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Post by stantondavies on Jun 16, 2007 8:08:45 GMT
I would contend that the P5 was a quality car when built by Rover. As for JRW he competes in the market place, much of what he provides is low volume and exclusive and expensive to pattern, remanufacture or source. I doubt that he lives in unbridled luxury. If he doesn't perform in his niche market then he will go under. If he does go under, we will be the losers. As ever, shop around if you have the time and can afford the petrol.
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theroveringmember
Rover Fanatic
P5B Saloon - P4 110 - P6B x2 - 2200TC - 2000TC (S1) 2000SC........How Many Is Too Many?
Posts: 446
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Post by theroveringmember on Jun 16, 2007 15:43:53 GMT
Could be an interesting debate regarding the quality. They were a quality car as regards interiors, being screwed together well, ride quality when compared to the opposition of the time. They used a fair bit of standard equipment as well though, headlights, heater, gearbox, alternator...etc. With these type of things you're almost definately better off going to your local, old-established specialists rather than ordering via the Rover specialists who farm them out a lot of the time anyway & add their cut to the bill. Agreed, we'd be worse off without them but I want to keep my local (reputable) services in business too & there's no postage or exchange surcharges with them. I am fortunate in this regard having all these services within a stones throw of my home & realise not everybody is but if you have them, then use them or lose them & have even less choice. For Rover-specific items then obviously, we need the Rover specialists. Saying this, I recently overhauled my Morris Oxford heater. A £40 recore for the matrix from my local man & a re-manufactured valve from a Farina specialist. I did the same on the Rover during the subframe swap. The matrix just needed cleaning out, £30 & on checking the price for the Rover valve, it's twice the price of the Oxford valve. Now, being exactly the same heater as the Oxford, it's exactly the same valve so where do you think I got my valve from? They're no doubt manufactured by the same firm in the first place so there shouldn't be such a marked difference in price in the retail, don't you think? Rovers were up-market cars bought by affluent people when they were new. The people who run them now are not nearly always so affluent & will shop around for parts & services which are common to other cars. This should be taken account of by the retailers when pricing certain items rather than relying on the past glorys of the Marque they are catering for & with Rover, the glorys are most definately past along with most of the British motor manufacturers, unfortunately. With the more specialised items though, you must expect to pay a premium as it's a big commitment to have the non-standard, obsolete parts re-manufactured. Getting back to the quality aspect, even Rollers rot. As James May recently wrote, they're screwed together better than most, but they're still made out of car-making materials & suffer the same ravages of time as lesser marques. Same for the Rovers.............& the Germans. And Triumph's too though from what I've heard the quality was behind Rover at the time.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2007 12:03:39 GMT
On this issue of Rover quality,I can remember my father buying a 1964 3Litre Mk11 auto in 1965 he drove the car for about 5 years and put 120,000 miles on the clock and would boast the only breakdown occurred due to a leaking brake servo. In 1970 he bought a 1969 3.5 Saloon, in two years the bills from Henley's nearly sent him into financial ruin,with 2 replacement gearboxes and a new engine.The car always smealt of petrol and even then had a leaky windscreen.
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Jun 22, 2007 9:56:52 GMT
The P5's bulit pre the merger with BMH in 1968 were of far higher quality but as mentioned they were assembled rather than the manufactured from scratch.
Once cash strapped BLMC got controll and perhaps Leyland in 1967 anyway quality deteriorated as cheaper parts common to other carts in the huge group were used. The Bodies were always built outside its just that BMC owned Pressed Steel - again once Leyland got involved thinner steel was used with less spot welds
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Jun 24, 2007 16:27:20 GMT
Its useful to know this - Smiths made most of the heaters for British cars of the time (and still may do?) Certianly the fans were used on multitudes of cars. Not sure whether any other car used the smae rear heater matrix though?
Note also that many Land Rover parts are tye same and of course a lot cheaper and I often source mine from a local national classic and modern Land Rover supplier - its saves on carriage as well.
Alos note that the qulaity of most LR parts is very poor unless NOS as they are made cheaply all over the world these days
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Post by jimjam on Jul 13, 2007 0:28:32 GMT
Forgive me if this has already been mentioned or even a resource set up but I would have thought an alternative parts list would be a good addition to this forum?
We could put it up as a sticky and allow anyone to add to it. This sort of thing has saved me many hundreds of pounds in the past with regards to my TVR.
I must admit to being biased on this subject though as parts are a lot harder to come by in NZ and ultimately very expensive if sourced from overseas.
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Jul 13, 2007 18:20:11 GMT
It has been discussed but unfornately apart universal Lucas items and parts that were fitted to Land Rovers and P4's there are very few alternatives. Fortunately those with V8 engines have a good choice and even sixes with engine parts from mid 60's Land Rovers are useable.
Some brakes parts are ontergangeable and the DG and BW 35 aUTO boxes were fiTteD to no end of British cars from 50's to late 70's.
If in doubt always check Land Rover for non-electric parts
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2007 16:09:59 GMT
Right, sod this for a lark.... car is for sale. The 400SE TVR I bought in March and spent loads on now needs a new engine. I want to sell either, not both, so whichever goes first will fund repairs for the other.
My Coupe cost 3400, in October, spent since 4000 on refurbs but not that youd notice, as best bits are the new screen seals, rechromed bumpers and power steering pump. Unbelievable mess i am in here. Screen has a small crack which neither the repairers own up to doing so will need removing replacing some day. Full Mot till next May but the driver's door and front wing took the knock when i never put it in p properly and it reversed into the hedge while stood outside on tickover, but i got a door and wing for the princely sum of 200 nicker which can be fitted at your leisure. Head gasket gone but car runs. Offers asap please. Sorry if it aint form to advsertise here and if I need to post elsewhere, will do, but i need to sell asap. Reply jimmeehan@blueyonder.co.uk or through here. Cheers.
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Post by Phil Nottingham on Jul 17, 2007 16:41:57 GMT
No problem with advertising and sorry about all your problems everyone has a run of bad luck, its just that you have bought the wrong conditioned car for your skills/resources. I would not tough old BMW/Mercs/Jags and that last almost new car I bought almost bankrupted me being a 2 year Rover 820 many years ago now but I will never have a new car whilst I can fix old ones myself
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