31 replies to this topic

[Tommyboy12]

That T3 video is misleading. Its actually a crash test showing what happens to an overladen vehicle in a crash.

This video is much more representative of the T3:

qO_AfCFQR2M

Edited by Tommyboy12, 15 March 2011 - 04:25 PM.

[nathansminis]

Get the slightly earlier rover metro, and its still powered by your favorite a-series!

This is mine. Was used daily until i got my Audi. Sooo much fun to drive, and you can get stuff in the boot!!





(currently for sale too!!)

[megamini_jb]

@nathansminis thats well nice

[cradley-heathen]

i have just sold my mk1 metro, was in amazing condition and was really comfortable to drive on any journey.

they do rust yes, and rear arches are hard to fix properly, but compared to minis they are much easier to weld up. and i am talkin from quite allot of experience, i used to work at a place that specialised in metros and i welded up maybe 30-40 in about 2 1/2 years, i have also welded up tons of minis too and the minis are by far the worse of the 2. with minis when one bit goes, the rest follows shortly, at least with the metros there was a distinct line between the rot and the solid bits.

other metro bad points are the hydrolastic suspension, yeah its comfortable, but its tricky to tweak, performance parts are liek hens teeth too

they can be made to go just as well as a mini, and can be made to handle well, my mk1 turned allot fo heads and got allot of respect from anyone old enough to realise what it was.

on reflection though, i only kept the metro for 3 months, having sold one mini to buy it, and now im goimg back to another mini. i lve metros, but there aint as good as minis by a good way.

having said that, my metro was mint, 23k on the clock and never been welded at 30 years old, a mini in the same condition would cost about £2.5k more!

[traineecollins]

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I'm a Metro guy and on here primarily to try and locate my Dad's old Mk1 Cooper S.

However in defence of the Metro, I have been in a VVC Metro that puts out nearly 180bhp and did a 13.8 at the Pod. At the time it had only a front anti roll bar and we were doing 35 round roundabouts and it felt like it was glued to the road. I myself only had a 1.1 and it is nippy, I have outdone a mates 1.25 Fiesta.

As for rusting and putting them down for it. They were made by the same blokes in the same factory, by the same metal and came out the same gate as the Mini, so I really don't see how you can prejudice it for it. As for crash results.... you have minis... :/

I may sound biased, but my Dad who was fanatical about his Cooper S that he due to circs had to sell in 1990 much prefers the MG Metro he has with 40k, he is not 'Metro nut'. It belonged to an old neighbour of ours and she garage kept it, so when she gave up driving he bought it. It has the same A series charm as the mini [I do love the sound] and as much as I'd love to drive it everyday, I couldn't rely on the A series- I'm sorry.

The Metro is very comfortable as it has Hydragas fluid/ gas suspension [which some minis have?] and is very comfortable. I have done probably 1400 miles of hard motorway driving in the15k I have done and I've never had a bad back yet- although I do have Metro GTi seats in it. That's my own Rover 111 I am talking about, with the K series engine- which I'm sure you guys know about. I must stress, for those that don't that the Head gasket issues that most 'normal' non car people go on about are no where near as bad as people make out, especially if you look after it and that the 800 odd quid repair quotes are ridiculous and rip offs, a quality repair using genuine parts and uprated gasket could be done for 400. Those that fail again, didn't address the original issues, ie: a leaky water pump, perished rubber tubes or not skimming the head [only if required due to severe overheating].

Great and highly recommended guys for MGR HG repairs: http://www.mgroversolutions.com/
- Highly recommended on many forums
- He travels to do to work at your home or work
- Reasonable rates
- MGR specialist, not some local garage that will try to rip you off.

The most reliable engine to get in a metro seems to be a 94 or early 95 wet liner 1.1 8 valve, presumably as they are well in their 'capability' range and is the original carnation of the K, not stressed like the 1.8 is, derived from the 1.1 & 1.4.

