1989 Rover - Austin 800 Vitesse review from UK and Ireland
What things have gone wrong with the car?
CV joint replaced at 82,000m.
Heater valve jammed,
Black paint flaking off around rear window revealing chrome (?!)
General comments?
This is a very nice car. At least, I thought it was when I bought it. First impressions can be deceptive though. After a few weeks I noticed the ride is not particularly smooth, and the smallest of bumps can be felt through the seat. The seats themselves are very comfortable and the interior is very luxurious and full of gadgets that still work faultlessly after ten years. The engine is not as flexible as one would expect, but is more of a screamer. This doesn`t fit with the general feel of the car, being quite taught feeling until you get to a roundabout, when it feels like it`s rolling like a 2CV. Amazing amounts of grip though, considering the way it feels. The major let down for me with this car is that it's not a car you want to drive for the sake of it. It's quite lively and doesn't feel it`s size but it's just too dead feeling to drive for fun. And you soon stop worrying about the 7.5 sec 0-60 time when you realise it costs £55 to fill up the tank (every 300 miles).
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.7 V6 petrol |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Date of Entry | 12th December, 1999 |