Mini's

[HillmanImp]

My cousin used to always drive Mini's from when she passed her test up until the late 90's.

 

She is now considering getting rid of her Fiat 500 (new one) and get an old mini. She has had them before and knows what they are like so we can leave the usual 'their shit' comments but genuine look outs (i.e. where the rust is worst) and whether to go for single or multi point injection if its a 1990's Cooper (which I would have to go for as my main car) would be really helpful.

 

She is in Carlisle so maybe an idea of some good Mini garages in the area would be helpful too.

 

She also said that she realises it might be a world of pain due to costs but I don't think it would be too unreliable with proper servicing. Will be great to drive and easy to repair when it does break.

 

She seemed to be suggesting that an alternative might be a SMART car. Now, I realise there are not many cars worse than a Mini (christ I am doing despite trying to stop everyone else earlier) but I would suggest a SMART is.

 

I still think Mini's are good value for money. Despite the astronomical prices that people ask for them, they dont sell for that much and £2-2.5k for a pretty good Cooper seems reasonable. Plus it will probably hold its value pretty well whilst you have it and they are a hoot to drive (but obviously not as good as Imps).

[vulgalour]

Things I have been made aware of when I from when I first started looking at buying a car to present day on Minis are:

 

Sills usually have replacement sills over the original sills and are hard to spot until they drop off.

Floors usually rotten all along the sill edge both sides.

Boot usually rotten all the way around the edge where it joins the back of the shell.

Subframe mounts rot out, this usually means you have a dead Mini.

Bottom of the A pillars can go.

Avoid if there's rust bubbles on the trailing edge of the wing where it overlaps the A pillar.

Don't buy a Cooper/Cooper replica, it's just going to give you trouble.

 

I was always told to look for the most honest, least modified example I could, not to go spending money on super-shiny examples because they tend to be (but aren't always, obviously) the ones hiding the worst bodges and rot. Getting an 80s Mini was advised as being my best option as it has the best of both worlds in terms of build quality and classic styling without having interiors that were too overpadded and funny looking.

 

Other than that, the engines seem to go forever on the earlier cars and they work better on 10" wheels than 12". Body panels are plentiful but not always cheap and quality of pattern parts varies wildly.

 

I'm not a Mini expert, I'm just regurgitating what I've been fed over the past 10-15 years.

[Formula Autos]

This place seems to do a really good job on the non-barried Minis that customers bring in.

 

http://www.mitchellsminis.co.uk/

 

I used them myself for a rear wing respray last year (on a Ford - I don't have a Mini), and they did a cracking job for not too much coin.

 

It's in a village called Bigrigg, just off the Cumbrian coast on the A595. Less than an hour's drive from Carlisle. It might be worth ringing them to see if they've got any for sale - I think the owner restores Minis during slack periods and sells them on when they're done. You never know, if you can cut out the e-Bay fees there might be a deal to be done. If they've got one half finished they might even finish it to your cousin's spec.

 

There's even some shells from Midases and obscure Mini based kits (Hustler, possibly?) squirreled away in their compound - for the true Autoshite option.

[dollywobbler]

Minis are very easy to check for rust. Start at the front bumper and check every bit of metal until you reach the rear bumper. Post-1990 or so, they actually got WORSE for rust rather than better.

 

My wife was quite happy to use one as a daily, but they're not for everyone. I'd recommend electronic ignition of some sort as the points are a pain to access and, in our experience, need accessing a lot. Every 1000 miles or so they seemed to need re-gapping. An ignition cover is essential or progress in the rain will be a non event. There are grease points on the steering swivels and rear suspension trailing arm bearings that everyone ignores even though they shouldn't. The later ones with Efi and electronic brains might actually be a decent bet, though the Metro dizzy was electronic on most engines and can be fitted I think.

 

12" wheels are fine, though apparently the 13"s are much more about looks than any handling or ride benefits. The Sport pack of which they are a part actually blunted performance. A triumph of marketing over ability...

[Timewaster]

Agree with all of the above, they rust everywhere with the possible exception of the tyres and seat covers. That said, every pannel is available and are (mostly) simple to do.

I would buy the best (not newest) you can find and drive it into a swimming pool full of Waxoyl, or buy a crappy one and budget to replace everything.

 

As for mini specialists, I would contact a local mini club (there will be at least 2 or 3, all consisting of virgins supping real ale shandy in a village pub whilst sporting club t-shirts under their Xmas jumpers) and get some opinions. I have seen some horrenous bodges done by so called specialists.

 

Oh, Smarts are very crap. I want one.

[Talbotman]

In my experience you wont find tidy Cooper or Sportspack for the 2.5k you mentioned. The late Minis rust as bad or perhaps even worse than older ones and ive seen some horrendous rot on the very last late nineties cars - that from 10 foot away look quite tidy and its those that tend to fall in to that price range. All the usual sills, floors, a panels,scuttels rear subframes etc etc are very very prone - i think they literally threw then together with little or no rust prevention at all. For anything thats half decent id pay the extra coin and get something with a documented rebuild, heritage reshelled - or a very very low milage car.

