77 replies to this topic

[Mcgreen]

I've just turned 17 and have passed my theory and am now looking to purchase a car to learn in. I have been looking at the usual corsa, fiesta malarkey and it's just boring! Shitty cars, no character, same old same old.
This is why I've been pondering on getting a classic mini (thinking around 1980's) as a first car. Now I already know what to look out for when viewing/buying one (rust, engine ticking over nicely, filler etc etc) but I don't know what specific models to look out for and what I would be expecting for around 2.5k?
Also as this would be my first car, I couldn't test drive it (my dad would need to), would this be a major problem? (my dad also has owned classic minis before).
Thanks in advance!

[DJC MINI]

I'm 19 and just bought a 2000 Cooper Sport as a weekend car (my daily driver being a modern Swift Sport). My Brother had one as his first car and loved it. It never let him down. I would advise that you go for a 1.0 as insurance is cheaper, however the insurance for my brother was around £4,000! This obviously varies between different people. My Dad had to test drive his, and when he could drive he loved it! I don't think its a massive issue as everyone likes driving a Mini. They are certainly a hell of a lot better than your usual dreary corsa or fiesta. I would also advise that you stay away from mods as this can have a massive effect on insurance. Keep it standard for now and look at mods when you have at least 1 years ncb.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

Dan 

[greenmini1275]

I had a Mini as my first car. Loved it. I had a 1984 City 1000, awesome car. At £2.5k you can certainly get a car, just be careful though, Minis are getting more expensive for a good MOTable car. If you can scrounge up another £500, you could probably get yourself a better car. Most 80s cars in your price range are pretty much the same, all 998s unless had an engine swap, all 12 inch wheels from 1984 and 8.4 inch discs from 1984. So the only differences are really the colours of the interiors. But things like interiors and bolt on exterior stuff are so easy to change that really what you want to look at is good string engine and bodywork, the rest is what you will learn to tinker with in your own time.

Enjoy.

[jim4eva]

Hi there - I went down this route not too long ago so I'm happy to offer my two cents :). For 2.5k you'll probably find something which is not bad but with some work that needs doing, i.e. rust bubbling up around the arches, around the windscreen, and maybe the sills. In my opinion, without a large workshop, rust is the most soul-crushing problem to put right. Unless you happen to be well-in with the sultan of brunei, you probably can't afford to have someone else do it for you, which means you'll have to do it yourself. A welder and mask will set you back a couple of hundred quid and without the space or tools of a workshop, access is the biggest issue... I could go on but the gist is that it's a lot more work than it first seems, however it is incredibly satisfying to do yourself. So to mitigate the rust scenario you'll probably want something as recent as possible, mine was a '90 checkmate which after not long needed inner and outer sills replacing... I'm guessing you're after a 998 to keep insurance down, so that somewhat restricts your search but not too much. I guess one could argue that because these cars are by and large so fettled-with and restored, it doesn't really matter what model you go for - the key is just to get something with as little rust as possible. Moving on to your question about test driving, it sounds like your old man will have a reasonable feel for what it should feel like, maybe check that the throttle response is on-point and not too lumpy. Obviously go along for the ride, but in short the answer is no - this would not be a major problem. 

One more word of advice - you might want to be ready to get a back-up car, I got at '96 polo and it's something I could just rely on every time and doesn't cost much more than a pack of smarties. 

Otherwise, good luck and have fun!

[AVV IT]

There's a couple of issues here, not only owning a classic mini as a first car & but also owning one as a daily driver.

Owning a classic mini as an every day car requires a lot of dedication, many of us here own minis as weekend toys instead, for that very reason. Compared to a modern car, you also have to be prepared to put up with all the road noise, the discomfort, the impracticality, & the inevitable damp & water leaks in the winter as well. I guess ultimately it depends on what you want out of a car. If you're the kind of person who loves tinkering about with old cars & has the time & the inclination to be able to give all the love & attention that a classic mini needs to keep it on the road year round (without it breaking down constantly & turning to dust), then maybe it's for you. I'm really not trying to put you off here, you just need to be aware of what you're letting yourself in for. If however you want reliable, hassle free motoring that doesn't permanently eat into your spare time, then maybe a boring modern Euro box would actually suit you better!

I ran a mini as a daily driver & family runaround for many years, but in the end the lure of a virtually maintenance free modern daily was too much & now my mini is just a weekend toy (or it will be if I ever get it finished & back on the road again!) For me it was winter ownership that got to me in the end, not just the damp, the leaks, the windscreen that took forever to demist, & the frequent electrical faults, but also the routine servicing & maintenance, which might make for an enjoyable hobby over the summer months, but is much less fun when laying on your driveway adjusting the rear brakes & greasing the suspension again, on another freezing wet day in January!

