RE: Rover 214 SEI: Reader's Car of the Week
Discussion
itcaptainslow said:
Great to see people sharing their memories of these cars (mostly positive, too 
), thanks everyone. 
Brings home how well MG Rover could have done had they been managed better and investment directed towards developing new mainstream models.
I remember them growing up. My parents had a few over the years. A new Green 1.6 200, a Blue 1.4, think there was a silver one too. My Granddad had a 400. I don't recall any being an issue ever. And all were good family cars for the time.), thanks everyone. Brings home how well MG Rover could have done had they been managed better and investment directed towards developing new mainstream models.
When we used to buy and sell cars, we'd target these too. Very good little run abouts really. The central locking failing was the biggest issue we had with them, but a relatively easy home fix. Should think we must have bought and sold 20-30 of them.
Called a tourer for some reason.itcaptainslow said:
300bhp/ton said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Going home last night I was stuck behind a Rover 220 Estate
I don't think there was a 200 Estate.sgtBerbatov said:
itcaptainslow said:
300bhp/ton said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Going home last night I was stuck behind a Rover 220 Estate
I don't think there was a 200 Estate.
I had an H plate 214Si in red back in, err, mm, err, 2002 or so.
Tidy little thing and I loved the smart styling. My main gripe with it was engine noise. It was absolutely terrible. It was SO annoying at motorway speeds. Maybe the engine mounts were shot, I don't know, but it was one of the worst cars I've owned for harshness. I really wanted to like the whole car too but that was just too much.
I sold it and bought a 3.0 24v Senator.
Tidy little thing and I loved the smart styling. My main gripe with it was engine noise. It was absolutely terrible. It was SO annoying at motorway speeds. Maybe the engine mounts were shot, I don't know, but it was one of the worst cars I've owned for harshness. I really wanted to like the whole car too but that was just too much.
I sold it and bought a 3.0 24v Senator.
I had a 216SLi with the Honda lump, circa 1993 K reg. Quite liked it accelerated well and was pretty economical and a bit of pseudo luxury after a Fiesta 1.6DL.
Got it at Auction in 2000 crashed it into the central reservation on the A21 in 2005 after Kent's finest closed Lane 1 with no cones in the dark by putting a patrol car static in the carriageway (pricks)....driver in lane 1 saw plod at last second swerved into my lane, I braked wet/icy surface.....game over.
Got it at Auction in 2000 crashed it into the central reservation on the A21 in 2005 after Kent's finest closed Lane 1 with no cones in the dark by putting a patrol car static in the carriageway (pricks)....driver in lane 1 saw plod at last second swerved into my lane, I braked wet/icy surface.....game over.
Edited by Flanners on Friday 7th June 12:03
Appreciate everyone has their own opinion. For clarity my comments here are based on ownership and use of the vehicle over 2 years, with 38 years driving experience, IAM and professionally trained. Ironically I now own in 2020 this cars sibling, a late 2005 MGZS 2.5 KV6 with 48K on the clock, second owner for coming up 14 years - Pic: https://bit.ly/39uWJUT
In 1995 I bought from Farnell Land Rover in Guiseley, Leeds a used, one owner 1994 214i 8 valve (around 75 Hp - I forget) in metallic British Racing Green. In an odd twist, looking at the log book, the former owner was the father of a school chum Jon Wilson who I knew well from a posh house in Roundhay so I figured this was mum's car and it was in perfect condition with low miles. Manual gear box and no power steering although fuel injection on the K4 ensured it was nippy enough, quiet and reasonably agile - with roots in the Honda Concerto why wouldn't it be? The big hatchback with large glass all round made it practical and easy to drive with great all round vision. I know - this is not the model in question - bear with me.
A year later I was provided with a new company car... a 1995/6 N plate Rover 214 SEi 16 valve (around 103 Hp) in metallic red with full black leather interior, electric pack, sun-roof and alloys / low profile tires. So now I had two almost identical cars on my drive from Rover although totally different in character - and that is the point of my comment.