[eddyramrod]

Not much to add to the above really...

 

Smart? To be avoided at all costs. I'd almost buy her a Mini myself if it stopped her buying a smart. (Note "almost"!)

 

Oh and if she does buy a proper Mini she will be most welcome at Coniston!

[HBR]

These days you have to really want a Mini for it to make sense, for any given amount of money you can buy something far better in just about any area of performance/ownership you can think of, except anything else wouldn't be a Mini if that is what you really want. The day when they made economical sense to run if you could put up with their short-comings has long gone.

I've ran a few over the years & they are great fun but I dont think they make sense as a daily runner unless you're a fairly commited enthusiast.

[HillmanImp]

Hmmm, I am not sure what the general consensus is here. What I really need to know is do they rust?

 

I LOL'd at Dollywobblers "Minis are very easy to check for rust. Start at the front bumper and check every bit of metal until you reach the rear bumper" and Tontops "they rust everywhere with the possible exception of the tyres and seat covers"

 

Right, so if she does get one I might need to drive up there once a year with a load of sheet steel and my mig?

 

I was thinking something like these ones look okay? Good indication of price and condition (although ebay is always a bit under market value)?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-ROVER-MINI-COOPER-1-3I-RED-WHITE-/270927528692

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-ROVER-MINI-COOPER-1380cc-mpi-/140714844610

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-ROVER-MINI-COOPER-RED-WHITE-/260972314410

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-ROVER-MINI-COOPER-RED-WHITE-/170794604047

 

Will refer her to this thread and see what she thinks. But they are so much better than a smart car IMHO. Why would you want one of them?

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The later ones with Efi and electronic brains might actually be a decent bet

Not necessarily. I know someone with a P reg Cooper which has suffered no end of electricity related running problems. They've been touring all the Mini specialists in the country with no long term fixes found. I'd rather have the relative cheapness, simplicity and spares availability of a carburettor.

 

Minis are rubbish but I love them more than anything.

 

PS: rust

[eddyramrod]

Minis can be a right barrel of laughs, but it's worth noting that when I had my last one (10 years ago) I also had a 1978 Daimler Sovereign. I did use the Mini for commuting, yes, but I had an alternative that I often used instead.

Protect the dizzy from rain, or you'll just coast to an embarrassing stop if there's a hint of moisture about. Watch out for rust, especially around the back subframe. Consider a bit of re-engineering at the bonnet catch, or you'll have some interesting dents in the top of your head. I'd say avoid 13" wheels as the tyres have to be a ridiculously low profile and will likely be much wider than they need to be. Mine was on 145-12s and was perfectly happy. Whatever wheels it has, be sure to use the correct nuts. They're noisy and pretty basic, and the driving position wasn't designed for a human, but you'll always feel like you're going 30mph faster than you are, especially round corners. That'll reliably bring on a grin. I'd say ideally you should aim for a 998 Mayfair, probably about 1987/88-ish. Don't fall for all the Cooper/Sportpack hype.

 

There you go, practical advice. I must be growing up, finally. Somebody stop me!

[Father Ted]

. What I really need to know is do they rust?

 

 

Yes, like DW says - anywhere metal

[Negative Creep]

Wish I'd bought one 10 years ago, when the later models were worthless. I still need one at some point, even if I don't have an urge to put "wacky" stickers over it and go on a charity run. Or stand around noting that everyone else has gone for the "front spots and Minilites" combo, just to be different

[gtd2000]

I bought my mother a blue 1978 T reg mini in Edinburgh around 1990 which was a hoot to drive around in.

 

2 years later, after replacing various bits (due to rust) it was given to a friend and replaced by a 1983 Honda Civic which was like a Lexus in comparison to a Lada.

 

I'd not been in a Mini for about 15 years (until last year) when I had a run in a Mini owned by my friend Ben.

 

I was shocked at how small a Mini feels and how basic it really was and the noise intrusion was something I'd not noticed before.

 

You certainly do feel that you are travelling way faster than the speedo suggests.

 

I love the look of them but now realise they are hopelessly outclassed, overpriced, bags of shite

 

Oh and not forgetting that they rust like buggery too.....

[MrDuke]

Right, so if she does get one I might need to drive up there once a year with a load of sheet steel and my mig?

 

 

No, don't be daft. I'd plan on at least twice a year, maybe an extra visit just after winter as well.

 

Seriously though, unless (as said) she's lucky enough to find a heritage re-shell (I think they were galvanised?) then it'll just slowly dissolve, even if it's kept under cover. The metal's incredibly thin, so there's no such thing as "surface rust".

 

On the good side, there are literally hundreds of mod options available off the shelf, and every single part will be available either new or through a club. If she's keeping the engine stock, then bear in mind the carbs will freeze up at speed in cold weather, and there's no way to prevent it. And it will drip oil when parked. If you fancy tuning it up for her, it's a world of fun.

 

Oh, and if she finds a de-seamed one, FFS make sure it's had extra plates welded on the reverse of the panels - there are plenty of people who'll just grind off the metal and smooth it off, which is fine until you have a gentle prang and the shell separates into four or five neat sections. The only non-structural seam is the front bumper mounting.

