The CityRover, a basic bargain or basically sh*t?

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Nearly bought one of these back in 2004 for a replacement for my K11 Micra, instead I bought a unrealible K12. Still a car I would like to drive to see if it was as bad as people made out!

[@ivan747100]

Over the last decade, I have owned two Tata Indica cars - firstly, I had a 2005 Indica LSi (equivalent trim spec to a CR 'Solo', but with a slightly less powerful 55kW / 110Nm engine) that had air-con, power steering & a 60/40 rear seat split added as standard equipment. I kept it from Feb 2011 to Nov 2015 - I got it with 59,000 kms on the clock & sold it at 131,787 kms. I then found a 2008 Indica LXi (equivalent trim & spec to a CR 'Style') with 69,000 kms on it, at a TATA dealer about 40 kms from where I was living, in spotless condition & with only 1 previous owner from new & a full service history. I still have this car today, nearly 5 years later, and with 126,740 kms on it at present. Between July 2017 & Aug 2019, I sourced all the badging, front bumper grille & a number of external & internal trim items from the UK, mostly from Rimmer Brothers (when they had their annual Sept 'MG Rover Mega Sale', with massive discounts) & have now completed the visual transformation of my Indica LXi into a CityRover 'Style' clone - which makes it a unique car over here in South Africa! Both cars have been extremely reliable, I serviced them annually & replaced any other 'wear & tear' parts as & when required, so overall, I have been very happy with my ownership experience of them so far. Here are pics of it that I posted on the City Rover Appreciation Society's FB group: facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158249507139382&set=g.388951377871330&type=1&ifg=1

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

The link doesn't load yet, you might need to make the album public.

[@ivan747100]

I am a group admin - send me a join request & I will add you to it

[@ivan747100]

Here is the link: facebook.com/groups/cityrover

[@RoadCone411]

I live in the USA but visit the UK once or twice a year on average. I know these cars exist but I have NEVER seen one. Did see a Triumph Dolomite last weekend - and occasionally come across a Rover 100/Metro too - but I have yet to see a Cityrover. Of course, sadly, you can drive all day and not see an original Mini now. They used to be everywhere.

[@sameyers2670]

They didn't sell as well as MG Rover hoped, the price they were asking was the main reason why. The cheapest ones were nearly £7000 new and the top of the range was about £8500

[@mikecawood]

The CityRover came with a quarter tank of petrol, which doubled that value of the car.

[@sunilayya8948]

The 88 metro i drove in 2001 has to be the worst car i have driven. The worst brakes, steering, clutch and gear change. I couldn't imagine even the city rover could top that.

[@adamheard2012]

My mum once owned a City Rover and I actually thought it was an alright car, it was a Select model the same model as yours in the video and I remember doing some work on the electrics, as the rear electric window motors weren't working, I believe I also replaced the fan console at one point and the rear wiper motor as that had seized, so i replaced that, I loved working on the car as I like fixing and restoring things, if someone was getting rid of one I would happily take it off their hands and have a good tinker with it. also the ashtray can be removed, from what I remember there is a metal plate underneath and you push that up, (hope this helps) anyway great video and I'm pleased i'm not the only person thinking this car was a basic, but alright car.

[@chennaitamilanjaiphotos1211]

Hi really nice car 🚗 im using Indi(c)a. Chennai. Glx variat. 1.4 zeta.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

I thought I would do an update on the City rover. Follow me on Instagram for more regular updates instagram.com/robsonroverrepair/ It was part swapped towards my mg zt track project. I'd done some work and servicing getting it ready for the mot. The new owner then sold it on, however I now know the current owner who's absolutely in love with it and it will return to UK roads.

[@KuntalGhosh]

If tata had sold it back in the day them selves it could have been really popular one at 3500€.

[@alisterwest6987]

Nice little car with potential 👍

[@sahilandonkar]

Tata India (CityRover) was highest selling car in India back in the time. Very cheap and fuel efficient. Used for Taxi service. Tata Indica. Tata Indigo. Tata Indigo Marina. Tata Indigo XS. Now renamed Tata Zest. But current Tata cars are more strong and efficient.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

I would have liked to see the 3 door indica in the UK

[@sahilandonkar]

@@RobsonRoverRepair actually Indica segment is discontinued by Tata because Indica was Taxi face so normal customer not interested. Now Tata Nexa is based on Indica ... I hope they launch in UK 3 door. It would be awesome 🙂

[@sameyers2670]

I think the main problem was the price MGR were asking for them when new

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

100%. Sell it as a budget disposable car, in one good spec as standard and they would have sold far more.

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly.

[@devikasuryavanshi6061]

So the real problem is the price and brand(much better is expected of a rover). At less price and as a TATA it would be all right.

[@toxy3580]

Why the fuck is there so much travel in the gear stick xD

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

Because fantastic build quality lol

[@pankajmalvi5838]

Love tata cars

[@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206]

This car WAS total garbage ... Then again for £200

[@ash7990]

The CityRover wasn't anywhere near as bad as topgear (and therefore everyone that watched it) made out. The price was too high. Also the later CityRover's were slightly nicer with black interior, leather etc

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

Completly agree. £5555 should have been entry point for base models and 5 years service and warranty. They wouldn't have been able to keep them in stock.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Yeah, that was the real flaw of the projects - selling an Indian car with a British price tag. The car was not great, but at least decent - sure the quality and comfort were rather poor, but the design was neat, the interior roomy and the driving dynamics decent, so it should have sold well at a budget price, but Mg Rover's hubris made them think they can sell *anything* expensive if it just wears a Rover badge. Plus, the CR arrived at a time when competition in the small car market was strong - only few years before, attractive newcomers such as the Toyota Yaris and new generations of VW Polo, Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta and Nissan Micra had arrived, plus Fiat was just about to release its great new Panda, and in the low-cost niche there were the Koreans with the Daewoo Kalos and Hyundai Getz.

