Running a "classic"
Discussion
I'm getting fed up of having to fix something on the Mini every weekend. It's got to the point (again) where I'd really like to replace it, but I'd probably replace it with another "classic".
Do all classic cars have problems as often as Minis do? Is this a BMC problem; are the Germans better? And what about Italian stuff?
I literally have to fix something every week. If you run a classic, how often do you?
Do all classic cars have problems as often as Minis do? Is this a BMC problem; are the Germans better? And what about Italian stuff?
I literally have to fix something every week. If you run a classic, how often do you?
Depends on how old and what the classic is, my 25 Year old BMW 5 series had some issues but once worked through its been fine. When I ran my minis and my MGBGT I did spend rather a lot of time fettling them but they weren't exactly fit examples.
What sort of issues are you having? Have you swapped to electronic ignition? To be honest if I bought a classic mini these days I would probably plan to replace various bits and bobs immediately just to give peace of mind.
What sort of issues are you having? Have you swapped to electronic ignition? To be honest if I bought a classic mini these days I would probably plan to replace various bits and bobs immediately just to give peace of mind.
I haven't had anything serious go wrong and it's never properly broken down on me (it cut out a couple of times early on when the electrics got wet but that wasn't a problem).
The latest thing is a leak from the water pump which is so bad I can't drive it. I replaced the water pump, gasket and bypass hose about three months ago. The crank case breather hose, which I replaced about two months ago, has also broken. The exhaust used to develop new leaks every week, although I seem to have solved that now. I had to replace the engine mounts a few weeks ago and I seem to have had the manifolds off about four times in the last six months for a variety of reasons.
I've replaced the brake light switch once and my garage replaced it for the MOT and the hazard lights stopped working a while ago. The washer jet switch needs sorting out too.
Then there are things that I really need to do but never get a chance to: the tappets don't desperately need doing but I really should, the carb has needed a tuning for ages, the bonnet has never been right and it's really hard to get it right - I've had it off twice in the last four months or so without managing to put it back in exactly the right position. It's got adjustable suspension on the front which I've been intending to lower for about eight months.
It'll leak oil from somewhere new every couple of weeks and I get nervous if I don't check the oil/coolant every week because it's so prone to developing water/oil leaks.
There's nothing serious, it's mainly just irritating little things. As I write this I keep remembering jobs that I should do - the driver's door needs adjusting, for example. I think if I bought another one I'd take it off the road for a couple of weeks just to replace everything that could potentially need doing on it. As it is, this is my daily driver so I can't afford to do that now.
The Mini seems particularly bad for these sort of jobs because to fix one thing you have to take all sorts of other things out.
The latest thing is a leak from the water pump which is so bad I can't drive it. I replaced the water pump, gasket and bypass hose about three months ago. The crank case breather hose, which I replaced about two months ago, has also broken. The exhaust used to develop new leaks every week, although I seem to have solved that now. I had to replace the engine mounts a few weeks ago and I seem to have had the manifolds off about four times in the last six months for a variety of reasons.
I've replaced the brake light switch once and my garage replaced it for the MOT and the hazard lights stopped working a while ago. The washer jet switch needs sorting out too.
Then there are things that I really need to do but never get a chance to: the tappets don't desperately need doing but I really should, the carb has needed a tuning for ages, the bonnet has never been right and it's really hard to get it right - I've had it off twice in the last four months or so without managing to put it back in exactly the right position. It's got adjustable suspension on the front which I've been intending to lower for about eight months.
It'll leak oil from somewhere new every couple of weeks and I get nervous if I don't check the oil/coolant every week because it's so prone to developing water/oil leaks.
There's nothing serious, it's mainly just irritating little things. As I write this I keep remembering jobs that I should do - the driver's door needs adjusting, for example. I think if I bought another one I'd take it off the road for a couple of weeks just to replace everything that could potentially need doing on it. As it is, this is my daily driver so I can't afford to do that now.
The Mini seems particularly bad for these sort of jobs because to fix one thing you have to take all sorts of other things out.
I think something mid 1980's or early 1990's and of German origin is what you want or possibly something Jap. A few ideas
1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Of course it all depends on budget and what sort of car you prefer. A very obvious PH response but my money would be on a MX-5. A 1989 or 1990 car, preferably a rust free Eunos import. Pretty much bullet proof motoring. A MK1 MR2 might be slightly more interesting but are harder to pick up, all my other suggestions are certainly fine cars too. I'd have alot of time for a E30 325i Sport as well.
