MG-Rovers Image/Reputation - Page 4

Mean & Green · 14th June 2020, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by breakfastinsmethwick

Well, I am biased having proudly worked for Austin Rover / Rover in various R and D roles from 1990 to 2000. I still cant believe how much the press especially Midlands today reported problems with cars so much. Considering today that the serious issues many other manufacturers had seem not to either count against them or even make the headlines. I know people who have worked in a so called prestigious german manufacturer and the warranty issues were horrendous. I also think Mr Clarkson didn't help. It always seems to my paranoid view of things that motoring journalists seem to ignore what other makers were putting out at the time.

I don't understand how the VAG group have not been banned from selling cars, can you imagine if it was done by Rover back in the day?

Just my opinion, others will differ.

I completely agree.

Some of the known problems various BMW models and engines have seems to have done their reputation no harm. Likewise the VAG emissions lies, again has done them no harm.

Fords Ecoboost can have it’s fair share of issues, they still seem to be selling plenty.

The motoring press did have a role to play too.

Mean & Green · 14th June 2020, 20:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by peelaaa

As a young'un in in the late 80's, rover had an old man's image. There was no way I'd buy one. I had Alfa Romeos until late 90s, tried a few Citroens, Saab's, Renault, Peugeot.
Missus liked the look of the 75 so tried a 2005 tourer, at 3 yr old. Kept it till 2018, 2nd clutch put it off the road. Bought a saloon and still have it.

Great cars but yes, they had an image problem, and I think the press were against British cars at the time.
People believed them, bought french drop to bits rubbish , German no soul cars, Japanese boring boxes.

They had an old mans image and probably still do. To me this just means that people are missing out due to overlooking an incredibly good value drivers car.

I don’t know what it was with the press, they seemed to just have it in for Rover.

peelaaa · 14th June 2020, 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mean & Green

They had an old mans image and probably still do. To me this just means that people are missing out due to overlooking an incredibly good value drivers car.

I don’t know what it was with the press, they seemed to just have it in for Rover.

At the time in late 80's, only person I knew who had a rover was a work colleague in his late 50's. All my friends had mostly fords,nissan,toyotas. Dad and brother had a fiat.
Who would have known the 75 was such a good drivers car, and that's the problem, most people thought they were rubbish.

alanaslan · 14th June 2020, 23:01

My cousin bought a 75 diesel auto Tourer about six years ago, It was bought to replace the Jag and the Range Rover. His wife calls it his old mans car. I pointed out to both of them that they are both over sixty now.
Sadly my one remaining Uncle, yes I still have one even at my age.
Sold his Diesel saloon 18 months ago, he also sold the Bentley, Though has kept the Aston. I know it is a different way of life but I would have kept the a Rover.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Fusilier · 15th June 2020, 06:18

I bought my first MG ZT at the age of 46, and to me they just looked better than anything else on the road, the design and styling of the brand stood out amongst the crowd, and I also wanted a British built car, having had Ford, Datsun and a French Bean can of a car.

I am still the same, and only own British Built cars.

I currently own a MG ZT-T, and a MGF, but also have two Jaguars (XF and an XKR), and don't think I will part with any of them

Stu

Steven211 · 15th June 2020, 06:31

I have always loved MG Rover vehicles from a little kid, my late father had 2 R8s growing up, both 214, the one did near 200,000 miles from memory and never suffered HGF. His and my uncle, his dad, grandad and great grandad all worked at Longbridge, my uncle used to have Rover acop cars until he retired 1998. My dads last car he had was a Rover 600 SLI 2.0. He loved that car and never had any issues as with any of his Rover he had. I have kept that car but will be srapping it due to being left to rot and not enough time or funds to fix it.

So I have been surrounded by MG Rover products all my life, I have owned myself a 25, Streetwise, 45, 2x MG6s (never again) and now have my ZT. My dad always wanted a 75/ZT from when he seen it at launch, it was his dream car. I worked for the Chinese for 18 months until we all got made redundant when they shut the plant for good. Most 27 year olds like me are into Honda Civic Type Rs and BMWs etc but they do not interest me. I love my MGR stuff and found them to be very reliable, I used to have a Civic Type S diesel and that cost me more in 2 years of ownership in repairs then all my MGR products put together, one of which I owned for 7 years.

