Is the Rover 75 a car to be avoided?

Is the Rover 75 a car to be avoided? Looking at a 2005 1.8 with 117,000 miles on the clock. Is the head gasket failure a big issue on all 1.8 Rover engines?

Gerard Hutchinson (Drogheda)

Jan 2014 Filed under: reliability

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Expert answer

Hi Gerard,

Sadly the answers are yes and yes. I always quite liked the 75 (and its sporty offshoot the MG ZT) but the sad fact is that reliability is not their strong point. 

While the 75 was probably the best built Rover ever that's not saying much and quality was always an issue. The head gasket issue is linked to the intake manifold, which warps as it ages and causes gasket leaks and failures. 

Sorry to say but it's probably best left well alone.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe