It's an early Cowley built 75, so the interior wood is actually real - or real veneer to be precise. Rover started using wood effect plastic from December 2001.
Good review Alan. Some years ago me and Kathleen had a friend in Italy and when we used to visit him there he took us around in his Rover 75. I thought it very comfortable and quiet and went like a rocket. He was a businessman and he'd had two of them. He swore they were the best cars he'd ever had. Cheers.
I loved the 75 and its part of my low opinion of BMW that they undermined the car, refused to countenance MG versions and then abandoned the company. I don't have a good word to say about BMW and I will never buy one. Once they sorted the gasket quality problems the engines were largely fine. The car itself is a fine design, not perfect, but then no car is. That looked a cracking example until you went underneath where it looks a bit crispy in places. I just hope the buyer enjoys it and looks after it.
I've had loads of 75's both saloon and Tourer diesel to the V6 powerhouse ......2.5 V6 conny is the one to have. Also owned a 800 820si fastback and a 825SLi saloon
The unperforated leather is no problem at all . That aircon works so damn good , you wont swet a drop in a hot summer . I own a 2000 Cowley build 75 Connoseur in pristine condition in and out for 5 years now and DON'T want another car ! Greetings from a Dutch Rovernut .
Beautiful cars. Own both a 75 and a MG ZTT. They need a bit mor attention than average being mainly built on BMW technology but o so wonderful. And here in Norway they are really rare. Fun fact they use the same automatic transmission as the mk3 Mondeo and Jaguar X type etc.
Nice Car Alan !! I always liked the old 75 The look of the car is so elegant and timeless, I just can't like the modern bubbish of today all looking the same with a different badge on. Thanks Alan 😀👍
I worked at a Rover dealer in the 90s as a valeter, sadly never got to drive on of these, 200s 400s 600s 800s I had the pleasure, in the latter days the 25s! Loved the 800 series V6 Nice cars! Also the real classics like the P6
Great video Alan. I have a 75 2.5 V6 Auto myself with all the option boxes ticked at the time. Mines one of the very first made on a T Reg in old English white. My car was actually used at Rovers 75 launch event on 19/6/99 at London Bridge. There a fantastic car and are now getting quite a following.
I had before my 3rd Gen Mondeo, I had the predecessor to the 75 (620SLi) same body designer Richard Woolley , it was a great car I it had a decade and half . I have to say it never let me down ever.
@@martinreed5964 ok captain obvious 🙄what are you even talking about daft lad? The engines was used from ford because they owned them, what’s that got to do with rover and BMW making a car that’s pretty much the same as a jaguar x type???? An little insite for you, I didn’t ask about the boot seal for no reason moron.
@@mrknowles1540 are you on drugs?..or perhaps english isnt your first language.....it was you who who brought up the x type comparison by saying they are pretty much the same car
😃 Great car when everything is sorted out. But they are now getting on in years. Buy with great caution ⚠, and the best example you can find!. Under rated Rovers............
Black sills 75's were the proper ones with all the high quality items and touches that were gradually disappearing as time went on, by the 2004 facelift, they were very cheap-feeling. This one looks like it's been looked after consistently throughout its life, but I would spend a couple of days and some money on some Bilt Hamber treatment products and coatings for the components underneath. Very nice car indeed. Great video Alan.
Fully agree ! I love my 2000 Cowley with all the goody's they had . It's a 1.8 Connoseur in Arden Green with Sandstone leather . Thanks to its original Belgium owner who had it Waxoil treated , the body and sils are in immaculate condition , only the rear brakelines are renewed . As you say the automatic shifts buttersweet , and also the big K runs without any vibration or flat spot , Right after purchase in 2017 I had the headgasket replaced by the multi layer steel one with stronger bolts . The big K has done 60000 miles sinds then running like a Swiss watch . I want to keep this jewel as long as possible , love it to bits ! Thank you Britts for letting this Dutch petrollhead drive such a beautiful reliable jewel of a car .
