2001 Connie SE - A year on!

Sebastienclement · 27th March 2016, 09:00

Happy Easter chaps!

It's been a while since I've been on here, and such I had turned blue - now rectified. Thought I'd prepare a little update post having had my latest 75 for over a year now.

The car has given me a years worth of trouble free motoring, but what I thought would be some good preventative maintenance put paid to that! I had the autobox fluid changed, and initially after picking the car up the autobox worked much more smoothly. However after about 3 days I wasn't happy with the quality of the changes, and over the next fortnight they degraded further. Eventually I found the box was flaring and dropping drive under certain circumstances on acceleration.

I had the car back to AJF Motor Engineers near Aylesbury who did the fluid change, and they began to investigate. Turns out several solenoids were not working correctly and the gearbox had suffered a cracked reverse piston. Got lovely smooth changes now - much better than when I bought the car

To date I've had the following work done:

June - Oil change, droplinks & top mounts
October - Rear tyres
November - Front tyres & hunter laser alignment
Feburary - Autobox fluid change, droplinks (again!), lower arm bushes & rear brakes overhaul
March - Recondition Autobox, lower engine mount & engine oil change

It's getting there slowly. Still a little bit to do to get it mechanically perfect, and then after that I can start being frivolous!

Here's the car as he stands after having all the work done:

Ravinder · 27th March 2016, 09:31

Very nice.

Scaramanga · 27th March 2016, 09:55

Very nice!

Where did you get the aubegine mats?

Sebastienclement · 27th March 2016, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scaramanga

Very nice!

Where did you get the aubegine mats?

Got them from Roverlink.co.uk - Original MG-Rover items. Decided to go with those as I hate how grubby sandstone mats get, and it matches the exterior colour of the car

Think I paid about £35.00 for the set.

myfirstrover · 27th March 2016, 10:02

Have to say the mats do look smart

Huey · 27th March 2016, 11:29

Very nice indeed!

The Rovering Member · 27th March 2016, 13:56

I've got the aubergine mats in mine to protect the immaculate sandstone carpet. But then have a set of sandstone mats to protect the aubergines.

I like the look of both colours too so can't make up my mind either way.

DMGRS · 27th March 2016, 14:58

Very nice. Cracked reverse pistons are common on earlier automatics, but the parts to fix are readily available.
The solenoid issues affect all ages, and again aren't hard to find, as you've experienced.

Thankfully you've probably got a fit-for-life autobox now!
Good to see another getting some TLC.

27th March 2016, 09:00	#1
Sebastienclement Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Connoisseur SE Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: London Posts: 1,237 Thanks: 136 Thanked 160 Times in 85 Posts	2001 Connie SE - A year on! Happy Easter chaps! It's been a while since I've been on here, and such I had turned blue - now rectified. Thought I'd prepare a little update post having had my latest 75 for over a year now. The car has given me a years worth of trouble free motoring, but what I thought would be some good preventative maintenance put paid to that! I had the autobox fluid changed, and initially after picking the car up the autobox worked much more smoothly. However after about 3 days I wasn't happy with the quality of the changes, and over the next fortnight they degraded further. Eventually I found the box was flaring and dropping drive under certain circumstances on acceleration. I had the car back to AJF Motor Engineers near Aylesbury who did the fluid change, and they began to investigate. Turns out several solenoids were not working correctly and the gearbox had suffered a cracked reverse piston. Got lovely smooth changes now - much better than when I bought the car To date I've had the following work done: June - Oil change, droplinks & top mounts October - Rear tyres November - Front tyres & hunter laser alignment Feburary - Autobox fluid change, droplinks (again!), lower arm bushes & rear brakes overhaul March - Recondition Autobox, lower engine mount & engine oil change It's getting there slowly. Still a little bit to do to get it mechanically perfect, and then after that I can start being frivolous! Here's the car as he stands after having all the work done: Last edited by Sebastienclement; 27th March 2016 at 09:06..

27th March 2016, 09:55	#3
Scaramanga I really should get out more....... Firefrost 75 CDTi Conn SE manual Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 2,319 Thanks: 1,409 Thanked 695 Times in 500 Posts	Very nice! Where did you get the aubegine mats? __________________ My current 75 is my 4th... 1. Starlight Silver 1.8 manual Saloon- RIP - HGF before I joined this forum 2. White Gold CDTi manual Saloon - RIP - Car accident 3. Midnight Blue 2.5 V6 auto Saloon- 'The 5th Gear Car' - Now owned by another forum member 4. Firefrost CDTi manual Tourer Lee [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

27th March 2016, 11:29	#6
Huey Avid contributor Rover 75 Club SE CDT Tourer Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Peterborough Posts: 225 Thanks: 84 Thanked 40 Times in 37 Posts	Very nice indeed! __________________ Rover 75 - - - motoring zen. http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3b6ca4ff.jpg

27th March 2016, 13:56	#7
The Rovering Member I really should get out more....... Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: London Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 263 Thanked 538 Times in 431 Posts	I've got the aubergine mats in mine to protect the immaculate sandstone carpet. But then have a set of sandstone mats to protect the aubergines. I like the look of both colours too so can't make up my mind either way. __________________ Reducing the size of my Rover fleet by adding a 75 to it.

27th March 2016, 14:58	#8
DMGRS Discount MG Rover Spares Rover 75 CDTi, 2x MG ZS180 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hythe, Southampton Posts: 11,320 Thanks: 456 Thanked 3,377 Times in 2,027 Posts	Very nice. Cracked reverse pistons are common on earlier automatics, but the parts to fix are readily available. The solenoid issues affect all ages, and again aren't hard to find, as you've experienced. Thankfully you've probably got a fit-for-life autobox now! Good to see another getting some TLC. __________________ Your trusted MG Rover specialist! Tel: 02380 001133 / Email: [email protected] We now have a 'chat' function on our site for even quicker replies. Give it a try! Remember - discount code FORUM5 for 5% off

27th March 2016, 09:31	#2
Ravinder This is my second home Rover 75 saloon x2, Rover 75 Tourer x2, Rover 220 Coupe Turbo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kirkcaldy, Fife Posts: 9,036 Thanks: 2,278 Thanked 2,852 Times in 1,718 Posts	Very nice.

27th March 2016, 10:02	#5
myfirstrover Posted a thing or two Rover 75 2.0 cdi Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,896 Thanks: 401 Thanked 448 Times in 303 Posts	Have to say the mats do look smart