[Will16]

I did it, don't regret it one bit! That's a good budget, make sure you have a good look at the usual rust spots, etc, magnet for filler and all that. If your happy to work on it / are mechanically minded that's a bonus, though my 998 did 2 years motoring virtually trouble free. Have a look at insurance too, I modified mine before I could drive, then took some mods off as I couldn't get insurance . I did feel a bit guilty about using it everyday rain/shine though and now I've got a modern daily (work van) I wouldn't go back to be honest

[Zach P-D]

1st car was a 91 Mini City-e, don't regret that decision at all, some of the most fun motoring I've had in my 3 years of driving. So much fun i bought another Mini but with a 1275 (also because the 1st mini became a resto project) but i digress. 

Look for a 1l as a first car, I paid £1550 for my first years insurance on it, but then for the 2nd year it dropped to 850, which is what i'm currently paying for my 1275 and all mods declared. 

[Mcgreen]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I am not looking for acquiring a car that's hassle free and can run years without major maintenance;I'd love to learn how to fix things that inevitably go wrong etc. However if I go by everyone's recommendation and get a semi rust-free 998, what tools/kit would I need straight off the bat to keep it running? I know I sound a bit of a newbie here but it's just something I can see myself doing and I'd rather know what I'm in for and how I can be prepared.
Also I know this probably won't help but would keeping it under a cover during the winter/rainy months be a good idea?

[Mcgreen]

I'm 19 and just bought a 2000 Cooper Sport as a weekend car (my daily driver being a modern Swift Sport). My Brother had one as his first car and loved it. It never let him down. I would advise that you go for a 1.0 as insurance is cheaper, however the insurance for my brother was around £4,000! This obviously varies between different people. My Dad had to test drive his, and when he could drive he loved it! I don't think its a massive issue as everyone likes driving a Mini. They are certainly a hell of a lot better than your usual dreary corsa or fiesta. I would also advise that you stay away from mods as this can have a massive effect on insurance. Keep it standard for now and look at mods when you have at least 1 years ncb.
 
Hope this helps,
 
 
Dan

  

I had a Mini as my first car. Loved it. I had a 1984 City 1000, awesome car. At £2.5k you can certainly get a car, just be careful though, Minis are getting more expensive for a good MOTable car. If you can scrounge up another £500, you could probably get yourself a better car. Most 80s cars in your price range are pretty much the same, all 998s unless had an engine swap, all 12 inch wheels from 1984 and 8.4 inch discs from 1984. So the only differences are really the colours of the interiors. But things like interiors and bolt on exterior stuff are so easy to change that really what you want to look at is good string engine and bodywork, the rest is what you will learn to tinker with in your own time.
Enjoy.

  

Hi there - I went down this route not too long ago so I'm happy to offer my two cents :). For 2.5k you'll probably find something which is not bad but with some work that needs doing, i.e. rust bubbling up around the arches, around the windscreen, and maybe the sills. In my opinion, without a large workshop, rust is the most soul-crushing problem to put right. Unless you happen to be well-in with the sultan of brunei, you probably can't afford to have someone else do it for you, which means you'll have to do it yourself. A welder and mask will set you back a couple of hundred quid and without the space or tools of a workshop, access is the biggest issue... I could go on but the gist is that it's a lot more work than it first seems, however it is incredibly satisfying to do yourself. So to mitigate the rust scenario you'll probably want something as recent as possible, mine was a '90 checkmate which after not long needed inner and outer sills replacing... I'm guessing you're after a 998 to keep insurance down, so that somewhat restricts your search but not too much. I guess one could argue that because these cars are by and large so fettled-with and restored, it doesn't really matter what model you go for - the key is just to get something with as little rust as possible. Moving on to your question about test driving, it sounds like your old man will have a reasonable feel for what it should feel like, maybe check that the throttle response is on-point and not too lumpy. Obviously go along for the ride, but in short the answer is no - this would not be a major problem. 
One more word of advice - you might want to be ready to get a back-up car, I got at '96 polo and it's something I could just rely on every time and doesn't cost much more than a pack of smarties. 
Otherwise, good luck and have fun!

  

There's a couple of issues here, not only owning a classic mini as a first car & but also owning one as a daily driver.
Owning a classic mini as an every day car requires a lot of dedication, many of us here own minis as weekend toys instead, for that very reason. Compared to a modern car, you also have to be prepared to put up with all the road noise, the discomfort, the impracticality, & the inevitable damp & water leaks in the winter as well. I guess ultimately it depends on what you want out of a car. If you're the kind of person who loves tinkering about with old cars & has the time & the inclination to be able to give all the love & attention that a classic mini needs to keep it on the road year round (without it breaking down constantly & turning to dust), then maybe it's for you. I'm really not trying to put you off here, you just need to be aware of what you're letting yourself in for. If however you want reliable, hassle free motoring that doesn't permanently eat into your spare time, then maybe a boring modern Euro box would actually suit you better!
I ran a mini as a daily driver & family runaround for many years, but in the end the lure of a virtually maintenance free modern daily was too much & now my mini is just a weekend toy (or it will be if I ever get it finished & back on the road again!) For me it was winter ownership that got to me in the end, not just the damp, the leaks, the windscreen that took forever to demist, & the frequent electrical faults, but also the routine servicing & maintenance, which might make for an enjoyable hobby over the summer months, but is much less fun when laying on your driveway adjusting the rear brakes & greasing the suspension again, on another freezing wet day in January!

