220 SDi? (diesel bubble)

220 SDi? (diesel bubble)

Author
Discussion

chris71

Original Poster:

21,536 posts

243 months

Monday 8th January 2007
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Thinking of getting one of these as a cheap runaround and motorway car so I can save up for something more interesting and totally impractical to join it!

So, are they any good?

I've heard they go well for an old school Diesel and I was very happy with the way our Czech Wrecks 216 drove even after it'd done more miles than the starship enterprise. However a rusty subframe sent that one to the scarp yard when it was still outwardly quite a clean example - do I have to worry about such things with a new shape 220 SDi? Anything else to watch out for?

Finally, does anyone know what insurance group they fall in? I've seen several up as group 7 on autotrader and just wanted to check this was correct as I gather (perhaps incorrectly!) that they were known as a 'quick diesel' in their day? Since I'm 23 even one of these could get the insurance companies rubbing their hands....

Chris.

Roman

2,031 posts

220 months

Tuesday 9th January 2007
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http://45zs.info/index.htm

Upto 130bhp for £59!

MG_ZS_250

92 posts

225 months

Saturday 13th January 2007
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I used to have one of these. Great car. Had it tuned to 130bhp with 200lb/ft. handling was good with my Koni adjustable suspension but the brakes are woeful - need to upgrade to ZS180 spec if you plan on driving it hard. Fuel economy is great, even when tuned. Engine is bomb proof and will go for hundreds of k's of miles.

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,536 posts

243 months

Monday 15th January 2007
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Sounds promising. I think I'd be looking to keep it standard though (or atleast deniably tweaked ) as it would purely used as a workhorse when I couldn't fit stuff in my other car and must be cheap to insure. Also needs to be parked in London, so not looking at 400s, 620 ti etc....

Is it a peugeot sourced engine?

I suppose the other possibility (rover-wise) is a metro. Not sure about it's credentials as a motorway car or the ability to fit several mountain bike frames in the boot?!

red_rover

843 posts

221 months

Monday 15th January 2007
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The R3 200 'bubble' has the home grown L-series diesel. Very tried and trusted engine. Also probably the best direct-diesel injection engine before common rail diesel came out.

The metro has a Peugeot XUD.

Edited by red_rover on Monday 15th January 18:23

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,536 posts

243 months

Wednesday 17th January 2007
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Oh right. Any parts issues? I know it's not a problem with most Rover stuff, but if the engine was specific to that range......

ssray

1,103 posts

226 months

Monday 29th January 2007
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No parts issues, look at the link rover ron knows his stuff.
i have a 420td same engine a good one.
Ray