Mini - things to know?
Discussion
Contemplating a "cheap" runaround and found myself looking at new Mini's among others and may go out and have a look locally at the weekend so I'm trying to very quickly understand if there's much "need to know" stuff?
I don't do loads of miles but I'm fussy so my ideal would be the one or two owner car where even if it's a bit older you'd hope it's been well looked after.
For let's say up to £5-6K is there much I need to know or does it just come down to obvious things like condition and history and cross your fingers a bit as it's the lower end of the market?
I'm not mechanical so I won't be in a position to really check anything other than the bloody obvious
Couple of examples within an hour of me that don't seem to be in a back street lock up in Birmingham and that seem to be actual garages you can just turn up at without an appointment.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14476827
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/13982592
I don't do loads of miles but I'm fussy so my ideal would be the one or two owner car where even if it's a bit older you'd hope it's been well looked after.
For let's say up to £5-6K is there much I need to know or does it just come down to obvious things like condition and history and cross your fingers a bit as it's the lower end of the market?
I'm not mechanical so I won't be in a position to really check anything other than the bloody obvious
Couple of examples within an hour of me that don't seem to be in a back street lock up in Birmingham and that seem to be actual garages you can just turn up at without an appointment.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14476827
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/13982592
I don't know if the later cars are as bad, but the suspension on my dads R51 diesel is rock hard. I have driven it a couple of times, but I could not live with it as you end up bracing yourself as you approach speed bumps.
The suspension on my Renault Megane is like a Rolls Royce in comparison.
I don't know how you could drive one with the current poor condition of the roads and number of potholes.
The suspension on my Renault Megane is like a Rolls Royce in comparison.
I don't know how you could drive one with the current poor condition of the roads and number of potholes.
My mate recently bought a 2011 Cooper for £5k and he really likes it. I think they're a safer bet in terms of timing chain than the Cooper S. His has done 100k miles and runs fine.
I've had a quick drive in it and it seems like a lot of fun. No ball of fire as it's NA but it feels small, light and eager.
Possibly look at a Swift Sport too?
I've had a quick drive in it and it seems like a lot of fun. No ball of fire as it's NA but it feels small, light and eager.
Possibly look at a Swift Sport too?
Have a R56 'One' as a stop gap between cars, was a main dealer part-ex disposal. A bit like the red one you've shown but older.
Nice enough package but surprisingly not a great town car, the performance isn't "nippy" at low speeds/gears and it is terrible on fuel consumption which kind of defeats the object. Also the doors are freakishly heavy so a pain for kids to open.
Good on the motorway for this size of car and pulls well at higher speeds. Very odd.
Handling is great, ride acceptable and is kind of classless unlike a sheddy Corsa.
Won't miss it when I no longer need it though.
Nice enough package but surprisingly not a great town car, the performance isn't "nippy" at low speeds/gears and it is terrible on fuel consumption which kind of defeats the object. Also the doors are freakishly heavy so a pain for kids to open.
Good on the motorway for this size of car and pulls well at higher speeds. Very odd.
Handling is great, ride acceptable and is kind of classless unlike a sheddy Corsa.
Won't miss it when I no longer need it though.
Edited by Yomamaisasnowblower on Thursday 26th January 23:07
ChrisH72 said:
My mate recently bought a 2011 Cooper for £5k and he really likes it. I think they're a safer bet in terms of timing chain than the Cooper S. His has done 100k miles and runs fine.
I've had a quick drive in it and it seems like a lot of fun. No ball of fire as it's NA but it feels small, light and eager.
Possibly look at a Swift Sport too?
Thanks (and to others).I've had a quick drive in it and it seems like a lot of fun. No ball of fire as it's NA but it feels small, light and eager.
Possibly look at a Swift Sport too?
Been looking at all sorts from Golf to Jazz to Yaris to Volvos.
I think I'm at a depressingly boring point where I've had plenty of nice new cars and big cars but I just can't justify the cost for the use they get.
There's something sort of timeless about a Mini but the way I am I might do nothing at all or change my mind tomorrow
Interesting point about the fuel consumption I'd assumed 45 MPG ish for mixed driving including an A road commute.
Have a look at the VW Up! or the Skoda and Seat equivalents. Pound for pound you may get a slightly newer car and they’re pretty simple to maintain, and a good drive in the city.
I love the Mini and came close to buying one recently (despite it being impossibly impractical), but at this age and budget I think I’d look elsewhere.
I love the Mini and came close to buying one recently (despite it being impossibly impractical), but at this age and budget I think I’d look elsewhere.
Thanks, my work commute is mainly dual and single carriageways though but with some city with a clean air zone so that's a consideration.
