RE: Rover 216 Coupé | Spotted
Discussion
I owned a 220 coupe, classic case of wanting to get a new car and buying the first car I saw. Bitterly regretted it when I parked next to an E36 Coupe and realised I could have got one of those for the same money.
I had that car on finance and that three years was a very long time to spend driving a car I hated and regretted buying.
They are utter crap, £5K for this is an absolute joke.
I had that car on finance and that three years was a very long time to spend driving a car I hated and regretted buying.
They are utter crap, £5K for this is an absolute joke.
Wasn't the Honda engine subtly different when fitted to the Honda? I read that Rover slackened the manufacturing tolerances to make it cheaper to manufacture, as it was built by them under licence, rather than being a true Honda engine, hence all the standard Rover problems...
Anyone know whether that's true?
Anyone know whether that's true?
I usually love your suggestions but this is definitely a case of looking at the past through Rose tinted specs... I recall being a car nut reading lots of magazines at the time it came out and it wasn't even that highly rated then.. perhaps one for an Unexceptional gathering but this has zero street cred even now, perhaps even less now. You'd be laughed at driving this through retail park at Londbridge today. ..
Stigwallah said:
I recall being a car nut reading lots of magazines at the time it came out and it wasn't even that highly rated then..
Top Gear magazine did a group test of all the Coupes available at the time and I seem to remember it came about 3 from last out of 10 cars."Top of the pops - Coupes for the people featuring Alfa Romeo, BMW, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Peugeot, Rover, Toyota and Vauxhall."
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 16th March 19:24
Someone made an R34 Skyline replica using one of these. I don't know what country but I assume someone will be able to tell with the reg. I'm typically not a fan of replicas but I don't think it turned out that bad 
https://www.facebook.com/2196158017082100/posts/52...
https://www.facebook.com/2196158017082100/posts/52...
andy97 said:
I have a feeling that that particular generation of 200 series Rover chassis was very closely related to the DC2 Honda Integra
I owned both, it's not if the drive of the two is anything to go by. The Integra was a much much better car to drive... in fact it was a much much better car all round. The Rover rattled and basically fell to pieces Baldchap said:
Wasn't the Honda engine subtly different when fitted to the Honda? I read that Rover slackened the manufacturing tolerances to make it cheaper to manufacture, as it was built by them under licence, rather than being a true Honda engine, hence all the standard Rover problems...
Anyone know whether that's true?
Doubt it, as far as I know the Honda engines were built by Honda and they gave a lot less problems than the Rover engines.Anyone know whether that's true?
When I was 23, I had a 3 year old White 220 with the tailgate spoiler which I always think looked better than without. Very rare to see them in white and I think it looked (and drove) great. It was certainly quicker than my mates 2.0i 16v Calibra. Both in acceleration and top speed
And I don't really think you can call it a T-Bar as with the roof out and windows down there was still a strip of roof, It was more a 2 piece sunroof.
And I don't really think you can call it a T-Bar as with the roof out and windows down there was still a strip of roof, It was more a 2 piece sunroof.
I thought they were pretty popular at the time - there was a Tomcat race series.
To me they still look good but while I wouldn't pay that for one I'm sure someone might!
My one and only company car was a 1990 214SLi in metallic BRG. Well it was a better option than the 2 Sierra 1.8s I was offered as alternatives when 1,400cc cars attracted less tax than 1,800s, and the 214 was more powerful than them anyway!
I liked it but after a year I got made redundant and had to take it back, so after that I just took the car allowance.
To me they still look good but while I wouldn't pay that for one I'm sure someone might!
My one and only company car was a 1990 214SLi in metallic BRG. Well it was a better option than the 2 Sierra 1.8s I was offered as alternatives when 1,400cc cars attracted less tax than 1,800s, and the 214 was more powerful than them anyway!
I liked it but after a year I got made redundant and had to take it back, so after that I just took the car allowance.
Without doubt the best and most reliable car we've ever owned. Same engine as this (as already stated it's a sohc not dohc) and in nightfire red. Between my sister, dad and I we took it from 50k to 122k over the course of several years and apart from a sensor failure (think it might have been cam) it never missed a beat.
I ragged the arse off it everywhere I went and it just lapped up the abuse. Fitted the obligatory k and n induction kit and it sounded glorious but f
ked the fueling so put the original back on.
I know people can only speak as they find but these Honda engines cars were very reliable, even the t series cars were reliable and the k series if properly looked after. Old boy had a couple of 400 tourers that did over 200k miles without needing head gaskets.
We also had a 218 vvc and 220 turbo but it was the 216 that I remember most fondly. If I hadn't run out of space and time would definitely love another, preferably with a nice 220 gsi or GTi turbo to sit alongside it.
I ragged the arse off it everywhere I went and it just lapped up the abuse. Fitted the obligatory k and n induction kit and it sounded glorious but f
ked the fueling so put the original back on.I know people can only speak as they find but these Honda engines cars were very reliable, even the t series cars were reliable and the k series if properly looked after. Old boy had a couple of 400 tourers that did over 200k miles without needing head gaskets.
We also had a 218 vvc and 220 turbo but it was the 216 that I remember most fondly. If I hadn't run out of space and time would definitely love another, preferably with a nice 220 gsi or GTi turbo to sit alongside it.
dunnoreally said:
Nearly bought one of these for somewhere around £600 when I was 19.
It is a shame that today's 19 year olds can no longer get mildly interesting cars for somewhere around £600.
Yes you can, very easily. I've had plenty of 6 pot E46's for that. Highlights being a £500 D2 4.2 V8, an £800 STI swapped Impreza wagon, my current 2 owner 320d in completely mint condition with full BMW service history, numerous W220's, numerous 1.8T's and my old ML430 with quite a decent Powerflow exhaust on it. Plenty of cars more interesting than a 1.6 Rover for that money, even now. I've currently got my eye on a 2.8 Quattro A4 for £400 which will make a half decent station car if I end up with it, plenty of interesting cars for little money if you know where to look. Not as interesting as the days of cheap Cosworths and £50 taxed & tested cars but still interesting and fun to own. It is a shame that today's 19 year olds can no longer get mildly interesting cars for somewhere around £600.
Edited by aaron_2000 on Thursday 17th March 00:07
They were pretty cool to a 9 year old me when these were launched. Obviously as a 9 year old, I had no idea if they were actually any good, they just looked good (especially compared to the st cars my parents drove!).
£5k feels like strong money to me especially with sone dodgy mismatched paint.
t cars my parents drove!).£5k feels like strong money to me especially with sone dodgy mismatched paint.
I had one - for six whole weeks. I bought myself a 220 Coupe Turbo. Maybe because it was the first (and only) FWD I've ever owned, but I couldn't get on with it at all. The torque steer / power understeer was vaguely hilarious - but I count it as the worst handling car I've ever owned. For reference, I'd previously owned a Triumph GT6 Mk1 which has notoriously dodgy handling - but the Tomcat was worse.
Of course, one mistake wasn't enough. I got shot of the 220 and bought an Alfa 155Q4. Handled brilliantly, drove nicely, but spent more time being fixed than it did being driven.
Of course, one mistake wasn't enough. I got shot of the 220 and bought an Alfa 155Q4. Handled brilliantly, drove nicely, but spent more time being fixed than it did being driven.
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