1998 Rover 600 GSi 2.0 Petrol in metallic Oxford Blue with stone leather interior. The car has been in our ownership since we bought it in December 1999, when it wasn't even two years old and felt almost brand new!
It has just literally passed the fairly monumental 200k mark, with very little drama - in fact, it has only ever broken down once during our ownership, and that was due to a faulty distributor. It had a fairly high mileage when we bought it, having been used as a company car on long motorway runs; and we racked up the miles considerably over the years following that, declining to just a handful locally in recent years. Clearly the Honda engine and drivetrain have assisted in attaining this fairly epic mileage!
The car has been well looked after and serviced, however it is getting rather tatty now. It has resisted the typical rot quite well, however the leading edge of the right hand wheelarch needs considerable attention as shown, as do the rear seat belt mounts under the seat cushion (easily accessible). The left hand wheelarch (leading edge again) had a pretty decent, nice and solid, repair done to it last year; which should hold up for a while. With the car being dark in colour, it hides this repair pretty well. The leading edge of the bonnet has some corrosion, which wouldn't be too difficult to patch up. Other than this, the car seems to be practically rust free - which for a Rover of this age, is quite something! I remember seeing early versions rusting badly at only 6/7 years old!
The MOT has recently expired (coinciding with the 200k tickover!) and will need the rust addressing, as well as upper control arms on the front suspension. The rear exhaust section has a couple holes on one of the 90° bends, which could probably be welded quite easily. Strangely, the current system has been on for years - it used to go through back boxes every 12/18 months! Obviously there may be other bits and pieces needed, however the car is in pretty decent shape, and is easy to work on. It has had a recent catalytic converter fitted. A service and new cam belt would be advisable. The spare is fitted on the front offside, as the valve is faulty on the standard wheel. The car also needs a good wash! A few other niggles such as the alarm used to activate so I disconnected the sounder - I always suspected the boot, however never got to the bottom of it. The drivers door lock barrel disintegrated and fell into the door. The car works though, and all warning lights extinguish. Premium tyres have always been fitted - currently Bridgestone ER300s with decent tread remaining I believe.
The car has been a long-term feature in our family and will be missed. It often attracted a few looks and surprisingly positive comments, despite only "being a Rover". I actually think they are very handsome cars, and I have always liked the contrast of the dark metallic paint on this one, with the light coloured leather interior. Rover were really good at selecting colours (and actual paint quality) at the time, and knew how to create cars that (again, at the time) appealed to the British public. Apparently the French liked them too. Taken from the internet: "Everyone seemed to like the way it looked. A French poll - and they say the French know about these things - saw the 600 voted the world's most beautiful car. It won a Design Council transport award in 1994. BBC Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, a notoriously tough critic, was fairly won over, calling it "a delightful breath of fresh air" among rivals that looked "depressingly similar." A potential future modern classic maybe? Who knows! I hope so - but not just yet, unfortunately. Interestingly Maestro and Montego values are pretty solid and seem to be rising!
Offered for sale at £600 - I'm hoping this is a fair price, owing to the car's known provenance and their increasing rarity. I would love to see this car bought by an enthusiast, who can give it the little attention that it does need to keep it viable and running for a few more years yet! I'm not interested in silly offers and haggling - the price is the price. Should the car not sell, or not generate interest, I will be breaking it for parts - as sad as I will be to do this, hopefully it will help other 600s live on elsewhere - and mean that parts of this one will also do for years to come! Please feel free to keep my details, or enquire if there are any parts that you may need!
Located in Cumbria 12 miles west of Carlisle. Any questions or comments, please contact me!
It has just literally passed the fairly monumental 200k mark, with very little drama - in fact, it has only ever broken down once during our ownership, and that was due to a faulty distributor. It had a fairly high mileage when we bought it, having been used as a company car on long motorway runs; and we racked up the miles considerably over the years following that, declining to just a handful locally in recent years. Clearly the Honda engine and drivetrain have assisted in attaining this fairly epic mileage!
The car has been well looked after and serviced, however it is getting rather tatty now. It has resisted the typical rot quite well, however the leading edge of the right hand wheelarch needs considerable attention as shown, as do the rear seat belt mounts under the seat cushion (easily accessible). The left hand wheelarch (leading edge again) had a pretty decent, nice and solid, repair done to it last year; which should hold up for a while. With the car being dark in colour, it hides this repair pretty well. The leading edge of the bonnet has some corrosion, which wouldn't be too difficult to patch up. Other than this, the car seems to be practically rust free - which for a Rover of this age, is quite something! I remember seeing early versions rusting badly at only 6/7 years old!
The MOT has recently expired (coinciding with the 200k tickover!) and will need the rust addressing, as well as upper control arms on the front suspension. The rear exhaust section has a couple holes on one of the 90° bends, which could probably be welded quite easily. Strangely, the current system has been on for years - it used to go through back boxes every 12/18 months! Obviously there may be other bits and pieces needed, however the car is in pretty decent shape, and is easy to work on. It has had a recent catalytic converter fitted. A service and new cam belt would be advisable. The spare is fitted on the front offside, as the valve is faulty on the standard wheel. The car also needs a good wash! A few other niggles such as the alarm used to activate so I disconnected the sounder - I always suspected the boot, however never got to the bottom of it. The drivers door lock barrel disintegrated and fell into the door. The car works though, and all warning lights extinguish. Premium tyres have always been fitted - currently Bridgestone ER300s with decent tread remaining I believe.
The car has been a long-term feature in our family and will be missed. It often attracted a few looks and surprisingly positive comments, despite only "being a Rover". I actually think they are very handsome cars, and I have always liked the contrast of the dark metallic paint on this one, with the light coloured leather interior. Rover were really good at selecting colours (and actual paint quality) at the time, and knew how to create cars that (again, at the time) appealed to the British public. Apparently the French liked them too. Taken from the internet: "Everyone seemed to like the way it looked. A French poll - and they say the French know about these things - saw the 600 voted the world's most beautiful car. It won a Design Council transport award in 1994. BBC Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, a notoriously tough critic, was fairly won over, calling it "a delightful breath of fresh air" among rivals that looked "depressingly similar." A potential future modern classic maybe? Who knows! I hope so - but not just yet, unfortunately. Interestingly Maestro and Montego values are pretty solid and seem to be rising!
Offered for sale at £600 - I'm hoping this is a fair price, owing to the car's known provenance and their increasing rarity. I would love to see this car bought by an enthusiast, who can give it the little attention that it does need to keep it viable and running for a few more years yet! I'm not interested in silly offers and haggling - the price is the price. Should the car not sell, or not generate interest, I will be breaking it for parts - as sad as I will be to do this, hopefully it will help other 600s live on elsewhere - and mean that parts of this one will also do for years to come! Please feel free to keep my details, or enquire if there are any parts that you may need!
Located in Cumbria 12 miles west of Carlisle. Any questions or comments, please contact me!
