Hi, I have an ageing Rover 75.
I've had it for over ten years now and for the criticism the Rover brand gets, it's been a great car and very reliable.The body work is amazing for a 23 year banger and inside it looks as good as day I bought it. I've always had it serviced regularly, and repaired/replaced anything straight away when needed.Ive done well over 150000 miles in it and the diesel engine is still going strong.
I hate to admit it, but I do have a sense of attachment to it and will feel very sad when the day comes it's turned into bake bean cans.
It's Achilles heel though are the sills.They are known for rotting out.
A couple of years back I did have some work done on them having a couple of small sections replaced on each side,to which are in still excellent order.The passenger side sill is perfect to this day, but the driver side one is not so great.Ive been keeping a close eye on it the last few months and to my dismay last week it's now rusted through to around a 3 " hole before I hit solid metal. Welding is not my strongest point so I dropped it off at a garage (a different one too who did the original sill work) to take a closer good look at it on the ramps.
This guy there went along the sill with a hammer tapping it like a possessed woodpecker.
Sure enough the tapping revealed a few more horrors on the outer sill,but the inner sill still looks very clean. I'm not claiming to be an expert but I have over the years been quite hands in working on my own cars and sometimes can't help thinking am I being done over by a garage.
The guy at this particular garage started harping on that the last Rover 75 sills he replaced were a nightmare of a job to do ,telling me they were filled with expanding foam when manufactured and welding them posed a fire risk to the whole car.
This got my suspicions up as I know for a fact there were not.
After a bit of time of looking pocking and prodding he came to me with and estimate bill of a £1000 to which I nearly chocked on my false teeth.
I must stress this car is in amazing stunning condition with no rust, damage or scratches to the body work ,and mechanically it's in fine fettle, and I often get complementary remarks from random strangers.Its just that darn sill that's letting it down.
In reality though the car is worth bugger all and let's be honest £1000 spent on a car that's probably only worth £1500 when in good order, doesn't make economical sense.
So where do I go from here? Do I cut my losses and let a well serviced beautiful looking car go to the great scrap yard in heaven and buy another car in my budget of around £2500, and then I could be buying into a whole heap of trouble. Accept the quote and get it repaired for £1000, or get a second opinion on the work needed. I personally don't think the garage wanted the work to be honest. They looked over worked, and understaffed and swamped with way to many cars requiring mechanical attention.
Answers on a post card most welcome,
All the very best to you all,
Johnny.
I've had it for over ten years now and for the criticism the Rover brand gets, it's been a great car and very reliable.The body work is amazing for a 23 year banger and inside it looks as good as day I bought it. I've always had it serviced regularly, and repaired/replaced anything straight away when needed.Ive done well over 150000 miles in it and the diesel engine is still going strong.
I hate to admit it, but I do have a sense of attachment to it and will feel very sad when the day comes it's turned into bake bean cans.
It's Achilles heel though are the sills.They are known for rotting out.
A couple of years back I did have some work done on them having a couple of small sections replaced on each side,to which are in still excellent order.The passenger side sill is perfect to this day, but the driver side one is not so great.Ive been keeping a close eye on it the last few months and to my dismay last week it's now rusted through to around a 3 " hole before I hit solid metal. Welding is not my strongest point so I dropped it off at a garage (a different one too who did the original sill work) to take a closer good look at it on the ramps.
This guy there went along the sill with a hammer tapping it like a possessed woodpecker.
Sure enough the tapping revealed a few more horrors on the outer sill,but the inner sill still looks very clean. I'm not claiming to be an expert but I have over the years been quite hands in working on my own cars and sometimes can't help thinking am I being done over by a garage.
The guy at this particular garage started harping on that the last Rover 75 sills he replaced were a nightmare of a job to do ,telling me they were filled with expanding foam when manufactured and welding them posed a fire risk to the whole car.
This got my suspicions up as I know for a fact there were not.
After a bit of time of looking pocking and prodding he came to me with and estimate bill of a £1000 to which I nearly chocked on my false teeth.
I must stress this car is in amazing stunning condition with no rust, damage or scratches to the body work ,and mechanically it's in fine fettle, and I often get complementary remarks from random strangers.Its just that darn sill that's letting it down.
In reality though the car is worth bugger all and let's be honest £1000 spent on a car that's probably only worth £1500 when in good order, doesn't make economical sense.
So where do I go from here? Do I cut my losses and let a well serviced beautiful looking car go to the great scrap yard in heaven and buy another car in my budget of around £2500, and then I could be buying into a whole heap of trouble. Accept the quote and get it repaired for £1000, or get a second opinion on the work needed. I personally don't think the garage wanted the work to be honest. They looked over worked, and understaffed and swamped with way to many cars requiring mechanical attention.
Answers on a post card most welcome,
All the very best to you all,
Johnny.
