Discussion
Quick question; Can you go back to using a mini as your only mode of transport after being kept far warmer and safer in your later cars?
I've been pondering for something but i cant see me being able to go back to a mini full time (like when i was back at college or uni)?
Anyone else been in a similar postion of not wanting to run two cars and hoping that you wouldnt need anything but the mini?
I've been pondering for something but i cant see me being able to go back to a mini full time (like when i was back at college or uni)?
Anyone else been in a similar postion of not wanting to run two cars and hoping that you wouldnt need anything but the mini?
Can you go back to using a mini full time? Hell yeah!!!!
We've just sold our BMW MINI, which was warmer and it WAS much safer but the whole reason we've got rid of the thing is because it was so damn boring!! Sometimes a car with character far outways the times where you'd maybe wish that your car WOULD start first time or that every trip to a garage meant another part replacement bill. But when it comes down to it, don't mini's just make you feel good inside, like a kid with his toy car!??!!?? Maybe it's just us then but I love my mini and am really looking forward to getting another addition to our mini family!
We've just sold our BMW MINI, which was warmer and it WAS much safer but the whole reason we've got rid of the thing is because it was so damn boring!! Sometimes a car with character far outways the times where you'd maybe wish that your car WOULD start first time or that every trip to a garage meant another part replacement bill. But when it comes down to it, don't mini's just make you feel good inside, like a kid with his toy car!??!!?? Maybe it's just us then but I love my mini and am really looking forward to getting another addition to our mini family!
Edited by minimonkey on Saturday 4th April 21:37
I would say only you know if you can really cope with a small car every day.
My daily commute in our mini is a 50 mile round trip on A and B roads. Been doing it for a couple of years and now the car has 61k miles on it and is getting tired. If I'm honest I'm a bit fed up as well. We do have a family car as well which I've started using a bit more for a change, but it doesn't compare well to the mini on fuel so my wallet is taking a hit.
From my experience - racking up the miles means more maintenance, the roads near me are shocking (especially in a sportpack), everyone wants to get in front of me maybe they think I am slow, it's a pain fumbling with keys when it's raining, if I buy something big I have to think about how I'll get it home, the heater is either on full or off, I get blinded by oncoming headlamps and the road salting in winter dissoves the car at an alarming rate. I think traffic calming humps are probably the thing that gets on my nerves the most and the exhaust has taken a battering.
Having said all that, I believe cars need to be driven, and occasionally I get a clear run on a sunny day and all is forgiven
My daily commute in our mini is a 50 mile round trip on A and B roads. Been doing it for a couple of years and now the car has 61k miles on it and is getting tired. If I'm honest I'm a bit fed up as well. We do have a family car as well which I've started using a bit more for a change, but it doesn't compare well to the mini on fuel so my wallet is taking a hit.
From my experience - racking up the miles means more maintenance, the roads near me are shocking (especially in a sportpack), everyone wants to get in front of me maybe they think I am slow, it's a pain fumbling with keys when it's raining, if I buy something big I have to think about how I'll get it home, the heater is either on full or off, I get blinded by oncoming headlamps and the road salting in winter dissoves the car at an alarming rate. I think traffic calming humps are probably the thing that gets on my nerves the most and the exhaust has taken a battering.
Having said all that, I believe cars need to be driven, and occasionally I get a clear run on a sunny day and all is forgiven
Thanks for the responses guys
Yer i ended up getting fed up with my two minis and the thought of doing 100 miles to bristol and back each weekend meant i gave them up. I managed to rack up more than 30k in the first 2.5 years whilst a student.
However the primarily drive has come about as i'm moving to the other end of the country and really want a project to get stuck into whilst up there but at the end of it all i do want to use it on a regular basis?
A hard one really and one i can only answer as its the time, money and patience that are the unknown in these things.
Been budgeting on my ideal and i reckon if i get a new shell and recon'd bits it would be around 6.5k (which i know then should be doubled lol.....
) then i reckon the best part of a year to build if im doing a couple nights a week...... but patience is something you cant decide upon and i dont want to end up hating it like so many people as things dont always go to plan.
