How did your ZT/75 love start and do you feel the same now?

[FrazzleTC]

I bought my first one; a 2.0 V6 Club SE manual in Royal Blue because I was wanting something modern and cheap to insure to run for a winter to save ruining my Rover 2000. Turns out, I'm a bit addicted. The following summer I rescued a 2003 ZT180 in Solar Red, and bought a T reg 2.5 Connoisseur SE with highline which I sold, and was broken by the purchaser.
The next year I decided I wanted something a bit sportier, so sold my 75 to my Dad, and bought an MX-5. This was fun, but I soon realised that something bigger was handier, so returned to 75 ownership, buying the 75 back from my Dad. That winter, I was offered a cheap 75 2.0 CDTi Club SE which had been driven through a deep flood and was ruined, so I used that for spares, likewise a 2005 Connoisseur 2.0 CDTi, and a 2002 Connoisseur SE CDTi which had been owned by a farm worker and destroyed. I then bought a 2001 ZT160+ off a member which I intended to rescue, but I ran out of time with buying other projects, so sold it on. A few months later I bought a V reg 2.5 Connoisseur SE, which drove perfectly, but was rotten, so I ran it for a summer, then broke it.

I lost patience with my 2.0 V6 after a load of clutch issues, so sold it in November last year. I also acquired a 2.0 CDT Club Tourer which I aimed to sort, but was too busy to do so, and it was sold on. This left me 75-less, which lasted about six months.

In May of this year I returned to 75 ownership with my current White Gold Connoisseur SE Tourer, which has been an excellent car, and I've covered a lot of miles in.

This would have been it for a while, but I saw a Copperleaf Tourer for sale on ebay which sounded like it was going to be broken by the next purchaser, so I stepped in, and bought that as a project, intending to replace the Gold 75 with it. Work is ongoing, but it should be on the road in the next couple of weeks, all being well!

Oh, and a friend and I have just bought a 1999 diesel as a spares car.

So, really, I've got a bit of an addiction to these things. 12 so far, in addition to getting my father a Firefrost Tourer, and convincing my cousin to buy a ZT-T 190.

Here's a photo of the new Tourer, and a few of others I've owned over the years!

The first one, after years of changes to get it looking exactly as I wanted.


The current White Gold Tourer.


The new Copperleaf Tourer which is about the best-equipped 75 Connoisseur SE I've seen in a while. FBH, highline, powerfolds, electric height adjustable passenger seat, xenons with powerwash, detachable towbar, sunroof, walnut wheel, handbrake, and walnut/chrome gearknob.



Hopefully the Copperleaf Tourer will be a very long-term prospect, and hopefully the White Gold Tourer will move on to a very good home!

[TomRS]

Originally Posted by FrazzleTC

I bought my first one; a 2.0 V6 Club SE manual in Royal Blue because I was wanting something modern and cheap to insure to run for a winter to save ruining my Rover 2000. Turns out, I'm a bit addicted. The following summer I rescued a 2003 ZT180 in Solar Red, and bought a T reg 2.5 Connoisseur SE with highline which I sold, and was broken by the purchaser.
The next year I decided I wanted something a bit sportier, so sold my 75 to my Dad, and bought an MX-5. This was fun, but I soon realised that something bigger was handier, so returned to 75 ownership, buying the 75 back from my Dad. That winter, I was offered a cheap 75 2.0 CDTi Club SE which had been driven through a deep flood and was ruined, so I used that for spares, likewise a 2005 Connoisseur 2.0 CDTi, and a 2002 Connoisseur SE CDTi which had been owned by a farm worker and destroyed. I then bought a 2001 ZT160+ off a member which I intended to rescue, but I ran out of time with buying other projects, so sold it on. A few months later I bought a V reg 2.5 Connoisseur SE, which drove perfectly, but was rotten, so I ran it for a summer, then broke it.

