£1000 Vectra SRI daily shed
Discussion
That's the problem with a good cheap car. Almost anything you replace it with will cost more, and if you buy something nice then you can end up worring about scrapes and dents.
My sister has a mk1 focus 1.6. It gets horribly abused, minimally serviced, but it just keeps passing MOTs. I do feel sorry for it. I often wonder if i should borrow it and give it frrash fluids/filters/plugs etc.
My sister has a mk1 focus 1.6. It gets horribly abused, minimally serviced, but it just keeps passing MOTs. I do feel sorry for it. I often wonder if i should borrow it and give it frrash fluids/filters/plugs etc.
Cambs_Stuart said:
That's the problem with a good cheap car. Almost anything you replace it with will cost more, and if you buy something nice then you can end up worring about scrapes and dents.
My sister has a mk1 focus 1.6. It gets horribly abused, minimally serviced, but it just keeps passing MOTs. I do feel sorry for it. I often wonder if i should borrow it and give it frrash fluids/filters/plugs etc.
Exactly, this was the reason I got this MINI, purely for the not caring cosmetically side of motoring, it got very tiresome worrying about a car you "care" about.My sister has a mk1 focus 1.6. It gets horribly abused, minimally serviced, but it just keeps passing MOTs. I do feel sorry for it. I often wonder if i should borrow it and give it frrash fluids/filters/plugs etc.
With the stupid used car prices still holding strong, I need to try get a good year out this before I can be tempted to look for a replacement.
Should see me up to around 150,000+ miles by the end of this year I think.
757 said:
Birmingham and back, so roughly 200 miles, the MINI drove quite admirably, all motorway so a steady 60/68mph I was really driving as defensively as possible.
Even free ULEZ in the Birmingham city emission zone...bonus!
Funny, doing such a big drive in a small engined car, you almost have to treat it like a single speed bicycle, in that sense I mean, using momentum rather than power!
So I stuck £30 worth of fuel in, ran around abit before the trip and then did the trip there and back, according to the trip computer I did 280miles, so that was all on £30 worth!!!
Staggeringly good I think, yes I wasn't driving fast, just keeping up, and moving in and out of the lorries as I went.
Bit peed off though as I've had to spend some money....the crappy squeeking wipers, so £10 later some ASDA specials sorting that out
Quick engine check, all looks ok, fluid all good. Can't fault this MINI, I keep looking at what I can replace it with (can't help it) but, it's working really well at the moment, and this work trip has proven itself again, plus work can pay my fuel expenses, ha, making me money I suppose.
These large Minis are very happy to sit on the motorway, and pretty good on fuel. My R55 while lowered is happy to cruise on the motorway for mile after mile Even free ULEZ in the Birmingham city emission zone...bonus!
Funny, doing such a big drive in a small engined car, you almost have to treat it like a single speed bicycle, in that sense I mean, using momentum rather than power!
So I stuck £30 worth of fuel in, ran around abit before the trip and then did the trip there and back, according to the trip computer I did 280miles, so that was all on £30 worth!!!
Staggeringly good I think, yes I wasn't driving fast, just keeping up, and moving in and out of the lorries as I went.
Bit peed off though as I've had to spend some money....the crappy squeeking wipers, so £10 later some ASDA specials sorting that out
Quick engine check, all looks ok, fluid all good. Can't fault this MINI, I keep looking at what I can replace it with (can't help it) but, it's working really well at the moment, and this work trip has proven itself again, plus work can pay my fuel expenses, ha, making me money I suppose.
Edited by 757 on Saturday 22 January 10:49
More work trips in the MINI, I did start looking today at something bigger, but I literally can't and don't want to buy another unknown with such a ridiculous mark up on used car prices at the moment, with this MINI now running pretty good at the moment.
Another 200 mile round trip on a photoshoot, this is my photo gear for the two days, lighter than usual..so it just about fits, and I could always put the seats down if I am desperate but this is safer I suppose in case of a hard stop.
Another 200 mile round trip on a photoshoot, this is my photo gear for the two days, lighter than usual..so it just about fits, and I could always put the seats down if I am desperate but this is safer I suppose in case of a hard stop.
Nearly won a 2008 Civic 1.4vtec on ebay yesterday, was the highest bidder, then was beaten by £50, I set my maximum and let it run, just was thinking of having more space over the MINI more a convienience than a need really, as you can make do, it was only 10 miles away so I did go to view it and have a good look over it and was fairly happy with it, interior on these "space age" 2008 Civics are still great, aged really well.
But, I was happy I set my maximum bid, it needed a couple of tyres and a service, so before you know it you've spent £200 already without anything else you may find out with an unknown.
So couldn't justify anymore bidding, didn't get 'bid happy" near the end, had to stick to my guns, really quite impressed with my restraint here also.
So, the MINI has survived a very close call! Kind of secretly happy a little bit it's still here.
But, I was happy I set my maximum bid, it needed a couple of tyres and a service, so before you know it you've spent £200 already without anything else you may find out with an unknown.
So couldn't justify anymore bidding, didn't get 'bid happy" near the end, had to stick to my guns, really quite impressed with my restraint here also.
So, the MINI has survived a very close call! Kind of secretly happy a little bit it's still here.
Edited by 757 on Sunday 6th February 10:53
757 said:
A500leroy said:
All you need to do is get some red sticky vinyl to put over the back side windows and a mirror finish sticky vinyl over the rear screen and then you have a MINI minivan for your gear.
That's a bloody great idea! 
If you look on the MOG on FB, there’s a guy on there who does a rear seat delete kit from £130.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/miniownersgroup/pe...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/miniownersgroup/pe...
Can see me running this MINI for the remaining year and getting something else, so doing a rear seat delete mod won't be for me, could really do with 5 doors aswell.
I keep looking all the time at the market, and have always dismissed the Honda's, don't know why I have, but alot of reviews really rate those Civics, could do much worse I'm sure.
Would have to be the 1.4 VTEC, and not the i-DSI early one, just to have at least some grunt, but quite happy with a smaller displacement, and it's not really a chore in this 75bhp MINI once you get going.
I keep looking all the time at the market, and have always dismissed the Honda's, don't know why I have, but alot of reviews really rate those Civics, could do much worse I'm sure.
Would have to be the 1.4 VTEC, and not the i-DSI early one, just to have at least some grunt, but quite happy with a smaller displacement, and it's not really a chore in this 75bhp MINI once you get going.
fitted a new exhaust on it recently after the former fell off. Realised that the garage who replaced it about 6 years ago never bothered to replace the rubber hangers at the same time, these were shot to bits and allowing the whole system to flex too much.
146k miles now.
Also got an air con gas recharge kit so will give that a go nearer the spring.
146k miles now.
Also got an air con gas recharge kit so will give that a go nearer the spring.
southendpier said:
fitted a new exhaust on it recently after the former fell off. Realised that the garage who replaced it about 6 years ago never bothered to replace the rubber hangers at the same time, these were shot to bits and allowing the whole system to flex too much.
146k miles now.
Also got an air con gas recharge kit so will give that a go nearer the spring.
Good going! Heard a few people have issues with the exhausts 'dropping off' may be a common issue, with not replacing the hangers.146k miles now.
Also got an air con gas recharge kit so will give that a go nearer the spring.
I am on 145,400 miles as of this morning....catching you up ha! I don't have air-con, so no worry there about recharging it for me
So, I knew there was a slight hole/missing piece of grille on this MINI, but it looks to me either it's snapped off at "ultra high speed"....hmmm highly doubtful in this car, or someone has reversed into it thus making the hole bigger....
Either way I am not bothered.
Just ordered some rear ARB bushes (£10) so will attempt these when they arrive, looks simple enough if the bolts are all good and free.
Either way I am not bothered.
Just ordered some rear ARB bushes (£10) so will attempt these when they arrive, looks simple enough if the bolts are all good and free.
.. looks like I was bothered. £20 later from local scrappers, it has a new face, albeit chrome, it was all they had in (easy to remove and fit)...
Also, picked up a £5 dipstick, to fix my broken handled one.
Few more things to fix/attempt in the coming weeks, ARB bushes rear and front droplinks, as these are making an absolute racket, and I know for a fact they are still original, so had a good innings!
Also, picked up a £5 dipstick, to fix my broken handled one.
Few more things to fix/attempt in the coming weeks, ARB bushes rear and front droplinks, as these are making an absolute racket, and I know for a fact they are still original, so had a good innings!
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