Classic Minis have alot of character and I think its great you run one as a daily, I'm sure I don't need to point out there flaws though.
1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Of course it all depends on budget and what sort of car you prefer. A very obvious PH response but my money would be on a MX-5. A 1989 or 1990 car, preferably a rust free Eunos import. Pretty much bullet proof motoring. A MK1 MR2 might be slightly more interesting but are harder to pick up, all my other suggestions are certainly fine cars too. I'd have alot of time for a E30 325i Sport as well.
Classic Minis have alot of character and I think its great you run one as a daily, I'm sure I don't need to point out there flaws though.
Hmm a fairly typical list of mini issues! The electrics are a fairly weak point IMO. You could in theory build your own loom from quality parts but the time and effort involved would be large. Easier to just fix as you go along really.
The oil leaks, minis do seem to leak oil. Legend has it that its deliberate, its actually a rust proofing mechanism for the front sub frame!
Having said an oil leak from around the water pump sounds none too clever. At least the water pump/housing is relatively easy to replace and that should cure the leak.
As for the other issues the door hanging, bonnet straightening, you certainly can have similar issues with Germanic classics, the drivers door on my 944 annoyed me with its slight lean but in the six years I had the car I never did get round to properly fixing that!
Carb tunining, another familiar issue, the older stuff I've run with fuel injection (Opel Manta GTE, Alfa 164 V6, Porsche 944, 528i) have never given me any issues fueling wise. There are probably exceptions but but even early Eighties FI stuff is mch easier to live with than carb'ed motor cars.
The exhaust... They are vulnerable but having knackered engine mounts would really give the system a hard time. So long as the exhaust fits well, the mounts are good and you avoid doing piddly short journeys and being too agressive over hump back bridges it should hold up.
I think in all fairness older BL stuff is a little more labour intensive to run, maybe if you changed cars you would miss getting your hands dirty!
The oil leaks, minis do seem to leak oil. Legend has it that its deliberate, its actually a rust proofing mechanism for the front sub frame!
Having said an oil leak from around the water pump sounds none too clever. At least the water pump/housing is relatively easy to replace and that should cure the leak.
As for the other issues the door hanging, bonnet straightening, you certainly can have similar issues with Germanic classics, the drivers door on my 944 annoyed me with its slight lean but in the six years I had the car I never did get round to properly fixing that!
Carb tunining, another familiar issue, the older stuff I've run with fuel injection (Opel Manta GTE, Alfa 164 V6, Porsche 944, 528i) have never given me any issues fueling wise. There are probably exceptions but but even early Eighties FI stuff is mch easier to live with than carb'ed motor cars.
The exhaust... They are vulnerable but having knackered engine mounts would really give the system a hard time. So long as the exhaust fits well, the mounts are good and you avoid doing piddly short journeys and being too agressive over hump back bridges it should hold up.
I think in all fairness older BL stuff is a little more labour intensive to run, maybe if you changed cars you would miss getting your hands dirty!
Edited by interloper on Saturday 21st August 19:18
Without being rude, are you fixing the issues properly or just patching them together? With the exhaust, for example, if it's developing leaks regularly then it might be time to make/buy a quality replacement system from the manifold backwards - job's done then.
I've got a to-do list for three cars on the whiteboard in my garage, and it's always got six or seven "adjust this, make that fit properly" jobs on it - that's just a feature of any car older than five years, to be honest.
I've got a to-do list for three cars on the whiteboard in my garage, and it's always got six or seven "adjust this, make that fit properly" jobs on it - that's just a feature of any car older than five years, to be honest.
Turbocharger said:
Without being rude, are you fixing the issues properly or just patching them together? With the exhaust, for example, if it's developing leaks regularly then it might be time to make/buy a quality replacement system from the manifold backwards - job's done then.
I've got a to-do list for three cars on the whiteboard in my garage, and it's always got six or seven "adjust this, make that fit properly" jobs on it - that's just a feature of any car older than five years, to be honest.
I don't do bodges I've got a to-do list for three cars on the whiteboard in my garage, and it's always got six or seven "adjust this, make that fit properly" jobs on it - that's just a feature of any car older than five years, to be honest.
. The exhaust was brand new in January, as part of a stage one kit. It kept developing leaks because the engine mounts were ruined (I didn't know that when I put the exhaust on), so the engine could move back and forth a lot more than it should have been able to.There's definitely something enjoyable about working on the car. I'll enjoy spending a day doing something on it, but when you have to do crappy jobs every week, you start to lose the enjoyment.
My first car was an old Mini, I replaced half of the car and it was still an unreliable uncomfortable dog of a car. Sounds like they never improved!