[gtd2000]

You know what I'd do - I'd buy a Perodua Kelisa instead of a Mini

 

Or, if you absolutely had to have something that looked like a Mini - I'd buy a Daihatsu Trevis:

 

[Father Ted]

^^^ Dihatsu looks soooo sad

[Cavcraft]

These days you have to really want a Mini for it to make sense, for any given amount of money you can buy something far better in just about any area of performance/ownership you can think of, except anything else wouldn't be a Mini if that is what you really want. The day when they made economical sense to run if you could put up with their short-comings has long gone.

I've ran a few over the years & they are great fun but I dont think they make sense as a daily runner unless you're a fairly commited enthusiast.

 

/\

This.

 

When my son wanted a first car he had his heart set on a Mini because of the cheaper insurance costs. I pointed out he'd need probably £2,000 to buy one anywhere near decent yet for £400 he'd get a perfectly useable Micra/Fiesta/Corsa and put the difference towards insurance.

I'm not anti-Mini, they're brilliant fun to drive and always make me grin, it's just they fetch stupid money for what are mostly tarted up wrecks. Also fully agree with what was said about 'specialists' having seen one a few tears back that had been 'restored' by an expert and three weeks later was involved in a minor accident. The underside and door seemed to be made if newspaper and filler, it was an absolute disgrace.

[gtd2000]

^^^ Dihatsu looks soooo sad

 

It is an unusual "face" on it - suggests lots of emotions all at the same time to me. I wouldn't mind one though

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Late Minis were indeed utter dogshit, horrid rust buckets. The Twin Point ones can be really bad news - the single point injection system was much better.

For £2500, you're not going to find anything very special and no matter what you buy, it will be a never ending litany of problems and jobs to do - adjusting brakes, sorting misfires and water leaks, balljoints, engine mounts, flooding float chamber etc etc. They just need constant attention. However, I'd be looking at a late seventies Mini 1000 or an 1100 Clubman. With regular underbody cleaning and Waxoyling it should be okay. But everyday use? She'll soon get very bored with it. As much as I like early Minis, as a breed I think they're complete shit. You'll also become a 'Mini owner' and if you've seen a Mini club stand at a car show, you'll know what a bunch of freaks they are.

£2500 will buy a much better Minor 1000 so run that idea past her.

[face]

My first 2 cars were Mini 998's and I loved them. Still do, but I reckon actually owning one and using it on a regular basis would crush my positive feelings towards them.

 

Much like playing old Spectrum games again

[pompei]

What they said. My first 4 cars were Minis, in 850 and 1000 flavours. I only kept one for a weekend. As an everyday proposition, I couldn't be bothered now. £2,500 will buy you a "real" car, shite, cla**ic or modern.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

They aren't that much hassle - my Mini's used daily and lives outside and it doesn't demand a great deal. Any negativity brought about by a flooding carb or noisy motorway stint will be forgotten the instant you throw it about a bit or squeeze into a tiny parking space no-one else could get into.

[dollywobbler]

They aren't that much hassle - my Mini's used daily and lives outside and it doesn't demand a great deal. Any negativity brought about by a flooding carb or noisy motorway stint will be forgotten the instant you throw it about a bit or squeeze into a tiny parking space no-one else could get into.

 

I'm sure my wife would agree. Well, now her annual mileage has been slashed. Have done sod all to our Mini really in the past six months. I think I changed a headlamp and put some oil in it. However, when the Mini was used every day, we were chasing issues - usually points related. When we first got the Mini, it would do at least 16 miles a day (if my wife took the train) and sometimes 60 if she drove the whole way. Chasing the rot has always been the biggest issue.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Ah, well they had electronic ignition by 93. Which is fortunate as I wouldn't fancy having to fuss with the points in such an inaccessible distributor.

[dollywobbler]

Access isn't that bad! You do perhaps have to admit that some evenings will be spent like this. I'd pretty much told my wife at this point that if she wanted to own a bloody Mini, she could fix it! (which, to be fair, she did! This was some years ago).

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Having to remove the grill (I've got spots too), and remove that blasted rain guard just to set points is a bit much. Not something you want to do by the side of the road.

 

I think the Herald has spoiled me with access.

[DSdriver]

When I was a lad, back in the late sixties my mum had a red mini traveller which by dint of a mix up at the local garage which saw the standard engine which was supposed to be put in mum's car crated up and sent to Japan whilst the race tuned cooper engine which should have gone but which looked identical on the outside was slotted into the traveller instead. The car was brilliant. It was about three months down the line when the Japanese informed the garage that the engine they had sent wasn't cutting the mustard and they realised the error of their mechanic. They phoned mum up and explained the situation and asked for their engine back. Tough titty or words to that effect was the reply.

For some strange reason, I was allowed to drive this beast and whilst it was great for pulling birds it was hopeless as a passion wagon.

You will be surprised to hear that I never had a ding in it despite driving it like an absolute lunatic, and totally unsurprised that its demise was due to it just rusting apart whilst going even faster due to the weight reduction as bits fell off.