Opinions On Classic Minis

[GeorgeXS 32]

Hey all,

 

I'm after a bit of advice about classic mini's as I'm thinking about getting one for a next/second car.

 

What I want to know is:

 

Are they as much fun as people seem to make out?

 

and

 

What are they like to live with, as a daily for example? Anything in particular I should know?

 

I've only had very limited experience of being in them, caught a couple of lifts with a friend really. My dad (who I usually have fairly similar opinions with on cars) hardly sings their praises, just saying they'll feel old and cr*p now.

 

If I was to get one it would have to be fairly retro looking, 10in wheels, group 2 arches, period mk1/2 sort of look.

 

Cheers in advance.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Get one. They are good fun, it is like driving a go-kart and they do look cool.

 

Be careful where you leave it though as they are getting stolen at an alarming rate. Even heard of cases where they have moved other cars off the driveway first to get to the mini and where they've been non runners pinched out of back gardens.

 

Another plus is all parts are still available

[cRaig 273 1 Cars]

Get a midget instead! Less "common" than minis, and RWD yo

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I love Minis, my first 3 cars were Minis.

 

Yes great fun to drive, really are like a go kart.

 

However they are a design from the 1950's, so do not for one minute underestimate how fragile the engine and box can be. Drive it like you have stolen it and it WILL break time and time again. They also rot for fun, I used to set aside a full weekend before each years MOT test to go through the car do any welding and any other repairs to suspension etc, and that was on half decent Minis 15 years ago.

The sort of hard/thrash use even a tired 205 will happily manage will shag a Mini.

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

Rot is the biggest issue and will probably be everywhere if it has not been restored.

 

However, they are immense fun and are a timeless classic

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I'm after a bit of advice about classic mini's as I'm thinking about getting one for a next/second car.

 

What I want to know is:

 

Are they as much fun as people seem to make out?

Yes, every bit as much fun & then some extra, all well within the speed limit as well.

 

and

 

 

What are they like to live with, as a daily for example? Anything in particular I should know?

As said, they rot for fun, frequently & proper minis have to have 10" wheels (imo) but 12" wheels are allowable, anything bigger is just fashion.

 

They can be fragile but not all are, I had a Mini 25 for a few years as my home car & can't say I was gentle with it but it never had a any major mechanical failure, I discovered a few years into ownership that it had had an engine rebuild @ approx 50k (I ran it past 100k) & for only a 998 A+ it was a cracking little engine.

 

As with any older car, hope for a previous owner that took care of it & did things at first sign of a problem instead of letting it run until failure.

 

g

[GilesW 41]

A great classic car but I wouldn't get one now. They are a total labour of love to keep on the road.

 

Why not something like a mk1 fiesta (1.1 popular plus of course), or even a normal mk3 escort for some retro coolness?

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Why not something like a mk1 fiesta (1.1 popular plus of course), or even a normal mk3 escort for some retro coolness?

 

A very good mate of mine has a Mk1 Fezza and I know a lad with a Mk3 Escort, from the amount of welding required I would say they both also fall into the same "labour of love" category!

The Fiesta was my mates first car which he still has years later, he can count on one hand the number of original panels that are left!

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Go on eBay and look how many mk1 fiestas and mk3 escorts are for sale, then what percentage of them are any use...... Not many!

 

I'd love a mini, it'd have to be mk1/mk2 mind, I simply can't afford though, prices keep going up and up

[GilesW 41]

 

A very good mate of mine has a Mk1 Fezza and I know a lad with a Mk3 Escort, from the amount of welding required I would say they both also fall into the same "labour of love" category!

The Fiesta was my mates first car which he still has years later, he can count on one hand the number of original panels that are left!

Completely agree. Any 80's Ford always suffered - even back in the 80's.

 

I just can't help feeling the mini scene is all a bit 'mk1/2' escort now and looking for the newer generation of classics would be more rewarding.

 

Saying that- what the hell are the next classics.

[GeorgeXS 32]

Thanks for the input guys, that helps sure a few things up in my mind! Good to hear that they are plenty fun enough.

 

Prepared for large amounts of rust, can't weld very well currently, but its been on my list of things to learn for some time so getting one would make for good practice!

 

Also tempted by a engine conversion to something like a micra, more power plus reliability.

 

Not interested by most Ford's, and the ones I do like are far far too expensive!

 

Get a midget instead! Less "common" than minis, and RWD yo

 

Yeah, not really keen on MG's on the whole, just couldn't bring myself to own one!

[omega 82]

classis mini with 10 inch wheels and a center exhaust cant go wrong.

one thing that others have missed is the heater very poor,

[speno 239 2 Cars]

I still have my first Mini clubman

well the slam panel if that counts and the number plates

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Never been a fan but next door to me has quite a few from Honda Vtec, Body and roof chop, Metro Turbo engined, Dead easy to fix thou just need to be brave with a grinder and know which panels to buy.

Just need to get him to do a 106 GTi engine one, They fit very well

[GeorgeXS 32]

Well I decided against a Mini in the end, one for the future certainly though. So, at a time when I should be killing myself in the library doing my dissertation I decided to go and buy a car, this car specifically:

 

Which is rather fun, shame i can't go out and drive it until mid-May when my car insurance is due for renewal and uni will be over .

Edited March 30, 2014 by GeorgeXS

[welshpug 1,657]

can you weld?

 

because those things can rust for fun too, damned jap corrosion inhabitance isn't great

[GeorgeXS 32]

Ermm....badly. But as said in my opening post I have been wanting to learn for ages! That being said I made sure I have got hold of a very rust free example, it was top priority.

[boldy205 75]

Got to be better than a mini! Sure you have read all about S/C and turbos! ;-)

[Malc 45]

Nice car for the wife

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

[GeorgeXS 32]

Yeah yeah, come on, get the jokes out of your system!

 

Then watch this:

 

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

How do you find the insurance on the import in comparison to a UK car? My girlfriend has her heart set on one of these so we are lookinh at 3 tomorrow but they are all UK cars.

[Malc 45]

Uk or import makes no difference, both women's motors, seriously I can't help taking the P, they are great cars to drive, I would have one myself but I can't drive with a balaclava on everyday.

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

My girlfriend bought one yesterday. It was nice to drive but not something that I'd want for myself. She got a mk2 UK car.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I have always found that the majority of folk who take the piss out of MX5's have never driven one, they are very good to drive.

 

I say majority because I've driven a few, yes they are good to drive, but I still make the most of the hairdresser jokes !!!!!!!