"Rover Cars" revisited

Posted by: herm on 14 February 2005

Hello. After a gruelling login process with the new software (is this progress?) I thought I'd remind you april 2004 I posted a query about the Rover 45 my wife was going to get as her lease-mobile.

You may remember she really wanted to get the thing anyway, because of the looks (of the 2003 model). I don't think she even testdrove a comparable vehicle to check out what it was like.

Well, anyway, she got the 45 and drove it for about seven months, after which she moved to another company, better job, and a bigger and better car, for which the selection process will begin as soon as she's completed the lease for the Freelander she sort of inherited from her predecessor in the new job.

I think she thought about the car about as long as she actually drove it...

So what was the 45 like? There was never a breakdown or anything. However I would never call it a exquisitely finished vehicle. Not even close. The dash was crummy, the seats were crummy and I seem to recall Rosie never really managed to get a grip on the correct lights. She was always using the high beams.

Basically I'm begging her not to go for a Rover 75, next time, but get a real car. Maybe an Audi.

PS the Freelander is of course not at all to her taste, visually, but it's pretty good ride after the 45, and the seats are a delight. The only thing is you can't really listen to any music in the vehicle, becase of the astounding motor noise - plus there is hardly any space for a her files in the back.
Posted on: 25 February 2005 by living in lancs yearning for yorks
I had a similar experience (excess road noise) in a Volvo V70 estate that was enough to put me off. I would have tested an Audi A6 but the local dealer didn't bother to get bak to me after the booked testdrive was called off due to someone pranging the car! The Jaguar and Saab dealers never bothered to get in touch to arrange a testdrive despite me signing up at the motorshow to request one.

I should have said that the road test should include competitor cars - although I have come across a few people who don't think it's worthwhile to have testdrives. One said that you'll get used to driving it anyway, so why bother!