2004 Rover - Austin CityRover Select 1.4 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

The worst thing on wheels

Faults:

Unable to get parts for the car ie. a temperature sensor.

General Comments:

Had the car for six months, been in the dealership for 3 months now... would warn anybody thinking of buying a CityRover to think long and hard, as it appears parts are hard to come by... but the good news is I'm still paying for it and catching the bus.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd August, 2007

27th Aug 2007, 09:55

Would love to know who else has had problems with the city rover and if they had problems getting parts for them.

28th Oct 2007, 00:54

What can you expect when you buy a car from a company that was already failing when the car was released, and when the car you buy is made in India...

5th Jun 2022, 14:10

Were these cars really as bad as people made them out to be?

2003 Rover - Austin CityRover Style 1.4 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good money to value ratio and fun to drive

Faults:

Driver Seat Belt worn (in the last 5,000 miles)

L/side rear passenger seat belt broken (since 12,000 miles)

Bolt fallen off from gear level underneath car (after less than a month (1500 miles) )

Needs air filter (can't find a match in the last 4000 miles)

Heat shields fell off exhaust (less than 1000 miles)

Both rear wheel bearings gone (30,000 miles, now replaced)

Front tyres need replacing every 12000 miles.

Brakes needed lathing as replacement couldn't be found (30,000 miles, 5 types were sent, all wrong)

Windscreen wipers make noise most of the time unless screen is very wet (tried cleaning them) (since 6000 miles)

Clutch release bearing gone after 3000 miles, still not replaced, but working.

Thermostat gone in the last 5000 miles (stuck open)

Reversed into a lamppost and slightly damaged rear light. just a crack and it costs 90 quid to replace it! (5 days into me owning the car)

General Comments:

Car is limited top speed at 100mph as are the revs limited to about 6500 rpm.

Car sticks to the road usually. make sure tyre pressures are correct. car will slide otherwise when on a very wet surface.

Interior rattles a lot after only a few hundred miles.

A good sound system (Sony CD player), not much to say about the speakers though.

Tiny boot, you'll be lucky to get 2 suitcases in there, small ones at that.

E/ windows all round :) with optional lock for the rear windows.

2 front airbags, which gladly I haven't tested.

Parts are... how do you put hard to find and really expensive in simple terms.

If I had had the option for leather seats after experiencing them now I would definitely have them. the seats are a little uncomfortable.

Good news (on the wikipedia) apparently there's a mark 2 car about and... talk of an MG version (yay we are saved for parts).

I get about 36 mpg which is about 5 mpg less that others in its class.

Bad point: 6000 mile service interval, if you don't do many miles then this is fine.

If anyone can help with where to get parts please comment. I hope my review is useful for anyone who wishes to purchase one of these. Good car for young drivers, may be expensive for parts, simple engine so can be taken to pretty much anyone for servicing.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th August, 2007

2004 Rover - Austin CityRover Sprite 1.4 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

An Horrific Abomonation

Faults:

Wiper blades don't wipe

Rear view mirror vibrates with engine

Exhaust sounds like it's blowing

Trim falling off

Bonnet won't open.

General Comments:

I had this car as a courtesy car and it is undeniably crap.

The ride is OK, but there is constant grinding and whining from the gearbox. The gearchange is nothing short of horrific.

The interior plastics are laughable, the entire assembly rattles when on the move and you can slice your finger off on some of the edges.

A really bad car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd June, 2005

5th Jul 2005, 16:27

My mate has one of these cars, and when we go down the motorway we play guess the song. As the wind noise is that bad you cannot tell what's on the tape until you slow down to get off the motorway. Say no more.

11th Jul 2006, 16:59

Yeah don't get a cityrover (Tata Indica with a rover badge). Get a Rover 25.

19th Sep 2006, 21:17

Joking aside, if they really wanted a cheap ready made car to flog in this country, I reckon Rover would have done better to have gone for the Hindustan Ambassador.

8th Nov 2006, 16:37

Get a Rover 25 instead! They are also a bad car. I would steer clear of Rover at the moment.

Although Rover have been taken over by a Chinese firm, maybe by the end of twenty years, they may have been totally transformed to be on par with Japanese rivals. One dedicated follower of Rover can only hope!

Lets all hope! Maybe some of us, any way! If you like that sort of thing!