The auto box is the same as what was used in many Jags of the same era. Also there should be a large cover panel under the front which is missing on this car.
I had a petrol 214, a 416 then a 75 over the duration of 20 years, the 75 for 10 years from 3 y.o. second hand. All had their merits, but the (low spec) 75 was unbelievably smooth and such a pleasure to drive - the three mains faults that afflicted this model, as I understand it, all happened to mine: window winder failure, gear selector cable breakage (by that time, a big problem as direct replacements were unavailable) then 2 head gasket failures (suspect first one not correctly fitted). Sadly, had to trade it in for peanuts when it became clear that future breakdowns would probably be unaffordable and lead to scrappage....
As with most Rover cars, it's dripping with intention but limited with substance, The Rover V8 engine for example - so good, but car fittings & build quality was always wanting. I have a P6 V8, I'm in the process of converting ALL British Leyland plastics to wood or S/S, grilles, trim etc, Looks like it should of been. Great content Alan, nice shades 😎
I do believe the early Rover 75 with the black sills was made in Oxford (Cowley) and the one ones with painted sills as same colour as the car was made in Longbridge in Birmingham. We got A Rover 75 in the family that’s 20 years old now. When it was first bought in was 2 years old. Part from consumables and two rear wheels bearing is has had no work done too it.
⚠️Top tip from me re getting wheels off seized rusty hubs........... Loosen all the wheel bolts just 1 turn each. Then lower the car to the ground. You'll hear a thud from each wheel as the weight of the car frees them off for you 👍 No need to use a big hammer and risk damaging the alloys. For really seized on wheels you can drive the car 20 metres and this is guaranteed to break the static bond between hub and wheel. I've used this technique for decades. Works every time ✅ ###########
I used to own a Rover 75 "Connisseur" in British Racing Green. It was superb, and annoyed the heck out of my boss, as he'd bought the Jaguar X type and my Rover was both better and cheaper. Mostly, I drive Land Rover "Defender 90s", but have recently inherited my dad's Rover 618si, which turns a lot of heads (getting much admiration) wherever I take it. BTW, did you know that the Italian motoring public voted the Rover 75 the most stylish car ever made?
The wood dashboard is genuine walnut veneer. I used to know the manager of the factory that made them for Rover. It's a microscopically thin veneer of bur walnut encapsulated in plastic. As for the weighty sound of those doors closing. Rover invested a lot of time and money getting that right. Much better than any other comparable car of its era.
Had 3 rover75, great car pissy about the engines used in them , as were a pain to work on. Thermostat housing in the middle of the V lovely place to put it.
Thats nothing, should try and change the one on the M47R diesel. And as for the alternator. Don't get me started on them buggers!! (had 3 diesels and each one the alternator failed).
Brilliant video. Im now on my second 75, had the 2 litre petrol manual b4 , but now ive got the perfect version, 2.5 v6 petrol auto connoisseur se, 2005 face lift, very low mileage for it's age, its just run in guys!! Absolutely beautiful drive, mine for ever!! The sound and smoothness of the engine and gearbox is just perfect. Nick in Burton looks after her, Austin Garages, check him out.
My business colleague had the estate MG ztt version in metallic green. Fantastic car, but from experience it wasn't good on the motorway. Seats were hard and would empty the tank by 350 miles! Otherwise though we loved it.
I agree catch it now with some protectuve oils and it will be good for another 20 years plus under an enthusiast. Its lasted this long and as a reasonably good condition example, should be preserved and loved. But I supposed if it has been bought by an American airman it will just be run into the ground over the next few years until his overseas tour has finished.
in 1999, i did a weeks course at MGRover gaydon , such a different animal to the old montego's etc. a lot of bmw parts + ideas in this car, which is not a bad thing. that KV6 engine is bullet-proof for a good reason, cosworth had the job of ironing out the [mainly headgasket] problems, which required a new design stiffened block. the sat-nav was a 3k option, nice bmw kit, but it cost rover 4k to buy it ! the cd player was in the glovebox, so no room left with that option then the ZT came out, fantastic car, then the V8 came out, - mad car ! i PDI 'd the 226th one for a customer, had to do a wks training before-hand. it actually didn't feel fast, but the speedo kept saying 140 very quickly... best car - ZTT [estate] 2.5 V6.
