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4th January 2011, 00:18 | #1 |
NI/ROI RS
ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
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Ultimate Buyers Guide for Rover 75 and MG ZT
Fellow club members and new visitors, im working on this and will be developing this continuously. Any information that is wrong, tell me in the 'comments' thread below.
Ultimate Buyers Guide - The comments thread PURCHASING ADVICE FOR THE ROVER 75 AND MG ZT To begin with below I’ve listed relevant sections that this forum thread will explore, will give you not only generic information about each model, but as much detail unique to each model as I could gather. CHAPTER 01 - Ultimate Buyers Guide Introduction CHAPTER 02 - Basic Rover 75 and MG ZT Information CHAPTER 03 - The head gasket and reliability / Spare part myths exposed CHAPTER 04 - Consumer rights when purchasing a car CHAPTER 05 - How to decode a cars VIN number CHAPTER 06 - Common faults to all Rover 75 / MG ZT's CHAPTER 07 - Body Variants CHAPTER 08 - Engine Variants (Including faults and costs specific to each engine) / Understanding the engine stamp code CHAPTER 09 - Overview and common faults for the 1.8 engines CHAPTER 09-A - K Series 1.8 120 (4 cylinder 16 valve, none turbo with 120ps/116 bhp) CHAPTER 09-B - K Series 1.8T 160 (4 cylinder 16 valve, Turbo with 160 ps/157 bhp) CHAPTER 10 - Overview and common faults for the V6 petrol engines CHAPTER 10-A - KV6 2.0 150 (6 cylinder 24 valve, none turbo with 150ps /147 bhp) CHAPTER 10-B - KV6 2.5 160 (6 cylinder 24 valve, none turbo with 160ps /157 bhp) CHAPTER 10-C - KV6 2.5 180 (6 cylinder 24 valve, none turbo with 180ps /177 bhp) CHAPTER 10-D - KV6 2.5 190 (6 cylinder 24 valve, none turbo with 190ps /188 bhp) CHAPTER 10-E - KV6 2.5 220s (6 cylinder 24 valve, supercharged with 224ps /220 bhp) CHAPTER 11 - Ford Modular Engine 4.6 260 (8 cylinder 16 valve, none turbo with 260ps /255bhp) CHAPTER 12 - Overview and common faults for the diesel engines CHAPTER 12-A - M47R 115 bhp - Often badged CDT (4 cylinder 16 valve turbo charged engine with 115 ps / 111bhp) CHAPTER 12-B -M47R 131 bhp - Often badged CDTi but this can vary!! (4 cylinder 16 valve turbo charged engine with 131 ps / 128bhp) CHAPTER 13 - Limo / Long Wheelbased Car engine info CHAPTER 14 - Transmissions (Including faults and costs specific to automatic and manual) CHAPTER 15 - Project Drive - Important information for cars built from 2001 and onwards CHAPTER 16 - Interior Specifications CHAPTER 17 - Insurance / Groups CHAPTER 18 - Useful companys and websites CHAPTER 19 - History of the 75 and ZT owners club CHAPTER 20 - Authors comments Ultimate Buyers Guide Introduction Let me welcome you to THE 75 AND ZT CLUB. As you have no doubt posted somewhere on the forum enquiring about either the Rover 75 or MG ZT (shall be referred to 75 and ZT from now on, and 75-T and ZT-T in tourer form) as a potential car to purchase and have been redirected to this guide. Well firstly let me make it clear that you have already made the first step to owning a true classic piece of motoring heritage. Everyone here is a enthusiast, even those who originally joined up just for assistance, often like yourselves. These cars have a wonderful soul and many of us compare it to the British equivalent of the “Alfa Romeo” effect when you drive them The single thing you must realise before purchasing either a 75 or ZT that this guide may look like a horror story of faults and problems, HOWEVER these problems are no worse than you would get with any other manufacturer, including the German and Japanese brands and showing these issues up front will prevent you being exposed to nasty surprises and allowing you to negotiate for repairs in the purchase price. I produced this guide to allow people to avoid wasting money on cars that might seem like a bargain and are actually a money pit. I myself purchased my current 2001 MG ZT V6 in 2009 for £500 following this guide. The car had 109,000 miles on it. It it was my second MG ZT V6, the first one was a 2002 and I payed over £2000 for it 18 months before hand for a car of lower specification and it had 92,000 miles on it! This guide will help you hopefully make the bargain buys like I myself and many others on the forum have made.
