RE: SOTW: Rover 800 Vitesse Coupe

[The Milfman]

drgoatboy said:

A Neighbour of mine had an 800 and told a tale of going down the A1 at night at speed and ALL the electrics going off.
Must have been a rather concerning moment...

This happened to me on the A3 (stretch without lighting) once in my Clio & yes it was rather concerning!

Back on topic - seems like a cool shed, lots of leather and comfort.

Edited by The Milfman on Friday 23 October 12:46

[bob1179]

I love these old Rovers, I think they are a smashing barge.

As for tuning the 2.0 Turbo 'T' Series engine, the boost can be turned up on these but the Honda sourced PG1 gearbox will only take about 230bhp and the equivalent torque produced before munching itself, IIRC you have to have the gearbox rebuilt with stronger bearings etc. to withstand the increased forces. I've also heard you can't do a great deal with the Rover MEMS so they can't really be 'remapped'.

Personally I wouldn't bother doing anything to it and just mooch about enjoying the ride and nice leather interior.

[pSyCoSiS]

Still a nice looking motor.

Alot of car for the money, and yes, very different from the run-of-the-mill shed choices.

[theturbs]

I remember the advert:

"Britische Architekt"

[LayZ]

My dad had an 825SD in 1995 with the Italian tractor engine.

Needless to say it was terrible, new electrical fault every week.

[Drivebyabuser]

Love these - Some one took me out in one when i was 15. It had a rosewood dash and the stereo was had a generic "face - off" with matching rosewood surround on it. I thought it was the best thing i had ever seen!

Very neat inside for an aged british car.

[tim2100]

I really like that. Shame it wasn't the older 2.7 with auto box but still nice looking.

[dwilkie]

Hmmm, I'm just about to sell mine as it needs a cat for the MOT (whoops) and since I was going to replace it next year anyway thought I may as well do it now. It's interesting to see they don't seem to suffer from the vitriolic hatred directed at most rovers!

[Motorrad]

I'd want to pay around 500 quid for it in light of the knackered a/c and 'window switches'. However it would be great fun annoying diesel driving company car owners by out accelerating them in this.
A qualified thumbs up from me.

[J4CKO]

Love it, look like a retired Major.

They were, regardless of parentage a handsome thing, ok a Granada or Senator was a better car but better looking, no.

They didnt drive to bad, i had a 2.0 one (non turbo) with Black Leather Recaros and big alloys, loved it, bought for peanuts, sold for a few more.

Air con needign a regas is shorthand for fooked, compressor, dryer, piping, electrics, evaporator and all that stuff, all potentially needing replacing before cold air comes out again, just buy it based on not having aircon, migth be worth trying a regas but I suspect you will just release a load of gas into the air, have tried this on three/four year old cars and needed to spend £400 plus.

[williamp]

I do like the look of these, and the interior also looks nice. Good shed

[wildcat45]

Nearly rescued a very neat gold one sold at a little workshop near me. The bloke only wanted 300 quid for it.

It would have been a silly buy what with the other cars I have.

But worth the 300 quid. It was about a year ago and I still see it running round locally looking like new.

[thehardman07]

Hmmm, hate to admit it, but I feel strangely attracted to this. The ride height looks suspiciously low and aren't those mgf alloys of a similar vintage, or were they standard on this car too?

[wolves_wanderer]

I had a go in one of the old sterlings and tried to restart a running engine as well. My mum nearly bought it until she found out that insurance would be £1100 for me.

I wonder what a 2.7l v6 would cost a 17 year old lad to insure nowadays?

[JulianCharity]

I used to have a 1999 Vitesse Saloon in Silver. Now don't get me wrong almost all Rovers from that period were awful, but the Vitesse I was actually really taken by. Pulled like a train, Recaro bucket seats, great suspension and stereo etc. I think you'd struggle to find more car for the money - great SOTW!

[B'stard Child]

J4CKO said:

They were, regardless of parentage a handsome thing, ok a Granada or Senator was a better car but better looking, no.

In your opinion - in mine the Senator was much better looking than both Rover 800 and Granada - esp that bug eyed abomination Scorpio

[tombstone]

just look out for oil leaks from the head gasket, smokey turbos and noisy gearboxes! (They chew the gearbox bearings up!)
Elec window fault is really common, normally dry joints on switch panel and iffy connection in fuse box, other than that, great shed!!!

[xj6executive]

Looks good, have always had been tempted with an 800 coupe, good choice for SOTW

[shirt]

wildcat45 said:

Nearly rescued a very neat gold one sold at a little workshop near me. The bloke only wanted 300 quid for it.

It would have been a silly buy what with the other cars I have.

But worth the 300 quid. It was about a year ago and I still see it running round locally looking like new.

gold - even better!

i quite like it, just the sort of thing i'd buy for work duties.

keep up the quality of SOTW please, i'll be selling the 28 soon and will need a new steed - the more comedy the better if at all possible.

[newdogg06]

Nice shed! A bit pricey though. Smoke it for a year then get rid. The wheels are the standard 17" ones originally seen on the Vitesse 'Lux'. Worked as a driver for an MGRover dealer and the MD had a string of these. Used to take them home at weekends which, at 22 years old was worth a cruise round the one way system or two. Still the fastest I have driven a road car- went off the clock which I think was 160, more like 145 ish. Not saying where though!
Original new parts are becoming a problem as a lot are being deleted, hoses, ECU's etc. Still, decent handling, equipment and the looks aren't too bad. Look quite compact compared to some barges now!