- Readers Comments
- Readers CommentsWilliam Eatock <kcotae@viton.new.labour.org.uk>
Says
My MK2 820Si handles like a dream, now that it's got alloy wheels and low profiles.
Also, I haven't yet found any faults with the car!
Regards Bill
Ed: Fair Enough Bill we can't all like the same thing and your opinion is just if not more valid than mine as you actually own the thing.
steven.kent1 <steven.kent1@ntlworld.com>
Says
I bought one by accident at a car auction. The girlfriend says, as I am buying
a roll and tea at the tea stall. "Theres a nice looking blue car going
for 50 quid, quick."
I shout over "buy it if it goes for less than 100 if its got an mot and
runs." She buys it and then I find out its a huge rover! anyway, it goes
like a train and has electric everything. It looks like a rocket with a wing
at the back.
So far runs ok but discs need replacing. I have never
really looked at one before but they are a lot of motor and with power steering
and all the other stuff even at 150,000 miles seems a good runner.
Steve
AlexPayler@aol.com <AlexPayler@aol.com>
I have had A Rover 820 Vitesse (Turbo) for over 2 years - and I'm living
every minute of it. Its black with great sporty alloys, spoiler and so
much
equipment. The Vitesse is unlike anything else in the range. It
handels
well (something to do with the Sports Suspension I think) and goes like
stink! The amount of attension is gets is amazing.
AWESOME!
Koit Kranig <kranig@solo.delfi.ee>
Acually, I was looking for Rover 825 SDI road-test, but I could not find, when
I discovered your site! Informing and interesting too. Is Rover 800 series petrol
engines and Rover
800 design and chassis so failed as you write? It's big and
comfy car, bigger inside than 500 series BMW. I had two of
them. 528 and 524 TD(E 34). Especially the last one I am disappointed, expensive
parts and narrow interior and gets
broken too often. And the BMW is even now praised too much.
820 sli is economical for so big car as it is. Volvo 940 and
BMW 520 are much more thirsty than 820 sli. Improvement!
820 sli torque 185Nm in 2500rev is also good. Only as much
I have heard parts are extremely expensive, too bad.
Luxury car!
I have a Rover 820se,1989 F reg.---I am
6'4" tall,20 stone and 46 yrs old
When I was a kid, all
the local
well-to-do big fat middle aged guys drove Rovers---Now I am a middle aged big
fat old beggar (although not well-to-do)---well, its
just sort of appropriate!
I have read your Road Test and
I suppose you're right, but I have been driving a 1969 Landrover IIA for
the last 12 years, so the 820 drives and feels brilliant to me!
I bought it from my wife who
has moved to a bland new Ford Focus, and after my first 300 miles, an accurate
fuel consumption test shows a fairly amazing 35.98 mpg during a week of mixed
driving conditions (The Landrover averaged 17 mpg, and only once managed 20 mpg
on a leisurely run
I have pushed the 820 up to 110 mph,
and there DID seem to be more pedal left, but vibration (wheel balance?)
made me ease off.
The car has a full service history, and
used to belong to Rover until bought by an employee on his
retirement (Company car?) to Cornwall where we bought it in 1995.
It is comparatively low mileage
at 81.000,and relatively clean and straight. I am well pleased with it for
now. I regularly drive Avis hire cars, and
only the Peugeot 406 and Volvo
estates equal or better the long haul comfort of the Rover for a big bloke
like me.
I am looking forward to buying
a year 200 Rover 75 in about 2010-I hear they are good kit!
last may I brought a 1993 820 SLi with only one former
keeper ( a director of Cadburys ) and only 24,000 miles on
the clock it has been serviced about every 3-4000 miles
and now its done 48,000 miles that's a lot of services
already I only use rover parts and Magnetec oil so the car
still runs like a dream with no problems apart from a faulty
abs sensor and coming together with a Peugeot 306 but
excellent repairs were done and you can't tell it was only a
door anyway. In 2 years time I will pass on the 820 to my dad
to replace his own MK 1 820 (1991 ) which is also been
a very good car in its 7 years of ownership I hope to buy a
very late sterling or a 75 I would recommend an 820 to anyone
looking for a good car.
