My model of this coupe was an ex Rover management purchase at one year old (1700 mls) which came with all the add-ons such as a top line stereo, twin airbags and ABS.

My car prior to this purchase was a Rover 220 SLI which, although a comfortable car, did not have the handling to live up to its engine. The 1.8 VVC engine in the coupe combined with the superior handling makes it a much more rewarding drive.

The all round disc brakes although not as sharp as the 220 mentioned previously are very good, and stop the car quickly usually without ABS intrusion(but this is obviously very welcome on the odd occasion it is needed). Replacement pads and discs are quite cheap and easy to source outside Rover(which adds to the value of the motoring package).

Enough of the mechanics and a bit more about the other factors that make this car a rewarding drive. The sound system is excellent(great bass without the need for a sub woofer) and the controls on the steering column are an excellent safety consideration(I find myself constantly flicking at the steering column to no avail when I drive other cars). The T-bar roof is a great innovation in good summer weather as you can get the maximum ventilation with the minimum noise(unlike with the sunroof of the 220), and makes the car virtually a convertible (without the leaks). The split roof makes sense if like my wife you don't get quite as hot as the driver on glorious summer days.

However the final value for money factor about this car is its insurance group which although is two groups higher than the 220 I had previously, somehow is much cheaper to insure despite its much superior performance(don't ask me why).

Finally, like another reviewer here, I too have had cylinder head gasket problems. They started when the coolant pipe which returns the water from the engine to the water pump became detached due to a broken jubilee clip(2 months after a visit to a Rover dealer for a replacement camshaft drive belt). Coincidence?(Perhaps). This resulted in the engine runnning dry without my knowledge(no overheating on the temperature gauge as no coolant in the system to register it). I assumed this had happened fairly late in my journey, and left the engine to cool before reconnecting the hose and refilling the system. However I became increasingly unhappy at the rate the coolant was disappearing without any obvious external leaks, and booked the car into my nearest AA service centre to have it checked out. I told them of my suspicions but two days later was told I could pick up my car as it had been given a clean bill of health. The coolant still kept disappearing however and on monitoring the oil it increasingly came to resemble mayonnaise. By the time I got it booked into my nearest Rover dealer to be checked out, the coolant was disappearing almost as soon as the engine was switched on, and the car barely made it to the garage. Thanks a lot AA.!! The upshot was a new cylinder head required as the original one was too badly melted, and the gasket being replaced at a total cost of 1700 pounds.