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P.s. Forgot - The engine post 1984 was the S series replacing the original "Maxi" R series. It had a cambelt instead of a chain - easy job to change and worthwhile being done asap if yours has never been done. A failure shouldn't wreck this engine but is it worth taking the risk?
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What a prompt, useful and comprehensive response!!
I'm just going outside to wash it off before it gets dark and will, this evening, come back to this in greater detail.
Thanks,
KB.
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Hi,
I think it's great that some buck the trend for form over function. I drive a Rover 115SD, which I guess lots of people consider a waste of parking space, but I can fix it and it's cheap to run.
Going back to Maestros, my brother bought a diesel van for £85, it didn't run right but after we fitted a new head gasket it ran like a dream. He used it daily for work (self employed sparky) getting around 45 MPG when loaded up and finally sold it for a few hundred pounds. Since then he's had several diesel Maestros, all fine runabouts, cheap to maintain and run.
Steve.
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And my thanks to you, Shigg, for a bit of support on the Bangernomics theory. I'd have had a diesel if one had come up - but this 1600 one seemed OK and is probably a bit quieter than the diesel and my mileage isn't high.
KB.
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You've, rather uncannily, put your finger on several worthwhile points, Dan.
Re. Your previous '84 one - 70,000 reliable miles for very little expenditure isn't to be sneezed at. Funnily enough, my first one was also an'83/4 "A" Reg. in Clove Brown (dreadful colour) and was owned by an elderly man 2 doors up who stopped driving, then the second one was bought from the widow of an elderly gent (heart attack). They certainly seemed to appeal to the more mature end of the driving spectrum!
Indeed the extra 300cc does make a difference to the...performance? The 1300 was fine except for hills, to which it had a distinct aversion and the Yorkshire Moors was not it's favourite territory.
I will, as you suggest, give it a couple of 'spirited' outings to blow the cobwebs away. But only after the fitting of a new cambelt next week.
Your comments relating to the choke are noted with interest and I'll do as you suggest. I did do a conversion on previous ones but will stick with the present auto. one if you reckon they're not generally a problem.
Re. petrol - I've used the catalysts in the past and consequently used 2 star - who knows whether they did anything. They definitely didn't improve the MPG and I've seen the, almost total, condemnation of them and do doubt their efficacy. I may use up the last of the REDEX 4Star Replacement stuff and then use 2 star + plus the occasional tankful of LRP. At present if I know I'm taking on a long run I'll put the REDEX in the tank beforehand but, again, who knows? As you say, I think these measures are probably better for me than they are for the car.
I pick and choose between the jobs I do myself and those given to the mechanic - and in that respect am very lucky to have a thoroughly sound man, trained on Rovers in the 1970's who I trust implicitly, so whatever goes wrong is never a major disaster on one of these cars. He did, today, say exactly word for word what you said about the cambelt - i.e. not a tragedy if it breaks due to a fail safe design, but worth doing on age grounds, if not mileage - and also indicated the ease of the job. So next week he'll have the car and go right over it. It's only done 1000 miles since last years service and MOT but it'll be good to have it checked.
Many thanks again for your interest, for which I'm very grateful, and will keep fingers crossed so as not to have to come back here in a few weeks time with a tale of woe.
KB.
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No problem KB - It's nice to be of mechanical assistance to someone here, not much call for Maestro followers these days :)
Amazingly there is actually a club which now has quite a following - www.maestro.org.uk/
If you have any problems that you think I may be able to assist with please don't hesistate to contact me at daniel_r_jeffery@hotmail.com
All the best
Dan J
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Shouldn't a 1989 car run fine on unleaded? It may need the timing adjusted but that wouldn't cost much
My car is also from '89 (but with a massive 84k on it) and only ever gets the cheap stuff. Having cost me a whole £25 more than you paid for your Maestro, and just as as loaded, my theory of maintenance is replace everything that isn't running as well as it should be, but with the cheapest possible parts that meet the spec, and with the cheapest possible labour.
Usually that's not my own, because I don't really have the tools, experience or space, but I look after the car without pampering it or being pedantic about OE parts. Incidentally, when the starter motor packed up, leaving me stranded, it was fixed by a mobile mechanic in a clove brown, C-reg Maestro van with 70s style alloy wheels and an MG interior.
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Shouldn't a 1989 car run fine on unleaded? It may need the timing adjusted but that wouldn't cost much...........
David, It would seem that, officially, it became suitable for unleaded mid '89. Mine is early '89. I believe it may have been when they started calling them Rover rather than Austin.
I've been smurfing the hairnet and have come to the conclusion that I'll stick vin unleaded ordinaire in it, with maybe the occasional dose of bottled additive stuff if I know it's going any distance and will get the mechanics advice re. timing when he has it next week for the cambelt, service and checkover.
There's a list of apparently approved ones.....Millers, Redline, Superblend, Carplan, Castrol & Valvemaster. The stuff I sometimes use is Redex 4star Replacement - and that's not on the list.
>>"Incidentally, when the starter motor packed up, leaving me stranded, it was fixed by a mobile mechanic in a clove brown, C-reg Maestro van with 70s style alloy wheels and an MG interior"..............now there's a sight to behold - or not, as the case may be.
