Faults:

Both front electric windows stopped working, when operating driver door buttons.

Dashboard top lifted leaving 10mm gap, due to heat from sunlight shining through windscreen. Main dealer could not fix properly, suggested using self tapping screws through top of dashboard.

Chrome door trim continually lifting on rear door.

ABS stopped working due to dirty connection on front brake.

General Comments:

Best part of this car is the climate controls which worked very efficiently.

The car itself appeared to be poorly built, even the interior wood trim was of different shades of plastic.

Faults:

Radiator crumbled.

Pipes from the gear-box to the oil cooler rusted through.

Radiator cooling fan electrics inoperative causing overheating in traffic.

Driver's electric seat controls rarely work.

Fault in the Anti-Blocking-Brake system.

Wrong brake discs fitted when built. It was built with discs for an 820.

Plastic coolant reservoir split.

General Comments:

Comfortable, ideal for motor-ways. There is too much body roll and too short suspension travel for twisty, bumpy roads. However, road-holding is good. Poor steering lock due to front-wheel drive.

Low gearing results in poorer fuel economy than I expected.

Serviceability is interesting. Despite a huge bonnet, accessibility to many components is restricted.

Faults:

Head gasket blown.

Manifold blown.

New battery.

New starter motor.

New wiper mechanism.

General Comments:

A lovely car to drive, but expensive when they go wrong, a lot of car for your money.

Faults:

So far nothing at all (except a puncture the other week!).

I've had the oil/filter/plugs changed already and that's it.

General Comments:

The Honda engine is superb, smooth and almost silent. I read a lot about these engines suffering from tappet noise, but touch wood I haven't had that trouble. It may have something to do with the fact that the car has only had one previous owner, it was the director of the company car section at Rover H/Q!!, It had been fully serviced by Rover every 5000 miles, so clearly it pays in the long run.

Despite the size and weight of the car, it will outpull most other cars on the road from a standing start (it's at its best when sat next to a spotty teenager in his XR2 at the traffic lights revving his engine, they have eaten my dust many times!!).

The only drawback with the engine is the fuel consumption, but then that is to be expected from a 6 cylinder engine I suppose.

My only other criticism is the gearing. My previous car, 2.0i DOHC Sierra auto had superb gearing, it would be slightly over 3 grand on the counter at 90mph, unfortunately my Sterling is just over 4 grand doing roughly 80mph (if my memory serves me correctly).

Inside the car is superb, everything electric and cream leather, and it all works perfectly at the moment so fingers crossed it stays that way.

It's a shame that the Mark 2 sterlings didn't have the fuel computers of the mark 1's. I would like to have a drive of one of the latest Sterlings with the revised 2.5 litre KV6 engine as apparently they had sorted out the ride quality and road noise problem by then.

Faults:

After four years wiper motor and one door lock (won't centrally lock).

General Comments:

One of the most comfortable cars I have ever been in. An absolute doddle to drive, with light steering, and enough power when pushed. Never failed to start, even after four years and 85k miles. I am now looking for a Vitesse - a big car like this needs a more powerful engine.

Faults:

The rear wheels try to overtake when I hit roundabouts @ 90mph+ ;-)

TOTALLY reliable, precise drive!

General Comments:

Money for value - massive depreciation in first 3 years - so buy it s/h, you won't get better performance @ the price. Invested in a turbo valve adjuster (£25 from Gerald Dale Motorsports, Hastings) - awesome POWER - next u/g - suspension, then Superchip and we might be able to hold our own against the Scoobie. Rated @ 200bhp, reckon there's another 50bhp in it without breaking the bank balance. Had a Cossie and XR4x4 before - this Rover beats them! Don't know why Rover is not marketing this as a SERIOUS 'bahn burner' - so much fun overtaking flat-out VR6, 328i, 528i.....…