Winter snotter Rover 216 sli
Discussion
Pretty much the polar opposite of my XFR, I present for your collective bemusement a 1994 Honda engined Rover 216sli. Two owners from new, all of 27k miles on it, owned by, you guessed it an older gentleman who kept a chunk of paperwork including stamped service book and original letter confirming sale as an approved used car from a Rover dealership in 1994. Bodywork is ropey as the lacquer on the paint has started to go and because the chap was getting on a bit a fair few dings on the drivers side. Interior is tired but scrubbed up well with a £10 valet from the local hand car wash.
Recent radiator, new exhaust and battery, and averaging a couple hundred miles a year for the last few years. Sailed through its MOT, prior to which I treated it to a service and have invested in some pads and discs for the front brakes but they weren't needed to pass the mot so will stick them on in the coming weeks.
Bought as a winter snotter just in case my XFR engine woes continued and I was without a car again. Picked it up from Reading at the start of December. It is perfect for winter driving in town, revvy 4 pot D series , smooth ish auto box (1st to 2nd when the gearbox is cold is a bit notchy) and the thin A pillars give good visibility. Love the fact that you can park anywhere and not worry about dings and scratches, drive flat out and still be under the speed limit (ish) and it costs peanuts to run.
Plan was to run through winter and flog in the spring but now I'm tempted to get the paintwork tidied and hold on to it for a while
Recent radiator, new exhaust and battery, and averaging a couple hundred miles a year for the last few years. Sailed through its MOT, prior to which I treated it to a service and have invested in some pads and discs for the front brakes but they weren't needed to pass the mot so will stick them on in the coming weeks.
Bought as a winter snotter just in case my XFR engine woes continued and I was without a car again. Picked it up from Reading at the start of December. It is perfect for winter driving in town, revvy 4 pot D series , smooth ish auto box (1st to 2nd when the gearbox is cold is a bit notchy) and the thin A pillars give good visibility. Love the fact that you can park anywhere and not worry about dings and scratches, drive flat out and still be under the speed limit (ish) and it costs peanuts to run.
Plan was to run through winter and flog in the spring but now I'm tempted to get the paintwork tidied and hold on to it for a while
Yep, my grandfathers was a 1990 216SLi, the engine was a peach, pulled nicely, it was just a pity the bodywork rotted around the engine and interior (which was spotless). My 214 SEi, even with 115,000 on the clock (cleanest oil in any car that I've ever had, never changed from the golden honey colour which it went in with), was a cracking little car, decent handling, decent economy and totally reliable barring a slight rim leak on one alloy in the time I owned it (now there was a car you'd find hard to get over 70 though... at least not without watching the fuel gauge visibly drop as you tried anyway).
I'd certainly have another, though I've a self recognised thing for Rovers of this era.
I'd certainly have another, though I've a self recognised thing for Rovers of this era.
ali_XFR said:
owned by, you guessed it an older gentleman who kept a chunk of paperwork including stamped service book and original letter confirming sale as an approved used car from a Rover dealership in 1994.
The best types of second hand car purchase IMO. Our 13 year old Laguna, which we still need to get rid of was bought 2 years ago as stop gap wheels when we needed every penny to fund our house purchase. £1500 for a 40K one owner car, FSH inc recent cambelt, nothing ever not maintained fastidiously. It did and still does drive like it's a new car, as much as any 13 year old car can!
Looks like you found a bargain OP!
Takes me back to the early 90s - my first (and only) company car in 1992 was a 1991 Rover 214Sli in metallic Green (company car tax was cheaper for a 1400 engine back then) - although the 1400 model had the Rover K Series! Mind you, I wasn't going to be paying if it all went wrong!
Coming from a 1990 Cavalier the build quality felt hugely better, but it never felt as quick as the quoted power output suggested it should be! Mind you it was very economical - always better than 40 mpg even though I drove it like I stole it!
Quite like the idea of having one now as a cheap run-around - especially the 1400 as it falls into the cheap RFL rate!
Good luck with yours!
Takes me back to the early 90s - my first (and only) company car in 1992 was a 1991 Rover 214Sli in metallic Green (company car tax was cheaper for a 1400 engine back then) - although the 1400 model had the Rover K Series! Mind you, I wasn't going to be paying if it all went wrong!
Coming from a 1990 Cavalier the build quality felt hugely better, but it never felt as quick as the quoted power output suggested it should be! Mind you it was very economical - always better than 40 mpg even though I drove it like I stole it!
Quite like the idea of having one now as a cheap run-around - especially the 1400 as it falls into the cheap RFL rate!
Good luck with yours!
That will just keep going forever, just keep an eye on the sills at the rear as this is where they corrode and as a precaution I would either change or have someone change the timing belt. We have had Rovers from SD1, Montegos, 800's 25's, 45's a 400 a 600 and a 75, across the whole family none have had any major problems apart from the diff bearings started to become noisy in one of the 800's and the thermostat housing split on the 75 and of course the usual batteries and exhausts.
Wow was expecting a "that's not particularly PH worthy" backlash, thanks for the comments. It's pretty much rust free underneath.
Sills at the rear and rear wheel arches are completely clean. Have managed to track down a replacement interior including a pair of front door cards which will hopefully lift the interior from its tired state. My younger brother (giblet of this parish) is also using it a couple of days a week as a hilarious alternative to his Lancer Evo X. He has had a couple of quotes around £3-400 for a blended in paint job which would also sort the the dents etc which would put my outgoings including service and mot at the £1k mark which is at the top end of what I wanted to spend but tempting as it would then be cosmetically and mechanically spot on. I guess I'll make a choice based on if I want to hold on to it or move it on when the weather improves in a few months. I do fancy getting something like a prelude to enjoy a bit of old school high revving VTEC (yo) action in the summer.
Sills at the rear and rear wheel arches are completely clean. Have managed to track down a replacement interior including a pair of front door cards which will hopefully lift the interior from its tired state. My younger brother (giblet of this parish) is also using it a couple of days a week as a hilarious alternative to his Lancer Evo X. He has had a couple of quotes around £3-400 for a blended in paint job which would also sort the the dents etc which would put my outgoings including service and mot at the £1k mark which is at the top end of what I wanted to spend but tempting as it would then be cosmetically and mechanically spot on. I guess I'll make a choice based on if I want to hold on to it or move it on when the weather improves in a few months. I do fancy getting something like a prelude to enjoy a bit of old school high revving VTEC (yo) action in the summer.
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