Popular Post Londontram Posted June 12, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted June 12, 2018 It seemed such a nice day yesterday that I decided to get the Rover out and take it to Tesco while I had to get some shopping. Even though it's 70 years old its surprising usable and easy to live with. 23 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 I do like the flowers on the dash! How many of the other motors in the picture will last as long? Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 ....How many of the other motors in the picture will last as long? That Micra shows every sign of lasting as long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 Even now, I occasionally see the odd current Vauxhall badged as an Opel - latest example was a 2004 Zafira last week. Every Adam MUST be recalled to be fitted with Opel badges, if not compulsary crushing with no compensation, complete with written apology to every member of the Opel family. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) In the mid-2000's the media highlighted the apparent discrepancy between the list prices of vehicles in the UK compared with Europe and the industry became the subject of a CMA (or whatever they were called then) investigation. It became quite common for RHD vehicles to be imported from the continent at apparently huge savings over the UK equivalent. It affected all manufacturers but it was easy to spot where this had happened on a Vauxhall, as Opel dealers could only order Opels (although they could order RHD) and Vauxhall was a GB & NI only brand. The Republic of Ireland in contrast, is an Opel market. In reality, they weren't quite the bargains they first appeared. The specifications were generally poorer on European market vehicles, even on apparently identical trim levels. The Vauxhall/Opel identity it could be argued, made direct comparisons even more difficult. The wider use of allowances and supported finance rates in the British market meant that the final transaction price was probably closer to the European equivalent with more car for the money. The owners of these bargain vehicles may also have encountered some difficulties with warranty and technical support... Very crude some of them. I used to own a Vauxhall Carlton, 2.0 injection The Opel version, no power steering, rubbish engine, and I thought GL trim level was low! Edited June 12, 2018 by MJI 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 this Bentley 3 litre sported impressive selection of squashed bugs. I believe these can be obtained in packets, ready-glued, from certain classic car emporia....? One scatters the contents into the breeze created by a hair dryer, at the windscreen, radiator and headlights. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) I do like the flowers on the dash! That was Wendy's idea Andy lucky there was a screw hole from a missing badge to fix the vase too Edited June 12, 2018 by Londontram 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I do like the flowers on the dash! How many of the other motors in the picture will last as long? Andy G Also that Tesco will turn into a housing estate 'ere long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 They were built in Slough and their showroom was opposite the bus stop I used to get home after school. Surprisingly, Slough has quite a history of vehicle building. steve I thought all of the GKs were built in Eastleigh…? (Around eighty or so Ford GT40s were built in Slough though). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Nothing to stop them, providing they could get hold of the badges (probably easiest via the Republic of Ireland) and they wanted a right hand drive car. The badges go in the same place and are usually designed to fit in the same recesses. Pull off the griffin on the radiator grille of some models and you'll find an Opel blitz underneath. The issue with parallel imports was that people were unaware or didn't care that the car wore an Opel badge - they just thought they were getting the equivalent to a Vauxhall at a huge saving, which wasn't necessarily the case. I had an Irish import Corsa in 2001. It cost about £6k and was a high spec 'Design' model. It had fancy things like alloys, CD player, AC, leather steering wheel and headlamp washers. I don't know exactly how it might have compared with a UK spec one but the price was similar to what Vauxhall wanted for a base model. Vauxhall's model range is utterly baffling anyway. Replacement badges were easy to get by going to the local Vauxhall dealer and asking for them. Warranty was also no problem when it broke down at a week old. The only downside to an Opel is if you want to trade it in at a Vauxhall dealer. They aren't allowed to sell Opels as 'Network Q' or whatever it is so it will have to go off to auction. You'd get a better price if the dealer was able to retail it off the forecourt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 I do like the flowers on the dash! How many of the other motors in the picture will last as long? Andy G That Micra shows every sign of lasting as long. Or until the electronics go belly up. Seriously though the days of DIY repairs to your everyday driver are over, if there is a fault its straight into the scrapyard, (though I imagine many end up in 'developing' countries with the electronics replaced with more basic equipment.