[Supervinnie40]

How it began
Just over 5 years ago I was driving a Hyundai Atoz. Nice little cheap car to drive, but seeing as I needed more room I started to look around for something else. As I used to have my own detailing business, I have always had a thing for nice details. The Atoz wasn't really up to scratch for me in this department. A car can be a great place to be in if you take the right one. So my demands for a new car would be aimed at a nice interior, plenty of room and an exterior that would make me turn my head after parking and walking away.

At first, I ended up with models like the Ford Focus (with the cream leather interior) or a few Alfa Romeo models with light leather interior. I even looked at a few more expensive options such as Volkswagen Passat CC with a light coloured interior. Obviously I also did look out for a few Jaguars and a cheeky look at a Rolls Royce or Bentley. Seeing as friends told me to NEVER-EVER buy an English car, I forgot about several models and ended up with test-driving a few Alfa Romeo's. Considering the stories on internet and my driving experience I just couldn't find the one that tickled my feathers.

The first meet
A good friend who always had to laugh at my love for cream leather interiors with wood-accents, came across a Rover 75 and sent me a picture with the text "if you want a grandpa mobile, look at this you old NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-.". We both laughed at the car, but somehow it stayed with me for several weeks. I kept looking at the photo and started to appreciate the interior more with each time I looked at it. It had a certain X-factor I couldn't explain. Eventually I bit the bullet and searched for a few Rovers and made a few test drives.
Unfortunately, the ones I drove at the time disappointed greatly, mostly because the cars where very high mileage (due to them being fairly old) and not very well maintained. The weight also means that I would had to pay a lot of road-tax in the Netherlands. The Atoz would cost about 60 euro per 3 months, the Rovers I looked at would start at 200 euro per 3 months. Too much of a difference for me at that moment.

Eventually I got a tip from somebody who saw a Rover 75 with 65.000 km on the clock and also the lightest model in the 75 family (the 1.8). I gave the seller a call and the next day I drove 200 km to take a test-drive. My girlfriend at the time wasn't very happy, the car would cost me 3000 euro and we only agreed to spent 2000 on the new car. But once we got at his place, we saw the condition of the car and she started to see why it was worth the extra money.
The seller bought the car in 2000 to be used as a company car, but only used it to drive up and down the office. The car would remain indoors while it rained or when it was very cold. He had kept every single piece of paper related to the car. Receipts from the gas station, MOT reports (APK in Dutch), repairs done by a certified Rover specialist and he even kept every letters or piece of paper he got from the dealer while discussing the initial purchase.
In fact, when I wanted to take it for a spin, he put down a seat cover so I wouldn't touch the fabric with my jeans. The misses laughed and told me he even keeps bags to put on his shoes when he's afraid his shoes might make the carpet dirty. In short, the car was in immaculate condition and every single thing had been done well before it had to be done. Belts, services, fluid changes etc. Everything had been done by the book, usually even a few months before it had to be done by the book.
The longest drive it had ever done was a trip to Germany in the summer of 2005. Which the seller regretted greatly as he discovered a few stone chips after the 3000 km drive up and down. They bought a second car for long drives and the Rover became the "luxury trip" choice.

Getting the car
My girlfriend agreed with me and saw how I just needed to buy this car. After making a few phonecalls to arrange a bit more money, we paid a deposit and bought the car. We didn't want to take any risk as the seller had 3 phonecalls from other buyers while we were looking at the car.
2 days later I went back with the last bit of money and we put the car on my name. I drove the car home and felt like a king the whole way down to my town. I parked the car in front of the house and spent most of the day staring out of the window. Not believing what I just bought.

