I miss the much maligned Rover make, I had seven BL/Rover cars, 2 second hand and five new, all Auto’s
Vanden Plas 1300, mechanically an Austin 1300, but made to look like a mini limo, inside and out.
A Triumph Dolomite 1850. Nice car but I always had problems aligning the twin carb’s.
An Austen Maestro 1600 Auto. Again a nice car but I had one of the early ones with the old Maxi engine which didn’t match up too well with the electronic ignition box.
The first Rover 200 1600 GSi based on the Honda. A big difference in quality from the previous BL cars.
Rover 400 SLi 1600. Same as the 200 hatch, but with a boot and a Rover grill.
Rover 45 Conissuer 1800. One of my best deals, came with everything including leather seats for £1600 AP
Rover 75 Conissuer 2.0. CDTi. Pure luxury for the time and What Car reckoned that the ride quality was better than a Rolls.
I was always a succor for the feel of wood and leather (if that doesn’t sound to kinky) and not one bit of bother did I have from the last five cars, the only time they were in a garage, was for servicing (apart from the 75 diesel, when my father helpfully filled it up with petrol). Also they were good to drive, had a luxury feel and finish and came with more toys than the other makes, for your money. At that time Rover, Ford and Vauxhall, was where you got good value for your AP’s.
It was terrible what was allowed to happen to Rover. Unlike the three over grown public school boy racer’s on Amazon, who have bad mouthed Rover, I actually had plenty of experience of driving them in the real world and have fond memories of Rover’s.