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Cheers, Colin Robson Rover Repair on Youtube DISCOUNTED MTEC BRAKES FOR ALL MG ROVER'S Braided hoses, more coating and pad options for 2024 Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 3rd August 2011 at 22:57.. |
4th January 2011, 00:19 | #2 |
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ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
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CHAPTER 02 - Basic Rover 75 and MG ZT Information
BASIC ROVER 75 AND MG ZT INFORMATION The Rover 75 is an executive car produced initially by the Rover Group at Cowley, Oxfordshire, UK, and later by MG Rover at their Longbridge site in Birmingham, UK. The Rover 75 was available with front-wheel drive in either a saloon or estate body and latterly, in long wheelbase form (the limo had 100mm rear leg room stretch for the rear passengers) and a rear-wheel-drive, V8-engined specification. The car was unveiled to the public at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, with deliveries commencing in February 1999. In 2001. Three years after the launch of the Rover 75 and less than a year after the de-merger of MG Rover from BMW, the MG ZT and MG ZT-T were launched along with the Rover 75 tourer. The body shell and chassis of the car was almost identical to the Rover 75, but with more aggressive grille, sportier styling, stiffer suspension and re-tuned engines. In late 2004 both the Rover 75 and the MG ZT where given an exterior face-lift consisting of cosmetic changes to head lights, bumpers and other very tiny changes. Production of the Rover and later MG badge models ceased on 8 April 2005 when manufacturer MG Rover Group entered administration. You can still find both 75's and ZT's that have yet to be registered with delivery miles that where registered in late 2008, that where sold when MG Rover went into liquidation and cars that where made in 2005, where often sold and registered after that date along with cars that where shipping off from England, where brought back and sold again into England! So purchasing a 2008 registered Rover 75 with delivery miles is still a realistic chance if you are willing to pay for it! A key feature of the 75/ZT range was actually its safety in crash tests, making 4 stars in NCAP tests and 5 stars when the cars where fitted with the optional head "pillow" side air bags. These are the same standard of tests that are used today. Ive provided a link to a video of the cars being tested. Note, that some cars on ''S'' regs exist, and S reg cars are usually preproduction models that where sold on in 1999 alongside ''T'' reg cars and are quite desirable within the club itself but maybe not to the casual individual. The Rover 75 and MG ZT where survived by SIAC and Nanjing Automotive (Now one company and selling under the MG name in the UK) who purchased between them the rights to all the MG and Rover cars. The MG 7 was essentially a mix of both 75 and ZT parts and was sold in china, asia and parts of australia. The Roewe 750 was based on the Rover 75 limos (with a 100 mm stretch in the rear cabin for more leg room, modern rear end similar to the 5 series of the time, V8 front end as seen on the UK Rover 75 V8 models and a revised interior) and was also sold in China and Asia. Neither of these cars where available in the UK from 2008 when launched, and produced officially ending in 2016 using the Rover 75 design foundation. The Rover 75 went on to form the foundation of the Roewe 550 / mk1 & mk2 MG6 with many components and designs shared or improved (such as front subframe with a twin pair of lower engine mounts)
