Bye bye, Rover. Bye bye.

Arryhall · 23rd September 2020, 12:32

The 75 has gone. I loved that car, and the head unit I put in and all the miles I did in her. My baby dog, Ralphie loved going for rides in the car and many weekends we'd be sitting around, and just take Ralphie for a ride somewhere.
Little Palphie had a very bad heart murmur, and when we was tiny (and Chihuahuas are pretty small anyway!) he had an operation to open his valve, but unfortunately this failed as his heart stopped under the aneasthetic. The Vets at the Willows brought him back but it took them 20 minutes, and we never risked his operation again. Which was possibly a mistake, as a few weeks back, he had a massive heart attack and died. Everyone who knew him was heart broken. We live next tot he vets, and they were all in tears as he'd go in there pretty much every day to get pets from the vets and he was almost their mascot. To say the wife and I am heartbroken is an understatement. I know everyone's dog is special, but Ralphie really was one of a kind.
Anyway....back to the car!
Driving it has been hard, because when we are in the car and I look at the wife, and she isn't holding our baby looking out the window, it hurts all over again. And the wife has a bit of arthritis in her knees and getting out of the car is sometimes difficult. Also, the sun roof plenum was leaking again, though I've tried to fix it 4 times now. The 2 inches of silicone I put around the pipe this time ought to do it though!
So. I brought a Rav4. It isn't the same as the Rover, but it's easy to get in and out of, and you don't even feel road humps and pot holes, and I don't have painful reminders in it.
I stuck it on Facebook Marketplace for £875. The interior was immaculate (though damp a lot) and the exterior was almost immaculate apart from a small scrape on the rear. And it was hardly noticeable.
Head gasket done. Waterpump done. Suspension done. Don't think there was anything wrong with the car other than a knocking over extreme holes from the suspension that I suspect was a bush.I priced it to sell, as it was worth maybe £1000, but I needed it gone as I need the space.
I cried a little as I watched it drive away.
As much grief as the car gave me, keeping it alive, I loved that thing. I'll never love the Rav4 the way I loved that car, but needs change.
I'll miss the big old girl. I won't miss the water in it and the constant leak chasing, but other than that, I washed and cleaned and drove and loved that thing for 60000 miles, and had it not been the wife's knees as a deciding factor, I'd not be so saddened.
The bloke who brought her really liked it though. He had one before but his boot was full of water and it was the basic model, but he loved driving it. He had a short go in mine and within 1/4 mile or less he'd made his mind up to buy it. Which annoyed me because if he didn't buy it, I'd still HAVE it!!!
Anyway, it's been a fun ride, but I now have a boring, uninspiring Rav4.

Bye bye my little Rover. Bye bye.

roverbarmy · 23rd September 2020, 12:41

Sorry to hear about Ralphie and the Rover but sometimes, needs must. The Toyotas seem to do very well. We had one as a company car and it was lovely to drive and never let us down. Knees and various other joints seem to be on a par with anti roll bar bushes! Keep on trucking!
Mike

23rd September 2020, 12:32	#1
Arryhall Loves to post Rover 75 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Biddulph Posts: 486 Thanks: 101 Thanked 145 Times in 90 Posts	Bye bye, Rover. Bye bye. The 75 has gone. I loved that car, and the head unit I put in and all the miles I did in her. My baby dog, Ralphie loved going for rides in the car and many weekends we'd be sitting around, and just take Ralphie for a ride somewhere. Little Palphie had a very bad heart murmur, and when we was tiny (and Chihuahuas are pretty small anyway!) he had an operation to open his valve, but unfortunately this failed as his heart stopped under the aneasthetic. The Vets at the Willows brought him back but it took them 20 minutes, and we never risked his operation again. Which was possibly a mistake, as a few weeks back, he had a massive heart attack and died. Everyone who knew him was heart broken. We live next tot he vets, and they were all in tears as he'd go in there pretty much every day to get pets from the vets and he was almost their mascot. To say the wife and I am heartbroken is an understatement. I know everyone's dog is special, but Ralphie really was one of a kind. Anyway....back to the car! Driving it has been hard, because when we are in the car and I look at the wife, and she isn't holding our baby looking out the window, it hurts all over again. And the wife has a bit of arthritis in her knees and getting out of the car is sometimes difficult. Also, the sun roof plenum was leaking again, though I've tried to fix it 4 times now. The 2 inches of silicone I put around the pipe this time ought to do it though! So. I brought a Rav4. It isn't the same as the Rover, but it's easy to get in and out of, and you don't even feel road humps and pot holes, and I don't have painful reminders in it. I stuck it on Facebook Marketplace for £875. The interior was immaculate (though damp a lot) and the exterior was almost immaculate apart from a small scrape on the rear. And it was hardly noticeable. Head gasket done. Waterpump done. Suspension done. Don't think there was anything wrong with the car other than a knocking over extreme holes from the suspension that I suspect was a bush.I priced it to sell, as it was worth maybe £1000, but I needed it gone as I need the space. I cried a little as I watched it drive away. As much grief as the car gave me, keeping it alive, I loved that thing. I'll never love the Rav4 the way I loved that car, but needs change. I'll miss the big old girl. I won't miss the water in it and the constant leak chasing, but other than that, I washed and cleaned and drove and loved that thing for 60000 miles, and had it not been the wife's knees as a deciding factor, I'd not be so saddened. The bloke who brought her really liked it though. He had one before but his boot was full of water and it was the basic model, but he loved driving it. He had a short go in mine and within 1/4 mile or less he'd made his mind up to buy it. Which annoyed me because if he didn't buy it, I'd still HAVE it!!! Anyway, it's been a fun ride, but I now have a boring, uninspiring Rav4. Bye bye my little Rover. Bye bye.

23rd September 2020, 12:41	#2
roverbarmy This is my second home Roverless + 1.7D Sportage Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: East Norfolk Posts: 7,050 Thanks: 729 Thanked 2,021 Times in 1,449 Posts	Sorry to hear about Ralphie and the Rover but sometimes, needs must. The Toyotas seem to do very well. We had one as a company car and it was lovely to drive and never let us down. Knees and various other joints seem to be on a par with anti roll bar bushes! Keep on trucking! Mike __________________ Oil in my veins!