If you want character, buy something Italian. The parts are 10 times the cost of a mini, jobs need doing 1/10th of the time. Overall cost the same, grin factor and time on the road much higher
If you want character, buy something Italian. The parts are 10 times the cost of a mini, jobs need doing 1/10th of the time. Overall cost the same, grin factor and time on the road much higher
interloper said:
Depends on how old and what the classic is, my 25 Year old BMW 5 series had some issues but once worked through its been fine. When I ran my minis and my MGBGT I did spend rather a lot of time fettling them but they weren't exactly fit examples.
What he said. As well as "is it a good car to start with?", the other important issue is "how many numptys owned it before me?" Are you fixing faults as you'd expect them to occur, or stuff as a result of bad maintenance and bodges?A tired old car will need fettling forever no matter how good it was when new. Some cars will just keep going because they want to live, others just want to be pushed in a ditch and left alone.
If we're rubbing salt in the wounds, I did 170 miles in my Ginetta this morning at 40mpg
However a few weeks ago I had to replace the rear axle as the diff got sprayed over the road 
One thing that should cheer you up when driving your old snotter is the sight of newer cars broken down on the hard shoulder. The M1 this morning was a real treat
Get out there and enjoy driving it IMHO
Cotty said:
v8will said:
I think something mid 1980's or early 1990's and of German origin is what you want or possibly something Jap. A few ideas
1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Does the E30 count as a classic?1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Just to say I think E30's, MX5's and the other cars you have mentioned are all great, my mate runs an E30 as a track day car and it's brill, but he doesn't consider it a classic.
Land rovers and the chassis based Triumphs (Herald, Spitfire, GT6 etc) are both very easy to work on, and my old spit was reliable.
varsas said:
Cotty said:
v8will said:
I think something mid 1980's or early 1990's and of German origin is what you want or possibly something Jap. A few ideas
1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Does the E30 count as a classic?1. Any variation of MK2 Golf
2. Merc W124
3. BMW E30
4. MK1 MR2
5. MK1 MX5
Just to say I think E30's, MX5's and the other cars you have mentioned are all great, my mate runs an E30 as a track day car and it's brill, but he doesn't consider it a classic.
Land rovers and the chassis based Triumphs (Herald, Spitfire, GT6 etc) are both very easy to work on, and my old spit was reliable.
My first car choice was a GT6 or MkIII escort. The Spitfire and MGB had soldiered on until the 80's or as good as, in other words 10-15 year old cars were 'classics' then, I remember thinking Mk1&2 escorts were dated, now I find the curves of the Mk1 attractive.
Wind forward and the E30 is that kind of car, in that kind of age group. So why should it be a mass market classic?
Rear drive, compact, good to drive. I think it covers those.
As an antidote to the larger and heavier BMW 1 series I think it has something relevant to say.
Just in the same way the rear drive classics, and the convertibles were an antidote to the hot hatch. I could have had a golf, but I bought a scimitar.
I guess I see a car as classic if it has something to say - and I don't think that's a function of age either, something innovative - even if that's just within it's segment like say the Audi Quattro makes a car a classic from the start.
Which is why I'd say the MX5 is a classic, since it reintroduced rear driving without a roof to a new generation.
Same with the golf which birthed the Hot hatch.
Your mileage may vary, just my 2p
Edited by rudecherub on Sunday 22 August 16:59
Old Italian electrics tend to give lots of trouble. If it's made it to now without rotting away then the rust problem (only late '70s and early '80s cars were really bad for rust) has probably already been taken care of.
Twincam engines in Alfas and Lancias seem to be pretty strong and reliable, and access around the twincam in any RWD Alfa is very good. There's a lot of room in there and the engine is quite simple to work on. The Alfa V6 is a different story, it is generally reliable but can be expensive to maintain relative to the fours.
Propshaft doughnut couplings and 2nd gear synchro can be recurring headaches on anything Alfetta based prior to the 75, which may have been better but I don't know 75s well enough. These two bits might be fine but they do break easily.
Twincam engines in Alfas and Lancias seem to be pretty strong and reliable, and access around the twincam in any RWD Alfa is very good. There's a lot of room in there and the engine is quite simple to work on. The Alfa V6 is a different story, it is generally reliable but can be expensive to maintain relative to the fours.
Propshaft doughnut couplings and 2nd gear synchro can be recurring headaches on anything Alfetta based prior to the 75, which may have been better but I don't know 75s well enough. These two bits might be fine but they do break easily.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff