Faults:

A rear tail light bulb (nothing to be bothered about).

General Comments:

I bought this car just over a month ago. It is absolutely fine in every way, except the BMW diesel engine is a bit underpowered on this model (115bhp). I plan to get it chipped to upgrade the power a bit.

It cruises effortlessly at 70mph and has all the toys. I love the walnut burr dashboard and the retro dials. Basically I've always wanted a 75, and now I've got one, it hasn't disappointed. Even my son likes it and he's in his 20s!

Faults:

ECU, caused by drainage problems.

Cooling fan, regular fault with these cars costs about £700 to put right.

Head gasket, the consequence of failed cooling fan.

Rear springs, no idea why just corroded away.

Air con compressor, another fault caused by cooling fan.

Front lights, blow bulbs regularly a complete ass to change.

Rear lights, intermittently fail with no known cause.

Power steering, pipes come loose regularly.

Temperature switch, controls cooling fan and fails.

Boot lock, opens and closes boots as it feels like it. Clutch, slips in the wet first lasted 49k

Air bag light, comes on as when it feels like. Anyones guess if the bag would work.

Temperature gauge, totally useless gauge that doesn't tell you when engine is cooking. Battery, gave up like most of the car.

Alternator, showered in ATF then failed.

Handbrake, works so so and releases so so.

Gearbox, whines and is notchy, grinds in third occasionally.

MAF, last about 30k. 40k if you're lucky.

General Comments:

I purchased two of these cars as runarounds for my business. One 2000 model and one 2002. The faults above are just on one car, not both, however the other has a similar list of faults that are as long as a grocery shopping list.

The car is fairly interesting to look at but dull to drive. The BMW M47 engine is supplied in a pathetic 113bhp, which is underpowered and damn right lethal if you need to overtake. This can be cured by a tuning box for about £160 that takes it up to 140+bhp.

Unfortunately these cars are woefully unreliable, and that's coming from a previous Alfa 156 owner! They seem incapable of lasting a week without a repair pitstop. Mechanical parts are readily available, but are ludicrously priced. The cooling fan costs £360+VAT and is about 4.5 hours to change. Body panels are virtually non existent making a simple knock a write off.

Garages are unwilling to work on these vehicles on the whole and they are practically impossible to P/X. There are still forums with a dedicated membership of diehard Rover fanatics ready to help, which you will need plenty of if you buy one of these.

Best advice is walk away from them if you see them for sale, unless you have a euro-millions jackpot to spend on keeping it running.

The faults above are all very common, and the petrols are apparently even worse!!!

Even changing a headlight bulb is near enough impossible, as you have to get at it through the front inner wing, and be done by touch and feel.

AVOID!!!