Would I swap back even though my average economy is now 19 mpg?

No way matey!!!

Hi, glad you like your scorpio. I think it was pathetic the way this car was axed simply because of the way it looked. all they had to do was change the front grille design. as a machine to drive and for reliability it's a great car. (the 24v engine and running gear is a straight carry over from the previous granada model and is largely trouble free) I like them. was dissapointed to read about yours and others comments on the poor reliability of the rover 75 as I wanted one. not now, as by the time I can afford one it'll be well out of warranty and I don't relish the thought of 600 quid to change a clutch.

£600 for a clutch. OMG!! No wonder they are dirt cheap now. Plenty for under £3000.

Where did you get the £600 quote from? I just brought a Rover 75 for £1000 because of a broken gearbox, and changed the entire gearbox and installed a new clutch plus the master cylinder (I think that's what they called the thingy inside the gearbox that's usually outside the gearbox, so its easy to change in any other vehicle, but this one, since it was open, I decided to change it - better safe than sorry). Anyway, I digress. The gearbox, a 37,000 miles reconditioned unit was £235, the fitting was £340 with all new parts. That's £575, so well below the £600 to change just a clutch.