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Cheers, Colin Robson Rover Repair on Youtube DISCOUNTED MTEC BRAKES FOR ALL MG ROVER'S Braided hoses, more coating and pad options for 2024 Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 15th April 2022 at 02:40.. |
4th January 2011, 00:20 | #3 |
NI/ROI RS
ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
Location: Antrim
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CHAPTER 03 - The reliability myths
THE HEAD GASKET / RELIABILITY / YOU CANT GET PARTS MYTH....... People have a terrible opinion of the Rover K series engine and its deeply unfair. They have a reputation for head gasket failures and was exposure on BBC's Watchdog during the 1990's. As a result, all Rovers suffer HGF according to the uninformed! The fact that HGF occurs on many cars is often the result of a problem elsewhere that has not been addressed. The fact that Lotus used them in their Lotus Elise sports car should be proof enough that they can be reliable when driven hard IF maintained appropriately. If anything a 1.8 or 1.8T is usually a bargain because people are afraid of buying a K series engine 75/ZT. These are alloy engines and the appropriate maintenance and checks of the cooling system are essential as on any other make. People are dangerously ignorant to the fact that you can not run a car for 12,000 miles a year without checking the oil, coolant and other such parts and only do it once a year for the MOT. These are the people who often had the failures in their cars! Head gasket failure on the 1.8 and 1.8T engines typically occurs around 30,000 miles, and thus the majority of high mile 1.8/1.8T engines will almost certainly have had ''a head gasket repair'' done at some stage. If done correctly, then we have multiple members whose cars have done into the 100,000 of thousands of miles!!! When purchasing a 1.8/1.8T ask if the head gasket was done. If it was done, ask for the receipts as often people cheat and simply pour a tank of "Radwell or K seal" into the engine coolant tank which will temporarily cure the car, often enough for you to have driven the car away and it fail a week or two later. Its a dirty trick in the second hand market, HOWEVER some people have reported it has worked to their advantage curing tiny leaks. I will cover in detail the list of parts and procedures and what to watch for specifically in the 1.8 and 1.8T engine sections along with photos and explanations of what is what. It should be noted that the 75/ZT V6 engines KV6 almost never have a head gasket failure, and it is extremely unlikely to occur unless servicing has been terrible. Be wary of mechanics claiming the V6 needs head gasket work as 90% of the time, they wont know what they are talking about. The KV6 can have a failure however it boils down to poor maintance not a mechanicial fault, but like anything mechanicial it can still fail. The diesels and V8 NEVER suffer a common head gasket failure as they are BMW sourced and the V8 is Ford sourced. Take the car to a recommended Rover/MG expert every time as mechanics love to con people with Rovers and often do more and I mean MUCH more damage than good. Ask on the forum for someone in your area and recommendations!!! On the subject of parts. With such companies as Rimmer Bros (www.rimmerbros.co.uk), X-part (www.xpart.com a division of Caterpillar Inc also, X-part are the Mg Rover approved servicing centres around the uk) and the various aftermarket manufactures, there are very few and I mean very few parts that you can not get for the cars. These are often found on the owners forum of www.the75andztclub.co.uk along with advice on substitute parts that work just as well. Again, a great reason to become a member of a owners club.
