There aren't many 45 year old classics that ...

Willy Eckerslyke

Well-Known Member
... you'd risk using on a 240mile round trip to drop your daughter at the airport for a 4am check-in.
Apart from thick fog hiding the sign to Terminal 3, all went smoothly. Averaged 60mph and didn't need to stop for fuel.

How has your P6 impressed you lately?
 
... you'd risk using on a 240mile round trip to drop your daughter at the airport for a 4am check-in.
Apart from thick fog hiding the sign to Terminal 3, all went smoothly. Averaged 60mph and didn't need to stop for fuel.

How has your P6 impressed you lately?

I was a 45 year old classic 30 years ago, now I'm just a classic case!:cool:
Peter
 
I wonder who has driven the longest journey in a P6 recently. This year I'll hopefully be taking my car to Colin Goulds. That'll be a 2000km round trip!
 
Km old chap we don’t have those we’re Rover owners we do miles. If the maintenance is kept up there is no reason not to trust our cars. I go everywhere and anywhere in mine. Problem is when you read the forums it’s all about breakdowns and problems it gives the impression that they constantly break down. They don’t.
 
It's appeal is that you absolutely can use it like a modern car without compromise.

Well, i did that between 2007 and 2015, for about 110 K miles, and although it was capable and dependable, it has its fair share of compromises. For me the most important is rolling noise, which is excessive, not only compared with more modern designs, but also compared with a contemporary design, like my Austin 1300. Indeed, at moderate motorway speeds the humble Austin is more quiet than the "luxury" Rover.
Other than that, 600 miles round trips were not a problem, even though during summer you have to put up with the heat that eventually soaks into the cabin.
 
I haven't been without a P6 for over 30 years now & have done around 180,000 miles in them. I have only been really stuck once due to the car breaking down & that was literally - the de-Dion elbow broke on my Mexico Brown V8S many years ago!

I did also call the AA with BOP when I was first using it, but that was a case of zero maintenance for probably the previous 15 years & we got it going again. A good service sorted it. And Hazel, too but only because the alternator wasn't charging after I'd gone & shorted it beforehand! :rolleyes:
 
only had my rover a few years and probably as it was in a garage for 13 doing nothing.. took immense amount of time and effort sorting out from rusted discs to old pipe works and leaks .coolant .fuel etc thus far a bit of a money pit. however it is slowly getting reliable and I trust it enough to go for meetings up to 45 mins away now . In fact an old rolls Royce in front of me broke down ! ( points issue we sorted) . As to rolling noise.. I find wind noise is high but internal noise from tyres and engine is not an issue . ride quality soft and easily soaks up most bumps and undulations in fact better than my more modern Kuga ( though to be fair an SUV is supposed to be sporty and stiff suspension) wife even starting to enjoy. going out nwo with expectations getting to destination rather than anticipation breaking down! thus far have bitten bullet and subject to annual MOT will be taking it on a weeks holiday leaving modern car at home. so see how lit fares:)
 
A few trips up and back the Western USA in my one or the other of my two '70 Rover 3500s' last couple of years. Currently prepping for a trek in May from Napa, Calif. to wilds of British Columbia with stop in Portland to pick up a diff I'm getting from PO. (roughly 2500 mile each trek.)Garys Run With Rover.jpgRed Rover 1.jpeg
 
nice shots. old bloke . wasn't quite sure at first what I thought was slightly. different , then penny dropped . red rover with nice registration plate has no roof antenna but one on rear decking .. not seen that before.
 
Back in 2012 I drove 1130 miles from Adelaide to Stanthorpe in Queensland, Australia to Nat Rove. I had flown from the United States to attend. They gave out awards for who traveled the greatest distance to attend. I won this award. Then they gave out an award to who drove the greatest distance in a Rover to attend. The first person they tried to give this award to cheerfully told us that the motor in his car blew up a few weeks earlier so he could not drive it. Then there was some discussion as to who to award it to. I may have driven the most distance in a Rover but I declined the award since I already had received one.
 
only had my rover a few years and probably as it was in a garage for 13 doing nothing.. took immense amount of time and effort sorting out from rusted discs to old pipe works and leaks .coolant .fuel etc thus far a bit of a money pit. however it is slowly getting reliable and I trust it enough to go for meetings up to 45 mins away now .

To be fair, from memories of the family's Monza Red 1972 2000TC, bodywork was far more of an issue than the mechanicals (which were pretty reliable by that time). You have to remember that one of the biggest problems facing the British auto industry of the day was the importation of cheap foreign steel during that decade. Hence why so many British motors of the 70s turned into complete rustbuckets; you couldn't blame PressedSteel, they could only work with what was available in the marketplace.


Mike. ;)
 
My 3500S has been my 'daily driver' fro 30+ yrs. now, and has only let me down twice;-
1. Alternator bearing failed. got the trainhome and returned and fitted a new alternator the next day.

2. Battery failed; absolutely no volts after starting without problems. New battery from local motor factor fitted next day.
So only one breakdown that could be blamed on the Rover, apart from vapourisation, now cured.
Because I was working overseas for many of these years, the car always started when I returned home, even after 3 or 4 winter months in the lock-up.
I would expect a 'modern' to perform as well, but friend are often amaze that an 'old car' actually starts, and get to destinations.
Why would I need a modern car, and what could I replace the P6 with?
 
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