Will see
Thanks
Tom
Yer i ended up getting fed up with my two minis and the thought of doing 100 miles to bristol and back each weekend meant i gave them up. I managed to rack up more than 30k in the first 2.5 years whilst a student.
However the primarily drive has come about as i'm moving to the other end of the country and really want a project to get stuck into whilst up there but at the end of it all i do want to use it on a regular basis?
A hard one really and one i can only answer as its the time, money and patience that are the unknown in these things.
Been budgeting on my ideal and i reckon if i get a new shell and recon'd bits it would be around 6.5k (which i know then should be doubled lol.....
) then i reckon the best part of a year to build if im doing a couple nights a week...... but patience is something you cant decide upon and i dont want to end up hating it like so many people as things dont always go to plan.Will see
Thanks
Tom
The answer is so specific to your situation. Living in Central London ironically I would never run my mini as a daily driver/sole car (even though I did as a student, before every back road had speed calming...). Spending it's days outside getting dirty/damaged/damp/rusting to then be tortured over mountainous speed bumps.
However, if I lived where my parents do, an 9 mile commute to work, four miles of which is on country roads, and a garage space at each end, then the mini could be my only transport from March to October each year without regrets. I would still want a second car once the gritters come out though!
However, if I lived where my parents do, an 9 mile commute to work, four miles of which is on country roads, and a garage space at each end, then the mini could be my only transport from March to October each year without regrets. I would still want a second car once the gritters come out though!
Interesting question.
I live in New Jersey, not dissimilar to living in Greater London, huge amount of traffic coupled with poor standards of driving. Last year I got a new Audi TT, technically interesting with DSG gearbox fairly quick and super comfortable for touring, great daily driver....BUT zero charachter and all I could do was wash it on a Sunday. So I decided to go in search of something that would be fun and had a bit of heritage/charachter about it, and let me get my hands dirty in the garage. Found it in the shape of a 1969 Morris Mini 998cc - very very slow, very very noisy and gets more attention than anything the right side of $100K. However I wouldn't dream of using it everyday even though my commute is only 6 or 7 miles each way. The brakes are good for drums all round but I can't help but feel vunerable when surrounded by SUV's and pick up trucks that tower over you
I suppose that for the same reason a giant Yank tank isn't great for every day in the UK, a 40 year Mini isn't ideal in modern day America. On quiet Sunday mornings though I get the little bugger out and do my best Paddy Hopkirk impression round the neighbourhood - single S.U slurping, gearbox whining and a big grin on my face, more smiles per hour than the Audi for sure.
I live in New Jersey, not dissimilar to living in Greater London, huge amount of traffic coupled with poor standards of driving. Last year I got a new Audi TT, technically interesting with DSG gearbox fairly quick and super comfortable for touring, great daily driver....BUT zero charachter and all I could do was wash it on a Sunday. So I decided to go in search of something that would be fun and had a bit of heritage/charachter about it, and let me get my hands dirty in the garage. Found it in the shape of a 1969 Morris Mini 998cc - very very slow, very very noisy and gets more attention than anything the right side of $100K. However I wouldn't dream of using it everyday even though my commute is only 6 or 7 miles each way. The brakes are good for drums all round but I can't help but feel vunerable when surrounded by SUV's and pick up trucks that tower over you
I suppose that for the same reason a giant Yank tank isn't great for every day in the UK, a 40 year Mini isn't ideal in modern day America. On quiet Sunday mornings though I get the little bugger out and do my best Paddy Hopkirk impression round the neighbourhood - single S.U slurping, gearbox whining and a big grin on my face, more smiles per hour than the Audi for sure. 
I used mine as a daily right up till I SORN'd it at the end of March. 5 years of commuting the M1/A52 from Nottingham to Derby (50 mile round trip daily) has taken its toll and she now needs a total refurb.
Going to take her to bits, fix her up and put her back together again.
Keeping her as an Equinox too.
Trace
Going to take her to bits, fix her up and put her back together again.
Keeping her as an Equinox too.
Trace
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