seth Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Had a reply from the mini seller, yeah right! Hi, I am sorry that you can even think that this is an emotional blackmail thing. I can assure you that it certainly is not the case. The car has had well over the starting price spent on it, and the new car deal is not open to further negotiation with the dealership, they have already allowed more than this on the purchase price, however two thousand pounds was the difference basically from my daughter having a new car for her 21st birthday or not, and since she lives away from home and has a considerably journey to travel, anyone who knows anything about Minis will know this was never really what they were designed for, just round town and local journeys, they are not a cruising car. I already think I have over justified myself and am sorry you feel this way, this is a last ditch effort to find a new loving home for Billie, but I can't afford to be too emotional when considering the safety of my daughter traveling on the M5 every weekend.So 5 million minis were only for town and local journeys?Okay, that makes sense.Why wont people learn that an unsafe car is only unsafe if driven in a way it endangers lives?Its like him saying 'ill pass on this unsafe car to someone else'And for the record, he doesnt know anything about minis.To give him some credit, minis do SUCK if you have to drive one any distance!And they do feel hideously unsafe and dangerously low!But why get one in the first place.........Or rather, why spend X amount on a new car when they could probably get her a one or two year old one for a lot less than the 2k will save off a brand new one. The she can keep her beloved mini for fun too. Or sell it for the 1k or whatever its worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Well I think me Mk3 escort is pretty low, but I am used to something bigger and higher anyway. Wouldn't call it unsafe, but it does make me feel that way! I have never driven a mini, but when I have been a passenger in one I was not happy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearthecat Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I'm not on the side of the mini owner but I have to raise a point in comparing a rally-prepared Mini versus a standard road mini. On a rally stage the rally mini can race around fast, and has modified or completely different suspension to cope. It has a roll cage, safety harnesses and the like. A standard mini has standard suspension, no roll cage, a seatbelt and that's it. A standard mini, if rolled at speed, would be a scary thing. A motorway accident in one would be a scary thought too. Modern cars are a lot better at coping with such things, although nowt is safe if you get in a lorry sandwich or the wind blows one onto you.I do agree that for the money, they could buy their daughter a second-hand modern car - there's a lot of 80's tat on here but there are modern enough cars going for a few hundred quid, which are very safe and in decent condition. The seller has their reasons though, whatever the may be.As an auction, you're supposed to start off at a fairly bargain / lower-end price and work up to what it's worth in general, then in the final flurry you find out what it's worth to people who especially want it. Might as well be a classified ad if you want a set amount - or put a reserve on but start the bidding lower to get people going... but again, not all people work in the same ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garycox Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I love Minis, but I agree that they are awful on motorways, you always arrive shaken and deafened. Mine doesn't even have a radio, so it's mega-boring too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-M Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I have to say that I really can't see the problem with the mini seller's actions. He wants his daughter to be safe. He doesn't want to lose the £2k that the Scrappage allowance will get him, but nobody will pay him the £2k for the car any other way and now he's getting people telling him to try and negotiate £800 discount.There's virtually no chance of negotiating £800 off a small new car at the moment. Dealers can shift as many small cars as they like through scrappage without giving discount, they're not going to give up £800 just on a whim. No way. Mini's aren't as safe as new cars if you're in a crash in one. Especially at motorway speeds. 50 years ago they were 'adequate' but 50 years ago all the other cars didn't have ABS, ESP, Wall to Wall airbags, crumple zones, seatbelt pretensioners etc so the drivers of those were trying a bit harder not to be killed than they do today.If I had a car on ebay and I had a mail telling me what to do, I'd withdraw the car from the auction and drive it straight to the dealership, taking photos on the way. I'd then scrappage it and publish the photos on t'internet. The bloke knows the score, he's tried to sell the car and nobody will give him close to £2k other than the Gubbermint. At least he's tried to sell it.Sorry, but the fuss about this is just insane. Some good cars get scrapped, but that is always the way. Go to a scrapyard and there is almost always stuff that should be saved, or should have been saved. I used to go ballistic seeing MkIV Cortina Ghias in scrapyards, but I'd still buy the trim from them.Or rather, why spend X amount on a new car when they could probably get her a one or two year old one for a lot less than the 2k will save off a brand new one. The she can keep her beloved mini for fun too. Or sell it for the 1k or whatever its worth.Strikes me he wants to buy his daughter a new car for her 21st, not a secondhand one. I can kind of understand that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead_E23 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 WHY DID YOU DO THAT http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Nova-Shorty-Project-Kit-car-buggy-modified_W0QQitemZ260495940147 There seems to be an immutable law that anything described on Ebay as a 'buggy' is absolute shit. A bit like those adverts that say 'turn your [domestic appliance] into [another domestic appliance]'. They're invariably shit too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattblack Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 This is nice, must be the 4th or 5th time its been on though, it sells every time then is back on again a few days later. Private auction too.... DODGY. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170400823718 Looks ace with the proper trimz & metric tyres.Metric tyres on a Maestro ? Either way, looks a tidy mota.*COUGH* Montego... *COUGH* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Hey this is cool, pass the mig wire would you? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lancia-Fulvia-1-3_W0QQitemZ200400538209 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 This is quality. GR8 4 HIRST LIMOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayne Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I have to say that I really can't see the problem with the mini seller's actions. He wants his daughter to be safe. He doesn't want to lose the £2k that the Scrappage allowance will get him, but nobody will pay him the £2k for the car any other way and now he's getting people telling him to try and negotiate £800 discount.There's virtually no chance of negotiating £800 off a small new car at the moment. Dealers can shift as many small cars as they like through scrappage without giving discount, they're not going to give up £800 just on a whim. No way. Mini's aren't as safe as new cars if you're in a crash in one. Especially at motorway speeds. 50 years ago they were 'adequate' but 50 years ago all the other cars didn't have ABS, ESP, Wall to Wall airbags, crumple zones, seatbelt pretensioners etc so the drivers of those were trying a bit harder not to be killed than they do today.If I had a car on ebay and I had a mail telling me what to do, I'd withdraw the car from the auction and drive it straight to the dealership, taking photos on the way. I'd then scrappage it and publish the photos on t'internet. The bloke knows the score, he's tried to sell the car and nobody will give him close to £2k other than the Gubbermint. At least he's tried to sell it.Sorry, but the fuss about this is just insane. Some good cars get scrapped, but that is always the way. Go to a scrapyard and there is almost always stuff that should be saved, or should have been saved. I used to go ballistic seeing MkIV Cortina Ghias in scrapyards, but I'd still buy the trim from them.Or rather, why spend X amount on a new car when they could probably get her a one or two year old one for a lot less than the 2k will save off a brand new one. The she can keep her beloved mini for fun too. Or sell it for the 1k or whatever its worth.Strikes me he wants to buy his daughter a new car for her 21st, not a secondhand one. I can kind of understand that.All of which is fair comment.However the Mini isn't worth £2k because it suffered a shitty home restoration two years ago which destroyed its limited edition collectability and somebody has reversed into it and it needs new panels.("but this really is a fantastic example of an early mini mayfair") "my daughter is absolutely gutted at the prospect of her being crushed into a cube, and so am I"So buy a two tear old car and keep the Mini as well.But they won't do that as "probably would do with a new bonnet and grille and the wing sorting out" and "The car would benefit from a blow over with new paint for sure".The auction is complete bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negative Creep Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 This whole "old cars are deathtraps" really annoys me. I imagine 20 years ago people could barely complete a journey without being killed and the roads were littered with mangled wrecks and body parts?Of course modern cars with no steering or brake feel, massive blind spots on the a-pillars and zero rear visibility are so much safer........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 That's what I though Tayne. They want to sell the car, but only want two grand or nothing. Buy this car or I shoot the puppy! Then the seller tried to justify it with all the bullshit about wanting to 'save it from the crusher' and wanting to 'keep his daughter safe'. It's a car. You want money for it. Don't give me a lot of crap trying to get me to pay more for it..... That's my problem. If he wanted to keep his daughter safe, he could buy a 2 year old car (unless of course in that two years a new car will automatically become a death trap) for a fraction of the new one and still keep the mini, or sell it to somebody who really wants it but can't afford two grand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 This whole "old cars are deathtraps" really annoys me. I imagine 20 years ago people could barely complete a journey without being killed and the roads were littered with mangled wrecks and body parts?Of course modern cars with no steering or brake feel, massive blind spots on the a-pillars and zero rear visibility are so much safer........Well said that man! Don't get me wrong - with a Mini and a 2CV on the fleet, you have to drive with a mindset that tells you an accident would be a very, very bad idea but then that makes you a much better driver. You anticipate others like a motorbike rider would. I truly expect pretty much anyone to drive into me and when you drive like that, you can be surprisingly good at avoiding even other people's accidents. Sure, one day it might all go very wrong - something thumped my 2CV up the backend a few years back and I couldn't really do much about that - but driving a car is dangerous and I wish people in new cars would still realise that. (a lot of people still die every year, whether in a new car or not). