Description
Here is my 1996 Rover 216 SE Cabriolet. It has 52800 miles on the clock, a figure that is confirmed by the MOT.
I have owned this car for 3 years. Before that I understand that it was in someone’s collection for 12 years until he had to vacate the premises where his cars were stored. I bought it from a small company in the north that restores and sells classic cars.
It is in generally good condition. The underside is totally rot free. There is just one spot of rust on one of the sills. The paintwork is in good condition, with just a few slight blemishes. The ad when I bought it said that the alloys had been refurbished, and their appearance would confirm this.
The grey leather interior is in overall good condition. There is some wear on the driver’s seat and a scratch on the rear seat, but nothing serious. There is a hole in the carpet on the driver’s side. I have tried to source a replacement, but so far without success. The radio is not an original Rover radio – it’s a JVC radio/ CD player. but I have downloaded a user manual which I can forward to the buyer. The radio works and the aerial goes up and down as it should. The electric windows and electric door mirrors operate as they should.
Among other things, the car has had the following work done on it since I bought it:
- Timing belt replaced
- New water pump
- Cylinder head gasket replaced (due to overheating caused by failed radiator fan switch)
- New radiator fan switch
- New front shock absorbers
- New radiator
- New mohair hood (complete – inner, outer and lining)
- New offside rear wheel cylinder
- New driver’s door latch mechanism
- New offside driveshaft CV boot
- New exhaust mounting
- Rear brakes stripped and cleaned
The head gasket was replaced by a garage that used to specialise in Rover cars and have done ‘hundreds of them’ (their words!). So I’m confident that they did a good job. The engine pulls really well and the car can bowl along at 70 mph with no problem.
The hood is raised and lowered by an electrically powered hydraulic pump. I have had the hood replaced with a brand new mohair hood. So the new owner will not need to worry about that major expense. Prior to it being replaced, a friend who is a retired engineer helped me strip down and clean the hood mechanism, lubricate it and reassemble it. He also fabricated the little elbows (which are impossible to buy) that adjust the position of the hood as it is lowered and raised. They always break when the mechanism seizes up. I’ll include a photo of one of them. The metal strips that hold the bottom of the hood in place were seriously corroded, so I had them completed stripped and refettled, followed by a couple of coats of rust inhibiting paint. (I have photos to show how bad it was.) Now they’re good as new.
A tonneau cover is included.
The car has a stainless steel exhaust, fitted before I bought it.
Since I bought the car it has never been driven in the wet, with the exception of the day I bought it, when I had to drive it home in the rain. It has been taken off the road each winter and covered. A complete car cover is included in the sale.
The car has just been serviced and comes with a full year’s MOT and a number plate that I have been advised could fetch up to £1000. But check that for yourself.
I know I’ll not recover the money I have spent on this car, but I think the price is realistic. It is clean, mechanically sound and ready to go and be enjoyed. All the major things have been done, but as it’s nearly 30 years old, there will inevitably be things to do on it as time passes.
I’ll be sorry to see it go, but we need the space. Also, at the last MOT I was told that NSF brake binding slightly was due to the car needing more use. There were only about 400 hundred miles between the last 2 MOTs certificates (I think the mileage shown on the latest certificate is understated by 200 miles). So it needs to go to someone who will use it.
