Used Rover 75 Tourer 1999 - 2005 reliability
Category: Estate car
The Rover 75 Tourer feels like a car from a bygone age brought up to date, and it's a good load-carrier, too
What should I look for in a used Rover 75 estate?
The 75 gets an average-to-poor rating from the What Car? Reliability Index, and Rover's lack of a dealer network means servicing is carried out to varying standards and some items may be missed.
Cars finished in 2005, just before Rover went bust, were - by some accounts - pretty shoddy. So if you're buying one of the last, a professional pre-purchase inspection is wise.
Otherwise, watch for leaking head gaskets on the V6 and 1.8 petrols, and check for coolant system leaks. Cooling fans sometimes pack up on cars after four to five years and, if the driver doesn't notice the temperature gauge rising until it hits the red, the engine can cook.
ECU failure is also possible, and given away by misfires and poor starting. Clutches are a weak point, too, so check that the car changes gear smoothly and that the clutch bites properly.