There are lots of Metros out there to choose from, some with silly low miles, which may or may not have crusty arches, but they are so easy to repair, as they have arches panels that can be welded straight in. There are lots of Metros/ 100s still in scrappies and easy access to parts which is the total opposite to minis. In all, they are easy to get, easy to find a low milager, cheap to buy and cheap mod, and cheap to run.

Yes, I am a Metro guy and you guys like minis, but I wish there wasn't the prejudice against them, as they were built with the same metal, by the same blokes in the same factory, and excuses that they rust simply do not wash. lol

Anyways, I hope this isn't seen as a rant, but a defence of the Metro and that the info I have given proves useful for in the future if anyone considers a Metro.

Ill leave you with the following:
www.metropower.org.uk



Thanks!

Edited by traineecollins, 20 July 2011 - 11:21 AM.

[Mini_Magic]

Cinquecento's are rubbish aswell

No they're not.

• They have a proper galvanized body
• They fair better in a crash then a Mini or a Metro, side impact bars and crumple zones
• They're almost as cheap as Metros to buy
• They handle and drive great
• The parts are dirt cheap
• The economy is fantastic, I regularly get 50mpg from mine
• They're surprisingly reliable

I could go on.

Let me guess, they're rubbish because you saw Simon driving one on E4?

Why one earth would you want to sell your Mini for a Metro?

Edited by Mini_Magic, 20 July 2011 - 11:14 AM.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Didnt expect to see you on here David!! Metropower and TMF unite...


I dont care what anybody says about Metros, I'll be there to defend. The price you pay is rediculous to be honest... I picked up a mint one for less than £500... a Mini in probably WORSE condition would be at least £1400 going by my experience of the Mini market in the last few years.

Those of you that says a Metro handles like crap, if people bothered with sorting suspension out and getting it pumped up when needed, and instead of letting the liquid out got it individulized properly you'd be amazed at how well they handle.

Regarding the rust, later Metros suffer from rust much like MPi Minis did, when Rover decided to use thinner metals and less paint. Mines perfect, it'll need a small patch on the right hand rear arch since it's just starting to bubble, but other than that its 100% rust free.

[Mini_Magic]

I have to agree that Minis share a lot of the same problems as Metros yet they overlook them when it's a Mini.

[Tommyboy12]

Cinquecentos are pretty crap. They dont fair any better than the Metro in crash tests. The Rover 100 and Fiat Cinquecento are the two worst crash tested cars ever by NCAP. My sisters was totally rotten too. Might be galvanized but it doesnt make the body last any longer than a Metro/100.

[Mini_Magic]

Cinquecentos are pretty crap. They dont fair any better than the Metro in crash tests. The Rover 100 and Fiat Cinquecento are the two worst crash tested cars ever by NCAP. My sisters was totally rotten too. Might be galvanized but it doesnt make the body last any longer than a Metro/100.

Rover Metro = 1 star
Fiat Cinquecento = 1 1/2 stars

Only half a star I know, but it still fairs a little better.

I've never heard of a Cinquecento rusting, whereas there's barely any Metros on the road mainly because of rust.

Truth be told, if you're worried about safetly then you shouldn't even be looking at Minis, Metros or Cinquecentos.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

I think if an accidents bad enough to do real damage then it'll do it anyway. I dont think a 106/saxo/something with a higher rating would fare any better than my metro.

[Dan]

Perhaps you should look up the meaning of the word rating then...

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Perhaps you should look up the meaning of the word rating then...

So do you genuinely think that a crash at 60mph for example, you'd be a lot better off in a saxo than a metro because it has a higher NCAP? If a crash is bad enough to hurt you then it's gonna hurt you in a small car anyway... unless you drive a BMW or Merc then we're all as venerable as each other if you ask me.

[blacktulip]

im a big metro fan too. i would have my old metro turbo back tomorrow if i could. anyone got any nice pictures of metro turbo's?

[minilester]

i youetube'd my a class merc... and the videos show a bloody good design when it comes to crashes! cant find the NCAP rating... anyone help it a w168



... ok this may be a slight highjack :S