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Yeah, I think the Mk1 800 is a borderline boiler, the earliest ones will be 20 years old this year - there's to be a bit of a do at Gaydon in July to celebrate (?) it's 20th anniversary. Also, the 800 was the best selling luxury car in the UK between 1988 and 1994, so it can't be that bad. Kev.
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When I was a kid i nearly BLATTERED myself with excitement when I saw 2 C-reg rover 800's on the A697 going up through Northumberland, this was before they were launched, but I knew what they were cos I used to read 'CAR' which had spy shots of them in every month!!!
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT!
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Mine, which i was very pleased to own. V6 manual, very wofty and smooth. handled well for its age/size. Only £80 ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) ![](http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/33815978.jpg/rover82701.jpg) ![](http://www.smartgroups.com/picvault/33815994.jpg/rover82703.jpg)
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Apr 24, 2017 15:44:24 GMT
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Selfish bump up for an 11 year old thread ( I have an 800) but quite interesting to read and see how perceptions have changed. Recently there have been two articles on the 800 in the classic car mags so it looks like 11 years on from the OP's first post, they have started to gain classic status.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,201
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Apr 24, 2017 16:57:47 GMT
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I think the issue with "modern" cars gaining classic status is that they do tend to last longer.
Even when MGBs and SD1s hit 10 years old they were ready for the scrapyard unless you were willing to bodge them along or hit them in the welding torch. Quite a few 15 year old cars now are more long lived. Sure, some do still rust like crazy but it doesn't seen to be as bad as they once were.
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fred
Posted a lot
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WTF has happened to all the Vennies?
Posts: 2,957
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Apr 24, 2017 19:15:38 GMT
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Classic big ass barges - one of the last along with the Scorpio in size and wallowy proper barge rides
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'79 Cossie ran Cortina - Sold
2000 Fozzer 2.0 turbo snow beast
'85 Opel Manta GSI - Sold
03 A class Mercedes
Looking for a FD Ventora - Anyone?
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Apr 24, 2017 19:28:39 GMT
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A mates dad 15 years ago had a red over silver 800 Sterling saloon sat rotting on his drive, and even as spotty kids we thought it was really cool, mostly cos it was massive to be fair. Haven't seen one on the road in ages now but would love one.
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Apr 24, 2017 21:56:56 GMT
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Here's a late tip for anyone considering an 800 series. 12 or so years ago, I did the spannering for a local low-rent private hire car firm. they had half a dozen 820s and a lone Sterling with the 2.5 KV6 in its earliest incarnation. All these cars were LPG converted (most by me) all did starship miles without any major problems and, most surprising of all, ALL of them ran smoother cleaner and better on LPG than they did on petrol! Getting like hen's teeth now but if you find one save it now - and LPG convert it! Even the relatively cheap mixer type LPG works well on them (though the V6 had to be injected, that's the one I didn't do!)
Steve
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mgmrw
Part of things
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Posts: 701
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Beautiful things. Grew up in a succession of 820i hatchback, and a brief time as an 8 year old in a graphite grey 820 vittesse turbo saloon, recaros at 8 year d were amazing... As was the turbo push.
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Apr 26, 2017 19:05:15 GMT
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I have to admit I do like them especially the coupe. There was a cracking gold 95 saloon at a show last Sunday. Much drooling around it.
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tdk
Part of things
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Posts: 958
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Apr 28, 2017 13:15:40 GMT
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Coupe is cool. The rest is a long way off being valuable, but if the owner likes it then who cares anyway?
I wrote about the production of them in my book "confessions from quality control". It was the worst built car I ever looked at. I do have a soft spot for Rovers, though. 820ti coupe for me, please, in BRG.
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Last Edit: Apr 28, 2017 13:16:41 GMT by tdk
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retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,719
Club RR Member Number: 94
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Apr 28, 2017 23:24:14 GMT
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Always liked these ever since I drove a D plate Sterling auto that belonged to a mate years ago. Gorgeous car that deserves recognition and who cares it's partly Honda? That's no bad thing at all.
