Used Rover 75 review and buying guide (1999 to 2005): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Rover 75 should you buy?

The cars built by MG Rover are the ones to buy, and they're easy to spot because their sills are painted body colour, while the BMW-built cars have black sills. The MG Rover cars are better put together and handle more tidily, so if two similar 75s are on offer, let the sill colour settle it.

Black-sill cars aren't ruled out, but the early ones need a careful look underneath. Rust eats the bottoms of the doors and the lower lip of the boot, and the brake pipes that run from the front to the back of the car are a known rot spot. Don't buy one without getting under it and seeing those pipes for yourself.

The 1.8 petrol is the version to be most wary of, since head gasket failure is a common weak point on it. A diesel automatic's the other one to approach with care, because its five-speed gearbox has had clutch packs break up after 3 to 4 years. A diesel with a sound gearbox, or a 1.8 with paperwork for a multi-layer steel head gasket, is the safer route.

Production stopped in April 2005, so a later plate doesn't mean a newer car. Any 75 wearing a 57 plate had already been sitting for at least 30 months before it was first registered, so judge one by when it was built, not by its plate. The 2004 facelift took some of the shine off the original's classic looks.

Which Rover 75 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 2.0 BMW diesel, badged CDT and CDTi, is the lesser risk, though it isn't trouble-free. Its injectors can seize solid in the cylinder head, some have suffered a noisy clutch (a new sprung clutch plate sorts it) and the flexible section of exhaust joining the manifold to the catalytic converter often gives out.

The 1.8 K-Series petrol needs the most caution. It holds very little coolant, so even a small leak overheats it fast and the head gasket goes, and its bore liners can drop as well. The usual leak is from the O-ring seals where the water-heated inlet manifold meets the head. The turbocharged 1.8T has its own trap: a coolant hose that sits against the turbo can wear through and lose every drop, so check it's been moved clear of the turbo.

The 2.0 KV6 is rare and some of its engine parts can't be had any more. Its variable intake system is prone to packing up when oil gunk clogs the plastic valves inside the inlet manifold, which shows as a surge from certain revs. KV6 head gasket failures have started to appear too, though they're still rare.

The automatic gearbox is the one to be careful with. On diesels the five-speed auto has had clutch packs break up after 3 to 4 years, and on any automatic a cracked piston first shows as trouble between third and fourth, then spreads until reverse goes and finally there's no drive at all. Its fluid level has to be set at a specific temperature with diagnostic kit, so don't accept a DIY fluid change.

What should you check when viewing a used Rover 75?

Check the scuttle drains below the windscreen aren't blocked and lift the carpets, because blocked drains let rain into the cabin and it collects in the well where the ECU lives, eventually damaging it. Later cars have one of the two drains blanked off. Any damp or condensation in that well is a reason to leave it.

Look at the rear tyres for wear on the inner shoulder, a sign the suspension alignment is out, and listen for clonks from the suspension on the drive. A rumble from the roof can mean the brace between the B pillars has come unstuck (on a Tourer it's the one between the C pillars). The handbrake is a small drum within each rear disc, so make sure it holds; it needs fiddly adjustment.

Watch the dash as well. A dead speedo with ABS and traction control lights on can point to a front ABS cable that's chafed through, and one owner reported an airbag light caused by a loose connector under a front seat. Try every electric seat, since the seat wiring gives trouble, and listen after switching off: a whirring fan points to a failed circuit board in the fuel-burning heater and it'll flatten the battery.

Ask for receipts for the 2000 recall, which swapped a crankshaft position sensor that could cut the engine, and the 2002 recall for front road springs that can snap in high-corrosion areas and puncture a front tyre. Check the cooling fan runs, as it often fails once a 75 is 4 or 5 years old. On a 2.0 diesel, the first dipstick reading shows a false low, so wipe it and dip again before judging the oil.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What do Rover 75 owners like about them?

They're built to last: one 75 has been reported at 215,000 miles with hardly any trouble along the way. Long life is a real part of the appeal, since the 75 is proving to be a car that keeps going for years, and that's a big reason it's built up a following rather than being bought for its looks alone.

The styling's the other draw: the original car's classic, elegant shape is why some see the 75 as a future classic. By 2012 it had gathered a strong following, and the cars with the 2.0 BMW diesel were the ones that drew the most interest of all.

• The model demonstrated strong occupant protection, achieving 30 points in Euro NCAP crash safety assessments.
• Cars registered in 1998 and 1999 achieved an excellent sixth place in a 2001 customer satisfaction survey.
• Diesel engine variants of this model are highly recommended for their performance and reliability.
• One car achieved 215,000 miles with minimal trouble, demonstrating good long-term reliability.
• The model is proving to be a good, long-lasting car, contributing to its potential classic status.