Hello fellow SD1 fans. I am a new member, so I thought it would be polite to introuce myself. I am a big Rover fan and am the proud owner of a beautiful 1984 Rover SD1 3500SE V8 in Arum White. I also own (with my partner) a 1987 Rover 416iSE (Honda Integra based) and a newly purchased Cherry Red 827 Vitesse Fastback.

I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and I hope I'll be able to contribute when anyone needs some advice or tips.

Long live Rover!

Hi and welcome Adam. I'm relatively new here as well and already found some awesome information, I'm sure you'll enjoy it here

cheers,

Ray

PS good to see another person from down under, even if you are from the wrong side of the ditch

welcome welcome welcome
hope you enjoy the forum.
by the way: 1987 rover 416. i take it that's a mistake? they didn't come out untill 1990 over here!!

I think it's the Rover Quintet, which we didn't get here:

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thank god for that! never seen that before. looks like it uses a few parts from the mark one rover 200/honda accord (door mirrors, seats etc)
was that only available in australia then?

Yes, it was only available in Oz though there was a Honda Quintet in the States, Japan, Sweden. The Aussie version was the product of a deal between Jaguar Rover Aust and Honda Japan. They were imported here from 1983-85 and sold upmarket (cost$13,00+ in 1984) because they were fairly high spec for a 1.6 4 cylinder, 4 door + hatch car at the time with power steering, power windows, aircon, nice interior, mag wheels, etc

It's all Honda, using the trusty EL16 engine, but with Rover badging. It's not the same as the Rover 416, which came after it and had a completelt different body. Either manual or Hondamatic gearboxes (same as 1980's Honda Preludes). Not fast but ultra reliable.

A lot were sold in Oz and a lot are still going because they're pretty robust. My wife has porbably the best one around - 1984 all white with 16 inch Auscar four spoke mags. It had a new paint job five years ago, and a recon motor fitted earlier this year.

The Quintet was sold alongside the SD1 here - in fact I have a JRA advertising poster c1985 with them both lined up side by side. 20+ years on both my SD1 and the wife's Quintet are still goin strong.

Hey Neighbour

Welcome to the forum........I'm over in Whyalla M8

Got a coupla SD1s carb model.

I hope ya have fun here.

John

In answer to the earlier question, the 416i (as it was known here in Oz) was a 5 door Honda Integra. The deal was struck between JRA Ltd here in Australia and imported the special model. Everything was identical except that an Integra in OZ only came as a 3 door (however 5 doors were sold in the USA to my knowledge and some "purists" here decided to take the Rover badges off and replace with Honda ones).

I have heard the 416i sold really well over the Integra as the bracket of people who were able to afford the model were upper middle class families that required the looks of the Integra, but the convenience of a 5 door hatch, so Rover was the popular choice.

They are still around today (more on the road than SD1s) and are a fantastic car. Very reliable and if treated right will give you years of joy. My one has been sold now, but the family I sold it to fell in love with it and had to have that one.

Models were:
416i
416iSE (stood for "Standard Edition" as this one came as "bare bones" in most cases)
Vitesse (upmarket with plush interior, electric everything and push button martinis)

I don't know much about the Quintet (but I do know a bit more now, thanks traco). It's seems to me to be a very distant cousin for Rover, but none the less it is a Rover, and thus should not be shunned from the family (except many members of the club I belong to here would think differently - some believe Rovers ended with the series 1 P6 - snobs)

"... and thus should not be shunned from the family (except many members of the club I belong to here would think differently - some believe Rovers ended with the series 1 P6 - snobs"

Yes, I encountered the same small-minded mentality when I announced that I had a highly modified 4.6 SD1, a Japanese built Rover Quintet and (horror of horrors) a Rover Mini, not to mention the Land Rover.

Only ever went to one RCCA meeting - that was enough for me.

I know what you mean. Sometimes I wish they would all just decide to have a splinter club that is the Vintage Rover Club. Then that way anyone who is a Rover snob can stay away from us open minded Rover fans that don't care when it was made as long as it bares the proud name of Rover.