75 tourer or ztt

[Parantodd392]

Hi there wobbers I’m looking for advice I’m looking at diesel auto 75 or ztt Is there anything I need to know about them,I went to look at one at a local rover specialist but got messed about so I thought I’d ask what to look out for when looking in the future
Many thanks PT

[paulplom]

Splitpin is the guy to ask here. He's had a saloon 75 for a good while now.

[Split_Pin]

Hi there wobbers I’m looking for advice I’m looking at diesel auto 75 or ztt Is there anything I need to know about them,I went to look at one at a local rover specialist but got messed about so I thought I’d ask what to look out for when looking in the future
Many thanks PT

Thats a good choice of engine and box combination. The diesel is a BMW M47R and they're exceptionally robust with no major known issues.

Make sure any one you go and see starts up easily and runs smooth. Crank pulleys are rubber damped and can fall to bits, but the pulley will rattle loudly long before it fails. Ask if the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) filter has been changed. They are often overlooked and failing to change them can result in oil squirting out the dip stick hole, smoke and other issues. Its a £10 part and easy to replace. Almost all will have had a stuck open thermostat by now. Replacement is a turd of a job, in all 3 of mine I have shoved an inline Renault 5-style item in the top hose for £20 and its worked perfectly. This is the recommended solution.

The Jatco auto box is fairly reliable but sometimes solenoids can crack resulting in erratic changes. They also must have the correct Jatco 5406 fluid, the wrong stuff will kill it. Just check it changes OK.

An illuminated airbag light is common, wiggling the wires under either seat usually extinguishes it for a day or two. More permanent fixes are available and inexpensive. On tourers check that the hinged glass window opens OK as does the tailgate as the electrics can go a bit senile.

Speaking of electrics, make sure you don't have any weird issues at hand. That can indicate the ECU has taken a bath. It lives under the nearside plastic scuttle panel and the drain hole at the bottom can get clogged and the whole plenum fills with water. A cheap plumbers drain unblocker or even a welding rod should be used every 6 months to keep it clear.

Underneath, check the jacking points for corrosion. This is a very common 75 rot spot, repair panels are available. The good news is these cars are quite rust resistant and they don't normally corrode badly anywhere else.

Check the upper rear suspension arms very carefully. These support the springs and are a mild steel design with built in rust traps. They have been remanufactured now but replacement is a git of a job.

Fuel tank straps can corrode and snap.

The manuals came with a plastic clutch concentric slave cylinder which sits inside the gearbox and a lot failed early. Not really an issue on surviving cars by now though. DMFs rarely need changing so a new clutch needn't cost the earth.

Petrols, 4 cylinders did have head gasket issues but if its been well maintained it shouldnt surface. Most surviving cars will have been sorted out but now though. Avoid the 1.8 as its underpowered, the 1.8T seems to be well regarded. The 2.0 V6 isn't popular as it has the economy of a 2.5 but less power. The 2.5 is an incredibly smooth and creamy engine. Variable intake motors can rattle but used replacements can sort it out. Thermostats can leak and are involved to replace.

Try and get a Connoisseur or Contemporary SE spec as they're much nicer places to sit. That said the cloth seats are very comfortable and can look good in Sandstone beige.

Diesels are still common so expect to pay about £1k for an average condition manual in a lower spec and approaching double that for a decent diesel auto in a higher trim level.

My advice would be to avoid a tired example as you'll forever be chasing stupid, niggly faults. Get the best you can afford, preferably one that's got some robust evidence of money being spent in the recent past.

[AMCrebel]

The original top of the range stereo is another weird BMW lash up and doesn’t have full postcode for sat nav or any official updates. Really just saying don’t pay extra for that as it’s crap.

The “head unit” for those top of the range ones isn’t a head unit at all, just a screen with a conventional radio sized and shaped box in the boot.

[AMCrebel]

+1 on the rear suspension arm and subframe rot - they can hide it well and it’s a safety issue.

Like all estates some twat routed the brake pipes behind the fuel tank, but you can get to them via the hatch for the fuel pump under the rear seat.

Handbrakes tend to be a bit crap as with the 3 series of the time that they are from but there is a mod available

[Scruffy Bodger]

Fair play Split Pin, that's a comprehensive answer!

[bub2006]

The ztt was a lot stiffer on the suspension and I didn't like the seats too much either,felt to hug you too tight. Maybe I'm just too fat. I found them lovely to Drive though. In my opinion,they suffer with the jaguar issue of being a big car but feeling tight in the front. Again I'm just fat. My pick would be a nice high spec auto diesel tourer. I think it was only the ztt that was available with 130 I think bhp,the tourer was 118 but it's only a remap anyway.

[Split_Pin]

A lot of folk I have spoken to have found them a bit claustrophobic, especially the saloons so it's not just you Bub. I like it as they feel snug but some people prefer a bit more room. The Contemporary models like mine has the ZT seats and they are quite neat but very comfortable. The 131bhp diesel was available across the facelift range. That's what my 75 was until it had a remap.

[Scruffy Bodger]

The ztt was a lot stiffer on the suspension and I didn't like the seats too much either,felt to hug you too tight. Maybe I'm just too fat. I found them lovely to Drive though. In my opinion,they suffer with the jaguar issue of being a big car but feeling tight in the front. Again I'm just fat. My pick would be a nice high spec auto diesel tourer. I think it was only the ztt that was available with 130 I think bhp,the tourer was 118 but it's only a remap anyway.

Paz won't be going for big BHP but my mate Tom bought one as it was cheaper than the BMW with basically the same engine. After buying one and looking into it it appears they used a chocolate crank on the Rovers so the plan of whacking a huge turbo on it had to be binned. Fine for a remap I'm sure.

[bub2006]

The 130 is same engine,turbo etc as the lower hp model I believe so should be fine as you say with a remap. A friend had a Conny SE estate with a remap and think it was mid 140s or thereabouts but was a few years ago.