Rovers first small saloon - 216 SX - a hidden gem - Morris Leslie Motor Auction

[@t1000eg]

what I would do to have one of these cars in my life again..back in 1993 this was my first ever car, I ended up having 3 of them.. I really do dream of having one of these again 🙏

[@Ritte13]

I had a VP in blue with grey leather and fully loaded…..loved that car

[@iana6713]

You just haven't seen these on the roads in so many years - what a super find! Remembering Hyacinth Bucket's long-suffering hubby Richard driving one of them in Keeping Up Appearances after you mentioned it, and I think you're right as it probably had an impact on the car's image with the car-buying public.

[@IAMJASON444]

My great-aunt had a G reg 216S in the 90's, I think it had done 8k miles when she bought it and 12k miles when she part ex'd it for an N reg Escort saloon in the late 90's, it had already started to succumb to rust mainly the sills, rear arches and lower doors, I've owned most Rover models produced after this and for me the best car they ever produced was the R8 200/400, it was a quantum leap from this model and I can remember how dated it made all the competion look at the time, my Dad had a racing green 214 Si soon after they were launched and I absolutely adored that car, I can remember him leaving his friends XR3i standing like it was yesterday, and if he was still alive I'd be reminiscing about that with him 🙏

[@dj_paultuk7052]

Back when i was an apprentice one of the lads had a 216 VDP. Everyone used to give him stick, but it was actually a really nice car to be in, and it never gave him any issues. And, it was quicker than my 89 Pug 405 GR 1.9 carb. With the rover 1.6 making the same as the peugeot 1.9 which was surprising.

[@mattieandapollo]

Another great video - thank you.

[@davidhall7744]

Really happy memories of my C reg 216EFi Vitesse in midnight blue metallic. As a 21 yr old I thought I was a cut above 😂 It started to rust tho, so was traded in for the first of a long line of Volvos since then…..😉

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

Love these 80s Hondas 😂

[@keithnewton8981]

I had a 1989 216 vp efi auto and I loved that car it had electric windows sunroof leather tan colour similar to the on on show here and the great option of ac after finishing my A level we went camping in mid Wales with a group of use . I loved the little Rover.

[@sodiebergh]

Splendid review! Seeing the misty blue Rover on Keeping Up Appearances was always a highlight for me, since this was our 1984-7 Honda Civic in the US. Fun to see this special model in white and em....various shades of caramel 🤎🤍

[@clivet3252]

It was also sold here as the Honda Ballade

[@barryjackson8512]

Fantastic car, ride was great. Iv owned a couple. The VDP with EFi. Was rather nippy at 107 bhp

[@owensteele1645]

Still one of my favourites. The Vitesse ones were the best by far. But they do need checking for signs of corrosion.

[@kevrobierts8235]

Great Car I Love Them

[@Cucumbear1872]

My dad had a 216 Vitesse EFI. Quite nippy for its day. He owned it from brand new for about 5 years and, unfortunately, by the time he got rid of it, it was quite badly rusting.

[@owensteele1645]

The rust lets them down. Love a Vitesse!

[@owensteele1645]

I remember KGF Classic Cars selling this Rover a long while ago, with just 21000 miles. I thought the interior was extraordinary, as it used to be a Rover management car and they specified it with the leather and Vitesse alloys. It's nice to see it again, still immaculate today.

[@mattylamb9194]

Just need to sort out the headlining!

[@RetroRatchet]

correct on leather, but a prev owner fitted the Vitesse alloys.

[@owensteele1645]

@@RetroRatchetVery nice upgrade, and they are the best looking wheels for the SD3. They won't be the easiest to clean properly, but those particular alloys are still unmarked, and go very well with the White Diamond body.

[@Citroenloeb48]

My good pal had a black vitesse many years ago, actually quite a nippy car back in the early 90s up against my xr2, many a good battle between us, cracking content as usual pal👌👌

[@RetroRatchet]

cheers mate

[@keithglasgow5146]

Took driving lessons in one of these in 1986, a 213 B reg in a metalic green, then the instructor changed it for a C reg white 216 one. Turned up for my driving test and she changed to a Nissan Sunny! Passed first time though, at 17 years old.

[@DjNikGnashers]

My friend had an almost new 213, and to be fair, it was a brilliant car for it's time.

[@johnmull59]

Thanks. Great wee car. I have a vague recollection that Rover used VW gearboxes in some of their models in the 1990.

[@philipjackson3127]

Maestro and montego for sure.

[@markrl75]

@@philipjackson3127 - The 200 series used Honda gearboxes (manual and auto) however I believe some of the very late models had the option of a 4 speed ZF auto gearbox.

[@stevecrowe8135]

I have had the vitesse version after a 213s, loved them both

[@stephenwestley1017]

Owned an E reg 213SE until the js k wernt through the floor. The car that got me into rovers

[@minimaxi802]

The Rover 213 and 216 Hyacinth Bucket car especially if it is metallic blue, very rare car today.

