quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
...oops sorry mate, i was just using a sweeping generalisation based upon an unfounded stereotypical image.....

RRs & S-classes? Never seen a generalization made about those being taxis? Aristocracy and heads of industry in minicabs? Er no.

We like generalizations. Theyre fun. Only valid ones though....

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
..is that rover sterling reliable service qj...

stirling?...sterling?...starling??

amazing how many folk are at home early on a Friday afternoon?

me?

afternoon off at taxpayers' expense...tee hee!

quote:

Originally posted by queenjane:

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
..is that rover sterling reliable service qj...

stirling?...sterling?...starling??

amazing how many folk are at home early on a Friday afternoon?

me?

afternoon off at taxpayers' expense...tee hee!

Hmph! Lucky so & so! Im office bound but going out to a client in a few mins... Got to get the door fixed too - i opened it onto a kerb yesterday & scratched the underside! Worried about the old tinworm getting hold of it so must go & get that touched in at the M-B dealer before i do anything else!

was the kerb ok..????

my afternoon 'off'...if there ever is such a thing, is down to management politics...my colleagues and I, well versed at 'making do' with short resources, to get the job done..(trained soldiers into unit)..have been told to 'stop being so innovative and effective!'

because the Colonels with the budget strings, say we can do the job with fewer resources, so they get cut....now we have vehicles down, with none to replace them....so now, training ceases..until the workshops, with THEIR limited resources, can get the vehicles back out to us..

the only way to hit at higher management,is to hit them in their targets...they have to account for not achieving THEIR targets...when the sh#t arrives down at our level, we fire it straight back up with the 'resources' issue!

the outcome is, not so many trained soldiers when needed (oh dear!)...and afternoons off for me!

The great British Military has been bankrupt for so long......couldn't run a company (except Rover) like the government run this country's military.....

do I care?

do I look bovverred?

"It was knocked together on the cheap by a p*ssed off workforce in a seriously ailing & oldfashioned factory set to close."

The first year's production was at Cowley. That'll be the old fashioned factory set to close then?

Interestingly, anecdotal evidence suggests that the later Longbridge built cars were of better quality - certainly until near the end.

with the computerised production lines of today.....poor construction quality has to be a thing of the past?

especially as 'possessing a skilled workforce' doesn't seem to attract car makers any more?

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
92k miles, for sale up here in jockland..never been private hire..oops, taxi...oops, sorry, chauffeur car...knew both the previous owners and as i said, they had no problems..repeat zero problems with the car.....could have driven it off for about 1600 quid i reckon...i thought THAT was too dear, cos i like to know i'm at least gonna get my money back when i buy a car, but for someone thinking for a long term family car, it seemed a hell of a car for the dough......

You think we are taxis?

Ive never seen a Rolls Royce Phantom taxi. Or a Bentley Flying Spur taxi.

Or an S-class taxi. Good grief, man!

I have - S class taxi in Stratford upon Avon train station a couple of years ago - and it was new at the time. I'd had a few 'cheeky vimto's' and pushed straight to the front of the queue 'cos it was an S class and I wanted it as my taxi - unfortunately we only went about 500 yards uo the road but arrived in style!!!

quote:

Originally posted by queenjane:
with the computerised production lines of today.....poor construction quality has to be a thing of the past?

especially as 'possessing a skilled workforce' doesn't seem to attract car makers any more?

Computers are only machines QJ - somebody has to tell them what to do and if thats not accurate, the computer wont be. Garbage in garbage out is a phrase used in computing I believe.

Anyway someone at my previous work had a black 75 v6 - he loved it - had a Honda CRX before!!!

yup, dundee private hire were all silver e class mercs, vitos and the odd s class for important customers...i must stop being irrelevant..christ palmy, the taxi jibe really irks you....is this something you get called often...does the fact that the world over, from beruit to stutgart mercedes are the weapon of coice of taxi firms bother you that much...grow up, my tongue is always in my cheek mein herren

he wont like being called a herring

..wot, smells a bit fishy.....

quote:

Originally posted by khanie:

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
92k miles, for sale up here in jockland..never been private hire..oops, taxi...oops, sorry, chauffeur car...knew both the previous owners and as i said, they had no problems..repeat zero problems with the car.....could have driven it off for about 1600 quid i reckon...i thought THAT was too dear, cos i like to know i'm at least gonna get my money back when i buy a car, but for someone thinking for a long term family car, it seemed a hell of a car for the dough......

You think we are taxis?

Ive never seen a Rolls Royce Phantom taxi. Or a Bentley Flying Spur taxi.

Or an S-class taxi. Good grief, man!

I have - S class taxi in Stratford upon Avon train station a couple of years ago - and it was new at the time. I'd had a few 'cheeky vimto's' and pushed straight to the front of the queue 'cos it was an S class and I wanted it as my taxi - unfortunately we only went about 500 yards uo the road but arrived in style!!!