I lost patience with my 2.0 V6 after a load of clutch issues, so sold it in November last year. I also acquired a 2.0 CDT Club Tourer which I aimed to sort, but was too busy to do so, and it was sold on. This left me 75-less, which lasted about six months.

In May of this year I returned to 75 ownership with my current White Gold Connoisseur SE Tourer, which has been an excellent car, and I've covered a lot of miles in.

This would have been it for a while, but I saw a Copperleaf Tourer for sale on ebay which sounded like it was going to be broken by the next purchaser, so I stepped in, and bought that as a project, intending to replace the Gold 75 with it. Work is ongoing, but it should be on the road in the next couple of weeks, all being well!

Oh, and a friend and I have just bought a 1999 diesel as a spares car.

So, really, I've got a bit of an addiction to these things. 12 so far, in addition to getting my father a Firefrost Tourer, and convincing my cousin to buy a ZT-T 190.

Here's a photo of the new Tourer, and a few of others I've owned over the years!

The first one, after years of changes to get it looking exactly as I wanted.

What a beautiful collection and a real good enthusiast, sorta nickname you the grim reaper... you've broken a few.
I've only done 2 in so far, one i felt bad the other i really didnt as it was a shed!
was that full of water it actually ran out the doors when it was lifted to be scrapped.

[chambl01]

Originally Posted by chambl01

Great story, beautiful cars.

I've always had a love affair for the 75 and ZT...I just couldn't afford one. As the years went by, I had various second hand cars with my favourite being the Ford Sierra, Vauxhall Carlton and my first Rover 400 - all great cars of there time too. So when I had the finances available, I looked endlessly through every nook and cranny of the Internet for my new 4 wheel companion. I looked at so many colours and specs it become quite overwhelming and the decision making process a confusing but exciting time.

I eventually came across an advert that had everything I could ask for and the colour outstanding. A standing ovation moment.. Lol. I went to see the car and immediately fell head over heels that this was going to be mine. I placed a cash deposit and became the proud owner of this unusual Turquoise 75 Connoisseur SE CDT. A credit to its maker.

The drive home the following day was more than I could have imagined. The comfort of the chairs and its light sandstone interior and walnut trim left me with a sense of "Wow". A truly executive car designed to perfection both inside and out.

On reading posts and links on the forum i stumbled on an interesting find. Reebs had a very interesting record of all 75/ZT specs, colours, and even price costs from manufacture. I sent him a Pm with a query of my car. He gave me an amazing record of where it was built, the time it came off the production line and that my unusual colour was in fact a monogram Lagoon Supertallic. My Car was the only 2.0 cdt connoisuer saloon model in lagoon produced; So a very exclusive car. Everyone on here is I'm sure we'll aware of Reebs love of Lagoon cars too. He kindly also found me the original forum post's when my car was for auction on EBay (before the original owner bought it)..."Small world". Never had a car with such history. Makes me love owning it even better.

I don't really know what it is about these cars but do feel they were ahead of there time. Just wish Rover was still in production here. I can only imagine how great there cars would have been...?...well they still are. Thank you Rover/MG. Proud to own one.

[aguy]

I bought a gorgeous Rover 623 in Nightfire Red from my local Rover dealer, I had a business just around the corner so my car was always serviced by them.

I was invited to the launch of the 75 at the dealer and when I sat in my first Connie SE I was absolutely gobsmacked.

The price was way out of my league but I vowed I would one day own one.

It was around 2005 I bought my first '02 plate CDT Connie SE. It was in Moonstone with cream leather and cost me around £8000. I loved that car and to this day wondered why, after 3 years ownership I sold it. I suppose it was for no other reason that I wanted a change at the time.

My wife who does not drive always commented after that, every time she saw a '75 saying how she would like us to have another. So around 18 months ago I took the plunge and bought my current Connie SE in White Gold though this time I went for the 2.5 V6, something I have never regretted.
It's a gorgeous car to drive and be in. If only I had room, like the OP!! I'm sure I would have lots of them in different colours, just to admire!!