Having spent a lot of time under BMW s it's very familiar indeed ,I guess that's why they are short on sgpace in the back.that light switch is so huge for some reason hoes back a long way.i still don't know why the front is so close facia wise it's all a bit badly scaled.i think the 800 was far nicer
My dad had an early V6 one not long after release - he saw it on TV and had to have one. I learned to drive in that car. Then company car tax rules changed and he got another 75 with the BMW derived CDTi diesel engine in estate form... I loved both those cars and they were two very different driving experiences. The earlier car always felt softer and leaned more in the corners. The later estate car sat lower, firmer and handled better. The earlier car's V6 engine was far more fun to drive hard. The CDTi engine was far better at cruising which, to be fair, suited the 75's character far more. The CDTi engine didn't give up much performance wise (compared to the early V6 engines, later ones got a bit more oomph) and gave far better MPG figures. It just never sounded as nice or rev as high as the V6. The interior was also covered in soft materials. This really gave it a more up market feel at the time compared to other cars it competed against in the same price bracket. I also prefer the earlier cars, as the face lifted front end of later cars just ruined the whole retro look and never sat right with me. The Rover 75 will always hold a fond place in my heart, along with the classic Mini and BMW E39. Still amongst some of my favourite cars I've owned and\or driven for long periods of time.
I have a MG ZT. Same car but just a few tweaks it looks more sporty and lower and stiffer suspension. Also from the passenger airbag cover. If the air bag symbol is under the clear coating then it's real wood. If it's a sticker on top it's plastic . Also if there's no gap around the air vents it's real wood. If there is a gap it's plastic
Lovely car. I'd probably want to have a go at it with a wire brush and Hammrite 🤣 I spray tiny layer of copper grease on hubs as had wheels stuck on in the past. Thanks for keeing those videoes coming Alan 👍 BTW Does Monica ever manage to do any work when you're around? 🤣
Ive had a 200, a 400 and a older 414, all were 1.4 petrols, the 414 was fantastic, ran about in it in the early 2000s, they were cheap to fix too, someone ran into my 400, got a slam panel, both headlights, bonnet, wings and radiator for £40 from the scrappy.
Always liked the 75, the BMW architecture very much evident, especially the Z-axle and the build quality was really good at first. But just like the 25 and 45 project drive took a lot of the quality out of the cars come the end. But aside from the head gasket issues in the k-series are mostly well-thought of. History has shown how good a cars they all are, the 25 being a shortened version of the R8 and the 45 being a mostly Honda construction underneath but in the end was very much a Rover design. The 600 being the most beautiful looking of the bunch and hides its accord base very well. I've recently bought a late facelifted 45, and even though you can see where the pennies were saved, the quality is still very much there. It's just by 2004, people were not sympathetic to cars having 'slight teething issues', the days of a flawed design were gone and other manufacturers had adopted the "no s**t to leave the shop" attitude! It doesn't stop every issue i.e. the ecoboost engine, powershift transmissions, but most cars are relatively trouble free for their warranty life. Sadly a lot of Rovers were far from it.
I had a Rover 75, but it did not look like the one you have shown in your photo. The dashboard was fine walnut, the Freewheel mechanism worked fine, as did the four forward, 1 reverse gear gearbox coupled with a fine 2. something litre, 6 cylinder engine with twin SU carbs (which after a full rebuild worked fine). the bonnet was raised considerably above what your pic shows and the leather seats were very comfortable. It had a "cyclops" fog lamp mounted in the middle of the radiator. Oh yes, it was made many years before your model -- about 1954. That really was luxury motoring.