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Cheers, Colin Robson Rover Repair on Youtube DISCOUNTED MTEC BRAKES FOR ALL MG ROVER'S Braided hoses, more coating and pad options for 2024 Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 3rd August 2011 at 22:59.. |
4th January 2011, 00:23 | #4 | ||
NI/ROI RS
ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
Location: Antrim
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CHAPTER 04 - Consumer rights
YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS A member of the club "Jules" made this post recently and I felt it may be potentially useful when buying a second hand car from a dealership should things start to go wrong after or before you have bought your car! Quote:
Quote:
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Cheers, Colin Robson Rover Repair on Youtube DISCOUNTED MTEC BRAKES FOR ALL MG ROVER'S Braided hoses, more coating and pad options for 2024 Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 3rd August 2011 at 23:00.. |
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4th January 2011, 00:25 | #5 |
NI/ROI RS
ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
Location: Antrim
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CHAPTER 05 - How to decode a cars VIN number
How to decode the cars vin number
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Cheers, Colin Robson Rover Repair on Youtube DISCOUNTED MTEC BRAKES FOR ALL MG ROVER'S Braided hoses, more coating and pad options for 2024 Last edited by Robson Rover Repair; 15th April 2022 at 02:43.. |
4th January 2011, 00:30 | #6 | |
NI/ROI RS
ZT-T 190 / 75 Diesel x3 / 6 door limo / 216 Cabby / Rover 25 van Join Date: May 2009
Location: Antrim
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CHAPTER 06 - Common faults to all Rover 75 / MG ZT's
Common faults to all Rover 75 / MG ZT'S This is a list of common faults all the cars can suffer from, none specific to engine, transmission or bodyshell type and is very much worth noting. The majority of these problems are very simple fixes and can be excellent bargaining tools when purchasing a car. From now on, all Rover 75/Rover 75 Tourers/MG ZT/MG ZTT's shall be referred to as "the cars" however unique tourer and saloon problems are listed at the end. You will note mention of the "T4" diagnostics machine a lot. This was a computer system designed for the MG Rover cars, to give readouts via an ODB plug in the cars (Just above the accelerator pedal!). A T4 can preform many specific tasks on our cars, and often only a T4 can read them correctly, despite what many other aftermarket systems offer. A T4 session can be booked through your local X Part dealership, the website and contact details can be be found in the useful links section. Additionally this map shows the dealers in the regions around the mainland UK. Mainland UK MG Rover dealers and service centres This thread shows them in Northern ireland... Trusted MG Rover servicing, dealerships and Xpart in Northern ireland Major Recalls...... Servicing and service history can be an issue with cars, especially with so few MG Rover focused dealerships now days, often they will have been maintained by mechanics not knowledgeable in the solutions. This forum is proof of it and many cars have been saved through the DIY and how to guides. Important recalls effecting the cars over the years, worth checking on service history.... March 2000 - Engine may cut out while the vehicle is being driven (cars built 01/02/1998-08/10/1999) July 2002 - Front suspension spring problems (cars built 01/12/1998-27/10/1999) May 2004 - Possible damage and deflation of tyre due to road spring (cars built 27/10/1999-20/02/2002) Keys The first thing you want when purchasing your car is the keys to drive it, well check there are two keys with it! Purchasing new keys that actually work properly is an expensive (£180 - £220) and takes a while because they have to be supplied by BMW in Germany. That means you have to seek out an authorized UK agent to start the process which is an Xpart dealer and also has a T4 to code the keys correctly to the car. A considerable expense on a second hand car! A member on here "Lates" can help out as he can order keys at a discounted rate. Replacement keys from Lates You may also notice the key fobs are worn or split around the rubber area you press your finger on to activate the fob itself. You can source these on ebay for around £5 all in, and below is a handy guide for not only changing your fob battery,but also dismantling it in general. Key Fob dismantling Air bag light always on A common problem on the cars and 90% of the time its just the connectors under the seat. There is a yellow connector and a blue connector, often when the seat is moved or jerked they will pull out slightly. Just reinsert them / squeeze them in tighter and it will sort the airbag light. Make sure to do both sides just incase. Turn the car on and let the engine run for a second and then turn off, the light will then go off and be recorded by the cars ecu as fixed so you have full airbag safety again. The other 10% of the time theres an Airbag control module or side impact sensor which can fail, and whilst not expensive it then a T4 session will give you the exact error code to confirm which is at fault. This thread gives you loads of details on the under of the seats, how to remove them and airbag wiring and modules. Seat wiring and airbag pictures Bonnet cable This is very common on second hand cars, as the cable to the bonnet as a "dividing block" on it which stretches and sometimes pulls through. Should your cable snap you are going to