Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.5 Review

Overall Rating

Sat Navigation
Leather Interior
Pleasing to look at
Surprisingly good MPG
Smooth ride

Poor passenger seat design
Poor CD changer housing
Poor rear seat design
Expensive servicing costs

The Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.5 l looks beautiful, it is a wonderful ride/drive, but if you are a passenger - oh boy! The passenger seat moves backwards and forwards, no tilt, no lumbar support, highly uncomfortable on long journeys. The rear seats are shaped so that you are nearly curved when seated, again very uncomfortable, and due to the shape of the car inside, if you are above 5 feet 10 inches tall, the rear window blinds hit you on the head when operated!
The CD changer/Sat/Nav system takes up the glove compartment, therefore no space for maps, wipes, cloths etc.

The spark plugs are a nightmare - they are Rover servicable only (or a specialist with a specialist tool) and it can cost over £300.00 to have them changed....a cam belt service (there are FOUR cambelts) costs at Rover around £1100.00.

This is ROVER......if it was mercedes I would feel better, but Rover? Full Cream leather, Television, Sat Nav, 6 CD changer, Champagne gold, Cruise control, lots of toys, but it wants lots of money to keep it maintained.

Members' Comments onKateCB's Review

• nobbo on 21st Nov 2004

  Oh dear oh dear. Think the poor lady has been done. The specialist tool to remove the spark plugs is called a ....spark plug remover! £300 for a plug change...um lets see...6 plugs...that would make £50 per plug. I think the lady would be better taking some one with her who knows more about cars next time its due for a service.

• KateCB on 22nd Nov 2004

  Hi,
  
  I know a lot about cars for a lady, also the owner is my Husband, who also knows his fair share; the Spark Plug remover is a known tool, but apparently it is not a standard remover for the Rover 75 we are told, it is a special one, in that it is specifically for the Rover 75; the Rover dealers charge 300.00 for the plugs - they are also not a standard plug, but are tipped and Rover charge the earth.
  
  Not a matter of being a silly female who doesn't know one end of a car from the other (Actually I know quote a lot, and have services my own vehicles,replaced/upgraded engines, resetting firing order on rebuild, changing gaskets, oil, filters, fitting twin choke carb webbers, peco exhaust systems etc) more a matter of being a silly male who didn't look into the running costs of his 'baby'!

• britishtrident on 5th Jun 2006

  Major factual errors. Service costs are very low car is only serviced every 2 years/30,000 miles with an oil change every year/15000 miles. Spark plugs need no special tool to change - only a little extra time rear plugs take approx 45 minutes to 1 hour to change but this would normally include changing the pollen filter which is done at the same interval. Also the spark plug only needed changing at the "D" service ie 4 years or 60,000 miles longer that most people will own the car. Changing the cam drive belts is a major tasks on this engine but is only done 6 years/90000 miles. If you plan to do a very high milage with a 75 buy the diesel.

• KateCB on 6th Jun 2006

  Seems like my husband has been told 'major factual errors' by the Rover dealer in that case! As this review is very old now, we have had a cam belt service - £987.00 - special offer from the Rover dealer! Big Deal! Had a problem with the bonnet - wouldn't open - cost for Rover to open it? One broken grill (not replaced) and £212.00....annual service? £185.67p......its now for sale....any takers?!