Old Top Gear Rover 400 Tourer

[iamaparanoidandroid1]

"I know I've got wood..." (Clarkson '94)

[mtpylkka11]

It's ridiculous to compare this... thing to cars like Audi or BMW. So, so arrogant and we all know what happened...

[marklandynut]

@mtpylkka11 We do know what happened. BMW bought Rover, creamed off the best bits and left the rest to the Phoenix consortium who kept it going for far longer than it should have lasted.. Without BMW's interference Rover would still be here and would still be a contender.The early-mid 90's 200/400 series was the peak of Rover's partnetship with Honda. It was far better than the offerings from Ford or Vauxhall, so it is fair for Clarkson to compare it to the smaller Audi and BMW models.

[mexicodriver]

£16k for some scrap? no thanks

[carsking0956]

made to impress you neighbours

[rock3tcat]

Jeremy Clarkson and his automatic gearboxes, is he that lazy?

[pattzydriveman2010]

thet are a rare old girl now :(

[mashadani87]

hmm, its rather funny how suprisingy positive Jeremy is to rover, mentioning it as a luxury brand....And in "new" Top Gear totally rejecting everything made by them...

[FragGile]

@mashadani87 He contradicts himself all the time, all he cares about is the pay check.

[dilawer321]

@mashadani87 lol thats jeremy clarkson for you, dont take him too seriously if you want to buy a car watch 5th gear or drivers republice, if you want entertainment watch top gear

[FaithShaylin]

@mashadani87 I always think that after watching these older clips.

[blaster2012]

All this talk of K series engines being crap is utter rubbish....As long as you keep an eye on the coolant level and engine oil,they will NEVER overheat,and overheating is what causes head gasget failure. Make sure your cambelt is good,and they are virtually bombproof.

[tubaandbasson]

@blaster2012

That is not true at all. My Dad had a Rover 75 with a 1.8 k-series and my mum a 214 k-series and they both blew there headgasket twice. They did weekly engine checks and had them reguarly serviced so, that is not true. Once the metal headgasket was fitted they were fine, but inevidtably they will blow on everycar.

[turricaned]

@tubaandbasson Who serviced them? The main problem was that a lot of mechanics (and some of the designers who joined after the BM buyout) didn't understand the K, which was a revolutionary design when it came out. It's all about the coolant - the K carries a lot less than other engines of the time so you have to keep an eye on the level and *you have to keep an eye on the fan*. If the temp goes past 3/4 - pull over and get a tow if you have to!

[turricaned]

@turricaned Some of the later cost-cutting measures (plastic dowels replacing metal) were a mistake, and boring out to 1.6 and 1.8 weren't done with enough care. But a well looked-after 1.4 K is nigh-on bulletproof - you only have to see the number of R8-shape 214s and 414s still on the road (some of which are 23 years old!) compared to Escorts and Astras (and - yes - VW/Audis) of the same age to see that. Most modern Japanese designs have a fair bit of K DNA in them...

[kernals12]

@blaster2012 you can say that about any engine, is there anything else special about the K series? Is it powerful? Efficient?

[vaiduoklis69]

its was well overpriced :0 i managed to get my hands on 420 gsi tourer for 200 pounds in tip top condition with 100.000 miles on it . its still so much fun to drive it if you dont think about it as executive car :) and it would beat bmw 3 series from the same year :p

[DANCEGASMAN]

@vaiduoklis69 I got a "diamond white" Tourer for £500 with only 77000 on the clock and it's a great car! I put a Stainless Exhaust on it and it made a huge difference to the output. Nothing stupid, just a twin pipe that fits in the wee cut out perfectly! Sounds great, out pulls all the old similar stuff and even new 1.6s and 2.0 as long as the car doesn't have some 3 letter combo after it's title (GTI,STI,etc). Removed the rear seats to so now it's quite light. Just don't turn in the rain! :-)

[morgman43]

Back in 1994 my parents had a Montego Estate. When this car came out I was desperate for them to get one...they never did - too 'lifestyle' for them I guess. I still have a hankering for a GSi just like this one, but unfortunately any left on the road will look tired and unloved...shame.

Dad bought a 400 saloon, but it was SLi trim in white and was officially ugly!

[bobhead360]

"I know i've got wood" ;)...

[Genius83]

Good car? Don't actually know, but what I do remember was that this Rover 400 touring was WAY overpriced for what was basically a very smart Ford Escort estate rival. And its no BMW 3 series rival thats for sure!