KB.
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"It's for running about and going to the tip"
You mean they won't take it? :-)
Actually, I heartily approve. It's deeply satisfying to find a good car for silly money, and the previous owner should be pleased that it's gone to a good home.
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I meant to add that I think most Maestros were killed off by tin-worm rather than mechanicals, so a good dose of Waxoyl/Dinitrol in the summer should be worth doing...
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And I guess that if something goes wrong that personally you can't deal with there will be a mechanic around the corner who can do stuff for a couple of quid!
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Let us not forget the mighty montego too! I have an L plate 2.0 diesel Countryman estate that I use to commute to work and back daily (120 miles a day). Average of around 45 mpg, electric windows (one even works too!) central locking, electric sunroof, electric mirrors, comfortable seats (ish), enough room in the boot to have a small party, etc etc.
I bought this car 2 years ago for £600. That's £300 a year! Can any other car match the cheap motoring that Montego's and Maestro's can provide. British motoring at its best ;)
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BB, is yours a turbodiesel? Having spent many a hour chugging around in a diesel maestro and being amazed at the slow slugging power of the perkins engine, I can't help but wonder how much different the turbo would be. Is it?
Steve.
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Yes Shigg, it is a turbo diesel. I am on the other side of the fence to you, I have not driven a non-turbo montego/maestro!
My Montego pulls very well, and is not as sluggish as what I would have thought it would have been, especially seeing as it is a large estate car carrying around tool boxes, a couple of spare tyres, and various other tools and jacks. A Maestro or saloon Montego would be even lighter.
I am extremely happy with it. I can pull off and if using the gears correctly, can put a few other vehicles to shame. All in all, when this one bites the bullet, I will be going straight out there and looking for another Maestro / montego turbo diesel.
If you can, have a go in one and see what its like. If you are in the East Mids area, you can have a go of mine.
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BB,
Thanks for the info. Sounds like the turbo make all the difference. In my brothers van or car (both diesel), you put your foot down and wait for the speed to build, however the good side of it is that even with a good load on board it still pulls very well in high gears at low revs, not bad considering the hills we have here in Sheffield. Gas mileage is always good as well, what about the turbo? Thanks for the offer of a drive but it would only make me want to get rid of my diesel metro and buy a turbo. Must say the Maestro diesel turbo takes my fancy.
Steve.
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I had a 1.6 Vanden Plas a few years ago, nice to drive but it literally rusted away in front of my eyes. It had that voice/trip computer thing (a novelty back when it was launched in 1983) but mine never seemed to work (except for the low fuel warning!)
Im a loser baby....so why don't you kill me?!
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Another poor uni mate had a 1984 1.6 MG Maestro.
His helpful Low Fuel Warning would helpfully comment as to the lack of petrol in the tank just as the car was coming to a halt on the hard shoulder of the motorway.
There was swearing... :)
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I travel up and down the M1 & M69, so it is full speed all the way for me. I have recently worked out my MPG, and it is averaging about 46MPG. I would say that the average driver would achieve a very respectable 50+ MPG.
I must add as well that I see a lot of diesel countryman estates and maestro's around. My friend up in the North West is a mechanic and he swears by them. He sold a G plate to his mate with 400,000 on the clock. He used it for 12 months (including a trouble free trip to the South of France and back) then sold it for more than he paid for it! Then bought a newer one with a fraction of the mileage L plate,(250,000)!!!!!
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Couldn?t agree more about the Maestro. We have a Vectra TDi and a Maestro turbo diesel and the Maestro is the favourite for both the wife and myself.
It?s the workhorse for the family and carries anything and everything.
Had it new in 93 and it?s been an outstanding motor and apart from a new alternator and shock absorbers it has been totally reliable.
And the beauty of having a car which I can understand and work on is something which latter day motorists will rarely enjoy unless they are very knowledgeable or in the trade.
I do the normal servicing on the Vectra but anything which would involve working on the engine would need a main dealer. Even identifying components under the bonnet needs a manual.
Yes I know the Maestro?s are considered a bit of a joke in present day motoring but I wouldn?t consider getting rid of it and if they still made them I would be buying a new Montego estate with this wonderful Perkins engine.
The Maestro replaced another bought new Maestro with the non-turboed engine but the wife found the steering too heavy so she wanted another with power steering so I changed it for one of the last few made.
Every year we drive down to Southern Portugal using the Maestro and average 60mpg. This last year for the first time I thought if we broke down and it needed parts we would have no chance in Europe so took the Vectra instead. No complaints it went brilliantly but we still prefer the old Maestro. Much more room in the cabin and a more relaxed drive.
Another advantage I find is the rock steady steering on long journeys. It virtually steers itself in a straight line without those constant corrections on a more modern powered steering car.
The downside to them.... it was put together by the Longbridge crew where anything goes. Gaps in the doors and will rust in a shower if you don?t keep on top of them.
If they had been put together in Japan or Germany it would have been a different story.
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Quick search on Google showed just Fords, Jaguars and L/Rovers with heated front screens, as suggested earlier.
Mazda's site is useless - pretentious twaddle.
How odd, all those cars, and only a handful have heated screens. I rate that really odd. At least I know now - thank you all.
KB.
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