[@Viktor-xo1ry]

In India it was priced 2800 - 4500 pounds when it was launched and mg rover was selling it at 7grand so it was much expected that people will surely go berserk over it...

[@wamd5187]

Badly priced would have been awesome if sold for half the price

[@stanleyleopard6799]

Looks a nice example. Is an update video still coming? Less than 1,000 left - unbelievably this will soon be a 'classic' of sorts as a tombstone to the British car industry. I'd keep it as standard as possible.

[@MattysCars]

Stanley Leopard didn’t know they sold that many in the first place

[@stanleyleopard6799]

@@MattysCars They sold around 9,000 between 2003 and 2006.

[@MattysCars]

Stanley Leopard That many? Really?

[@stanleyleopard6799]

@@MattysCars Surprisingly yes! At 31 December 2006 there were 8,666 licensed with DVLA.

[@torstenscholz6243]

@@MattysCars Well, they planned to sell 30 - 40.000 a year, so this number was actually quite poor. Many were even still sold *after* MG Rover's demise - when they bankrupted in 2005, there was a shipload of 1200 CR's left that was auctioned off by Pricewater & Cooper's at discount prices.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

£200 :O wow that's cheap. Just found this film as the car peaked my interest. will be a very rare car one day.

[@KuntalGhosh]

I have the indian original tata Indica & i love it! It was my dads first car in 1999 & it still works & i will never give up on this car! The only thing that doesn't work is the ac... The ac i have tried so many things & it still leaks gas.. + the ac vent selector doesn't really work... But the engine is really good ... I will never sell that car!!

[@steveburn8125]

Awesome, the right car, almost becomes a family member, a City Rover is, unpretentious and unburdened by the need to be “cool” If only all family members were like that 😊

[@KuntalGhosh]

@@steveburn8125 yes i like it way more than the other toyota we have & the seats r actually more comfortable on the indica.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

I personally found the seats very comfortable in the City Rover myself, and nice position for steering wheel etc, but I'm 5 foot 9 so prehaps that's a factor

[@steveburn8125]

I actually have never owned one myself, but I had use of one for 18months 25,000kilo It was very tight to drive, apart from the gear change, which was a little clunky, but it didn’t have any issues between services. They are, an underrated underdog 😊

[@atulyatejapadival1965]

@@RobsonRoverRepair well India spec cityrover uses a different motor 1.4 diesel, and 1.4 petrol carved out of same block

[@sloeginandsleep1170]

I confess, I did slag the Cityrover on release, but not because it’s inherently bad, but because Rover lost the absolute plot! Rover brought them from Tata for around £2700-3000. The original plan was to sell them for £5000, which would have been great and sold a ton, but Rover decided in their infinite wisdom to eat their own underwear when pricing it as you alluded to. When new, they cost more than a new Mk1 Fabia, Fiat Panda and the Nissan Micra. With a little cheeky haggling, you could get a decently specced new 25 with leather and air con, for about £200 more than the mid spec CityRover, which is exactly what I did. My Nan and grandad brought a new CityRover in Jan 2005, their plan was for it to be their last car, and it was. Enjoyed the video man. You got a new sub.

[@steveburn8125]

That’s so right what you say, there was too much sneering about the car, Top Gear didn’t help, the fact is, it was a cheap car, as such, it had some bits that were, well, Cheap You simply get what you pay for as a four door little box, to move a person from a to b it was fine, it’s easy to be snobby, when you have a big budget

[@KarlHamilton]

It wasn't cheap though. That was the problem.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

Bingo. Had they knocked a few grand off it, sold like mad

[@mikecawood]

We love the dog.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

She's a great wee beast.

[@vipul.sharma]

Tata Indica

[@suffolksettler5106]

love your dog's sniff review

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

She can sniff out quality lol

[@KarlHamilton]

When Rover refused to lend one to Top Gear, that was the end of the company. What a stupid move. Good video, nice to see people from over here on KZbin!

[@anthonyperkins7556]

It's a poor choice. Built by Tata in India, badged a Rover and sold in the United Kingdom and Eire. The first ones were forgettable for build quality and faults, and while the second incarnation was better, the damage to the Rover brand had been done. Not the best Rover in the range and was so overpriced for what it was.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

Absolutely agree at new. I've currently got a diesel 75, diesel streetwise, diesel freelander and a zt-t 190 and it's far from comparable to their price ranges. However after over 65 mg and rovers in the last decade I decided I wanted one as a cheap project and City banger. Tired of my 75s getting damaged. I will attempt to rectify many of the cars failings however and will be keeping strict list of costs as I go to see if the banger economy of it is worth while as whilst I enjoy diesels I didn't want another diesel daily and I adore simple thrashy little 8v engines as it reminds me of me first cars like the 1.0 ax etc.

[@adarsh.m1999]

We have this car its called tata indica in india

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

I had 2 AX... first gen had rubbish dashboard, second gen was ok. I would have an Ax over this one anytime.