[Carlos W]

Buy the car with the best bodywork you can.

 

Everything else is easier to fix.

 

Just as a comparison, I bought a 12 year old Citroen AX as my first car. It leaked when it rained, the heater didn't work, you couldn't wind the passenger window down, it burnt a valve out, rotted the water pump impeller, blew the head gasket.

 

It was a shed. 

 

This was in 1999, I could've bought a mini for very similar money I imagine, and I wish I had. 

[Mcgreen]

Buy the car with the best bodywork you can.
 
Everything else is easier to fix.
 
Just as a comparison, I bought a 12 year old Citroen AX as my first car. It leaked when it rained, the heater didn't work, you couldn't wind the passenger window down, it burnt a valve out, rotted the water pump impeller, blew the head gasket.
 
It was a shed. 
 
This was in 1999, I could've bought a mini for very similar money I imagine, and I wish I had.

When you say easy to fix, can you give me a bit more information. No one in my family is particularly technical or good with cars so recognising problems and being able to fix them even if they're easy problems would be my main issue. As I said I'm keen on becoming savvy and able to fix my mini but during the first year (and obviously learning to drive) would be a bit rough?

[Mcgreen]

Buy the car with the best bodywork you can.
 
Everything else is easier to fix.
 
Just as a comparison, I bought a 12 year old Citroen AX as my first car. It leaked when it rained, the heater didn't work, you couldn't wind the passenger window down, it burnt a valve out, rotted the water pump impeller, blew the head gasket.
 
It was a shed. 
 
This was in 1999, I could've bought a mini for very similar money I imagine, and I wish I had.

When you say easy to fix, can you give me a bit more information. No one in my family is particularly technical or good with cars so recognising problems and being able to fix them even if they're easy problems would be my main issue. As I said I'm keen on becoming savvy and able to fix my mini but during the first year (and obviously learning to drive) would be a bit rough?

[Carlos W]

 

Buy the car with the best bodywork you can.
 
Everything else is easier to fix.
 
Just as a comparison, I bought a 12 year old Citroen AX as my first car. It leaked when it rained, the heater didn't work, you couldn't wind the passenger window down, it burnt a valve out, rotted the water pump impeller, blew the head gasket.
 
It was a shed. 
 
This was in 1999, I could've bought a mini for very similar money I imagine, and I wish I had.

When you say easy to fix, can you give me a bit more information. No one in my family is particularly technical or good with cars so recognising problems and being able to fix them even if they're easy problems would be my main issue. As I said I'm keen on becoming savvy and able to fix my mini but during the first year (and obviously learning to drive) would be a bit rough?

 

It's easier to fix a head gasket than it is to weld on a new front end for example.

 

These days (I sound so old) information is so easily avaliable on places like this forum.

 

A haynes manual really is a good place to start with any mechanical repair. If you get stuck search the forum, and if you can't find the answer post a question on here and people will help.

[JPN173]

I've just turned 17 and have passed my theory and am now looking to purchase a car to learn in. I have been looking at the usual corsa, fiesta malarkey and it's just boring! Shitty cars, no character, same old same old.
This is why I've been pondering on getting a classic mini (thinking around 1980's) as a first car. Now I already know what to look out for when viewing/buying one (rust, engine ticking over nicely, filler etc etc) but I don't know what specific models to look out for and what I would be expecting for around 2.5k?
Also as this would be my first car, I couldn't test drive it (my dad would need to), would this be a major problem? (my dad also has owned classic minis before).
Thanks in advance!

i would personally work out your entire budget for the first year of driving e.g. budget for car, insurance, tax, repairs and maintenance 

 

i found that my mini was insane to insure which lead me to another car and keep the mini, the insurance was so expensive for my 998 standard that is was cheaper to buy another car, insure it and tax it and not being funny its probably quite a bit more reliable and "safe"

 

thats my honest opinion 

[greenmini1275]

I've used all my Minis as daily drivers. One of my Minis, a 1986 Red Hot, I used to run from German to U.K. And back again twice a month, in all weathers, yes you have to make sure they're well maintained and thoroughly cleaned, but considering in the past how many families had these as their only family car, it's safe to say that a good condition, well maintained car is perfectly adequate for daily use. I do shopping, go to work, go on holiday, everything in my Mini. Stick a roof rack on the roof and you have loads of room. I don't see the point in spending all that money for something you'll only get out once a week when it's sunny.