JAGUAR’S EGAN YEARS
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The M-Series engine has a tendency to leak oil, especially around the distributor – so check that this is just a weep rather than a drip, or you’ll need to change the cylinder head gasket imminently. It’s critical to stay on top of cambelts, so ensure that this has been done on schedule and that there’s solid evidence.
Temperamental electrics were the scourge of many top-spec 800s. Check the condition of the relay tower in the lower glovebox and be on the lookout for signs of overheating in this area.
Any problems with starting are probably down to dry joints in the car’s PGM-FI relay – an easy fix.
The PG-1 manual gearbox in the four-cylinder versions suffers from variable change quality. It’s known to chew through differential bearings in the Tickford Turbo version but is otherwise sweet. Autoboxes in M-series versions suffered from flexi-plate failures, which are costly to sort.
The 825 Sterling has a lot of toys, so make sure they all work – including the reclining rear seats on the earliest models. Early trim isn’t durable and is very hard to find. If you’re looking at donor cars for parts, much of the post-1991 cars’ interiors aren’t compatible, despite looking almost identical.
The pre-1991 Rover 800 wasn’t brilliant at resisting rust. Places to watch are the inner and outer sills, door bottoms, and leading edge of the bonnet. Check the sunroof opens and, if it does, look closely for rust in the aperture. Paint quality is good, but black trim fades and bumpers are fragile.
The Honda V6 in 2.5- and 2.7-litre form is long-lived and super-reliable if you change the engine oil regularly. Top-end tapping is annoying but not critical – and in any case it’s easy to fix. Cambelt changing is a tough but nevertheless essential job, while the gearbox needs regular fluid changes – and you need to make sure that you use the correct Honda-sourced ‘Hondamatic’ fluid.
WHY I LOVE MY ROVER 800
‘This car came up for sale in February 2014 with every MoT from new and just 71,000 miles. The reason I wanted one of these is that I worked at Cowley for three years and spent time on the Rover 800 assembly line in the old North Works.
‘I’ve always admired them, particularly the fastbacks, but never imagined that I’d own one – they seemed so unobtainable at the time. ‘Only 563 examples were built, many of which ended up in the hands of BAe executives. Sadly, only a handful have survived.
‘I’ve named him William because I consider the Rover 800 to be the royalty of the Rover Group models and see the Turbo as the king of the 800s. My family’s tally stands at 10 Minis
