Conference terri::cars_uk

    I wonder if the improvement in driving position means that people
    as tall as I (5'11") will no longer get leg cramps from driving
    this modern version of the iron maiden.
    
    David_who_suffered_10_days_of_torture_in_a_mini_metro

	The Peugeot gearboxes are good news. Whilst I may not like
	thechoice of ratios in mine the change/silence etc. are 
	superb.

	-John

    David,
    
    Did you ever try any other "small" cars to compare , eg. Nova, Polo.
    Fiesta etc ?
    I saw a TOP GEAR programe once where they got an assortment of the
    public to try small hatched for a few days, and the talest man (over
    6') found the Metro to offer the most comfortable space.
    
    Just curious.
    
    Tim

    re.1
    
    Well my dad has driven a Metro without to much problem and he is
    6'2" and 18 1/2 stone.  Although it was cramped for 5 of us!!!
    
    Grant

    re.3
    
    Tim I remember that programme.  The tallest man they got to try
    the cars was 6'4" and fitted into the Metro with no apparent (sp?)
    problem.
    
    Grant

    
    I'll bet it didn't have a sunroof :-)

                                            
    Picked up a 6 month old Metro MG from Swindon Autos on Saturday
    ready to drive it back to Annecy (A car for my wife after we return
    to UK).
    Around the back of the workshop was a new Rover Metro GTi in black. 
    Parked next to it my gleaming white MG looked to be the same length 
    and width but the wheels are bigger on this new model. 
    Sat inside the driving poisition is now conventional (no offset
    pedals) and the steering wheel is no longer tilted. 
    I understand that the hydrolastic suspension is now connected
    back to front on the new model which should improve the ride.
    Good to see Rover 'bucking the trend' and keeping the size as before,
    its still the smallest and most 'handy' supermini and with K engine
    and 5 speeds should give the Fiats, Pugs, Fiestas etc a run for
    their money.....build quality (as on the 'old' metro looked good).
    
    Dave.
    
    PS. The MG went well on my 700 mile drive but its not the ideal
    car for such a trip.

    re .6  My wifes Metro has a sunroof, and I have no problems at
    	   all with height.... I am over 6'2"....
    
    re .7  The new Metro is _actually_ 4.5 ins longer and 0.5 in. wider.
    
    There is a review in todays Torygraph.
    
    Ray.

I have a metro, and head room is fine (I'm 6'2").  The problem is knee room,
made worse by the pedals being so far to the left.  I can't get my right foot on
the brake pedal with my knee under the wheel.  But this isn't a problem as I'm
quite comfortable with my knee a bit to the right.  It is a surprisingly easy
car to drive.

Scott

    re. comments on .1
    
    I've driven R4s, R5s, Corsas, Polos and once a Fiat 600 and have never
    had the pain I felt in the Metro.  Since so many tall people have no
    problems, I guess that it's me.  Maybe my legs are too long, or maybe I
    don't have the right frame of mind ?
    
    Never_again_David
    

    Ok after having a quick look at oneyesterday heres some info from their
    rather glossy brochure.....
    
             	The GTa     GTa Catalyst        GTi       GTi Catalyst
    
    0-60     	10.3        10.5                9.0       9.6
    30-50 (4th)  7.4         7.5                7.5       7.7
    50-70 (4th)  8.3         8.5                7.8       8.1
    Top Speed    105         105                114       112
    Bhp           76          75                 95        90
    
    
    I've got the brochure with me so if any one wants anything specific ask
    and I'll enter it.
    
    (��)Munce.

    
    .8  I'm surprised!....They LOOKED the same size..is that 4.5 more
    inches in wheelbase or overall length? The dashboard looked identical
    to the old metro apart from the new instrument binnacle.
    
    .11 These GTi/GTa models, what engine sizes do they relate to?
    	Are there any base, or 5 door models?
    
    Hungry for info here in France
    
    Dave

  >>  .8  I'm surprised!....They LOOKED the same size..is that 4.5 more
  >>  inches in wheelbase or overall length? The dashboard looked identical
    
    I was quoting from the Telegraph, the inference was overall length.
    
    Ray.

    I can confirm it's overall length, also reported in Auto-express, sister
    mag to all the euro auto-mags. Some of this length gets to the
    wheelbase which results in the extra front legroom and the more normal
    steering wheel position.
    
    
    Richard

    The full range -
    
    All models except the GTi come in 3 or 5 door variants
    
    They are the 1.1C (4 speed), 1.1L (4 speed), 1.1S, 1.4SL, 1.4GS,
    GTa (1.4) & GTi (1.4 16v).
    
    A GTi will cost around �10175 on the road.
    
    (��)Munce

    
   
    � A GTi will cost �10,175 on the road.
    
    Gulp, a Mini costing more than 10k.

    
    Its suprising to me that the 16v K series, has similar performance
    in the Metro and 200 series. I would have thought the Metro
    would have been a lot quicker as it should be much lighter. 

    

    
    Re: .16
    
    an ERA Mini costs more than 10k :-)

    
    Well Jane, if you've got a spare 12k I'd like one!

    
    If I had a spare 12K ....I'd have one :-)

    
    So would I. Anyone want to swap my Maestro efi for an ERA Mini?
    