[@jaggass]

I do remember late 216's being quite luxurious before they brought out the then new 200 and 400. Used see lots of G reg Vitesse's, SX's and Vanden Plas's. The EFI ones had huge inlet manifolds.

[@clivet3252]

I think the 200 hatch was launched in 89 on the G plate but the 400 saloon didn't arrive until 1990 on the H plate? So I'm guessing they sold the higher spec saloons alongside the new hatch for a few months.

[@jaggass]

@@clivet3252 I guess MG/Rover wanted to give the original 200 a good send off.

[@davemarshall561]

The Vitesse was quite a bit faster than the standard 216, due to the fuel injection and lower gear ratios. The trade off was a lot of engine noise at higher speeds, 80 mph was 4000rpm.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

After a few years the heavier engine in the 216 would cause the right hand torsion bar to sag, the front right of car droops upsetting the coroner weights corner weights and handling. Fix took about 15 minutes rotate the drivers side torsion bar by one spline. Due to the very clever rear suspension design handling on these was excellent better more precise than the successor 200. The VDP in addition had a integrated rear anti-roll torsion bar built-in . The steering on non-power steering models was a little low geared.

[@piperhound]

D740 OLG was my dads 216 vdp in gold with brown leather 😂. Went well tbh to it

[@brutonstreettailor4570]

When i first saw one of these back when they were new all i could think of was the ridiculous ride height, especially when following from behind.

[@shieldaigbencher]

I had a 216 Sli (I think). Great car. As are all Hondas.

[@absolutefitnessokahandja4621]

They were great cars, but didnt they rust. My dear departed Mother bought a series 1 VDP and I remember respraying the bottoms of the doors when it was 6 years old. I had to sell it as the MOT tester told me it wouldnt go through another test at only 8 years old. Such a shame as it was a great car.

[@sefikempowermentcoachvilla7843]

Great content

[@RetroRatchet]

thanks

[@Bod8998]

The rover hmm hmm honda is is great condition lovely motor even tho they were hated.i like em maybe biased as I grew up with em love the leather.

[@garethparkin9498]

Had a targa red 213s loved it

[@ptaylor5014]

I had one like this though it was just a standard 216 with cloth interior, sold it after a few months and bought a Ford Granada 2.9 Ghia.

[@markmellor6005]

I had a 1987 213 and 1990 213SX, both company cars. Good cars in their day and perceived as more prestigious than an Escort or Astra, although they didn't handle as well as the Escort on twisty roads. By the time the R8 214's and 216's were introduced this 200 range was starting to look dated though. As someone reminded me just after I got the SX....

[@clivet3252]

I think they aged pretty well for a car launched in 1983, even though it's quite a boxy design.

[@KarlHamilton]

Rover - "Oh, this model is actually doing well. Better cancel it."

[@androo4519]

My parents had a blue 216S. I think my dad thought it would impress the neighbours. It didn't, but it was okay. Quite poor brakes and seats that sagged after a few thousand miles. But it was pleasant enough. That said, my mother has no memory of it whatsoever, even though they had it for five years! That says a lot. They got a Peugeot 406 next and it was like a spaceship in comparison.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Brakes were fine up to the job and no issues

[@clivet3252]

The 406 was very modern when it came out.

[@Suprahampton]

My dad had a 213S as a company car F-reg

[@Ian45968]

I don't think Keeping Up Appearances hurt sales as it didn't start until 1990!

[@RetroRatchet]

maybe not so much new, but used.

[@clivet3252]

​@@RetroRatchet cars were considered old a lot earlier back then and rust was more common. The replacement sold really well so it didn't harm the image of Rover.

[@Markcain268]

My mates dad had a Rhonda, a 213s, it was ok, pretty ordinary really.

[@BlueSky-ec7wn]

Similar reg to my brothers old MG maestro G178HJW 😮

[@owensteele1645]

I love hearing about other models in the reg series. A white one as well. Nice looking cars, those sporting Maestros!

[@BlueSky-ec7wn]

@@owensteele1645 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKHbqaxqqciLq6csi=-Oa1PteWrx-mGgGC If you wish... there is a video that was put earlier this year of my uncle's MG maestro and (BMW 90R) motorbike , my brother features in it , I wasn't present. It was made as a tribute to my uncle's memory as he passed away earlier this year as well as the nostalgic purpose 🙂

[@gulfstream7235]

Saggy headliner...British craftmanship.

[@mrlover4310]

Nice car picture shame it was the 1.6 Rover engine not the 1.3 Honda engine

[@markrl75]

the 1342cc Honda was definitely the more sophisticated and reliable engine compared to the S-series lump.

[@mattylamb9194]

K series isn't it? That's no bad thing despite the reputation for blowing head gaskets

[@RetroRatchet]

no this is a S-series