Rover 100 Metro

[heart-of-wessex]

Has anyone ever owned/driven a Rover 100?

When I was a kid, our family car used to be an Austin Metro but we only ever had a Austin one then went to a Rover 200.

We never had a Rover 100 though I saw plenty of them about and always loved the look of them, and still do, there are some good condition examples about.

Always though about getting a second hand (obvioulsly) one but don't know if they are actually any good nowadays? Just thinking if parts maybe a big issue? If it's not good mechanically it might be an issue, as I'd use it daily, but there are some low mileage ones (35-40k miles) for sale.


Any help or experiences is appreciated!

James.

 

[thejuggler]

It's a 20+ year old vehicle, I've run similarly aged vehicles, but 1970/80s cars in the 90s.

Engine, gearboxes, suspension, brakes etc can always be fixed if you have the skills, or the money to pay someone to do the work. However they shouldn't be too complicated. Later models had fuel injection. ECU failure can write off cars of this age as a friend with a late 80s Volvo found out. ECU failure, no way of fixing it, no replacements anywhere - sold for parts.

Head gasket failures were legendary on the Rover 1.8 engine, but the 1.4 also suffered similar problems.

Once rust starts its generally game over, unless you really do want to save the car as a classic - my first Fiesta "died" when the MOT tester put a screwdriver through the floor and sill!

MOT history is now online, take advantage of it.

When considering an older car check out the owners clubs.

 

[GusB]

My driving instructor had a Rover Metro GTi, in which I took my driving lessons and passed my test. This was before it was branded as the Rover 100, but it was a decent enough motor to drive, and a massive improvement over the previous Austin Metro.

I haven't seen any on the road in recent years, let alone seen any for sale.

 

[Class172]

I haven't seen any on the road in recent years, let alone seen any for sale.

I suspect time may have taken its toll on the cars - AutoTrader only brings up a few.

 

[Cowley]

At the time other manufacturers were leaving Rover behind with improvements in their own models. You do still see the odd one around though. Especially at Budleigh Salterton...

 

[Alistair G.]

I had one and the thing was a dog of a car, but it was my first car after passing my test nearly 20 years ago. When i bought my next car (Which also turned out to be useless!) i donated the Metro to the local fire brigade department so they could practice there rescue operations on it.

 

[DarloRich]

An awful car. Avoid.

Buy a newer, better quality, second hand car as a run about.

 

[Cowley]

An awful car. Avoid.

Buy a newer, better quality, second hand car as a run about.

Definitely. You’d spend the difference in the first year on repairs anyway, let alone trying to find bits for the thing.

 

[pdeaves]

My parents had several iterations of Metro/Rover 100 (one at a time!). It seemed fine. I believe (but cannot point you to any proof) that many Metros/100s were cut for parts for Minis, hence one reason among many why there are few around nowadays.

 

[DarloRich]

Definitely. You’d spend the difference in the first year on repairs anyway, let alone trying to find bits for the thing.

the suspension.................................

 

[Darandio]

I'd generally concur with the advice above to avoid. Many are often cited as good examples and can look as such at first glance, but these things corroded in places you didn't think corrosion could occur, or that there were such places!

If you must get one i'd suggest a diesel as it was a fairly bulletproof Peugeot engine, and in terms of small diesel engines of the time, second only to the Isuzu 1.5 that Vauxhall used.

 

[Cowley]

the suspension.................................

A mixture of springs from an old mattress and yesterdays porridge...

 

[DarloRich]

A mixture of springs from an old mattress and yesterdays porridge...

It is something called hydragas. It was a pita to sort out in 1995. God knows what it will be like now!

 

[pdq]

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk is interesting for numbers of models left.

My parents had a Fiat Panda 1000CL when I learned to drive. When I came to buy my first car some years later (having driven plenty of other cars in the meantime), I test drove one, thinking it would be cheap and cheerful. It was awful - talk about rose tinted specs! I drove it round the block and straight back to the garage. Ended up getting a Capri which I loved, and only sold because my wife found it too heavy. I just wish I'd had the means and space to have kept it and look after it.

I'd agree to look at much newer cars unless you specifically want to buy, restore and maintain a classic.

 

[nlogax]

The few Rover 100s I've seen on the road in recent years have been driven very slowly. Assuming this is either related to the age of the person behind the wheel, the condition of the car - or both.

Good advice here. Worth keeping in mind the additional eight years of rust any remaining 100 is likely to have accumulated since it was originally written.

https://www.aronline.co.uk/facts-and-figures/buying-guide/buying-guide-rover-metro100/

 

[Cowley]

It is something called hydragas. It was a pita to sort out in 1995. God knows what it will be like now!

Yes I remember now. The Allegro had it to start with.

 

[GusB]

It is something called hydragas. It was a pita to sort out in 1995. God knows what it will be like now!

A friend of mine had the original Metro (X-plate, I think) and he was constantly having to have the suspension re-inflated.