I had the MGZTT estate and the MGZT 260 V8. Only let down by only a 5 speed box. Both were quality cracking cars and still pretty timeless after 23 years.. Went to the Alfa 159 sports wagon and now back to Mondeo MK5 Titanium estate also a cracking car. Had BMW and Mercedes and hated them, very German but missing something which I could never put my finger on.
BMW stripped it bare they wanted the 4x4 tech and the mini, they couldn't care less about the rover mark. The x drive tech is all British from rover originally
@@ianwheat1577 they are like the Indians they copy I work in a scrap yard I take my British anger out on every single BMW that comes in, they crush lovely.
I have a friend whose successful garage business was initially based on servicing/repairing Rover 75 and 55 models. He quickly gained a reputation for being far better at it than Rover dealers.
One of the most comfortable cars to drive I have ever experienced... However not the sharpest through corners.. All that chromed plastic seems to enjoy falling off at any given time!...
I bet the salesperson did not show the American underneath! Flippin heck I hope he has a MIG. It is not the outside that rots it is the inside that rots out. I have had so many bangers particularly BL rotters. Nice to see anyway.
Had 3 as Company Cars 1 good 2 just problem after problem, Tiny inside for the size of the car underpowered in virtually every variant but always a pleasant experience to travel in.
I used to have one. The actual wood on the dashboard wasn't plastic, It was real, with the exception of the brow over the radio. In later cars it became plastic as part of the cost cutting.
175 HP when new, it must have lost a few along the way and still enough power and an auto too. Just goes to prove my point that no family saloon ever requires more than 200 HP.
I have a British Heritage Green 2.0 CDTi SE ( Registered 31/12/2003) bought it in 2010, have spent over £14000 in parts only on it, underneath everything has been replaced, all suspension parts replaced, Brakes etc, new Radiator, Condenser, Lub oil cooler, starter, alternator, most sensors on the Engine, basically like a new car, pity cannot put pics on here.
I have looked at at least 50 rover 75 corrosion everywhere, brake pipes corroded water leaks. Broken springs that cause punctures. Look at the MOT failure list on DVLA. Every MOT advise work not been done runs into next year's MOT.
Hi mate I had a 75 a few years ago and loved it. My question, which would you recommend a 75 or a Jag I don't do a lot of miles and want the space and comfort. Love your videos.
Alan after changing the injectors and the leak off kit{ 124 pound for kit wow} and also changed the fuel filter and bled the system the car wont start when I turn the car over with the 17 mm nut undone on the injector there is no diesel coming out of the pipes when the engine is turned over not a drop my friend I watch every video you have produced AND I know you are the man can you give me some idea what might be the cause of no diesel at the injectors at all thank you Alan
Lovely cars had 6 now but they are a money pit. From the V6 2.5 engine cooked ended up on the Scrap lorry £300. Bought a diesel alternator packed up what a job. Failed MOT all brake pipes corroded £500 including track rod ends including labour. Sunroof drain hose under dash came of soaked carpets pool of water in floor wells. Have been looking for another but when you check MOT history all the same problems brake pipes corroded, chassis corrosion, sills rusting, you will need deep pockets prices on the rise now for a good one.
Yikes it’s from that era when Ford also was afraid of sharp edges… I can’t stand those round buttons and panels. Great review though Allan. Greetings from Denmark
Hi Alan ,I'm a problem with a dead passenger door on my mondeo mk4 . their is no power window or lock when pressing the key fob,all the other 3 doors work fine but they automatically stay open ,lf you have any idea what could be the problem would be much appreciated, love your channel thanks and all the best Niall Daleo
The Rover 800 before it was an absolutely brilliant car - it was never recognised as such. It was better than the 75. Nobody saw & nobody cared, but it was the car Rolls Royce say they build.
I test drove a Rover 75 2005 2.5 litre V6 and the acceleration was not responsive. I had to literally press hard with my foot on the accelerator to get speed pick up of the car. Is this a common issue with this series model?
Seen youtubers walking through fields full of abandoned Rovers and MG's very sad and what a shame with proper investment could still be making cars today.