Being able to drive two models of the same car (family) on a regular basis gives you the opportunity to feel the differences and obvious things apart like the size, shape and interior these were two completely different cars in character, in fact, if you were sat inside them without any pre-knowledge you would have put money on the fact they were different brands.
The 214i 8v was sedate, quiet and clearly geared and set up as a family car - it didn't do anything special but it felt secure, reliable, handled well enough and you could feel that Honda had been an influence - practical is a good word.
The 214 SEi 16V was the opposite - like a kid in a china shop - free revving and geared to accelerate, it begged me to put my foot down at the lights. With less sound proofing and a performance exhaust I felt like Roger Clark in the RAC Rally every time I got in it. The suspension was lower and the handling tighter. Bigger boots gave it a lot of grip in the bends and front wheel drive meant it was easy and predictable to control although amazingly I discovered that you could provoke a controllable RWD style overdrive with a tuck in and throttle off mid bend. This became intoxicating on wet or loose surfaces and a touch of handbrake could bring about a poetic 180 - the classic handbrake turn.
Back in the 8V I would try to provoke the same performance and it was like negotiating a barge through a river of treacle - it wasn't having any of it. An attempt at a handbrake turn failed to lock the wheels and it simply slowed down to a stop. Perfectly safe an dumbed down.
Whoever Rover gave the SEi to in order to give it a boost did a tremendous job and the models are like chalk and cheese - it was the pathfinder to the later MG ZS which again (I can say) with 190 Hp on the V6 model with a BMC filter / CAF and a cat back big bore exhaust is heroic - even by todays standards. Great, predictable handling, massive grip, immense brakes with big vented discs I cannot let it go even now.
If I get the time I might write up my Zed for the board - getting rarer by the year with insurance companies keen to scrap them and interesting from several angles - the MK 2 was fettled by Pro Drive no less.
In 1995 I bought from Farnell Land Rover in Guiseley, Leeds a used, one owner 1994 214i 8 valve (around 75 Hp - I forget) in metallic British Racing Green. In an odd twist, looking at the log book, the former owner was the father of a school chum Jon Wilson who I knew well from a posh house in Roundhay so I figured this was mum's car and it was in perfect condition with low miles. Manual gear box and no power steering although fuel injection on the K4 ensured it was nippy enough, quiet and reasonably agile - with roots in the Honda Concerto why wouldn't it be? The big hatchback with large glass all round made it practical and easy to drive with great all round vision. I know - this is not the model in question - bear with me.
A year later I was provided with a new company car... a 1995/6 N plate Rover 214 SEi 16 valve (around 103 Hp) in metallic red with full black leather interior, electric pack, sun-roof and alloys / low profile tires. So now I had two almost identical cars on my drive from Rover although totally different in character - and that is the point of my comment.
Being able to drive two models of the same car (family) on a regular basis gives you the opportunity to feel the differences and obvious things apart like the size, shape and interior these were two completely different cars in character, in fact, if you were sat inside them without any pre-knowledge you would have put money on the fact they were different brands.
The 214i 8v was sedate, quiet and clearly geared and set up as a family car - it didn't do anything special but it felt secure, reliable, handled well enough and you could feel that Honda had been an influence - practical is a good word.
The 214 SEi 16V was the opposite - like a kid in a china shop - free revving and geared to accelerate, it begged me to put my foot down at the lights. With less sound proofing and a performance exhaust I felt like Roger Clark in the RAC Rally every time I got in it. The suspension was lower and the handling tighter. Bigger boots gave it a lot of grip in the bends and front wheel drive meant it was easy and predictable to control although amazingly I discovered that you could provoke a controllable RWD style overdrive with a tuck in and throttle off mid bend. This became intoxicating on wet or loose surfaces and a touch of handbrake could bring about a poetic 180 - the classic handbrake turn.
Back in the 8V I would try to provoke the same performance and it was like negotiating a barge through a river of treacle - it wasn't having any of it. An attempt at a handbrake turn failed to lock the wheels and it simply slowed down to a stop. Perfectly safe an dumbed down.