They must be mad! They cant charge anymore than a normal cab and surely Taxi customers just want a seat with wheels on it to get them home? Not sure how they make any money! And you cant taxi when chauffeur work is quiet because taxiing dirties the interior & therefore dilutes the quality of your service when chauffeuring - also I find people of the "Taxi-Driver-Mentality" do NOT make good chauffeurs. Its an old-fashioned profession which takes a bit of learning...

If ya going to drive a taxi, get a K-reg mondeo with hammerite paint, stick a meter in it & just drive it till it drops.

If you can get hold of the last three months copies of Car Mechanics Magazine, they are running a set of articles on running a 75 and what to look for when buying one

quote:

Originally posted by theelfknight:
If you can get hold of the last three months copies of Car Mechanics Magazine, they are running a set of articles on running a 75 and what to look for when buying one

well said!

My dad had a Brand new Rover 75 Back in 1999. Was a 1.8 coniseurr (how the heck do i spell that!), fully loaded. Well underpowered though, and at 90,000 miles on the clock... BOOM! Engine blown up, worst part though was having a Fiat Stilo as a hired car! Not like it wasn't maintained, it had full Rover service history! My advise.. stay away from 75's!

I had a 75 1.8 from new in 2002 until 2003 covering 46,000 miles.

It was underpowered, but otherwise gace excellent service.

I know 3 people with 75s at the moment and all are basically happy.

One has suffered Head gasket failure on a turbo 1.8 model.

I think 75s are OK and many quality and reliability surveys seem to back this up.

On objective view from my own personal experience:

We have two Rover 75 based MG ZTs in the family - one is my own car - both owned for around 2yrs and covered a combined mileage of around 50k.

Both have the 2.5 litre KV6 engine and have both been 100% reliable.

Having owned various cars - 90's 5 series, V40, Civic, Focus between us we are both in agreement that these are the best cars we have had - in terms of quality, build and enjoyment. Reliability was matched by Volvo & Honda.

These are well built cars & grat to drive - upgraded brakes, suspension, steering, engines, tyres etc over a 75 so a much more responsive drivers car.

The KV6 is a very different engine to the 1.8 K series (& even the previous KV6 in the 800).

As it has a relatively low coolant capacity the 1.8K needs to be checked regularly for coolant level.

Build quality is in a different league to other recent Rovers & MGs, I know of several extensively accident damaged cars being repaired without parts problems.

I would recommend the KV6 (2.0 or better 2.5) & the diesel engined cars.

Cam belt change is at 90k & I usually average 28-30mpg.

If you like the cars and are the sort of person who likes to make up their own mind as opposed to listening to the subjective opinions from people who have not actually owned one then for more information have a look on the xpower & mg-rover forums.

You will find very few modern saloons are so well liked by their owners... Hope this has helped.

quote:

Originally posted by AndyCardiff:

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by khanie:

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
92k miles, for sale up here in jockland..never been private hire..oops, taxi...oops, sorry, chauffeur car...knew both the previous owners and as i said, they had no problems..repeat zero problems with the car.....could have driven it off for about 1600 quid i reckon...i thought THAT was too dear, cos i like to know i'm at least gonna get my money back when i buy a car, but for someone thinking for a long term family car, it seemed a hell of a car for the dough......

You think we are taxis?

Ive never seen a Rolls Royce Phantom taxi. Or a Bentley Flying Spur taxi.

Or an S-class taxi. Good grief, man!

I have - S class taxi in Stratford upon Avon train station a couple of years ago - and it was new at the time. I'd had a few 'cheeky vimto's' and pushed straight to the front of the queue 'cos it was an S class and I wanted it as my taxi - unfortunately we only went about 500 yards uo the road but arrived in style!!!

They must be mad! They cant charge anymore than a normal cab and surely Taxi customers just want a seat with wheels on it to get them home? Not sure how they make any money! And you cant taxi when chauffeur work is quiet because taxiing dirties the interior & therefore dilutes the quality of your service when chauffeuring - also I find people of the "Taxi-Driver-Mentality" do NOT make good chauffeurs. Its an old-fashioned profession which takes a bit of learning...

If ya going to drive a taxi, get a K-reg mondeo with hammerite paint, stick a meter in it & just drive it till it drops.

I had a ride in an S-Class taxi years ago. Arrived in style, yeah, but I wasn't going to pay any more as we got there no quicker than any Japanese made cab. If they want to use expensive, flash cars as cabs, that's their own business

Every single taxi in Cyprus appears to be an E-class Merc and mostly brand new ones too. I honestly don't think I saw a single taxi without a three-pointed star or a single Merc without a taxi sign on the roof.

