Rover 75 - In the market for an estate car... - cosmicjazzer

I'm in the market for an estate car. Got around £1,800 to spend. I do like the look of the Rover 75s and there seem to be a fair few around at this sort of price. However I am rather scared by the reputation for head gasket failure.... I'm presuming this would not be an issue for the diesels, though, which i understand have a BMW engine. Could someone confirm this is indeed the case?

Also I'm wondering if Rover parts are available at reasonable prices or if repair costs are likely to work out overly high... Really would appreciate the opinion of someone in the know....

Otherwise I'd consider a Focus, Mondeo, Vectra, Volvo V40, Peugeot 406 etc. Would be very interested in any thoughts as to which models tend to offer best value.... Many thanks!

Edited by cosmicjazzer on 27/06/2011 at 02:24

Rover 75 - In the market for an estate car... - RT

The diesel engine was indeed a BMW unit, built in England at Hamms Hall, Warwickshire.

If you're looking at Vectras, I'm not sure if your budget will stretch to the Vectra-C but in it's estate version it was the biggest of all estates, bar none, thanks to the 4" increase in wheelbase over the saloon/hatch models, but the Vectra-B estate was quite pokey.

Rover 75 - In the market for an estate car... - Peter.N.

If you would be happy with a 406 I would go for one of those. I have avoided common rail engines for years because of their percieved unreliability but I finally succumbed to a 406 Hdi estate. what really swung it for me is the number that you see advertised with over 300,000 miles on them, if they will last that long they are the car for me.

The one I bought had covered 189k when I bought it and has now done 195k with no engine problems, it will return over 60 mpg driven carefully and has avereged 54.4 over the last 5k. Mine is a GLX which has Satnav, electric seats, auxilluary heater and aircon to name but a few and I paid £950 for it on ebay, it drives almost like new.

I have replaced part of the exhaust, the speedo sensor and the rear brake pads/shoes since I had it, none of which were expensive but that is all I found wrong with it, that done passed MOT with no problem.

There are lot's of them about and if you get a March 01 onward the tax is only £125.00

I must just add that this only goes for the 2.0 litre 8 valve engine, they are available in 90 and 110 hp I bought the latter.

Edited by Peter.N. on 27/06/2011 at 14:14