A current owner (Rover 214 Si)

Member Name: Andy_J_D

Product:	Rover 214 Si
Date:	18/02/03 (3753 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: low-cost, easy to maintain and attractive, Lots of space and a good drive, as a second hand car it offers great value

Disadvantages: Concern about cheap parts that wear

I have owned a Rover 214Si (new shape hatchback 200 series 1996 N reg) for one year now after buying it for a mere £1800 in 2002 including Power Steering, airbag and electric Sunroof.

The car itself is a fairly solid and reliable car. Although when compared to other cars of similar type, such as Fiestas or Polos it is slightly more expensive to repair serious faults, if you take the time to buy a haynes manual on the rover 200 series you can maintain the car easily and avoid any of the common problems that tend to occur with the 200 series and in particular the 214Si.

On the outside, the shape of the car makes it look quite sporty and attractive. The exterior appearance can be further improved by a nice set of alloy wheels, which really do make the car look worth more than it actually is.

The Interior is in my opinion is of an excellent quality particularly when compared with cars of a similar price and type. Although the center console is fairly plain and basic and easy to use, it is unusually attractive and gives the impression that any other design would be tacky. The steering wheel is of good size and the seating position in the car is quite good, offering good visability despite the curves of the car imparing the views to the front sides. At 6ft 3" I find that the most comfortable position for me needs the seat to be pushed all the way back. But surprisingly the leg space in the rear is still generous and there is comfortable room for 5 adults.

The boot space is excellent with more than enough room for a few suitcases and sports bags.

The engine is a fairly nippy and when i first put it in 3rd and pressed on the revs i was impressed as it carries a good take off for a 1.4L. I normally find myself getting around 280miles on a full tank. This is on a combination of motorway and in-town driving.

When i bought the car, there were some minor blemishes on the paintwork. The interior fan for the heater did
nt work until rotated to '3' or '4'. This was an electrical problem, which seemed to have came as a result of the wrong fuses being used in the interior fuse box.

The only other problem when it was bought was the rear washers did not work. So i immediatlyu bought a haynes manual and took and sundy to try and problem solve. The great thing about this car for me as soeone who hasnt had much experience in car mechanics is that it is fairly easy to maintain. After only 20 mins of checking te car i found that the rear washer tubing had burst at the junction underneath the rubber cases linking the body with the rear door. I discovered to my surprise that Rover were using a copper tube at this particular point in the piping, which had enevitably pierced through the thin rubber tubing that was attached to either end of it. I simply used some fuel cable that snuggly fitted round the main piping as a quick solution and it works and has continued to work for over 9 months now.

My only worry is that there are other cost cutting measures within the design of the rover but so far none have came to my attention.

All in all the car is ideal for a new driver as well as a family car or a business car. With good fuel costs and low insurance. A good second hand 214Si is relativly cheap to get a hold of and it doesnt cost much to ake it look worth alot more.

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