I have owned a 1986 820
for the last 3 years and it has been 100% reliable. Only needing routine
maintenance. ( oil tyres brakes etc )and covering over 30 000 miles. More than
can be said for the fiesta that my wife bought brand new a few years ago. I
would recommend them to anyone and often do. No other car offers such great
value for money. They are much nicer to drive than Granadas and who in there
right mind would want a Carlton nasty wallowy ride although admittedly a much
bigger boot. That says a lot for a car when the best thing you can say about it
is its got a big boot!!!!!!!
As you have probably guessed I'm a fan of the big Rovers having owned them for
the last 10 years. SD1s,P6s, and now the 820. I have only deviated briefly
during this period when I had a temporary case of insanity and went out and
bought a jap-crap car..
Give a big Rover a try you wont regret it.
Roy Priest <acorn@acornantique.freeserve.co.uk>
This is an underrated car with all the bells and whistles you could want at bargain prices.
There's hundreds of 'em at the auctions for next to nothing so they are not popular in the trade, BL's legacy lives on...however,
I thought "that looks a lot for the money" so I bought my ' 93 820sli automatic 2 years ago on a flyer and have never looked back.
Compared to the BMW 735 I had before for 7 years it is at least equal in all respects. And is considerably cheaper to run. It uses half the petrol, is marginally faster and you're not frightened to death of it breaking down as parts are cheap and readily available. That has not been a problem though as it has not cost a penny since I bought it and it is now pushing 130k miles!
OK, if you've got £30 grand to waste you can compare it to the more modern stuff and be picky about ride quality, build quality and street cred. but if you want luxury motoring for less than the bus fare you could do a lot worse.
R.P, Sheffield
Back in 93 I bought a F reg rover 825 at an auction just because it looked nice. When I drove the car it took all of about 2 seconds to fall in love with it. It had an auto box, full electric pack and a computer. The car was faultless except for a bit of rust along the bottom of the doors which I repaired without delay. I had the car for about four months after which time a stone hit the windscreen and the mot was due. Unfortunately due to lack of funds back then and no windscreen cover on my insurance, I took the car back to the auction and sold it for a hundred pounds less than I paid for it. I hated getting rid of that car, it was the best I'd ever had. Since then I have had sierra's, a Vauxhall astra and a Renault espace but none of them live up to my old rover. Recently I have purchased very cheaply at £650 a 94 rover 820SLi, it had many problems that the previous owner was obviously quite happy to live with and this was reflected in the price. I have spent a little over £400 bringing it up to date and still think I have a bargain. I like this one better than the old model, the only thing I would say is that I would have preferred another 2.5 V6 24 valve engine under the bonnet, but hey, that's just me being picky. My advice to anyone considering the purchase of one of these fantastic vehicles is to look for service history, take it on a long test drive and check all the electric's before you buy. If your happy with all of that, treat yourself, mine is certainly a pleasure to own.
One final comment, most of the parts from the old rover 800 series fit the new one, (some minor modification on electrical components may be needed) and there are quite a few old shape one's at car salvage yards. This makes things a little cheaper, so repairs do not have to be so expensive.
From one happy 800 series owner to others (and prospective).
Christopher Mills <c.j.mills@ntlworld.com>
Got to agree with all the comments that people have added.
I have my own to add :
1. The interior.
I find the driving position excellent, the facia well designed and ergonomic, and the switchgear quality good. The dials are clear and easy to read, and the quality of trim easily surpasses ANY Granada.
2. Handling and Ride.
You must have had a car with a duff steering rack. The power assistance is designed to ease off at speed to allow the steering to weight up. My car has done 164,000 miles and still does this. My only complaint is that it is too softly sprung.
3. Engine.
My car (a '93 820 Si) is perfectly torquey and your comments about engine noise in a car of this class are unfounded. I drive along in car parks in 2nd gear quite happily and I find the engine quieter and MUCH more powerful/refined than the 2 litre granny.
I picked my car up for £700 with no defects. I have loved every minute of driving it. I suggest you try another 820. You might find it better.
Chris
Iain McDougall <iainmcdougall@btinternet.com>
For some years, I'd owned second-hand Honda Accords but, since
the demise of my last Accord, I had to look around for something else.
I bought a Rover 820i a few months ago and, well, I'll never again buy Japanese
cars - my big Rover is 'tighter' than any Accord, and less thirsty, more
spacious, more comfortable and more fun to drive. It looks better too!
james johns <mail@skinheads88.freeserve.co.uk>
I've just driven an 820 for the first time
(Bristol to Pymouth )
I don't recognise the car you describe. were you p*ssed
by any chance?
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