[DANCEGASMAN]

@Genius83 Maybe not in prestige but it had better performance, it's just a shame they didn't make a turbo version and the engine block was made of cheese! It has more character to, if you saw my rover all polished up it might not set the world on fire but if you truly like cars then you would appreciate how well it's aged and it's classic profile. Very Rare as well!!!

[Genius83]

@DANCEGASMAN I'm willing to agree with that - like I said it is very smart and 'classy' looking. A turbo version would have been sweet, even if 200bhp was a little much for the 200/400 chassis (but that wouldn't put me off personally). And yes, they are very rare which does make them stand out a bit.

[DANCEGASMAN]

@Genius83 Nice to get a sensible response from someone who doesn't have severe anger issues! Never mind 200bhp, 136bhp is too much for the chassis!!! It's fun but you need good tyres or it just goes straight on. The turning circle is great but I reckon this just adds to the steering..... how can I put this, "issues"

What car you got dude?

[Genius83]

@DANCEGASMAN Thanks - yeah I prefer to talk about cars in a more sensible fashion, such as yourself. And hey, although I've never owned a Rover myself, I did think it was traggic when they went. Got a Ford Focus ST mk2 at the moment (not in orange though LOL). Excellent fun to drive, but with the price of fuel constantly going up, its starting to kill me at the pumps.

[DANCEGASMAN]

@Genius83 You should try a rover, i've got a 1.6 K-series tourer as well as the GSI and it's more fun, less torque but loves to rev. For £300 it's worth the experience! Well, Happy Motoring anyways dude!

PS. My pals got an ST mk2 in Orange LOL. He loves it!

[agt155]

@DANCEGASMAN They did make a 200bhp turbo model.

[DANCEGASMAN]

@agt155 Not in the Tourer shape, the most powerful 420 "Tourer" came with the 2.0 T-Series N/A 136 BHP. It should have came with a turbo but it didn't.... :-( I own a white ("Diamond White" no less) 420 Tourer and it's still pretty quick for an old bus!

[kixnet]

That car's actually quite nice.

[danny112344]

wtf are you on about k series engines are shit ive got 1 a rover 216 tomcat never broke down

[Lukeno52]

@danny112344 wasn't the 216 a Honda engine?

[rvsgamer]

@danny112344 The K series engine was shite! The honda engine will outlast te car its self lol.....

[goldsgym1244]

@rvsgamer no the k series engine was great. but the gsi came with the t series engine jsut without the turbo!

[danny112344]

true english cars

[timppa600]

@1:52 "i know i've got wood" haha :D

[R33Racer]

Looped that floyd song at the start pretty badly huh?

[n880eua]

Load of rubbish the K series is a fine engine if looked after. You dont hear many people slating the shoddy block on the D series do you. But the cylinder heads are very poor and dont do high miliage well at all.

[roggerfrogger2]

ouch my parents had a rover 600, blew head gasket

[stratman1990]

@roggerfrogger2 Unlucky, but unless it was a Turbo or a diesel, it was a Honda engine. Nearly all 600s had Honda engines

[goldyn12345]

@roggerfrogger2  my gaskets gone 3 times in 7 years on my rover 400

[goldsgym1244]

@goldyn12345 your wasting your time replacing it. just buy steel seal, ull never have to change it again :D

[goldyn12345]

@goldsgym1244 got rid of it now, ive got a mazda 626!! brilliant car

[CorNBeeFuk]

K series worst ever engine.

Head Gasket Will alwways blow

Made smart move puttin honda engine init

[duracellaltoids]

it was only the 18K4K (VVC variants) and the early Kv6 engines that had constant gasket problems and would go every 10,000 miles, it was due to a the material being a slightly different alloy than the other honda heads used on rover engines. And honda use a K series engines, there just all made out of lightweight alloy instead of the head, mazda use a variant too, so the phrase of 'K series worst engine ever' isn't all that true, it was just some a few of rovers variants

[216Che]

@CorNBeeFuk .

No K series here, didn't make a 2 litre....

[stratman1990]

@216Che Indeed. Its a T series engine. One of the best engines Rover ever made. Completely bombproof.

[OCquattro]

Haha what a wankwagon.

[FrightfulAccountant]

It looks as a Honda Concerto inside and it is as well build as a Honda Concerto as well.

But it just wan't an executive tourer.

A good car without its niche...