...dont mate, just dont..it really upsets him!!...kidding palmy, kidding mate

Hi NSB1066
I was in a very similar position to you, wondering whether to buy a Rover 75 - in view of the massive price drop these models are experiencing they seem superb value for money. I need a car with some weight to tow our caravan, Mondeos, Vectras, BMWs are much more expensive than the equivalent Rover 75 - is it worth the risk? There seems to be some amazing prejuidice against Rover 75's here - I think it's just a wind up. I've actually bought a R75 diesel for a song. Why? Do some research on on this website http://www.forums.mg-rover.org and look out the 75 & ZT Owners Club Forum section for information about R75's by people who actually own them. There are problems, but all cars have problems, the guys on the forum are a great source of knowledge and information. What you will see is that the correct version of the R75 is an extremely well built, reliable and much liked car. For me the correct version is a diesel - bullet proof BMW engine. I've owned several Rovers before, including a 200 and 400, all have been diesels and have given me reliable and inexpensive service. I will not buy a car without a full service history, ensure that any car you buy has been well maintained. I can assure you that all switchgear, fittings, everthing in fact about the 75 is a significant improvement over that found in the earlier 200s and 400s' I'm lucky to have found Rover specialists who will maintain my 75 to Rover standards but at a fraction of Rover prices - the owners forum (see above) can advise you about Rover repairs/servicing in your area. Spares are readily available, either as new or second hand. I'm very enthusiastic as you can, it'a lovely car to drive, quiet and comfortable. When people come to realize just how good they are, I'm sure that prices will start to rise rapidly. The price collapse has more to do with panic selling and ignorance rather than reflecting a badly made and undesirable vehicle getting its deserved comeuppance. I think you could do a lot worse than buying a diesel 75 for a song. Enjoy!

yup, agreed

I had an early Cowley built 75 V6. Couldn't fault the car's quality - but remember Cowley 75s were by far the superior. Anyone who says Longbridge models are better built are talking through their hat – or they have never put a Cowley 75 next to the cut price Longbridge version. Comparing like for like, you will be amazed at the difference. I wont mention the facelifted versions as they are just horrible.

Something called, Project Drive, instigated by MG Rover, really removed the quality feel that the Cowley 75 had and you were left with a large(ish) car with poor equipment levels that probably had inferior build to a Kia.

Don't be tempted by the cheap deals. These cars are white elephants and if you buy a new one with no miles today, they will have been probably sitting in some airfield for the best part of a year or so. Stay well clear.

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by queenjane:
It's very easy to wreck even the best of car makes, given unsympathetic hands....the strongest of Mercedes motors has always been the base model 180's, etc...those chosen by taxi drivers the world over..check out Beirut sometime?

as for music-hall jokes...usually promulgated by those with either a grudge to bear, or who wallow in ignorance of the whole game....Skoda, Reliant, for example.

As for BMW reliability?

whilst flagship models may well have some effort put in by the factory, we have had some pretty disappointing experiences with more mundane models such as the 5-series...inevitably these must form the 'bread-and-butter' income for the factory...but get treated in an underserving manner....particulary with regards to reliability of engine management systems.....defianately '3-times bitten',,,????


the point is, no manufacturer is perfect, 100% of the time.....a coupla bad experiences with rover 75's doesn't make it a poor car....don't forget the thousands that are providing sterling, reliable service.

go and sit in one...listen to the experts from the press, its their JOB to be objective...it's OUR job to be thoroughly biased.

Youre right, I do agree with alot of that.

However I believe its an AWFUL car through & through, by todays standards. Just like the Discovery was an AWFUL SUV. I wouldnt say its just the poor reliability either - its everything. The way it feels, the drive, the interior, the styling, the fact that it doesnt feel all of a piece like modern cars should...

I just think there are alot of people who are British, so stick up for the Rover because its British. I love France, and some French cars, but when you go to France, the locals buy French cars even if they are awful, just because theyre French.

Dont get me wrong, im not a particular fan of BMWs, but I would say this:

There is a common misconception that the 75 is "BMW quality". It isnt. It is not based on any BMW, does not use BMW mechanicals or chassis, and was not built by BMW engineers in a BMW factory.

It was knocked together on the cheap by a p*ssed off workforce in a seriously ailing & oldfashioned factory set to close.

This is the BIGGEST load of nonsense I"ve ever heard. The 75/ZT is a very solid, reliable & well built car in fact if you did some research you would find that in a survey carried out at the end of 2003 the 75/ZT in reliability etc it came out better & in some cases far better than quite a few so called premium German brands.In fact the 2 most common failiers on the 75/ZT are the fuel pump & on the Tourer model the rear tailgate widow release, These are both made by BMW.They supplied several components for these cars contrary to some beliefs.
The Longbridge workforce was up to very near the end very loyal & certainly not p****d off. They worked under often uneasy times but were never the less very loyal & took pride in what they did - I know this personally as I went on 3 or 4 guided Longbridge factory tours, getting to know a few of them personally & it hurts to know they are now on the scrap heap mainly due to negative comments from the media/press & narrow minded members of the public. It seems a common thing for us British to do & s**g off,degrade & rubbish anything that is British.The mind boggles.
Marketting was one of MGR"s main failiers & lack of a suitible investing partner.Some proportion of blame MUST lie in the hands of the previous 2 owners or The Rover Group as it was known.
I currently own 3 MG Rover models - A 2005 MG ZR Express (van)
A 2003 MG ZT260SE (4.6V8) -very rare &
A 2005 MG ZT-T190SE (tourer)
These cars are in m