Me and my dads 2nd R8

My grandads Leyland P76 in Bromsgrove, I think it was an ex prototype that escaped as it was never sold here I don't think.

My great grandad in the white foreman jacket at Longbridge.

Spike · 15th June 2020, 07:21

I still endure the mockery of my friends for driving these cars. One of them calls my 75 the ‘Rover Coffin’ despite losing over £4,000 himself when his Golf engine fell to bits and VW wouldn’t cough up for it despite the engine being the subject of a class action in the USA. He and his wife still have VWs despite dieselgate but he never misses an opportunity to knock MGRs. Another mate laughs that I’ve had the same car for a decade because he’s had four new ones in the same time, despite taking one back after two days and demanding a replacement because it was so rubbish (Honda). A third says I should accept middle age ‘with class’ in a Mercedes... but I’d be paying a lot more in repairs for one of them! And yet, every morning when I look out at my 75 and my ZT on the drive, I’m happy to see them. They’re lovely cars... who cares what the sheep say?

The Rovering Member · 15th June 2020, 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven211

My grandads Leyland P76 in Bromsgrove, I think it was an ex prototype that escaped as it was never sold here I don't think.

My great grandad in the white foreman jacket at Longbridge.

Nice. There were a couple of P76's at Roverfest a few years back. Only sold down-under l think but not a huge success. The front doors may be the only part of the still-born Rover P8 that survived oblivion, according to some quarters.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/drivent...e-history/amp/

Mean & Green · 18th June 2020, 18:13

Here are two examples of a complete contrast in opinion and attitude regarding the cars and the brand.

https://youtu.be/GHXPQ2Ktg50

https://youtu.be/l48SoSj2dXs

They might help pass the time for 45 mins or so.

mark-h · 19th June 2020, 13:46

I have always had rovers on and off including a new zs180 in 2002 in copperleaf, i couldnt afford a 75. and right back to the r8 version of the rover 400 were great cars. I think MG Rover got a bad deal from journalists that it didnt deserve. they had no money yet managed to produce the MG range amongst many specials and reduce the losses of the already failing company.
The 75/zt is a much better quality car compared to others in the same category of rep mobiles. It was always unfair to compare it to the S type when it was new they were in different categories and price ranges for a start. it has a better survival rate than the s type now and rots less and hasnt dated as much.

Best decision MG Rover made was the reintroduction of the MG brand if they could have produced a new car only wearing the mg octagon and moved away from the pipe and slippers rover image they had at the time. I think they would have done well in todays bland market. They had the potential to reintroduce old brands such as wolseley and austin too.

the cityrover farce was the final nail..............

15th June 2020, 06:18	#35
Fusilier Moderator / RS North East MG ZT T 180,MGF Freestyle, Jaguar XKR Convertible and XF Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Newton Aycliffe Posts: 6,397 Thanks: 1,329 Thanked 2,231 Times in 1,309 Posts	MG Rover Image I bought my first MG ZT at the age of 46, and to me they just looked better than anything else on the road, the design and styling of the brand stood out amongst the crowd, and I also wanted a British built car, having had Ford, Datsun and a French Bean can of a car. I am still the same, and only own British Built cars. I currently own a MG ZT-T, and a MGF, but also have two Jaguars (XF and an XKR), and don't think I will part with any of them Stu __________________ # Project Gruple http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=213155

15th June 2020, 07:21	#37
Spike Posted a thing or two Spike, Burt & Daisy Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Murcia, Spain and sometimes South Wales Posts: 1,550 Thanks: 352 Thanked 427 Times in 295 Posts	I still endure the mockery of my friends for driving these cars. One of them calls my 75 the ‘Rover Coffin’ despite losing over £4,000 himself when his Golf engine fell to bits and VW wouldn’t cough up for it despite the engine being the subject of a class action in the USA. He and his wife still have VWs despite dieselgate but he never misses an opportunity to knock MGRs. Another mate laughs that I’ve had the same car for a decade because he’s had four new ones in the same time, despite taking one back after two days and demanding a replacement because it was so rubbish (Honda). A third says I should accept middle age ‘with class’ in a Mercedes... but I’d be paying a lot more in repairs for one of them! And yet, every morning when I look out at my 75 and my ZT on the drive, I’m happy to see them. They’re lovely cars... who cares what the sheep say? __________________ Spike has the rubber boots. I'm James and mine are leather.

