The 2.0 BMW Diesel and 2.5 KV6 petrol engines are reliable, but head gasket failure is common on 1.8 K-Series petrol engines because of its very low coolant capacity. The Rover 75 is also a heavy car which makes the 1.8 K-Series seem stretched.
The oil cap above is what the vehicles oil cap will look like in the early stages of head gasket faliure where the oil starts to mix with the water causing this substance to appear on the inside of the oil cap, remember to check this when you are viewing the vehicle, especially on the 1.8 models.
When purchasing the car, make sure you get both keys with the car, and that neither of them have broken. If you have to replace them you could end up paying up to £150 a piece, by the time the necessary reprogramming has been done, finding a place to get the key programmed could turn out to be difficult.
Make sure all the electrics are working, as there have been reports of electrical problems, however most cars should be fine due to the fact that the 75/ZT shares its electrical architecture with the E46 BMW 3 Series. Be especially wary of the SRS connector to the seat, leading to the air bags failing, however Rimmer Brothers sell updated connectors which will therefore eliminate the problem.
The interior of the vehicle is prone to leaking which would therefore cause ECU problems, this is caused from blocked or kinked plenum chamber drains. This was fixed in later cars by a redesigned front drainage system. Check the three plenum drain points; one on each side and the centre one found at the base of the pollen filter and ECU, check water can flow freely.
Servicing the 75 and the ZT will not break the bank, it is not far from the cost of maintaining the mainstream Ford Mondeo, and is significnatly less than its premium competitors such as the C-Class and the 3 Series. Insurance is competitive too, ranging from group 8 for the non-turbo 1.8 up to 14 for the 2.6 V6. The BMW derived 2.0 Diesel engine delivers 49mpg on average, and even the 2.5 V6 petrol delivers 30mpg.
To sum up, the Rover 75 is a great bargain, a lot of car for the money, however pre-facelifts look more desirable than the facelift, however opinions vary, there are lots of 75's and ZT's to choose from, so you can afford to be picky. The car is an excellent motorway cruiser with plenty of luxury for the money and smooths out bumps like a much larger vehicle.
Spare parts for the 75 and ZT can be found from;
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