[KWIL]

I do not like "modern" cars, horrible styling, many with large snouts at the front, not even a styled grill amonst them. Full of unnecessary gizmos, "electric" steering and plain incomfortable ride on silly oversize rims!!

[Lynyrd Skynner]

Well my love affair started just before the 6th of May 2013 I had decided I needed to spend less on fuel so the BMW E38 728i Sport had to go , then I got to thinking what can I get for around £1500 - £2000 thats good lookin and fun so I put all this info into Autotrader and the ZT popped up and I was hooked , lucky for me there was a local meet at the Caldecotte Arms Milton Keynes so I went to the meet not knowing anyone there and they turned out to be a great bunch I even went for a test drive in a members car and that was it I had to have one , afew weeks later on a sunny afternoon just browsing this forum up popped a car that made my eyes pop out it was a ZT diesel saloon in monogram paintwork the colour was Spectre , I was straight on the PMs later that night it was on my drive , as it was my daily driver the toll of that was starting to tell , to many stone chips on the front so I sold her on as I knew I could not afford to get the paint sorted and that hurt.
I then moved on to another ZT diesel in Anthracite had it a while before I sold that to by a expensive puppy would you believe , that was septemberish last year got the dog at xmas time and now that brings us right up to date where I now have the ZT 190+ Typhoon lucky for me things have changed a bit and this will not be a daily driver it will be polished to within an inch of its life and be tucked up in the garage and will come out with sunshine and meetings ......

Here is the Spectre


And the Anthricite


And the latest the Typhoon

[Jim Jamieson]

My love of Rovers started way back in the 70's when I was working in the local Austin Rover dealership. I was in charge of the radio department selling and fitting radios and all kind of accesories like cruise controls (yes in the 70's)

I owned my first Rover when I was just 21, it was a 2000 TC in City Grey with a light cream interior. When a company car came my way I sold the 2000 to my brother who scrapped it a few years later much to my dis pleasure.

With a change of job and no company car I purchased my first SD1 which had been our Service Managers company car. It was the O series 2.0 model and with this I even towed our first caravan.
Less than two years later a very low mileage Vitesse model became available and I snapped it up. That was back in 1989 and I still have that Vitesse sitting in my garage now fully restored and almost like new sitting under a dust sheet.

With a change of marque to Vauxhall with a Cavalier SRi then a GLS followed by a 2.0 litre Vectra we decided to push the boat out so to speak and purchase a Rover 75. At first we were looking for a fairly new model but this was in 2002 just when a lot of new cars had a drastic price cut so we finished up purchasing a "dealer registered" diesel Connoisseur automatic with 27 miles on the clock just slightly more than a major retailer was offering a second hand model with almost 30k on the clock.

This 75 diesel was actually the missus's car and we kept it for the longest time ever at 13 years before parting with it for a Jaguar XF.
I still run a V6 2.5 Connoisseur automatic which oddly enough was purchased at a local garage which used to be a Rover dealer just 6 years ago.

On checking the build records for both the 75's I found that they were built just a few days apart back in 2002 and despatched to the same main dealer in East Kilbride. They may even have been on the same car transporter whilst being delivered.
This means that when we purchased the diesel model new in 2002 my V6 was sitting on the same premises but I purchased it 8 years later.

I always had a hankering for a Jaguar as the dealership I worked in also sold Jaguar and I fitted them with "Econocruise" cruise control systems.
With this in mind I purchased a personal V8 plate but then finished up with both a V6 petrol 75 and a V6 diesel Jaguar.
I darent ask for the V6 plate for fear of losing life & limb but as far as I know it is still on the DVLA site so you never know.

BTW I also have a very low mileage (34k) Vanden Plas Princess 1300 automatic sitting in the garage. The missus ran it almost 30 years ago but the wee car has been laid up for more than 25 years now. It's one of the very last built in 1974 and very few are still on the road today.

