[ROVERNET - UK] People who buy Rovers

Tue Apr 8 23:25:13 BST 2008

I bought a Rover (SD1) my first in 1979 because it seemed like a natural
progression from the Mini Cooper Ss I had since the '60s. By then I
wanted something bigger and more dynamic than the Minis, but really
wanted to stick with the same old firm's products (BMC/BL/Austin Rover),
had some sporting competition cred to carry on from the Minis - this
time with that super ex-Buick V8 engine rather than the tunable A series
- and would allow me to modify it to make it into another
street/occasional track burner (which was my background with the Minis).
An element of brand loyalty no doubt, urge to be different from the
usual run of the mill Holdens and Fords that then dominated Australian
roads, and the fact that the Rover had an air of luxury about it
(promoted in Oz at the time as 'the poor man's Jaguar') were also
contributing factors. And the shape of the SD1 really made it stand out
from the crowd in 1978.

I had also built up a lot of contacts, knowledge and sources for BL
spares which also could be used to maintain and improve the Rover. I had
considered a TR7 or Dolomite Sprint, which also carried on BL's sporting
heritage during the '70s, and even a P6B, but the former were either too
small or too fragile, and the P6 - although a joy to drive - had that
'pipe and slippers' image associated with it and limited streeter
potential (apologies to the purists). 

The other option at the time was a P76 Executive or Targa Florio with
the 4.4 alloy V8 but by 1978 they were regarded as a bit of a lemon
(unjustly) with production having ceased in 1975 after the car had
criplled Leyland Australia. These days a P76 is a very rare sight and
are becoming very collectable.

Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com
[mailto:rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com] On Behalf Of
slatskars at comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, 9 April 2008 2:54 AM
To: rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] People who buy Rovers

Hank,

The Pilots are primarily front wheel drive. No stick shift available to
my knowledge. They do have a two wheel drive version available now. They
are essentially the same vehicle as the Accura MDX. Made in Canada! They
really are great vehicles.

Slats
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Hank and Sally Manwell" <hdmanwell at alumni.bates.edu>
> I'll have to pay more attention to the Honda Pilots, Slats.  Is the 
> primary drive front or rear wheel?  I guess there is no Diesel version

> in the states yet?  My '91 740 Volvo wagon, turbo charged with stick 
> shift, gets 25 in the city, 28 on the highway, and probably half that
when towing 3500 + pounds.
> Our Volvo automatic wagons, '90 240 and '97 960, get 23 at most and 
> far less in the city, and not as fun to drive as the '91.
> 
> I wonder if any of the Pilots are straight and simple stick shifts.
> 
> But I look forward to getting the '71 Rover TC out of storage for the 
> summer.  It stays glued to the roughest winding roads of New England.

> I've got an official Rover hitch to bolt on, but don't know how much I
dare tow.
> My sense is that the differential is pretty fragile and may be the 
> limiting factor.  Maybe install a 3500 unit?
> 
> Hank
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <slatskars at comcast.net>
> To: <rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 2:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] People who buy Rovers
> 
> 
> > Hank,
> >
> > My Honda Pilot(2003) will carry eight folks, tow 4,500 lbs and gets 
> > 22 mpg on the highway. All of this is better except the tow rating 
> > than the 1993 Range Rover LWB that it replaced.  It is quite 
> > luxurious, comfortable, handles well, reliable and if it holds up as

> > well as the other vehicles that I have will exceed 200,000 miles 
> > with little difficulty. The 4-wheel drive is a selectable system,not

> > full time, used only in 1st and 2nd gear at low speeds to get out of

> > a jam. After five years, I still remark to myself, what a car on 
> > occassion. Very happy with it. It can also be towed as by a motor 
> > home if desired. Not all automaticc trasmissions can be towed
without modifications.
> >
> > Slats
> > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> > From: "Hank and Sally Manwell" <hdmanwell at alumni.bates.edu>
> >> Is there a Honda that holds as much as a brick wagon, gets mid 20s 
> >> or better fuel mileage, and tows 3500# or more and handles well 
> >> while doing it?
> >> And
> >> doesn't have the complex four wheel drivetrain to maintain on up 
> >> close to 300k miles that we like to keep cars?  Even with my
"love-hate"
> >> relationship
> >> with Volvo, I'd stick with "the devil I know" if I could.  The 
> >> Volvo Cross Country is a great car to drive, but I don't want to 
> >> maintain all that complex drivetrain and bells and whistles.  I 
> >> think some Volvos in Europe may not be loaded up with all those 
> >> bells and whistles.
> >>
> >> Too bad Range Rovers and Land Rovers get such abysmal fuel mileage 
> >> - and no diesel version here in the states.
> >>
> >> Hank
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: <slatskars at comcast.net>
> >> To: <rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com>
> >> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 4:01 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] People who buy Rovers
> >>
> >>
> >> > Honda's!
> >> > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> >> > From: "Hank and Sally Manwell" <hdmanwell at alumni.bates.edu>
> >> >> My father began driving Rovers in 1954 and that's all he drove 
> >> >> for the last
> >> >> 35 years of his life.  He was a university zoology professor.  
> >> >> And there was always a second one for my mother to drive one and

> >> >> a third one for his son to be servicing while waiting for one of

> >> >> the others to need attention.
> >> >> And
> >> >> just for fun, we imported our P2 Tourer from England in the
early 70s.
> >> >>
> >> >> My family needed a more competent hauler, so have been driving 
> >> >> Volvo brick wagons for the last 30 years.  But for fun and 
> >> >> economy I drive the Series II
> >> >> P6 in the summer when space isn't needed and, considering the 
> >> >> size of car, the trunk is large enough - much better than the 
> >> >> P4s.
> >> >>
> >> >> Volvo doesn't make "bricks" anymore.  So what's next?
> >> >>
> >> >> Hank
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
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