Hi, my friend is just about to buy a three year old City Rover for

At 3 years old she's being robbed if she pays

When I worked for a different company, I went to the Longbridge factory where they had bought a few of these back from the dealers and had them set to one side for spare parts.

Sourcing spares from India was a little difficult so they stripped these cars in order to get the bits that customer's required.

Now the Indian link is broken and those cars have more than likely been scrapped - I wouldnt go near a City Rover. What happens when something breaks?

Buy this instead:

FIAT PANDA 1.1 Active 5dr - Auto Trader UK

I think he's got his heart set on it. I've tried to warn him it's not really a Rover at all.

I suppose on the plus side, it's only done 25,000 miles and it's very cheap, but he never listens to me anyway.

Perhaps if more people post their opinions i can print them off and help him change his mind.

By the way, it's not the base model, it has power steering and electric windows if that makes any difference.

So looking at that Panda above, he'd rather not have that in favour of an Indian Rover with more miles, a higher price and a potential spares shortage.

Nice.

Get him to read a few of the online reports.

Heres an example:

'CityRover is little more than a reworked Tata Indica - and it shows. Although its styling is inoffensive, get closer and the flaws become obvious. Inside, the quality of the plastics is poor and so is the finish. Drive CityRover and it becomes even more of a disappointment. The steering feels lifeless, and every bump in the road is transmitted through the cabin. It's uncomfortable and noisy; the trim rattles and the engines make quite a racket. There's just the one engine, a 1.4 petrol unit, excluding buyers who may want a diesel supermini. Marketed as a city car, CityRover ought to be more economical; it only manages 38 mpg when some rivals achieve over 45mpg. Value for money is poor, especially on the sparsely equipped basic models. Once you consider spending more, its competitors look even more attractive'

It really is an abysmal piece of kit,and there are so many better alternatives available.

Mike - I see you're location is "The Midlands". I have to say that since moving up here from Oxfordshire, I've seen more Rovers than ever before. I think people round these parts have a "thing" for Rovers, regardless of their quality etc.

If he's one of these Rover fans there is little you can do to persuade him otherwise - when it breaks he'll still think its the best car ever made and treat you to daily stories about how Rover was the best car company in the history of the world

Mike - I see you're location is "The Midlands". I have to say that since moving up here from Oxfordshire, I've seen more Rovers than ever before. I think people round these parts have a "thing" for Rovers, regardless of their quality etc.

If he's one of these Rover fans there is little you can do to persuade him otherwise - when it breaks he'll still think its the best car ever made and treat you to daily stories about how Rover was the best car company in the history of the world

I think that's partly it, he came in the other day and said "I'm getting a 3 year old Rover for

Jealous of a City Rover?:rofl:

As above points, plus it's a dreadful dreadful car to drive.

If he really must go with Rover, surely the 25 has got to be a better bet? Might be a year older or so than the City Rover to get it on price, but it's a genuwine Rover that's OK to drive, more car for the money, and common enough that parts probably won't ever be a problem.

Or he could go for the Panda, or any other of the myriad small cheap cars available (even something like a Citroen C3 will have more redeeming qualities - it is at least comfortable to sit in while waiting for the recovery truck).

Rob.

Show him these:

FORD FIESTA 1250 FREESTYLE 5 DOOR - Auto Trader UK

FORD FIESTA 1.25 Black 3dr Hatchback Special Eds - Auto Trader UK

And get him to compare the spec and reviews with the City Rover

Not for nothing was an "h" often inserted in the name :D

A truly dreadful car. Avoid like the plague :thumbdwn::thumbdwn:

Yes, i feel he's making a monumental mess-up on this one, it just seems he's got his heart set on it though, shame.

How old is he?

Isn't this the one that Rover refused to let Top Gear have for a test drive?

Wonder why?

So they sent an undercover James May to the local dealers instead!

Edit - Found it - YouTube - Top Gear: City Rover (Secret road test)

How old is he?

He's 27. He passed his test in July, brought an old Renault Clio for

Isn't this the one that Rover refused to let Top Gear have for a test drive?

Wonder why?

So they sent an undercover James May to the local dealers instead!

Edit - Found it - YouTube - Top Gear: City Rover (Secret road test)

That's the one, James didn't seem too impressed with it, did he?

A 27yr old in a City Rover ? Hmmmm..........

don't buy it, someone my girlfriend works with has one about the same age and the exhaust has given up on it. not a great problem in its self but try buying one, parts are simply not available for this car. i rand every wholesaler and motor shop i knew and could find and bits simply aren't available in fact most shops don't even have it listed on their systems.

so simple parts that will go wrong you won't be able to get off the shelf, get him to buy something else thats more sensible and that you can get parts for. please.

For gods sakes what is wrong with the man? 27 and after a City Rover?!

A Rover on its own is bad enough but a WANNABE Rover is even worse!

Point him in the direction of a Ford Fiesta..... and fast! Or even an MG ZR 1.4!

City Rovers are AWFUL!

There's a reason Rover went out of business. They did not make a single competitive car. Get him to look at a Hyundai Accent instead - it'd still have warranty at that price.

Anyone looking at a City Rover obviously isn't interested in driving. Maybe you should get him to buy a nice pair of trainers instead - the roads are a better place without people like that

It's overpriced for a rOVER , and was a crap car to begin with.

He should look elsewhere - possibly at a micra

It's overpriced for a rOVER

Thanks - you just reminded me of this.....

I dont see why people get obsessed with Rovers and MG's. They are terrible.

The only one worth looking at is the 75/ ZT

Someone I work with bought a three year old 45 , and it's not a good car at all.

It feels very dated compared with just about anything else from the same period.

If it was cheap enough I could see the appeal , but they aren't