Living the dream! We've bought a ROVER STREETWISE!

Yes, finally, after years of lusting after them, I have finally bought a Rover Streetwise. Haters' gonna hate and all that, but whatever, I love it. In this first video, our man Pollitt talks us around what it is we've bought.
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Also, if you're a Rover, Triumph, MG, Land Rover or Austin owner, please do go and check out Rimmer Brothers, as they have all the parts you need to keep your car in tip top condition.
rimmerbros.com/
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[@Caius]

Looks awesome, like the sound of making it into an overlander - could be fun seeing just how far it goes off-road, it might surprise you :-)

[@Shane_Marsh]

The streetwise fits really well with today's crossovers. Awesome video by the way 👍👏

[@javorekbg6081]

I bought one and got it home, 2300 km from the Netherlands to Bulgaria. It barely touched the oil and gave me 5,5 lt/100 km with moderate speed. The coolant is clean in the expansion vessel. The ride is just brilliant, awesome suspension. Sound is insane :))) Seats designed flawlessly, I am riding 3-4 hours and no problem. From the minuses, right front door has locked and central locking does not reach it, also no key hole. Second - the accelerator lags with the response - either is because the engine was overfilled with oil far above the scale or air filter, or valve clearances, today is first day at home, we will see

[@The_Car_Stalker]

Love it! Cant wait for the vids

[@wraithchild666]

YES. All the YES.

[@olliebeck2952]

Don't think you're broken, my dream car list is full of shitters too. Got to be a realistic! Looking forward to what you do with this one. It'll look great after a spruce up. 👍

[@stevehoulihan726]

Another great video Chris. Your enthusiasm for a particular car is contagious. When these came out I kinda rolled my eyes at them. But seeing you get one and seeing how enthusiastic you are about it is heartening. It's a good fun little car. All it needs is for you to work your magic on it and it'll be a great fun little car.

[@mrcogginsgarage7062]

That's got the makings of a good little project Chris ,needs a bit of TLC but hey that's what your good at look forward to seeing it in a while.

[@andrewbarrett9731]

Never ‘got’ them in period but now against the modern dross it looks fresh and appealing. Don’t go low. Wrong starting point really so going high would be a better solution.Or just love it as is because there’s plenty to do See you at FOTU!

[@WilfredZweverink]

I just bought one, because I like it. There, I said it. Love the little bugger, it's practical, and a bit cheeky, and overhere they're really rare..

[@fairfaxb31]

I worked on the prototype of this car. Those door handle covers inside are rubbish and we told the engineers at the time about them and they took no notice! All the trim was really expensive.

[@scottfulton9103]

Overlander sounds cool!

[@AntCooke]

Great video. We had a Streetwise and sold it for buttons five years ago. Kicking ourselves now.

[@jeeaaenlourens1434]

Great that some tricky issues already have been solved, for sure worth it to make it look a bit more rugged and I feel it will be in the right proportions. Good luck with it and I am looking forward to see the progress on that!

[@GentilsGarage]

I like it. Sound like a good buy, despite the faults. I thinks this is a future classic.

[@LewisCollard]

I feel that the Streetwise aged really well. That's probably because I need psychological help. But also...compared to the cars it was trying to mimic back in the day, I think the black plastics of the Streetwise give it more of a "poverty spec" look than an "on-roader" look, and I think that helped it age more gracefully. Or I could call my therapist! Good luck with the project - hopefully finding parts shouldn't be too much hell.

[@RichardAucockCars]

Bring it on, Chris: look forward to seeing how this develops!

[@alasdairboyd7299]

Full Desert rally spec- what ever that is! Lifted, big tyres, sump guard, light bar and fuel cans on the roof and spare wheel on tail gate ( not entirely sure how you are going to do that! Defender wheel carrier should fit right?!)

[@paulillingworth1242]

A rare sight, an interesting fact people back in the day slammed Rovers , (had x2 2.0 Rovers) previous had them many years no problems at all, yet today we get Fords EcoBoom… I mean EcoBoost blow up at 4 years old or less and 15k and people keep buying them, amazing how times change, Ford are not alone with blowing up engines at low and young miles/age. Be good to see the streetwise back to glory.

[@RimmerBrosTV]

Great video Chris! We can't wait to see the progress in future videos. Good Luck!

[@LiveforTravel]

When you mentioned “I’m broken when it comes to cars…” I feel the pain. Actually no. I feel your enjoyment. Born and bred in Birmingham, previous owner of many Metro’s, a Maestro with the talking dash, because, why wouldn’t you (?) and an 800 saloon (SE so a lowly single point injection) and a 214Sei (so the same lovely engine as your new car), now living in Derbyshire and wondering what part of a small garden can I make even smaller to fit yet another car on. Enjoy!

[@Dor5etViking]

Apart from the HORRIFIC interior that looks like a great purchase! Solid motor and bucket loads of potential! 👍👍👍

[@speedstrn]

"And now that I'm back in the car, because I don't know why I just got out." Here for the Streetwise, staying for the Pollitt. Or is it the other way around...