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 That's the good thing about the Rover no electronics once a week I open the bonnet and trim the wick and sharpen the flint and that's it. Lots of other parts are common with other later Rovers and things like wheel bearings and water pumps are the same as series Land Rovers. All in all its a very easy car to live with. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Or until the electronics go belly up. ... The K11 Micra is supposedly one of the simpler cars too. Cars do seem to last a lot longer on average than they did up to the mid-80s; I see plenty of 10 to 17-year-old cars still under their own steam. The diesel Borat I use for work is already 14 years old, averaging about 10,000 miles a year; very little has ever gone wrong with it, but the only thing that might number its days is Mayor Sadiq Khan making a snap decision to extend his ULEZ thing over the whole of London, in which case I'll offer it for sale to anyone outside the M25.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 I think that's because the bodywork no longer hangs off cars after about five years, mechanicals even back in the day weren't really the problem... Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Steve Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Wonder how long before Vauxhall's start sporting some sort of PSA badging ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 The old Rootes group 1600 engine would run for ever, 100,000 miles was easy. Mine had around 140,000 on it, with AVFR3 cam in for 50,000 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 The K11 Micra is supposedly one of the simpler cars too. Cars do seem to last a lot longer on average than they did up to the mid-80s; I see plenty of 10 to 17-year-old cars still under their own steam. The diesel Borat I use for work is already 14 years old, averaging about 10,000 miles a year; very little has ever gone wrong with it, but the only thing that might number its days is Mayor Sadiq Khan making a snap decision to extend his ULEZ thing over the whole of London, in which case I'll offer it for sale to anyone outside the M25.... The 1.9PD engine really is almost indestructible, it takes some serious abuse to destroy one. My 2002 Golf did 140,000 miles in its first three years and its MOT record showed 246,000 in 2015. Sadly it also showed a failure down to tyres, wipers and front headlight, all minor stuff but seems to have proved insurmountable as its been SORN ever since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Who has replaced their time bombs then? [sorry, air bags?] 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Or until the electronics go belly up. Seriously though the days of DIY repairs to your everyday driver are over, if there is a fault its straight into the scrapyard, (though I imagine many end up in 'developing' countries with the electronics replaced with more basic equipment.) For most people maybe, but there is always a way. My Rover 75 Connie is maintained by me (unless my age persuades me to take it to a garage, for such things as exhausts). I'm now on the 2nd one, took the previous one up to 'Moon Mileage. (c230k miles) and only scrapped it for a minor brake pipe fault when its replacement became available. And I converted both to lpg. I have the support of an excellent online Owners Club with fantastic knowledge and backup from ex dealer PC/software,, so have no motive nor desire to change it. Rhere are plenty of other enthusiasts who do it too. Stewart 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 The 1.9PD engine really is almost indestructible, it takes some serious abuse to destroy one. My 2002 Golf did 140,000 miles in its first three years and its MOT record showed 246,000 in 2015. Sadly it also showed a failure down to tyres, wipers and front headlight, all minor stuff but seems to have proved insurmountable as its been SORN ever since. The Borat's never really shown any signs, despite being remapped and frequently going over rough surfaces. Even the bodywork shows little sign of corrosion. The cambelt has lasted a lot longer than it's supposed to ... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I wouldn't be taking chances with a timing belt. . . . The last one that let go on me cost an engine. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 I wouldn't be taking chances with a timing belt. . . . I'll probably get it done before the Mayor extends the ULEZ. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Does it just go twang, without the tears normally associated with twangs? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Does it just go twang, without the tears normally associated with twangs? I believe it does. I have been quoted about £380 to replace the cambelt, which seems to be about the going rate for the work. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr2 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Does it just go twang, without the tears normally associated with twangs? I had a Vauxhall Belmont SRi (which I actually really liked & would love another good one!) which had a non interference engine - when the cambelt went twang in that all it did was stop the car! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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