19th June 2020, 13:46	#40
mark-h Regular poster MG ZT 190, ROVER 75, MG ZS Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: south wales Posts: 71 Thanks: 45 Thanked 31 Times in 9 Posts	I have always had rovers on and off including a new zs180 in 2002 in copperleaf, i couldnt afford a 75. and right back to the r8 version of the rover 400 were great cars. I think MG Rover got a bad deal from journalists that it didnt deserve. they had no money yet managed to produce the MG range amongst many specials and reduce the losses of the already failing company. The 75/zt is a much better quality car compared to others in the same category of rep mobiles. It was always unfair to compare it to the S type when it was new they were in different categories and price ranges for a start. it has a better survival rate than the s type now and rots less and hasnt dated as much. Best decision MG Rover made was the reintroduction of the MG brand if they could have produced a new car only wearing the mg octagon and moved away from the pipe and slippers rover image they had at the time. I think they would have done well in todays bland market. They had the potential to reintroduce old brands such as wolseley and austin too. the cityrover farce was the final nail.............. __________________ http://mbmfiles.com/Apr2017/170404-Y_2aw9fQ4SIh.jpg

14th June 2020, 23:01	#34
alanaslan Gets stuck in 75 Tourer Automatic conn, 75 Saloon Automatic Conn, The Monograme Spice Tourer Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Johnstone Posts: 670 Thanks: 57 Thanked 231 Times in 151 Posts	My cousin bought a 75 diesel auto Tourer about six years ago, It was bought to replace the Jag and the Range Rover. His wife calls it his old mans car. I pointed out to both of them that they are both over sixty now. Sadly my one remaining Uncle, yes I still have one even at my age. Sold his Diesel saloon 18 months ago, he also sold the Bentley, Though has kept the Aston. I know it is a different way of life but I would have kept the a Rover. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

15th June 2020, 06:31	#36
Steven211 Regular poster VW Golf TDI yawn Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Worcester Posts: 83 Thanks: 21 Thanked 19 Times in 12 Posts	I have always loved MG Rover vehicles from a little kid, my late father had 2 R8s growing up, both 214, the one did near 200,000 miles from memory and never suffered HGF. His and my uncle, his dad, grandad and great grandad all worked at Longbridge, my uncle used to have Rover acop cars until he retired 1998. My dads last car he had was a Rover 600 SLI 2.0. He loved that car and never had any issues as with any of his Rover he had. I have kept that car but will be srapping it due to being left to rot and not enough time or funds to fix it. So I have been surrounded by MG Rover products all my life, I have owned myself a 25, Streetwise, 45, 2x MG6s (never again) and now have my ZT. My dad always wanted a 75/ZT from when he seen it at launch, it was his dream car. I worked for the Chinese for 18 months until we all got made redundant when they shut the plant for good. Most 27 year olds like me are into Honda Civic Type Rs and BMWs etc but they do not interest me. I love my MGR stuff and found them to be very reliable, I used to have a Civic Type S diesel and that cost me more in 2 years of ownership in repairs then all my MGR products put together, one of which I owned for 7 years. Me and my dads 2nd R8 My grandads Leyland P76 in Bromsgrove, I think it was an ex prototype that escaped as it was never sold here I don't think. My great grandad in the white foreman jacket at Longbridge.

18th June 2020, 18:13	#39
Mean & Green Regular poster MG ZR Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne Posts: 93 Thanks: 53 Thanked 30 Times in 19 Posts	Here are two examples of a complete contrast in opinion and attitude regarding the cars and the brand. https://youtu.be/GHXPQ2Ktg50 https://youtu.be/l48SoSj2dXs They might help pass the time for 45 mins or so.