Rover 25 for sister - good deal?

[chris watton]

My sister asked me to be ‘guarantor’ for a loan she wants. I refused, but I did say that I would buy the car for her and she could pay me back, without interest. (Her husband has just past his test and needs a car for a new job)
Her budget was up to £800, but I said that I would pick and choose the car (as they literally have no idea – they were going for a people carrier type, without thinking about first time insurance!)

After much searching (Matiz/Fiesta/Corsa/Clio), I stumbled upon a local ad for a W reg Rover 25 1.4 for £500 ono.
We have just been to look at it and all works, engine and oil look fairly clean, electrics fine. There are a couple of dings on the driver’s side, with a couple of small rust patches – but certainly no worse than some other sheds I’ve looked at in this price range. It has only 47K on the clock, but hasn’t been serviced since 2008 – and the seats are stained and needs a good valeting. other than that, the paintwork looks good and wheel trims are unmarked - geometry is good too.

I was thinking of offering the guy £450 and then giving the car a quick service and valet, which I assume would mean spending around £650 on the car in total for my sister.

Is there anything else I need to know about R25's before finally making an offer tomorrow – and does this seem like a good little first car?

[Leeholty]

I have a r25 and its a great little car and very enconomical. I would check the pws pump and alternator make sure theres no noises as they sometimes wear on them but the only other fault is if you look at the back of the engine bay theres a rear strut half way down just make sure its not corroded although if its got some surface rust then itll be ok. Also if you do buy it see if its the 84ps or 103 ps engine as the 84 has a restricted throttle body that for £30 you can have swap to the 103 which makes a hell of a power difference.

So if its as good as you its well worth the money

[CDP]

Be careful you don't end up as the warranty too.

Obviously check the coolant is correct. It needs to be red; if it's blue walk away. If it's creamy, run away.

Surely you're not paying for a valet? A bit of effort with upholstery cleaner works really well.

[E31Shrew]

Doesn't sound like a bad swap

[MGJohn]

Ideal first car for any new driver.

I have recently bought a 2002 Rover 25 with a cylinder head gasket problem for my younger son who now needs transport but, unlike his older brother, has little interest in cars otherwise. Car now all fixed and running superbly ...

Find a good one and they are excellent value for money ~ quite nippy too and economical.

In case anyone is interested, I wrote up a thread here on the work I did on the car prior to handing it over to my son. Here's the thread :~

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
..
.

[scott j]

hi i'm scott i've had 2 rovers, 200 and now a 25. never had any problems with the rovers i've owned i would presonally recommend 1 due to not having any problems with mine in the past
rover are good cars as long as it's had a recently new head gasket a good radiator and the engines been looked after you should be fine.

[MGJohn]

That advice is good for all cars...not just Rovers and MGs. Look after them and they will look after you... thing is... some folks do not and it is often those who always have 'bad luck' with cars ... any cars.
..

Several new Rovers and MGs in the family including two of my own. None of your dreaded HGF mullarkey ... but there's always a first time... in any car.

Some years ago, work colleague needing replacement car sharpish for his ailing 5-Series was impressed when he drove my 620ti which was for sale at the time. He had no idea a Rover could perform that way.... faster and nicer to drive than his accoirding to him...... so down to the building society for some cash.

Oh yes, his BMW's ailment ... Blown cylinder head gasket...No 300 quid job on that car unlike the K-Series.... Funny old game cars...

[chris watton]

Hi, Sorry I didn't respond earlier. Thanks for all the (as always) great comments and advice. In the end, I didn't buy it. The main reason being that the guy could not produce the log book, and when we phoned again to ask if he did have it, as we wanted it to insure the car, he said that he'd ring back - he never did.
Plus, my secondary concern was that, after thinking about the state of the seats, I am sure it suffered water damage from the floods (possibly as far back as 2007)

The R25 would have made for a great first car, with plenty of space, but in the end I had to go for a tidy 1ltr unmolested and honest looking Saxo - I simply couldn't find another R25 for around the £600 (well, not any that would have lasted anymore than a couple of weeks..)

Was quite an experience looking for a half decent car for small change, not quite as easy as I first anticipated - if they had another £500 to add on top, choices get better - but £5-600 is a nightmare!

[MGJohn]

That was very 'iffy' dealings to say the least ~ you did the right thing giving that particular Rover 25 a miss.

I hope those dreadful Saxo pedals suit the person driving the car ~ how folks with anything larger than size eights cope is beyond me ~ and they way they are pivotted and travel seems a tad unnatural to my old plates... ....My cousin has had a Saxo from new in 2003 and I service it for her. A much less substantial car than a Rover 25...flimsy even.

My cousin wanted another new Rover 100 ~ it would have been the third new Metro/R100 since the early eighties ~ she was most disappointed to discover they were no longer made.... The Saxo has needed TWO replacement clutches although one new one self destructed soon after main dealer fitment. It also took out the Crankshaft sensor so the engine would not even start....all that in less than 30,000 miles.... her Metros were almost bullet proof in comparison.

However, they appear to be quite popular here in the UK so must have something going for them.

Good luck anyway ~ we all could do with some of that ...
..

[LS6wetdream]

for MGJohn

read your posts on changing head gaskets i was wondering what code reader you bought in the end?

cheers

[MGJohn]

LS6wetdream said:

for MGJohn

read your posts on changing head gaskets i was wondering what code reader you bought in the end?

cheers

My earlier reply X-Posted from the So, those of you who do major car repairs yourselves... thread

This is the one I got. Works well :~

==============================================================

After renewing the cylinder head gaskets on two Rovers with 'issues' I bought recently, both cars then illuminated their MILs [ Malfunction Indicator Light ]. No idea why but, thanks to advice on Rovertech.net and MG-Rover.org web sites, I got an OBDII Code Reader. Cost £27 incl. p/p off ebay. Read the manual and the fault codes came up on both cars.

Here it is in action when the Rover 45's MIL illuminated.



DTCs ( Diagnostic Troubles Codes ) included P0420 Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold ( Bank 1 )

Bank 1 being the first Cat located just below the exhaust manifold. This usually warms up quickly being so near to the exhaust manifold and as it happened soon after completing the job during that very cold spell a couple of months ago, those low temperatures with possibly some coolant escaping from the damaged cylinder head gasket prior to my repair may have reduced the Cat's efficiency temporarily.



Two others were revealed :~

P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected.

P0313 Misfire Detected Low fuel Level.

The last code gave the best clue. Although the fuel gauge needle showed just above empty, I put a couple of gallons in the tank and cleared the codes. No misfires and the MIL has remained off ever since.

I cleared the MIL using the reader ~ simple to operate ~ and after taking the car for a long run, I guess the problem was cleared by the exhaust heat and the MIL has been off ever since.

On the other Rover [ 25 ], the following code came up :~

P0170 Fuel Trim Malfunction ( Bank 1 )

This was more difficult to eliminate. After checking all the usual suspects; Spark Plugs, Coil Packs, HT leads, Air Filter Filter, I renewed the fuel filter. Immediate cure and the MIL has remained off ever since. Can only assume the old fuel filter was partially blocked. The car had only completed 61,000 miles but, only needs dirty petrol or dregs sucked up from always running the fuel tank low... who knows. OK now though.

Obviously the Reader has paid for itself several times already in only three months. Pro-workshop charges for reading the MIL would be about £40.

Here is the location on the OBDII Port on the family's Rover 25, 45 and MG ZS. All K-Series cars. Just to the left of the clutch pedal behind the centre consol.



Plug in and go ... Sorted...;)
.

[LS6wetdream]

thanks very much, ordered one