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Too right. I find it's better to learn to drive first, before getting into the driver's seat. Driving a classic is just that, driving, as opposed to being present and operating switches..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brammy777 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Too right. I find it's better to learn to drive first, before getting into the driver's seat. Driving a classic is just that, driving, as opposed to being present and operating switches.....Ive only had driving experiance of one car, a new mini and the steering was so light and vague, i didnt like it. Of course it limits the validity of my opinion,but id rather have a car i could feel my steering input on. Oh and also, when i inevetibally stalled it, you have to depress the clutch and press a button twice, whats wrong with the good old turn of a key?But this is slightly off topic ahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 yeah come on lets get it back on topic. Scrappage sucks - FACT. This chevette looks cheap at £100 with 9 hours to go, Luton reg no and what look like Vauxhall UK reg plates (better than sercks!): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250518863566 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brammy777 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Another near ender with less than 5 minutes to go is thisSomeones in for a bargain i suspect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250518863566That's cheap for such a clean looking car. Why does it mention 'The car is right hand drive'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-M Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Of course modern cars with no steering or brake feel, massive blind spots on the a-pillars and zero rear visibility are so much safer........Well said that man! Don't get me wrong - with a Mini and a 2CV on the fleet, you have to drive with a mindset that tells you an accident would be a very, very bad idea but then that makes you a much better driver. You anticipate others like a motorbike rider would. I truly expect pretty much anyone to drive into me and when you drive like that, you can be surprisingly good at avoiding even other people's accidents. I love old cars, if I didn't, I wouldn't own the bloody things. However, I'm not going to say "Well, my driving is good enough to avoid every accident" because it isn't. Nobody is that good a driver. I wouldn't be at all happy commuting on the motorway in an old Mini, or in my P5 for the same reasons. It's the other people who you have to look out for, it's natural to drive old stuff with extra caution, 'like a biker' but if something goes wrong your chances of walking away unscathed are lower in something 50 years old than something 5 years old.I know it would be a lot easier to avoid an accident in my A6 than the P5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brammy777 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250518863566That's cheap for such a clean looking car. Why does it mention 'The car is right hand drive'?=+1 Looks like it needs a remarkably small amount of work doing to it!Considering how much people want for these now, this could be a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250518863566That's cheap for such a clean looking car. Why does it mention 'The car is right hand drive'?=+1 Looks like it needs a remarkably small amount of work doing to it!Considering how much people want for these now, this could be a bargain.Yes indeed, isn't there a growing rally interest in these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pogweasel Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Get back, ya bastids. I'm 'avin it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-M Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Looks like a 4 door saloon Chevette. Rally interest is likely to be limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Go Pog! Drove my first Chevette a couple of months ago and it was fab. Added to the ever-growing wish list... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Looks like a 4 door saloon Chevette. Rally interest is likely to be limited.Yeah good point. I never understood why you can get one of these for a few hundred, where as if that was an escort of the same year it would be eleventy billion..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Rally boys do like to buy these then hack the rear suspension out of them as its a bit different to the hatch, better angle on the shock absorbers or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brammy777 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Ebay classifieds throws up some interesting cars for an alright price RWD DRIFT YO£275, but they seem desperate for offers: Low miler 405 for £295 Beat the banger racers for this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillmanImp Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 This is quality. GR8 4 HIRST LIMOSThat is sooooo fucking cool. If only i had somewhere to store it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I've got a towbar for one of these, if anyone wants it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Ted Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Ebay classifieds throws up some interesting cars for an alright price RWD DRIFT YO£275, but they seem desperate for offers: I predict 2 door RWD will be popular with rayyists in 5 - 10 years. Then again maybe not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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