Today in the workshop .....

[Farside]

I owned my rover 600 for 16 years. A great car, ended by the ULEZ. I washed it twice during my ownership. Always looked great.

I washed the Pensioner's Car a fortnight ago, in preparation to its annual test.
First time it's seen a bucket of shampoo in my ownership, but I must admit the dealer prep was thorough and it gleamed like a new pin when I got it. Some wizardry of modern cleaners repelled the dirt for well over a year.
In fact, the only reason I felt like cleaning it was a dust / sand deposit from the Sahara, which I gather a lot of southern England got too.

 

[Robotstar5]

I washed the Pensioner's Car a fortnight ago, in preparation to its annual test.
First time it's seen a bucket of shampoo in my ownership, but I must admit the dealer prep was thorough and it gleamed like a new pin when I got it. Some wizardry of modern cleaners repelled the dirt for well over a year.
In fact, the only reason I felt like cleaning it was a dust / sand deposit from the Sahara, which I gather a lot of southern England got too.

We got it in the Midlands as well

 

[galooph]

I can't wash my car, it has rare lichens growing on it.

Sounds like my Surf, you can tell which way is North when it's parked on my drive

 

[dobbslc]

Sounds like my Surf, you can tell which way is North when it's parked on my drive

Same here

 

[Beeezer]

Well inspired by my trip out this morning I decided to make a start on "Samantha". I realise I have made a mistake here and I should have made a hollow mold from the Mannequin, but I am going to press on, gravity is against me whereas it would have worked in my favour working the other way round, if you know what I mean. Anyhow:

View attachment 534583

Certainly scorched her a couple times. A good earth was also a challenge.

I had a great idea probably eight or so years ago, in a holiday cottage got the good lady naked on the floor and covered her torso in bandages and plaster cast.
She was a shaved gel but there was the odd stray that made her squeal.
The plaster cast still sits on a shelf in the shed, another “one day” jobs.

 

[Turbo]

Black. 620GSi. A customer of mine bought it at a year old and had it 14 years, I had it for the rest of its life.
I also had a nightfire red 620Si auto and a gold base 620.

Great cars.

They were a Honda Accord underneath with a Rover styled exterior.
So they had Honda reliability with a nice looking body on top, much better looking than the accord.

I'm guessing the Honda influence improved the normally variable Rover build quality?

 

[Melvyn Best]

I wash my motorhome at least twice a year, my tin tops however might get washed once in my ownership . I tend to drive old bangers, the last one I had 10 years, the previous 13 years

 

[Onoff]

I had a great idea probably eight or so years ago, in a holiday cottage got the good lady naked on the floor and covered her torso in bandages and plaster cast.
She was a shaved gel but there was the odd stray that made her squeal.
The plaster cast still sits on a shelf in the shed, another “one day” jobs.

27 years or so ago SWMBO bought a kit when pregnant to make a "bump" cast. This sort of thing. The finished article is sat gathering dust on top of a wardrobe.

 

[Windy Miller]

I wash my motorhome at least twice a year, my tin tops however might get washed once in my ownership . I tend to drive old bangers, the last one I had 10 years, the previous 13 years

I’ve had my L200 for 17 years now.
It gets washed every couple of years whether it needs it or not!

 

[Robotstar5]

I'm guessing the Honda influence improved the normally variable Rover build quality?

They built both Honda and Rover versions of various models, Ballade, Concerto etc. on the same tracks so they inspected all versions to the same (Honda) standards which improved the quality of the Rover models. It was a shame they had to split when BAe sold out to BMW or things may have turned out different.

 

[Cato]

One of those interesting engine jobs that's been looked at elsewhere and the fault not found. So it'll be coming out and getting stripped in the next week or so.

 

[Cato]

They built both Honda and Rover versions of various models, Ballade, Concerto etc. on the same tracks so they inspected all versions to the same (Honda) standards which improved the quality of the Rover models. It was a shame they had to split when BAe sold out to BMW or things may have turned out different.

I did some of the factory tours around Soily Hell for BMW management. I wish video phones had been a thing then as their faces when we were walking along the Defender line were pure comedy gold. The track days at Gaydon and Eastnor were good fun though.

The last of the 800's were built to BMW standards to get everything set up and people trained for the 75 launch. Those 800s were built to a quality the equal of any vehicle from any manufacturer available at the time. Unfortunately it was a familiar tale of the reputation being set in the minds of customers and the motoring press by then and there was no turning it around.