Rover 400 1.6

Our Rover 400 1.6 was smooth and speedy, especially on the motorways. It always turned in good mpg and gave a good comfortable ride. I bought this one just as it was needing a cam belt chain but got this done by a relative so cost much less than otherwise. The engine was powerful enough to drive up some extremely long steep hills in Devon in quite a high gear which brought a big smile to my face.."Engage low gear" signs were relatively meaningless. On top of all that, the boot was ginormous. We often got my sons bike inside and it could hold tons of shopping. It was a sad day when we had to trade in for a seven seater!

Bought a Rover 420 td with 125k on the clock for £400. heater doesn't work and inner edges of front tyres were scrubbed (should' ve checked more carefully !) That aside fantastic car, great real world fuel economy 43 mpg round town and 65mpg on the motorway doing up to 80mph. Very comfortable and well equiped, AC, EW x4, electric mirrors etc. Engine very clean for a 12 yr old car, no leaks or sqeaks. Lots of people dislike Rovers but you can pick them up for a song. in my opinion they are more satisfying to drive than an Escort or an Astra of the same era.

I bought a Rover 400 in December 2007. I paid 100 with 65000 miles on the clock. The car drives well, has no nasty squeaks or rattles, and is good on the motorway. Mine has the k series engine in, which are prone to go at the head gasket, but so far mine is holding together. and because I am a mechanic, I shouldn't have any problems fixing the car!

I think the Rover 400 1.6 is awesome and it on a p plate 97 band its done over 117,000 miles and its got a Honda civic engine in it now too. I got a rover 416 for 250 pounds. since I got it I now have mg alloys on it at 17r all round and the car drives well

Got a S/99 reg 400 saloon to use as a taxi, no big runs just short nippy jobs, say 20-40 job's or 100 mile per day say. got it with 74k on the clock, by the time it had hit 84k it needed a gearbox and new lamp lenses and an exhaust full system oh ye and break pads. 90k engine mount needs replacing and alarm stop,s working, odd starting problem when its wet. 98k hear goes Head gasket blows, Ecu drops dead, cv joint, coil and dizzy, starter. pads and service bits. I hate this car.

The car is generously equipped and performs very well, and cruising at 140 is very enjoyable even for long trips. However, the repair costs and fuel consumption are not to be dismissed when you plan to purchase this car, especially if it is used. If you live in Britain, spare parts should be readily available. Otherwise, their cost is prohibitive, if you manage to find them at all.

I bought a Rover 400 1.6i a year ago and it has been the best car I have ever had. Last year and early this year I clocked up 12000 miles and the only problem I had was the TDC sensor. I took the car to a local dealer and they told me the ECU was faulty, but when I got the car back I discovered it was actualy the TDC sensor so whatever you do before you take your Rover to a dealer for cutting out CHECH THE TDC SENSOR or you could land with a bill of over £200.

I bought a Rover 400 1.6i saloon Just 40000 on the clock for £850. It looks and drives like new. You can't buy a car of this condition for that price. I have had it for 1 year and have put 20000 miles on it, and I am selling it for £795. She only demanded two new tyres from me in 12 months. I feed her with good quality engine oil regularly, and take care of her.

Overall, it's a very good car. I don't know why people say it's not reliable? IT IS A RELIABLE CAR!!

Rover 400 1.6

This car was an incredible bargain! I bought mine not so long ago for £600, with only 58,000 miles and a full MOT; you certainly couldn't buy a similar Ford Escort or Vauxhall Astra from a reputable garage for the same price, and in my opinion they're far inferior cars.

The specification is very good with driver's airbag, anti-lock brakes, all round electric windows, electric sunroof and mirrors, power steering, remote central locking and an excellent security system (not that anybody would want to steal the car).

Somewhat surprisingly, the Rover 400 is an agile car around corners, despite the soft suspension settings, and has no real handling vices. It handles much like a Honda, unsurprisingly, given its Civic base, which is technically impressive (well, for a mid-sized car launched in 1996), with all-round independent suspension. The steering lacks feel, but is direct and light. The well-spaced and sized pedals, means the car is very easy to heel 'n' toe.

Performance is good, but it doesn't seem an incredible step up from the 65bhp Renault Clio 1.9D I last owned. Economy is good though, with a 37mpg average, despite my heavy right foot and very low gearing (at 60mph it's almost up to 3000rpm on the rev counter). Thankfully the 109bhp K-series engine likes a thrashing.

Interior accommodation isn't fantastic, at 6'3" it's a struggle to get comfortable in the driver's seat, and rear legroom is poor. The ugly "plastic wood" and velour trim that will probably remind you of your granny's sofa, do nothing for the cabin ambience either. But it's completely free of rattles despite being an 8 year old Rover!

The styling of the Rover 400 saloon is very under-rated; it's probably one of the best looking mid-sized saloons in history. Granted that class doesn't have a history of making good looking saloons (two words: Vauxhall Belmont). However, mine is a little "grandad" in styling, with dark solid green paint, steel wheels and no fog lights. If you care for styling, go for a brighter colour, and one with alloy wheels.

These highly likeable cars represent excellent value for money. As a 1996 car my Rover 400 1.6 Si has basically done all its davaluation, making for cheap and, more importantly, still enjoyable motoring, as long as you're not looking for a car to thrash around. It's more of a soft, smooth and quiet ride that's great for making town driving more relaxing. It's a bit noisier at speed, but still feels smooth and composed on motorways and is always easy and comfortable to drive. And in terms of MG Rover's collapse, they're old enough not to be affected by warranty problems and excess devaluation, with plenty of parts to go around. So overall, recommended.