Surely the worst car in the history of motoring. (Rover 400)

Member Name: Marco

Product:	Rover 400
Date:	29/05/08 (1066 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classy looks. Nice, comfortable seats and good ride (while its still running).

Disadvantages: The engine WILL die, its only a matter of when.

I bought a P reg, 1996 Rover 416 Si 10 months ago and I have to say it's the worst car I've ever had the misfortune to own. It has a few good points, and lots of bad.

Good - Nice look. I know 90% of people hate the look of it, but I think it looks very classy. I like the fake wood interior etc. The seats are very comfy to sit in. Boot space is great.

Bad - Where do I start? Oh yeah ... the engine. From the day I bought it, it always ran hot, and the tiny radiator reservoir needed constant checking. I forgot to check it for 3 days and it overheated badly. But it seemed to right itself within a few days but from then on it drank lots of water - about 2 litres a week. Two months later it died on the motorway at midnight. Cause, either engine warp or blown head gasket when it overheated, water was then pouring into the engine and mixing with the engine oil, and voila, chocolate mousse is now right through the whole engine, including the air filter. Yep, the air filter ... how did it get in there??????

I now have a 1 ton piece of garbage I have to arrange to be towed away by a scrap car place. It will never start again. It needs a new engine.

From the day I got it, the heater only worked on settings 3 and 4. It turns out that this is the first sign that there is a problem with the engine, and the head gasket is about to go. If you're dumb enough to be looking for one of these things, look out for this. You'll find most Rovers for sale have this problem. These cars will be dead within a year.

The Rover factory-fitted alarm never worked properly. I discovered this when I first got it home, locked it, then went out to take it for a spin an hour later. I couldn't get the immobilizer to turn off. It took 2 hours to figure out how to turn the immobilizer off to get it to start. Funny how the super-secret immobilizer-deactivation security code was written in pen all through the manual, as if a previous owner constantly had the same problem with it.

The alloy wheels might look great, but they will be so well corroded that you'll have to pump up the tires ever 2 days.

If the car wasn't started every 2 or 3 days, the battery went dead. I have since discovered this is yet another sign the head gasket is about to go. (How this is possible, I have no idea. How is the head gasket and the battery dying related?????)

Conclusion - I bought this car because I liked the look of it, and because I thought it was a Honda Civic, and Hondas are great, reliable cars. BUT ... the engine is a British, Rover engine, not the original Honda engine. Be warned, the Rover K engine would have to be the worst engine ever designed by man or beast.

It will be a great day for the buying public when the last Rover 400 series dies, as they all eventually do. The classy looks hides a monster. (Think of me broken down on the M11 at midnight, taking 6 hours to get home in Cambridge from London that horrible night, only to find out the car is worth £25 in scrap.)

Summary: Nearly all Rover 400 series for sale now are on their last legs. Don't buy one!!

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