1992 Rover - Austin Montego LXI from UK and Ireland - Comments

Now where do we start, Drove car off forecourt and it decided to almost lunch itself with the biggest backfire in the world. Four days later decided all by itself that it would die at every junction when brakes where applied. Then decided to exhibit the most appalling road holding possible in the wet on it's first long journey. A replacement engine and gearbox followed, The garage in question assumed that the stalling problem lie within the confines of a "tired engine". Two hundred and ninety pounds and one week later my chariot returned, With, you guessed it, the same old problem. What followed can only be described as a frantic search for the truth. The main dealer wanted more than the car was now worth to "put it on the computer", and the local "tune up" bloke just laughed at the mere thought of having to look at it. So I then replaced the following parts.

The list is conclusive, but not exhaustive. Engine management unit, Ignition control unit, Air mass meter, Catalytic convertor, Lambda sensor, Fuel pump, All service parts and more. But the problem still remains, It still drops the revs and almost dies at every junction when you touch the brakes!. It is, needless to say, going to the scrapper next week, and my shiny new Zafira arrives at the same time, seven seats and total reliability!!!.

I had a Montego with exactly the same stalling problem friend. You would have been better off not replacing any parts and running the car into the ground as I did myself. Whenever my car wanted to stall at a Junction, I simply revved it to 6000 revs!However it liked it's oil consumption after that! These cars need plenty of abuse. I managed to keep this car running this way for 75000 more miles. I then sold it for a little more money then I initially paid for this wreck on wheels. I am now busy running a Japanese vehicle into the ground.

I bought a H reg 1.6 Montego estate with 89k on the clock 2nd hand for around £360. It has been a fantastic car with major load carrying capacity (I moved house using this vehicle alone saving on moving costs, OK it took a lot 50 mile round trips, but it did it) It now has 128k on the clock and still going. These old cars are fine if you are like me a DIY mechanic. The problems the chaps had with the above is usually the carb' alone, it happened to me. a replacement one off of a scrap car fixed the prob, and no new engine needed. When a garage fits a "replacement" engine all the ancillary parts from the old one are refitted to the new and some times unwittingly transferring the fault to the new engine. Cheers Richard

Update on the first comment left here. My Brother is still driving this Rusty Old Shed of a Montego. It has now covered 212,000 miles. He has had to have a new head gasket fitted, as well as a water pump, alternator, fuel pump and a cylinder head. Still makes for absolutely dirt cheap motoring, considering this old wreck has no value. Absolutely zero street credibility and more than its fair share of police attention because of the bodywork. However when he visits I often finding myself taking it for a decent thrashing down the road. The look on peoples faces when they hear and see this aging brown heap of rust being thrashed senseless past them is priceless. Good, cheap vehicle.

No wonder the British Motor Industry is a mess, you should give British cars a chance before you slag them off, no wonder MG Rover have gone to bits because people deemd the cars uncool. Don't SLAG OFF BRITISH CARS.

I have owned my 1989 Rover Montego 1.6L since early 2000 and found it to be the best car I have ever driven. It has only required a new radiator and head gasket, but I forgive the old girl as she has done 277,000 miles on the original engine. Although the engine is getting very tired now and is hesitant to pull at anything below 2000rpm.The bodywork is in dire condition though with badly rusting wheel arches, doors and bonnet. This is a seriously good value for money car.

The moral of the above story is when buying any used car with a high-ish mileage, take someone who knows a bit about cars with you! My 1992 LXi is still going OK 2½ years and 20000 miles after I bought it as a tough 7-seat family/ plumber's/ towing workhorse for just £800 with 95k on the clock. The only problem I had was some "clever" soul removed the catalyst which I had to replace for the MoT at a cost of £250.

Now, what was I saying about taking someone with you..?

Update on the First Comment left here. The vehicle has now done 266,000 Miles. It is still on the Original Engine. We have had to replace 2 Engine Mountings, the Front Shock Absorbers the Back Muffler, the Starter Motor and Radiator. The gearbox is now very loose. It is now seriously rusty. The Drivers Door Bottom fell into the Road last month. Luckily I had an old Door from a 1987 Datsun Bluebird Available so I was able to make a good bottom out of that panel. It does give the old Montego an odd look though! The donor panel was 2" inches short in length, however I just filled this and after applying Tarmac to all four Door bottoms, it looks almost Factory! The leading edge of the Bonnet is also made of Tarmac now! It is still being thrashed constantly. Lets face it is has no value at all now. Luckily we have now got our hands on a 1982 Cortina Crusader for Forty Pounds. The Montego is now to be entered into a local Bangar Race.

I have a Montego I got in 1999 and only minor things have gone wrong with it. Some people get good ones and others get bad ones. Read my Montego review A very good workhorse.