Ask an expert

I am looking at buying a 1997 NZ new Rover 216 which has done 76,000km.

I like the look, feel and size of this car, but is there anything I need to be aware of with them?

I have always had Toyota's or Subaru's so I am new to Rover.

Graeme

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 7 December 2009

In a nutshell don't go there.

They are known for engine and transmission issues and while Rover is still supported in NZ in an aftermarket sense, the brand as we used to know it has all but disappeared.

A manual version is a thousand times better than an automatic but even then I would give it a miss to be honest.

Best you stick with mainstream Japanese if reliability is high on the wish list.