I may go look at a car supermarket type place tomorrow as I find sometimes walking past stuff you see things you wouldn't otherwise have thought of.
Again if I saw something a few grand more it isn't about affording it it's justifying it when it spends a good chunk of its life sat on the drive.
Rightly or wrongly lockdown and WFH has made me think very differently about motoring expenses.
I may go look at a car supermarket type place tomorrow as I find sometimes walking past stuff you see things you wouldn't otherwise have thought of.
Again if I saw something a few grand more it isn't about affording it it's justifying it when it spends a good chunk of its life sat on the drive.
Rightly or wrongly lockdown and WFH has made me think very differently about motoring expenses.
I know someone who had a mini and their biggest complaint was that it wouldn't clear speed bumps without scrapping the bottom, and the ride was a bit harsh. I drove it once and found that the power steering was almost non existent. Not sure if there was a problem or if they're all like that.
QJumper said:
I know someone who had a mini and their biggest complaint was that it wouldn't clear speed bumps without scrapping the bottom, and the ride was a bit harsh. I drove it once and found that the power steering was almost non existent. Not sure if there was a problem or if they're all like that.
Sounds a bit unusual but thanks it's a fair point and it's all those little things you'd probably never know or even think of.Mrs Tidy bought a new Mini One (R50) in 2003 and loved it, until someone down our road pulled out of his drive into the front corner of it less than6 months later. It had a good repair but she never felt as happy with it.
Sytner invited her to the launch of the R56 in late 2006 and sure enough an order was placed before we left. She collected her Cooper on 23 December, just in time for Xmas. She still has it 16 years later!
They both drove really well but the engine in the newer one just felt better, more responsive and keener to rev. Hnadled like go-karts, but the ride quality was noticeably better on the newer one even though it had run-flats and the first one didn't.
No major issues with either and her current one shows an average of just over 40mpg on the OBC.
I really like them, and have first refusal if she ever sells hers!
Sytner invited her to the launch of the R56 in late 2006 and sure enough an order was placed before we left. She collected her Cooper on 23 December, just in time for Xmas. She still has it 16 years later!
They both drove really well but the engine in the newer one just felt better, more responsive and keener to rev. Hnadled like go-karts, but the ride quality was noticeably better on the newer one even though it had run-flats and the first one didn't.
No major issues with either and her current one shows an average of just over 40mpg on the OBC.
I really like them, and have first refusal if she ever sells hers!
2012 1.6 Cooper Convertible owner here, 120k miles.
Nippy runaround. Nice and cheap to maintain. Not much gone wrong with it over 3 years and still easily worth what I paid for it. The 2 bigger problems I have had are well documented on the internet - water pump and thermostat.
Convertible is fun. Controls are a bit old school, and interior is generally quite basic, but hard wearing.
Just need to watch oil level as they all burn oil, maybe 0.5 -1.0 oil per 1000 miles. Takes some getting used to.
Nippy runaround. Nice and cheap to maintain. Not much gone wrong with it over 3 years and still easily worth what I paid for it. The 2 bigger problems I have had are well documented on the internet - water pump and thermostat.
Convertible is fun. Controls are a bit old school, and interior is generally quite basic, but hard wearing.
Just need to watch oil level as they all burn oil, maybe 0.5 -1.0 oil per 1000 miles. Takes some getting used to.
Thanks going to have a nose today.
Interesting comments on the oil didn't expect that!
Also finding myself looking at a couple of Honda Civics around the same price point which are chalk and cheese I guess but there's always that nagging doubt about reliability and Honda's supposedly being bulletproof.
Shame there's no way on Autotrader or PistonHeads to filter dealers by some sort of "show me dealers who have premises where I can go and walk around and look" as there seem to be so many back street lock up "by appointment" type places.
Interesting comments on the oil didn't expect that!
Also finding myself looking at a couple of Honda Civics around the same price point which are chalk and cheese I guess but there's always that nagging doubt about reliability and Honda's supposedly being bulletproof.
Shame there's no way on Autotrader or PistonHeads to filter dealers by some sort of "show me dealers who have premises where I can go and walk around and look" as there seem to be so many back street lock up "by appointment" type places.
I did the same thing last Thursday.
Went to Available Car which have a few sites in the Midlands. All cars are unlocked so you can poke round and they don't hassle you. It was really useful to get an idea of what I want and what I definitely don't.
Unfortunately most of these big car supermarkets deal in newer stuff so I'm not sure you'll find anywhere with £5k cars.
Went to Available Car which have a few sites in the Midlands. All cars are unlocked so you can poke round and they don't hassle you. It was really useful to get an idea of what I want and what I definitely don't.
Unfortunately most of these big car supermarkets deal in newer stuff so I'm not sure you'll find anywhere with £5k cars.
