Anything to compare - Rover Coupe?

PMKeates · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:23

With my insurance renewal date getting really close now, serious consideration is being made about car purchases.

With my annual mileage being seriously altered by a work move (Cuts out about 12,000 per annum), fuel costs and insurance costs have fallen quite dramatically.

On a Rover Coupe Turbo quotes are coming back in the silly region of £1,500, making them a quite affordable choice.

Up to a maximum of about £3,000, could you come up with any other cars you may think would do? The Rover seems to be an unbeatable package at £2,000 - stellar Escort Cosworth beating performance, fair reliability and a reasonable degree of comfort.

Confused · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:30

Nissan 200sx - Turbo + RWD for the win?

L0rdMike · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:47

Toyota MR2 - Turbo + RWD for the win?

PMKeates · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:54

L0rdMike said:
Toyota MR2 - Turbo + RWD for the win?

Different league of price unfortunately. Much more expensive car and much more expensive insurance.

R220 · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:59

erm, MR2 turbo and 200SX Turbo being suggested as cheaper to insure than a Rover, lol...

Try a Prelude 2.2 VTEC, similar performance/size to the Coupe but cheaper to insure... i wanted a Coupe turbo after my Coupe 2.0 n/a but had the same problem hence buying the lude.

L0rdMike · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:01

I thought I would just mimic the post above mine.

I insured my MR2 Turbo when I was 20 for 1k

Simon · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:07

Get something else, I didn't realise the coupes were so bad handling.

Amazing really as my hatch feels 10 times better

R220 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:09

Simon said:
Get something else, I didn't realise the coupes were so bad handling.

Amazing really as my hatch feels 10 times better

I cant remember what it was like now so long ago.. didnt think it was toooo bad, well after stiffening the thing up anyways.. but i can image on boost torque steer is an issue with the turbo ones.

PMKeates · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:11

Simon said:
Get something else, I didn't realise the coupes were so bad handling.

Amazing really as my hatch feels 10 times better

When you say bad, is it really crap bad or just worse than what you'd expect? I've only regularly driven some pretty poo handling cars (See list), and so long as it's better than them and doesn't make the drive difficult, I'd probably be happy.

List:

Mk.5 Escort 1.6
Mk.6 Escort 1.6
Mk.2 Rover 214
Mk.3 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8
Mk.1 Citroen Xsara 1.8

R220 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:15

well i went from a 1.4 Ford Escort MK5 to the n/a Coupe some years back and it felt like i was driving a ferrari in comparison.. laugh. I was indeed a youngster though

So if your comparing those to the Turbo coupe i highly doubt you will be disapointed. Simon knows how to drive fast, does track days and things so will pick up on handling issues more.

benneh · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:17

The coupe isnt the best handling thing out, but it blows any of those listed away!, slam it on big rims and it hugs the road anyway

.

Simon · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:19

R220 said:
well i went from a 1.4 Ford Escort MK5 to the n/a Coupe some years back and it felt like i was driving a ferrari in comparison.. laugh. I was indeed a youngster though

So if your comparing those to the Turbo coupe i highly doubt you will be disapointed. Simon knows how to drive fast, does track days and things so will pick up on handling issues more.

Nah it's Ok, ive just fitting my superleggeras to my coupe and I really can not drive it fast round corners. Its feels all over the place :confused:

Mind you to be fair the suspension is crap and the geometry is probably miles out, not had it checked.

In terms of speed they are Very quick cars. Traction isn't too much of a problem and torque steer only exists because it grips so well. They are reliable too, the engines are bulletproof and if anything does go wrong they are very easy/cheap to fix.
I've had my 220 Gsi Turbo 5 years now, not had many problems that are the cars fault and still (used to anyway) enjoy driving it.

www.rovertech.net.

PMKeates · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:22

Thanks for the input so far. As long as it doesn't get outhandled by a poor family hatchback!

One question I will ask you Simon, if you don't mind (Being as you're here

) is about the LSD's on the Turbo's. Do all of them come with one? If not, what ones do - or isn't it that easy to tell?

R220 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:22

didnt know you had a coupe now Si, just bought for a run about or a new project?

Simon · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:24

PMKeates said:
Thanks for the input so far. As long as it doesn't get outhandled by a poor family hatchback!

One question I will ask you Simon, if you don't mind (Being as you're here ) is about the LSD's on the Turbo's. Do all of them come with one? If not, what ones do - or isn't it that easy to tell?

A 220 is a poor family hatchback

All the coupe turbos get the Torsen differential. And popular to contrary belief they all have T bar roofs.

PMKeates · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:27

Simon said:
A 220 is a poor family hatchback

All the coupe turbos get the Torsen differential. And popular to contrary belief they all have T bar roofs.

Thanks for that - it's nice to know it should be a Torsen.

The T bar thing always makes me chuckle, especially when you see them on the popular auction site. It's like someone advertising a Mondeo Sedan, and raving about the fact that it has a boot lid

Simon · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:27

R220 said:
didnt know you had a coupe now Si, just bought for a run about or a new project?

Bought it for the engine, just as its been cold ive been driving it about. Good way to check the engines ok too. Done about 1500miles on the engine now, not used any oil, doesn't smoke and doesn't leak.
Will drop it in the hatch soon I hope, starting to miss driving it as sad as it sounds lol I miss the brakes though thats for sure!

agw_01 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:28

Simon said:
not had many problems that are the cars fault

Just a little moan from me

p)...

One of the things I really really hate about owning a Rover is...

If something breaks on the car and it was caused by the owner being too harsh on it (i.e. gearbox wouldn't have broken if I hadn't had slammed it into 3rd and crunched the box so many times), no matter how many times you try and tell people the car is reliable they take no notice and carry on saying "Oh, it's a Rover, it must be crap!"

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

There, now I feel much better

Simon · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:34

agw_01 said:
Just a little moan from me p)...

One of the things I really really hate about owning a Rover is...

If something breaks on the car and it was caused by the owner being too harsh on it

There's being harsh though and then there is being me

I can really blame Rover for when i smash 3 pistons and bend a conrod, nor for when i fit some fancy pistons the rings being too tight and breaking. Amazingly in 5 years I have only broke 2 gearboxs.

R220 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:35

Simon said:
Bought it for the engine, just as its been cold ive been driving it about. Good way to check the engines ok too. Done about 1500miles on the engine now, not used any oil, doesn't smoke and doesn't leak.
Will drop it in the hatch soon I hope, starting to miss driving it as sad as it sounds lol I miss the brakes though thats for sure!

ahr yes of course... actually remember you saying now. Bad memory lately.. well glad your hatch is on the road to recovery