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1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a
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Apr 29, 2017 10:07:35 GMT
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Yes, I like all 90s rovers, I didn't until I joined RR
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Fraud owners club member 2003 W211 Mercedes E class 1998 ex bt fiesta van
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820
South East
Posts: 790
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Apr 29, 2017 11:43:02 GMT
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I wrote about the production of them in my book "confessions from quality control". It was the worst built car I ever looked at Comments like this are so typical. I worked in Rover dealerships from 89 to 96 and in many other brands including German since then and I know otherwise. If anything quality of German cars now is worse! wheels breaking, timing chains snapping, non starts, easy to steal, crankshaft failure, orange peel paint, premature tyre failure and on and on and on all in cars under 1 year old.
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mgmrw
Part of things
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Posts: 701
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Apr 29, 2017 11:45:07 GMT
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Coupe is cool. The rest is a long way off being valuable, but if the owner likes it then who cares anyway? I wrote about the production of them in my book "confessions from quality control". It was the worst built car I ever looked at. I do have a soft spot for Rovers, though. 820ti coupe for me, please, in BRG. Something changed in the mid 90s. Dads H-reg 820i fastback (BRG) was bought at 12month old, kept 3-4years. Faultless car. So good that he replaced it with a M-reg 820i hatchback in midnight blue. Utterly reliable mechanically. But, electronic bits and trim was a joke. 18months into ownership (2-3 year old car) and on holiday in newquay... ABS fault appears, OSF electric window fell down. Radio packed up. Sunroof stuck open. AA bodged all they could. W finished the holiday, 2days later he chopped it in for a 200tdi Discovery at 3years old. Which he kept 7years. ETA: grandad had a string of 200s dating back from the 80s, all new. Then had a J-reg 420i saloon. Which he sold after being stranded by the clutch cable failing twice in a year. Replacement was a N-reg 214sei which stated in the family from new for circa 15 years. Barring the usual HGF was faultless in 80k miles. Odd thing was Rover build quality.
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Last Edit: Apr 29, 2017 11:47:30 GMT by mgmrw
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tdk
Part of things
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Posts: 958
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I wrote about the production of them in my book "confessions from quality control". It was the worst built car I ever looked at I know otherwise. I worked in the quality department of Rover, and other car manufacturers, training them in how to measure the quality of how their cars were built. I was personal friends with the head of quality at Cowley. I wrote a book about my first hand experiences, cleared by a lawyer for accuracy and risk of litigation. I probably still have the data in the office somewhere relating to the build quality of the 600 and 800. I was at Cowley from the last day they built the rubbish MGRV8 to the first of the shonky new MINI. My book is selling quite well on Amazon, you don't have to buy a copy to know that I'd be happy to own one, despite all their flaws. The leather turning green in the sunshine was my favourite. ETA - I'm smiling. I do like the 800, don't take it personally.
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Last Edit: May 2, 2017 16:06:30 GMT by tdk
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Having trouble finding said book, can you give me more details please?? I'd like to get a copy Cheers Danny
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Fraud owners club member 2003 W211 Mercedes E class 1998 ex bt fiesta van
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tdk
Part of things
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Posts: 958
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Having trouble finding said book, can you give me more details please?? I'd like to get a copy Cheers Danny Link in my signature, below! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Having trouble finding said book, can you give me more details please?? I'd like to get a copy Cheers Danny Link in my signature, below! ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Thanks copy ordered! Looking forward to reading it
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Fraud owners club member 2003 W211 Mercedes E class 1998 ex bt fiesta van
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I think they were decent cars and worth buying today to put away for a few years. They weren't mould breaking cars like the SD1 or P6 and I think that was reflected in their market share of sales. A heck of a lot of the saloons were bought by middle aged / elderly gents who are dying off or giving up driving so you see one owner cars in very sound condition coming up regularly for not a lot of money, often cars with low miles which have always been garaged, (look out for the RBL Poppy screen sticker!) You could buy a scruffy abused example for peanuts and use it then throw it away or you could buy a pristine example and cherish it. Definitely retro, not classics yet but yes there are bangers about if you want a comfy runabout which won't break the bank. ![](http://www.fromthecaptainschair.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vitesse-Coupe.jpg) ![](http://www.classiccarshq.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/99-500x373.jpg)
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