Whoever Rover gave the SEi to in order to give it a boost did a tremendous job and the models are like chalk and cheese - it was the pathfinder to the later MG ZS which again (I can say) with 190 Hp on the V6 model with a BMC filter / CAF and a cat back big bore exhaust is heroic - even by todays standards. Great, predictable handling, massive grip, immense brakes with big vented discs I cannot let it go even now.
If I get the time I might write up my Zed for the board - getting rarer by the year with insurance companies keen to scrap them and interesting from several angles - the MK 2 was fettled by Pro Drive no less.
At 38 I am a recent convert to Rovers.
My dad has 4 - 3 75s (1.8, 2.0 ad 2.5) and a 45 1.6, all mega low miles
In January is saw another 45 1.6 for sale which he said i should buy for a winter car and keep my 16 plate Corsa VXR for good. Guess what, i've now sold my Corsa and the Rover is the weekend/toy car!
They are easy to work on and perform very well, even by todays equivalents...i'm currently in the middle of upgrading mine with help from Roger @ Sabre Heads as well.
I'd not hesitate to pour money in my 45 to keep it going - I think if you gave me the choice of keeping my 45 or giving me something brand new i'd still choose the Rover - lots of love for them.
Last of a special era really
My dad has 4 - 3 75s (1.8, 2.0 ad 2.5) and a 45 1.6, all mega low miles
In January is saw another 45 1.6 for sale which he said i should buy for a winter car and keep my 16 plate Corsa VXR for good. Guess what, i've now sold my Corsa and the Rover is the weekend/toy car!
They are easy to work on and perform very well, even by todays equivalents...i'm currently in the middle of upgrading mine with help from Roger @ Sabre Heads as well.
I'd not hesitate to pour money in my 45 to keep it going - I think if you gave me the choice of keeping my 45 or giving me something brand new i'd still choose the Rover - lots of love for them.
Last of a special era really
Rich Boy Spanner said:
This was the period when I thought Rover would rebound and survive. These went really well (along with many Vauxhalls of the day) compared with most other comparable cars, and seemed a step up from smokey CVH's and drab grey Ford dashboards. The GTi's were fun, the Tomcat hilarious.
Yes, their interiors were a distinct cut above Ford and Vauxhall, As was the general finish but Rover messed it up with over ambitious pricing and the (sorry, as the OP of the cliche thread) head gasket problems. I have great memories of my 214si - JAKY as it was affectionately known.
Started as a standard 214si, then slowly morphed through twin webbers and suspension to - eventually - a T-series engine swapped beast.
Last count was 280bhp and 320 lb/ft with flames spiiing out tte back abs huge AP Racibg brakes. I kept it looking as normal as possible with the 214 so badge still there when I sold it.
Had an amazing time with it on road and track.
Will always remember a run down to Castle Combe on the M4 outrunning a Skyline R33GTR. He was at the same track day and asked “what the F3ck is in that?”
Ah, good times 😊
Kai
Started as a standard 214si, then slowly morphed through twin webbers and suspension to - eventually - a T-series engine swapped beast.
Last count was 280bhp and 320 lb/ft with flames spiiing out tte back abs huge AP Racibg brakes. I kept it looking as normal as possible with the 214 so badge still there when I sold it.
Had an amazing time with it on road and track.
Will always remember a run down to Castle Combe on the M4 outrunning a Skyline R33GTR. He was at the same track day and asked “what the F3ck is in that?”
Ah, good times 😊
Kai
My second car was a 414 SLi with the 1.4 16V K-Series.
Compared to all the little knackered hatchbacks my friends had at the time, it was like driving a couch.
Everything broke on it though. Everything.
Head gasket,waterpump, clutch, gearbox, alternator, exhaust, had to do all the brakes, all the suspension. Steep learning curve.
Compared to all the little knackered hatchbacks my friends had at the time, it was like driving a couch.
Everything broke on it though. Everything.
Head gasket,waterpump, clutch, gearbox, alternator, exhaust, had to do all the brakes, all the suspension. Steep learning curve.
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