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Classic Mini As A First Car?!


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#31 alex-95

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Posted 13 July 2017 - 11:02 PM

 

I was driving a 1985 998 mini ritz when I passed my test at 18, insurance was just under a grand with mum and dad on the policy. I would look for an 80's or early 90's 998, they may not be super quick but sure does put a smile on your face. It done me proud with no major issues for 3 years but bought an 1275 MPI to replace it while I weld it up, but much prefer the rusty 998 :cry:
 
EDIT: £500 to insure it, that's very cheap, make sure when you insure one it has agreed valuation else if it did get written off you may get peanuts back rather than what it's actually worth.


Yeah I think it'll have to be a 998. When filling the value of the car for the insurance what do I put? The value u bought it for or something else? I must have done something wrong for it to be so cheap.
Also any helpful tips on how to convince my family who all own boring European cars with big safety ratings to allow me to get a tiny classic mini?

 

I says it's what the cars worth and what you'd need to pay out to get another one similar to what you had. Is that comprehensive or third party? 

 

just tell them it's the cheapest to insure and they are really slow :lol:



#32 Itsaminithing

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Posted 13 July 2017 - 11:08 PM

Yes, the Mini doesn't fare as well as modern cars in crash tests.... but with it's good all round visibility (especially when pulling up at junctions) you're less likely to be the cause of an accident.

Post Oct 1984 Mini have disc brakes on the front & a set of 'Greenstuff' pads will improve them & shouldn't count as a modification.

 

If you type '17 year old insurance' in the 'Search Forums' box on the main page you will find lot's of threads dealing with insurance for young drivers.



#33 The Matt

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 09:11 AM

Minis make great first cars and have done since 1959. There is so much you learn from driving and maintaining one, plus the visibility is great when you're in the driving seat.

#34 Allrounder

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 09:21 AM

Be careful with classic insurance as not all collect NCB. Which are important in starting off your motoring career. I'd check the deatails to be sure.

Edited by Allrounder, 14 July 2017 - 09:21 AM.


#35 Zach P-D

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 09:38 AM

As stated above, No Claims Bonus is a must, especially at our age (I'm 19) because with NCB it opens up more doors on whats affordable to insure.
 

Finally my two cents would be that it would be a lot easier to get a car with carbs than fuel injection, speaking from personal experience, the wiring in my SPI is a nightmare (previous owner but still) whereas there was very little wiring in my old carb mini, which made little faults a lot easier to find. 



#36 SolarB

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 12:50 PM

Yep, completely practical as a first time car and daily driver. I come from a time when nearly everyone owned a Mini within their first two or three years of driving and they were all daily drivers. It will need more maintenance than a modern car but the regular maintenance isn't particularly difficult. They are fun, the mechanicals are easy to fix and you will learn much more about mechanics and maintaining a car that you would with a modern run about.

True, in a accident you will probably be worse off, but unfortunately there are no figures for the accidents that didn't happen due to the Mini's excellent all round visibility, brakes, handling and small size.

Go for it.



#37 Mcgreen

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 04:56 PM

Yep, completely practical as a first time car and daily driver. I come from a time when nearly everyone owned a Mini within their first two or three years of driving and they were all daily drivers. It will need more maintenance than a modern car but the regular maintenance isn't particularly difficult. They are fun, the mechanicals are easy to fix and you will learn much more about mechanics and maintaining a car that you would with a modern run about.
True, in a accident you will probably be worse off, but unfortunately there are no figures for the accidents that didn't happen due to the Mini's excellent all round visibility, brakes, handling and small size.
Go for it.

Everyone on here is saying (so I'm gathering it's true) about how the problems are easy to fix when they arise. However I feel that I won't be able to actually know what's wrong in the first place, at least for the first dozen months or so.

#38 Carlos W

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 05:25 PM

 

Yep, completely practical as a first time car and daily driver. I come from a time when nearly everyone owned a Mini within their first two or three years of driving and they were all daily drivers. It will need more maintenance than a modern car but the regular maintenance isn't particularly difficult. They are fun, the mechanicals are easy to fix and you will learn much more about mechanics and maintaining a car that you would with a modern run about.
True, in a accident you will probably be worse off, but unfortunately there are no figures for the accidents that didn't happen due to the Mini's excellent all round visibility, brakes, handling and small size.
Go for it.

Everyone on here is saying (so I'm gathering it's true) about how the problems are easy to fix when they arise. However I feel that I won't be able to actually know what's wrong in the first place, at least for the first dozen months or so.

 

Everyone knew nothing in the beginning 



#39 Zach P-D

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 07:54 PM

Also
I always carry cable ties in my mini, saved me so many times..



#40 greenmini1275

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 09:15 PM

Also
I always carry cable ties in my mini, saved me so many times..


And Duct tape.

#41 Mcgreen

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 09:35 PM

Also
I always carry cable ties in my mini, saved me so many times..


And Duct tape.
  

Also
I always carry cable ties in my mini, saved me so many times..

I feel like I'll need to assemble a small toolkit with the essentials in if it's my daily driver!

#42 greenmini1275

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Posted 15 July 2017 - 08:11 AM

You definitely need a decent tool kit. Try to get as many d imperial sized spanners/sockets as possible because depending on year your modern metric tools might not fit properly.

#43 racingbob

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Posted 15 July 2017 - 09:26 AM

If you do end up getting a 998 join a local mini club so there's always probably help at working on the car and learning. There's always something to do with minis

#44 Zach P-D

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Posted 15 July 2017 - 09:43 AM

Don't forget WD40



#45 Albino_Hedgehog

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Posted 15 July 2017 - 09:52 AM

And don't feel that your shoelaces are just for your shoes!!

They have so many other uses ;)




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