[Dawn]

My current 75 "AYO" is my first one.

I have always had MK2 Cavaliers, but the saloon I had broke down, and after months in the garage and lots of money spent, it still wouldn't run. With a heavy heart I decided to sell, and try something different.

I looked at lots of brands, Ford Cougars, Toyota Celicas, you name it, but nothing was working for me (as a second car)

My mum suggested I go see an old friend who I bought my first car off 26 years ago. He used to have a garage, but now in his eighties he sells the odd car from home for something to do.

"AYO" was sitting outside when I called. It looked a bit scruffy, but I hadn't considered a Rover until that point. I came home, found this site and did some homework. At first, I thought I would look for a slightly better condition car, but after a couple of weeks, I soon realized cars fetching £1500 were sometimes worse than the first one I'd seen.

I spoke to the family friend who said the car was originally up for £900, but I could have it for £700, so I went back for a better look. Turns out all it really needed was a good clean inside and out, and it had FSH.

It had, and still does have faults, but for what I paid, I am loving actually getting to grips with putting them right.(with everyone on here's help) I'm also enjoying the fact that there are lots of "goodies" you can get for these cars! Although its killing my bank balance!

I really enjoyed chatting with members at the Nano meet in Brum, and spend far too much time on these forums!

So, my first 75 has been here for just months, but is getting spoiled rotten!

[Rooney]

Originally Posted by TomRS

So on the back of another thread i made about where my love started it got me thinking.
Whats peoples stories how did you come to get your first zt/75 and why? and then why do you buy more and more?

I've always driven Rovers.

I could see the Cowley factory from my bedroom window when my kids were babies.

I wanted a 75 when they were launched but couldn't afford one.

I plodded around in a 216, a 416, then an 8 series until the boys were a bit older.

I bought a 400 new, (worst car I ever had) then I got a job with a company car and forgot about Rovers for a while.

I found myself at a car auction about seven years ago and before I knew it I'd bid on and won a battered 75 Connie Tourer. Turned out it was already well on the way to the dreaded HGF. I spent a small fortune repairing it, loved it, and haven't looked back since.

Mostly the cars have been money pits, but they've been enjoyable money pits. I had one Connie Tourer that was a tank. It never missed a beat, never let me down.

I've recently bought my first ever Diesel. It's a saloon, too good to turn down. Moonstone, low miles, full service history, fantastic condition.

The plan with this one is to make it the 75 I've always wanted.

So far, I've added chrome mirrors, upgraded the brakes, fitted the walnut dash upgrade, replaced the glove box and steering wheel with the MG version (purists will hate the thought of that I know). I've swapped out the gear knob for the facelift chrome one, (an immaculate oem walnut knob is proving illusive). I've fitted NOS OEM mats. I'm planning on retro fitting a connie interior as soon as I find a mint one that I can get shipped over to Northern Ireland.

My dream 75 would have been firefrost red, whether I'll go to the extent of getting this one resprayed depends largely on how the rest of the project goes.

So far, it's a lot of fun

[buckyhill]

I have lived in my house for 40 years and always had MGBs on the drive, I think I was known locally as the MG man. My wife has had a number of Rovers P6 and Sdi. But wanted a Ford. We went to the car supermarket in London to look at different Fords. Well after watching east endes on a Rover 75 tv we become the proud owners of a Wedgewood V reg Connie. We kept this car for 12 years my wife loved the car but was stolen of our drive and found on the M6 in the central reservation totally wrecked. We looked around for a rrplacement and ended up buying a Jag X type which we still own. For work I had a Ranger truck which was eating me out of house and home and started to look around. Mg in the blood and Love of the 75 a ZTT was the answer. Saw one on EBay with LPG but was in Edinburgh. Well we had a nice flight up to Scotland and drove it back to Essex. That was four years ago.