 

[Bromley boy]

 

[Bromley boy]

Wasn't it one of the least crashworthy cars ever allowed on British roads? Or am I thinking of the original mini?

 

[Darandio]

Wasn't it one of the least crashworthy cars ever allowed on British roads? Or am I thinking of the original mini?

It wasn't good!

https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/rover/100/15472

 

[Cowley]

It wasn't good!

https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/rover/100/15472

Good grief. If that picture doesn’t put you off then nothing will!

 

[dgl]

https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/rover/100/15472
https://cdn.euroncap.com/media/9690/euroncap_rover_100_1997_1star.pdf

As has previously been posted this is the reason why they canned the rover 100, when compared to it's rivals at the time (1997 reports used) there is a noticeable difference.
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/en/results/nissan/micra/15465
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/en/results/ford/fiesta/15462
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings...-ratings/en/results/opel/vauxhall/corsa/15467
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/en/results/fiat/punto/15461
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/en/results/vw/polo/15477
https://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings/en/results/renault/clio/15470

 

[Darandio]

Good grief. If that picture doesn’t put you off then nothing will!

Reading the .pdf report on that page makes interesting reading. If you consider the damage shown in the picture and then read this part related to tests on hitting a pedestrian.....

Four of the six test points gave better-than-average protection.

....then looking at it in an entirely comical and simple way, you are better off being hit by a Rover 100 than be the driver in a crash.

I notice that next to the photo there is also a link to a Youtube video of the crash test that no longer works. Knowing Youtube, it probably triggered their algorithms and the video was removed due to unacceptable horror and peril.

 

[nlogax]

I notice that next to the photo there is also a link to a Youtube video of the crash test that no longer works. Knowing Youtube, it probably triggered their algorithms and the video was removed due to unacceptable horror and peril.

The crash test is definitely still on YouTube, I've just watched it. Yikes. I won't post it here..

 

[Darandio]

The crash test is definitely still on YouTube, I've just watched it. Yikes. I won't post it here..

Ah, just an issue on the Euro NCAP page then. I'll not bother watching though, driven several Rover 100's and been a passenger many times, I have no wish to see what might have been!

 

[Cowley]

Ah, just an issue on the Euro NCAP page then. I'll not bother watching though, driven several Rover 100's and been a passenger many times, I have no wish to see what might have been!

I feel like that when I think of some the cars that I used to drive back then. Scary stuff.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Thanks guys! Didn't realise it was that bad even for crashworthiness!!

I've always had a liking for 90's cars but doesn't look like I'd ever have one. I'll stick to my 2000 model Vauxhall Agila. Maybe upgrade to the 1.2 model someday. It's still classic in its own way I suppose at 18 years old, but very good drive. Only 33k miles, been sitting in a shed for 5 years when I got it, when it had a service they were surprised at how good of a condition the chassis was.

Passed the MOT recently with no advisory notes at all, which surprised me.

I shall pass on the Rover 100 idea, thanks for the help and advise, saved me a long trip to test drive one!

 

[Cowley]

It’s bought back a few memories I must say .
I think if I was going to get a 90s car to run around in I’d quite fancy a VR6 Golf or Corrado. Or an Audi Coupe. I always liked them. Had a couple of Golf GTIs and Audis back then that were nice too (never had a brand new car though). Fuel was a lot cheaper as well mind.
As for lower insurance group cars, my mum had an N Reg 1.5 Mazda 323 which was really good. Looked cool too in a sort of coupe way.
It seems to me that now virtually all cars are probably fairly good, but back then there was some awful stuff being produced by some manufacturers.

 

[Bromley boy]

It’s bought back a few memories I must say .
I think if I was going to get a 90s car to run around in I’d quite fancy a VR6 Golf or Corrado. Or an Audi Coupe. I always liked them. Had a couple of Golf GTIs and Audis back then that were nice too (never had a brand new car though). Fuel was a lot cheaper as well mind.
As for lower insurance group cars, my mum had an N Reg 1.5 Mazda 323 which was really good. Looked cool too in a sort of coupe way.
It seems to me that now virtually all cars are probably fairly good, but back then there was some awful stuff being produced by some manufacturers.

My dad had both the VR6 Golf and the Audi coupe* as company cars during the 90s. The golf in particular sounded great.

The Corrado is a classic and good ones can be up to £10k:

https://www.pistonheads.com/classif...rrado-2-9-vr6-3d-188-bhp/5977569#&gid=1&pid=1

A lot for such an old car but on the other hand it's unlikely to depreciate much and may even go up in value as numbers continue to dwindle.

*I've confused the coupe and 80. Didn't princess Di drive the Audi coupe in the 90s? Memories!

 

[GatwickDepress]

My mum had one of these. Travelling up the M25 to visit family in Oxfordshire and being sandwiched between two lorries was... an experience.