Owning up to it
Jumping 5 years ahead, I have to say that I don't regret a single penny of that 3000 euro I paid for the car.
My Rover 75 is turning 18 years old in a few months, and she has given me some headaches in the past. But which car doesn't from time to time? I have spent roughly 5000 euro on the car in these 5 years, mostly for maintenance jobs. The steering rack has been replaced, the wheels have been replaced, it has been lowered with custom made springs, I did a few mods on the interior, and I've polished and cleaned the whole car several times. I even spent 1 week every 6 months underneath the car, washing and deep cleaning every inch of the underbody. I've had a few leaks, some small mechanical problems but nothing major. The steering rack was the biggest fault the car has had.
This means I bought a car that was 13 years old, and needed roughly 1000 euro's per year to keep it in the great shape it is still in. Its not perfect of flawless in a sense of the word, but no car ever is. I've had to many customers in the past that loved their vehicle to bits but could still name a few small flaws. And to be honest, a large part of that 1000 euro a year is because I want to replace it before it needs to be done. 75% of the money comes down to preventive maintenance.

If I would compare my 18 year old Golden chariot with the 14 year old Focus that my dad drives, I'm a very lucky son-of-a-gun. My dad bought his car with 80.000 km on the clock when it was 11 years old. He spends roughly 2000 a year to keep it running. He has had head gasket problems, oil leaks, petrol pump problems, bearings problems and bad rust spots that needed a lot of work.
Another comparison would be the Peugoet 107 that is used by my current girlfriend. It is a cracking little pocketrocket that handles very good. It is cheap to drive, has so little options that nothing can break down and it is not bad at all for longer drives. We spent roughly 500 a year to keep it running smooth like butter. And although the 107 is a cracking bit of cheap motoring, it just doesn't do it for me. The interior is plastic, the seats are uncomfortable, the options are minimal and the road noise makes you want to use earplugs. The exterior also doesn't tick any box for me. The 107 was bought brand new 7 years ago and has roughly 65.000 km on the clock, but I wouldn't even have to think twice about which car we are going to sell when time comes. The Rover is not going anywhere.

Reflecting on the matter
I could've bought several cars. And I'm in no way saying that my Rover 75 is better than an Alfa or VW from the same year. Because maintenance plays a very big role in keeping the car performing like it should. On top, I am the type of person that spents a lot of time (money) in the upkeep of my vehicle. Even with the Atoz, it would be washed at least weekly and I did what I could to fix problems the same day they appeared. Nonetheless, it was noticeable that the Atoz would suffer more quickly from wear and tear then the Rover does. Even the tiny Peugoet shows to suffer more quickly from wear and tear. The Peugoet really needs its yearly fluid change and overall service. The Rover wouldn't even flinch if I skipped a year. In fact, I'm quite confident that I could abuse the Rover a lot more than I do now, and it wouldn't even break a sweat.
Looking at the Focus my dad drives, it shows how the Focus starts to fall apart when pushing its maintenance to the limit. When looking at how some Rover owners neglect their vehicle, I'm proud to see how these cars still pull their weight every day. Proving how strong they can be. Are they bulletproof? No, of course not. No car is. But some cars can take a punch a bit better then others. Rover made a right little Muhammad Ali with the 75: an underestimated wolf in sheepsclothing.
Even the sense of luxury is difficult to match. I spent a lot of time dressed in fancy suits, and this matches perfectly with the Rover. When I put on a suit and my tan Oxfords, I automatically straighten my back, pull my chin up and feel like a gentleman. But the picture isn't perfect until I sit down in my 75. It is the cherry on top. A man can wear fancy clothes and expensive brands, but a car like the Rover adds a touch of class and royalty to the whole picture. Even the affordable Jaguars I've worked on didn't quite feel as fullfilling as the 75 does for me.

And let’s be honest, how many cars that are less then 18 years old can offer me: the Rover interior, an electric sunblind, split-section aircon, this level of walnut, hidden cup holders, all these airbags, a smooth drive like this, a quiet drive like this, the amount of turning heads (including mine), superb sound quality, electric boot lid, trip computer, maintaining modern looks, overall package of options, but above all: the feeling of driving in it!
If I had to name any serious flaw, it would be the gearbox with the 1.8 K series or the lack of OEM cruise control.

Yes, it uses up a lot of my hours, but I wouldn't really want it any other way.