Classic Mini - how good are they?
Discussion
It depends on a few things -
(i have owned 2)
- Are you into FAST cars? well they are not.
- Are you tall or extremely fat? - you wont fit.
- Do you have freakishly long legs? - you wont fit.
- Do you want to arrive at your destination without being in massive pain?
The driving position is really bad, makes your legs hurt because you are so scrunched up.
- do you want a fun little car that everyone likes? - Go for it!
I must say i loved my minis, but if you are used to a jag or bmw then you will have a serious shock.
whatever - BUY ONE! BUT get a GENUINE Cooper, not a look-alike, and for gods sake dont fall in love with the first one you see, CHECK FOR RUST!
Im actually looking at another this weekend :-)
(i have owned 2)
- Are you into FAST cars? well they are not.
- Are you tall or extremely fat? - you wont fit.
- Do you have freakishly long legs? - you wont fit.
- Do you want to arrive at your destination without being in massive pain?
The driving position is really bad, makes your legs hurt because you are so scrunched up.
- do you want a fun little car that everyone likes? - Go for it!
I must say i loved my minis, but if you are used to a jag or bmw then you will have a serious shock.
whatever - BUY ONE! BUT get a GENUINE Cooper, not a look-alike, and for gods sake dont fall in love with the first one you see, CHECK FOR RUST!
Im actually looking at another this weekend :-)
raf_gti said:
Yes, I've just been watching the Top Gear special 
I've never heard a bad word said about a Mini before, just how good are they really? Whilst I could never run one as an only car they seem ideal as a weekend car and something that can easily be worked on.
Very nice car. But look at a few, they Rust... A lot... Everywhere. Also the rover mini you have in your original post can be a pain to work on engine wise (been told thus from a mate of mine). Looking to buy one of these cars, but an Austin Matfair 998. Mechanics look simpler and plan to do a fibreglass conversion to the front. I've never heard a bad word said about a Mini before, just how good are they really? Whilst I could never run one as an only car they seem ideal as a weekend car and something that can easily be worked on.
They are great, I love 'em! I had a 1982 newish MINI pickup in 1983, I ran about in it for two years until it was converted into a hotdog van. Then my mother bought a new black MINI 30 in 1989, and I had it off her in 2002 having covered just 400 miles, I still have it and it has now covered 12,000 dry miles.
I recomend the MINI as a main car, or as I have always done a 2nd car
I recomend the MINI as a main car, or as I have always done a 2nd car
Bebee said:
They are great, I love 'em! I had a 1982 newish MINI pickup in 1983, I ran about in it for two years until it was converted into a hotdog van. Then my mother bought a new black MINI 30 in 1989, and I had it off her in 2002 having covered just 400 miles, I still have it and it has now covered 12,000 dry miles.
I recomend the MINI as a main car, or as I have always done a 2nd car
Impressive. Nice garage too. I recomend the MINI as a main car, or as I have always done a 2nd car
The handling is excellent, and very controllable. The ride is terrible, they aren't fast, they rust, particularly in the hidden bits. You need double jointed arms and fingers to work on them. Don't crash.
Superbly small, light and nimble, makes you realise just how lardy and soggy cars have become.
Ignore the guff about needing to be small and thin to drive one, the driving position is very adjustable
If you want to drive a 50 year old design this is the best one...
Superbly small, light and nimble, makes you realise just how lardy and soggy cars have become.
Ignore the guff about needing to be small and thin to drive one, the driving position is very adjustable
If you want to drive a 50 year old design this is the best one...
I had 3 when I first drove in the mid-1980s. The driving position can be adjusted very easily by adding a short extension piece to effectively lower the steering wheel more into your lap. You end up sitting a bit further back though, so if you're anything above "short" you reduce the legroom directly behind you to nothing.
They rust quickly, as everyone says. They're not that bad to work on although any adjustments to the exhaust manifold (a job that was required regularly on one of mine because nothing fitted properly - it was old by then and had a multitude of owners) can be hard work.
The distributor on original ones was on the front of the engine, right in the grill, so got wet whenever it rained, to the detriment of your being able to start it again.
Good fun in a "kart" manner. Handling is fun. Road-holding/grip is low. Ride quality dreadful (kart - see).
If you want to take it further, there is a whole industry of upgrades probably *just* still available (not for long though, I'd wager).
They rust quickly, as everyone says. They're not that bad to work on although any adjustments to the exhaust manifold (a job that was required regularly on one of mine because nothing fitted properly - it was old by then and had a multitude of owners) can be hard work.
The distributor on original ones was on the front of the engine, right in the grill, so got wet whenever it rained, to the detriment of your being able to start it again.
Good fun in a "kart" manner. Handling is fun. Road-holding/grip is low. Ride quality dreadful (kart - see).
If you want to take it further, there is a whole industry of upgrades probably *just* still available (not for long though, I'd wager).
Brilliant 50's design, rubbish by today's standards! However, few other cars can deliver so much fun at such low speeds. Mechanicals are about as simple as you can get and everything can be performed with the most rudimentary of tool kits ........ if things will come undone of course! Best to know a friendly welder as the vast majority of the shell will require some 'refurbishment' due to the rust bug - had to replace rear sub frame, both inner sills, both outer sills, both front wings and a fair proportion of the firewall when we owned ours (front sub frame was fine due to the amount of oil the engine leaked over it!). Great for modding though - get an old 1300 'A' series engine and give it the works (full rebore, ported/polished head, revised camshaft, massive carbs, decent exhaust manifold etc) together with higher final drive ratio diff for the most smiles per mile.
They do seem to be VERY over-priced at the moment though.
admittedly i got a VERY good deal on one last year, paid onlt £1200 for a genuine, solid, rust-free(ish) '96 cooper, just needed about £250 in parts to get it on the road.
now they seem to be going for over 2500 for non-coopers, in worse condition.
admittedly i got a VERY good deal on one last year, paid onlt £1200 for a genuine, solid, rust-free(ish) '96 cooper, just needed about £250 in parts to get it on the road.
now they seem to be going for over 2500 for non-coopers, in worse condition.
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