    Elaine

    
    .16   "GTi is 10,175 OTR"
    
    Yes, UK prices ARE expensive...!!  Rover 200 has just been launched
    here in France (rave reviews) and the 216Gsi which is about 11.5K
    pounds in UK I think, is 97,000 FF here!! That undercuts Peugeot
    309 GTi (105,700 FF), Honda Concerto SX 1.6i (110,000), Volvo 440
    turbo (140,000), and Alfa 33 1.7 16v (101,500).....phew! It seems
    that Rover and not so interested in market share in UK, just profit
    whereas on the continent they are building market share.
    
    In UK terms though 10,175 is not so expensive when compared with
    the XR2I (about 10,450) and Pug 205 1.6i. Metro GTi has similar
    performance to both these.
    
    Any idea of prices for the more basic metros?
    

    re-1
    
    I think the basic Metro starts at under �6,000.
    
    Grant

    
    97,000F equates to about �10,600 at todays rates so it isn't that
    much different.  Also have a look at the equipment levels.  The
    standard equipment levels in the UK are higher than most places.
    
    Nigel

    
    Good ol' Dad, a long serving (suffering?) BL/ARG/Rover employee
    just sent me the new Metro details, internal stuff they give the
    employees, here's the price list in UK quids including VAT and Car
    tax:
    
    Three Door
    ----------
    
    1.1C		5985
    1.1L		6790
    1.1S		7550
    1.4GTa		8295
    1.4SL		8710
    1.4Gti (16v)	9500
    
    Five Door
    ---------
    1.1C    		6245
    1.1L		7050
    1.1S		7810
    1.4GTa		8555
    1.4SL		8970
    1.4GS		9735
        
    All models have 'headlamps on' warning buzzer, lots of zinc panels
    and the 1.1 with 5 speed box does 64 mpg in the urban cycle.
    
    Dave
    
    

    
    .24 Please excuse error..........I mean 64 mpg @56 mph.
    
    Must be the heatwave!

.24�    All models have 'headlamps on' warning buzzer, lots of zinc panels

    I fitted one of these buzzers to my mums Metro in 1983.  It's nice
    that the makers have taken note at last.
    
    
    Ian.

	Having seen a few of these on the roads and watched the review
	on Top Gear last night I'd say this is another success for
	Rover. So long in the doldrums they've picked up enormously
	lately.

	I think I'd stick with the 205 myself, since I still can't
	quite take the styling even though it's much improved. But
	this is going to be a big seller, and cheaper than most of
	the opposition too.

	-John

       What Car? this month is saying that it should outsell the
       Fiesta. Personally I hope it does, though I'm not sure their
       million pound TV advertisement was money well spent.

       Ian.

I thought the idea behind the TV ad was good, but the ad itself was rubbish.

Now if they'd transferred the g-f stripes from the Rover to the Metro as well...

    
    
    
    BL, sorry Rover, sorry BAe are going to sell the new metro
    in Europe as the Rover 100. (and at cheaper prices)
    
    I'd have thought that "Rover 100" would have been a stronger selling
    name even in the UK, than "Metro".  Does the team think?
                         
    

    Not sure Richard.... but they couldn't sell it as Metro in
    Paris cos the inhabitants would get confused....."I'm
    taking the Metro today dear"....
    
    Ray.

    What was the old model called in France?
    
    There's a whole new rathole here, which I think has been down before.
    It's because the problems of internationally acceptable names are so great
    that most manufacturers these days resort to numbers.
    
    I don't think ROVER 100 is a good idea for the UK, though. It's been
    done before.
    
    Ian.

Just out of interest, and with reference to the "rip-off" nature of British
car prices, the Rover 100 series is now on sale in France. The range (as far as I can
tell) is a little smaller, but goes from 45500F for the 111C (= 1.1C) to 
68500F for the 114 GTi 16V (*including* VAT).

At current exchange rates, that means that in France you can get the GTi 16V for
little more than the price of the base model in the UK... It also means that
the Rover 100/Metro is very aggressively priced against its competition in 
France.

Ceri

PS - Has anybody actually *used* the new Metro for any significant period of 
time, or know any first-hand experiences? My mum wants to get one, and I'd like to
be able to advise her...

    REP -1
    
    There certainly are differences in prices here in Holland the
    base-model is priced Fl. 19.500,- and the GTi is Fl. 29.000,- (current
    exchange is �1.- = Fl. 3,45)
    
    I'm only wondering hasn't this got anything to do with taxes? Here in
    Holland you pay the price of the car + 20% tax and over that amount
    another 18,5%.
    
    T_

    What's the official fuel consumption guide to the new Metro Diesel
    like?
    
    tim

    Don't know but I think it uses the same engine as the Citroen AX 14DTR,
    which is one of the most economical cars on the road. I'm definitely
    interested in the Diesel Metro. It would seem to offer exceptional
    economy, probably better build than the AX ( I had an AX, liked it, it
    was fast, fun and flimsy) AND of increasing importance, may lower the
    amount of TAX I have to pay, assuming that it's under 8.5K (with
    reference to another note in this conference on car taxation).