ChrisH72 said:
I did the same thing last Thursday.
Went to Available Car which have a few sites in the Midlands. All cars are unlocked so you can poke round and they don't hassle you. It was really useful to get an idea of what I want and what I definitely don't.
Unfortunately most of these big car supermarkets deal in newer stuff so I'm not sure you'll find anywhere with £5k cars.
Useful thanks agreed I think they're newer models mostly but I did think they were one of those "all about the monthly payments" places that jump you as soon as you pull up in the car park.Went to Available Car which have a few sites in the Midlands. All cars are unlocked so you can poke round and they don't hassle you. It was really useful to get an idea of what I want and what I definitely don't.
Unfortunately most of these big car supermarkets deal in newer stuff so I'm not sure you'll find anywhere with £5k cars.
It's a dilemma as my last few cars have been brand new and I think I've just reached a point where I'm using a 2014 older car that my mum hasn't been able to use for personal reasons and it makes you (well me) realise you don't need something brand new and costing tens of thousands if you can find something "well looked after couple of owners full service history" that's meant to be pretty bulletproof.
Well that was an eye opening few hours.
Pretty much every car imaginable across multiple dealers seem to be total and utter sheds.
Unwashed.
Wheels scraped and dished to buggery (including on a £25K used approved main dealer Volvo
).
Bodywork covered in dings and scratches and big patches of what looked like brushed on paint.
Wouldn't mind but these are all "excellent condition for age" "first to see will buy" cars and even if they are at the cheap end at least be honest about it.
Interestingly several of the cars whilst at the bottom end price wise are still manufacturer used approved which makes me wonder what on earth their standards are all about.
I may have been spoilt with new cars but I think it's been a bit of an eye opener that if you already have an older car in bloody good condition and perfect working order already perhaps hang onto it
Pretty much every car imaginable across multiple dealers seem to be total and utter sheds.
Unwashed.
Wheels scraped and dished to buggery (including on a £25K used approved main dealer Volvo
).Bodywork covered in dings and scratches and big patches of what looked like brushed on paint.
Wouldn't mind but these are all "excellent condition for age" "first to see will buy" cars and even if they are at the cheap end at least be honest about it.
Interestingly several of the cars whilst at the bottom end price wise are still manufacturer used approved which makes me wonder what on earth their standards are all about.
I may have been spoilt with new cars but I think it's been a bit of an eye opener that if you already have an older car in bloody good condition and perfect working order already perhaps hang onto it
There certainly is a lot of dross out there.
Perhaps people do hang on to good cars hence why much of what’s for sale is knackered.
Private sale at that price might be your best bet as you can often find out more about a cars past and also they should be well presented if they want to sell them.
Perhaps people do hang on to good cars hence why much of what’s for sale is knackered.
Private sale at that price might be your best bet as you can often find out more about a cars past and also they should be well presented if they want to sell them.
Put it this way it has me wondering whether to just spend a few hundred quid on a full alloy refurb and a decent valet and get a parking dent pulled courtesy of some t
t who obviously couldn't get into their car without opening the door onto mine.
Certainly a cheaper option.
Didn't realise a lot of these cheaper/older cars also have £165 road tax despite having quite small engines.
Small amounts but all adds up.
t who obviously couldn't get into their car without opening the door onto mine.Certainly a cheaper option.
Didn't realise a lot of these cheaper/older cars also have £165 road tax despite having quite small engines.
Small amounts but all adds up.
Depends how flexible your budget is.
You wouldn't have to add much to get into a later f56 mini cooper 1.5. Or maybe a fiesta zetec s with the 140bhp unit. These have 20 quid road tax and should be more economical than the older cars. Might be easier to find something in better condition too.
I'd look for supermini sized cars up to 66 plate when they all became 165 tax anyway.
By the way I had an 09 plate civic 1.8 and hated it. Mechanically reliable but I had electrical problems and also a leaky boot. It wasn't even that old. Desperately dull to drive too.
You wouldn't have to add much to get into a later f56 mini cooper 1.5. Or maybe a fiesta zetec s with the 140bhp unit. These have 20 quid road tax and should be more economical than the older cars. Might be easier to find something in better condition too.
I'd look for supermini sized cars up to 66 plate when they all became 165 tax anyway.
By the way I had an 09 plate civic 1.8 and hated it. Mechanically reliable but I had electrical problems and also a leaky boot. It wasn't even that old. Desperately dull to drive too.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023011833...
Maybe?
Or this..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023011733...
I always quite liked those.
Maybe?
Or this..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023011733...
I always quite liked those.
Edited by ChrisH72 on Saturday 28th January 18:50
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