1995 Rover 214 SEi

[Austin-Rover]

Yes, not a Maestro or Montego I know, but a rather impressive BL vehicle just the same.

This is a new addition to the household, and also another eBay impulse purchase. My parents had a 218 Diesel when I was younger, so this is a nice trip down memory lane (albeit a bit plusher and quicker!). This one comes with 11 months MoT, two month's tax, a host of new mechanical parts, an unmarked interior (with snazzy half leather seating) and wonderfully low mileage of 30,000!

Bad parts are the paintwork was in shocking condition, and coming from an elderly owner it's got an above average number of dents scratches and ill-advised touch up pen horrors. All is not lost, though as after a whole afternoon polishing, it passes the five yard test with ease - as you can see.

Anorak point: The SEi came with standard fit 15" alloy wheels, which obliviously are not present here. Instead there are a set of 15" steel wheels with proper Rover wheel trims I do not recognise. The 1995 Rover 200 brochure shows 15" steel wheels as not available on anything. Current thoughts are that the first owner didn't want the alloy wheels fitted, but the true reason is lost in the mists of time. Does anyone recognise the wheel trims from a car or trim level?

[Captain Slow]

Basic 820i R17 I believe. That looks super, will have to come for a proper nosey soon.

There's an owners club for the R8 as well you know - might be worth joining if it needs any rare bits.

[Austin-Rover]

...might be worth joining if it needs any rare bits.

Oddly, the only thing it 'needs' is a new 16 Valve badge for the boot lid, as strangely someone has tried to pull it off and broke it. It would seem the generic "16V" badge from Halfords just isn't classy enough for the more discerning chav!

[D87SMW]

Lovely, Rich. I was looking for a 214 SEi at one point, which is why I noticed the lack of alloys. Those trims look good on it, though!

[Austin-Rover]

This reliable little Rover has been clocking up endless motorway miles since last March with only a couple of niggling problems. Nothing has stopped it!

The second one on the fleet (advertised here and bought last May) is similarly munching up miles on the M62 - and again has been totally reliable.

I'd always thought of staying well clear of the K Series before now, but I've been well impressed. My only nag is that the engine is working too hard at 70mph...it needs a 6th cog in the 'box!

Anyone stuck for something a little interesting to drive every day and is now wanting to keep their Maestro 'for best' or their Maestro has fallen apart - I would heartily recommend a 214 as a replacement. The later SEi specification is particularly nice!

[The Express Valeter]

I have had a 214Sei & a 214i & they were both very nice cars indeed, far better than the main competition at the time.

[H48HPE]

around 2003 my Auntie gave me chance to have a 218 diesel - but part of the deal was my Maestro had to go - so i had to say no.... looking back it would have probably been a good swap - I was too much into Maestros at that point - had the rover been higher spec i might have been up for it, but it didn't even have electric windows!

Impressed with yoiur fleet at the moment Rich - some nice motors !!

Andy

[E_T_V]

I'd always thought of staying well clear of the K Series before now, but I've been well impressed. My only nag is that the engine is working too hard at 70mph...it needs a 6th cog in the 'box!

The R8 is a cracking motor. Far better built than the maestro, and the K series just loves to rev. The little 1.4 packing the same headline numbers as the old O series!

You need to rev it to get the best performance but so long as you keep on top of the short oil changes and wait till it is fully warm it won't mind at all.

A few common issues are easy enough to sort.

Our old SLi did 60k miles in 3 or 4 years and aside from a weird intermittant fault which took a while to trace, it didn't really let us down.

[The Express Valeter]

The R8 when launched was a total transformation from the Maestro & Montego that is replaced (well sort of given they carried on producing them), certainly in terms of build quality longevity.

[digital efi]

I ran a 214 SEi as a daily until two years ago: I sold it with 201,000 miles on the clock and with the original engine and gearbox still in great condition (head, water pump, radiator etc had been done properly at 115,000 before I bought it)

It always achieved around 40mpg, but I agree with Rich: top gear is too low. This can be improved by fitting a gearbox from a 1.6 litre Rover 400 or 45.

[Miracle maestro]

Winter is the time to appreciate the quick warm up characteristics of the 'K' series
Heater goes on when temp gauge up to warm- in about a mile and a half.

Gearing in the 214's does vary: my early example (90 214gsi) is higher geared than my (95 214si) . Horses for courses acceleration v refinement.
I find it curious the later more powerful multi-point injection car has lower-gearing?

[Guest]

Winter is the time to appreciate the quick warm up characteristics of the 'K' series
Heater goes on when temp gauge up to warm- in about a mile and a half.

Couldn't agree more, the 75 is warm well before my wife drops me off at work 3 miles away Could definitely do with longer legs though...

[digital efi]

Couldn't agree more, the 75 is warm well before my wife drops me off at work 3 miles away Could definitely do with longer legs though...

I bought a 1.8 Rover 45 just before Christmas, just to get a set of 16-inch BRM-style alloys for my 25 (optional fitment on some 45s when new)

I thought I would take advantage of the rapid warm-up characteristics during this cold spell, as the heater on my 25 TD takes almost 5 miles to start producing anything worthwhile. Trouble is, the blower doesn't work

[E_T_V]

The 16v has lower gearing than the 8v I think but otherwise I think the spi and the Mpi got the same ratios.

[Miracle maestro]

The 16v has lower gearing than the 8v I think but otherwise I think the spi and the Mpi got the same ratios.

My 1990 214 GSI SPI 16v has about 22MPH/1000rpm in 5th?
My 1995 214 SI MPI 16v has about 20MPH/1000Rpm in 5th?

The SPI has identical 5th gearing to my MG ZS 120.