have fun getting under your bonnet. There are many ways you could do it, but if you PM a member of the moderation team and explain the problem they will give you the list how. Its actually shockingly obvious and most mechanics would do the same. This bonnet cable and catch issue can be prevented by following the very basic advise in this thread! Bonnet cable - servicing and prevention of breaks Handbrake not holding car The usual common problem with our cars and one the forum has only managed to solve recently. Due to the design on the cars, you could actually replace everything and still have a poor handbrake because of a single simple metal clip which stetches and deforms over time. You will notice a little X to the right of the image pointing to a clip behind the tensioner. This is the section which warps and deforms over time. The thread below shows the part in detail. The dodgy handbrake - cure? Much debate as to the best solution to prevent this is ongoing, but most people are replacing the unit and having a perfect handbrake after. This again is around £10. Below is the exact guide on how to set and adjust your handbrake correctly! Handbrake tensioner adjustment as per factory specs Pleniums / Water logging / Flooded ECU The plenum is a chamber that collects fresh air to feed the interior vents/aircon system. It's located between the firewall at the rear of the engine and the wall which forms the front of the cab section. Air is supplied via the scuttle vents, which run across the body below the windscreen. It's important that the plenum remains dry because it houses the ECU. This is mounted a few inches above the floor on the firewall face. Also vulnerable to flood water is the pollen filter, which is mounted over a large hatch on the nearside of the rear wall. If the lower edge of the filter gets wet, it soon starts to smell and this gets into the cab with the incoming air. On Mark 1 models, there are two further rubber tubes which drain the upper plenum area. These are located on the upper front wings, near the bonnet hinges. On Mark 2 models (and some late Mark 1s), the driver's side drain is plugged off. This is because the drain is actually too high for water to enter and is therefore redundant. The upper drain tubes are similar to the others and have a flattened nozzle, which directs water onto the back of the wheel arch liner. From here, it runs onto the ground. Keeping an eye on this is very worthwhile, I myself was very lucky with my first ZT when the plenium under the ECU was filled with soil and had began to flood! This guide below gives some handy hints on the best way of servicing and preventing any further issues. Plenum help and advise guide The sunroof drains can occasionally do the same thing, and a guide here shows what to look for. Leaky sunroof drains Failed reversing lights Reversing light failure is nearly always due to a £5 switch which can be done in no time at all DIY. This guide explains everything in several simple photos and is not worth repeating in words. DIY fixing of reversing lights Boot "machine gunning noise" and rear leaks The first time this happens you will know it, the boot lock when opened sounds like a machine gun as the boot lock mechanism doesnt lift high enough off the lock. Again, prehaps after air bag light the most common fault on the cars. A few simple twists of the black rubbers either side of the boot to raise the boot light alignment height will resolve this always unless the motor is faulty. Rear light seals will usually be the fault of a boot leak and having nothing to door with the boot itself. Simply remove them from the car, and use some clear sealant around the seals to prevent this happening again. Also the rear "atmosphere" vents in the boot can leak, this guide explains how to fix them in great detail. Fixing leaking boot vents Also in the tourer, check the seal around the rear window hasnt become dislodged or torn, this is a major cause of rear leaks in tourers along with rear light cluster clips that are broken off. Steering alignment / snapped springs Tyres often wear unevenly, especially at the rear. Some cars were supplied with misaligned suspension when new. It’s always a good idea to check rear tyre wear on early models, the best solution being to get a four-wheel alignment done. Front coil springs are also prone to breaking but the rears can also go. When having a full wheel allignment done it has been discovered that the car needs to have a FULL tank of petrol else i will continue to drift slightly to the left! In car Diagnostic Mode Nice handy one this to test the dash is working fully, follow the simple guide and use the cluster test to ensure your dash and systems are functioning correctly! Diagnostic Mode via the dash- Updated, Clarified and Simplified Two videos are below showing the Cluster System test in action. Dash test of IPk dials without trip computer Dash test with IPK trip computer fitted Handy streamlined buyers guide This is a useful and streamlined guide for viewing a car, prehaps as a first viewing should you be interested or if you know little about buying cars. Again, thanks to "rrobson" for taking the time to produce this for everyone benefit! Quote:
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23rd January 2013, 00:27 | #7 | |
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Thread closed. Colin, if you wish to amend let a mod know and we will open for you
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19th February 2023, 21:17 | #8 |
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Fantastic detail, thanks!
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