[@hoddy121john]

Great video, your commentary is very funny. The 800 looks 👌

[@keithparish5863]

yassss lift it!!!

[@herbie577987]

Great kick off vid, how about you “transform” it into a homage and modern version of the Matra Rancho

[@mr_pastry]

Love it!

[@TheHeadlong]

Overlander sounds like a plan 👍

[@volvo480]

There was a Rover Streetwise parked up not far from me, in very good condition. I have been tempted to stick a note under the wiper, but it looks like I'm too late, the car seems to be gone.

[@OddSpanner]

I know you've slogged to get this out Chris, bloody well done, I now want a (not that) old Rover Streetwise.......

[@elliottwhalley4631]

Looking forward to seeing where this is going !

[@skinnylew]

Excellent plans :D

[@danoconnor618]

more power man. love your vids

[@CarsofGlasgow]

I remember these! Crazy this was about a decade too early

[@spainter1985]

A mate had one of these from nearly new, thought it was an interesting choice at the time but memories of it were pretty favourable. It went very well for a 1.4 and despite the increased ride height the handling was great and seats had plenty of lateral support.

[@XxRAND0MxG4M3RzZ]

If my mate can go greenlaning, full on offroad in a lifted 1.2 K13 Micra with knobbly tires, I think this would breeze through

[@bhgdetjbngfd]

Only recently found your channel and love it

[@Wazzah999]

Do the overland project 👍😎

[@ldsau9348]

This is superb - hope to see it at the 2022 FOTU.

[@markonmotoring]

Your Mike Brewer impression was nothing short of uncanny. 😅 The streetwise was one of those niche cars a bit like that VW Polo.with the plastic cladding or a Facia Sandero Stepway. You never know, they may become one of the more collectae Rover R3s when there hardly any left.

[@AliMackMechanical]

Always found rimmer bros very helpful. 😀👍

[@NoPlanDann]

Glad to see you back in action. I had a Rover 25 1.4 in silver as my first car... it was on finance... I'm old.

[@sscmark5778]

Small diameter, high aspect ratio BG Goodridge tyres, 2" lift, go for it

[@darrenwilson8042]

challenging was the first word that came to mind....................

[@gmodderr]

I have a red 2005 4 door model, bought it for 350 pounds (4000sek) fresh MOT, taxed and including winter tires, have had it for a year now and it has never had an issue, best value of a car i ever owned, it has done about 250,000 miles, only issue is the drivers side elerctric window doesn't work I just MOT'd it this tuesday, it had developed an exhaust leak about a month before and i kinda didn't wanna fix it because it sounded so good haha, but i did and it passed with flying colors :D

[@mg-roveradverts]

I have bought my Olympic streetwise back after two years apart and I’m thinking of doing the “off road” look to! And il be at the festival of the unexceptional 2024

[@stephenbirch4164]

Got a streetwise love it keep it original maybe classic one day

[@Ratty_Rex]

Looks a fantastic purchase and project. Deffo go with the raise and softroader look. What Rover should have done (but they were ahead of the game on this) These are ULEZ exempt too aren't they? ..... it'll be snapped up by Londoners!!! 🤣🤣

[@martyhopkirk9646]

A really good buy, even if it needs a little TLC. The 1400K is surprisingly good, though personally I would love a Streetwise with the Perkins engine, but even then I'd be happy with one whatever the engine for £450. I was always wondering if these would accept the rear bench from a 5 seat car. Its the future Matra Rancho, but from Rover

[@andyb3666]

The diesel is an L-series not Perkins 😉

[@byronmills5952]

Is the yellow Zr still on the fleet or has this beauty taken its place??...🙂👍

[@MapleMarmite]

I, too, would tend to favour quantity over quality if given a lump of money to spend on cars. Check out Baptiste Pitois channel for inspiration in small fwd hatchbacks being made into mini off roaders. He does amazing things with Peugeot 205s in a gradual process so you can see how far you want to go with one. Also a C15 van amongst other things. 👍🏻

[@AnonymousCaveman]

I got the ZR and my god these cars are brilliant and so underated. Imagine of they were bot led by donkeys and actually could keep going. Rover could have really taken the world by storm. Part of me still wants jag to bring out the rover name they bought back and start making cars in Britain again.

[@markonmotoring]

Put some off road tyres on it yes, lift it? 🤔 Maybe. I've seem videos on Sandero Stepways which are also front wheel drive doing far more than most SUVs ever do. It would be fun to actually try a bit of Green Laning in one of these with little more than a change of tyres.

[@colonelk3000]

Can you get LSD boxes for these? As with a locker and a lift it would probably be relatively capable :)

[@AliMackMechanical]

Nowt wrong with a good old Rover.😂 Lift it lol big Light bar across the front .👍🤔

[@glidb4]

Streetwise swamper. Why not?

[@CharlesSmith-zt7vt]

Hmm. A jacked up odd-looking street car on knobblies with lots of black plastic cladding. You know you could have bought a Renault Scenic RX4, right?

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Bargain. I quite like these. I bought a 75 CDT in 2019 for £250.

[@ggggggg570]

how’s it going now?