Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Is Your Mini Your Main Car Or 2Nd ?


  • Please log in to reply
32 replies to this topic

#1 noeman

noeman

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts
  • Location: essex

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:29 PM

Hi, I'm really enthusiastic about getting a mini as I used to own one and miss the fun of driving it.
But i'm having trouble convincing the wife as I would like one as my 2nd car.
To be honest a mini is not realistic for my 60 mile round trip commute to work each day as I wouldn't want to wear the engine out and clock up the miles. Also we have two children so it's not really the right size for a family car. But I really want one, lol.
so is your mini your main car or 2nd fun car?

#2 panky

panky

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,776 posts
  • Location: Cheshire
  • Local Club: Northwest Casual Classics

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:39 PM

When I first got mine back in the 90's it was my daily driver for six or so years. Moved my son to and from uni in it (took a few more trips on the 'from' part) and it went into semi retirement for a while for a little refresh. five years later it came out again as a fun/weekender for a few years then back in the garage for another 'refresh. Another five years on it's out again and used as a daily but I'm retired now (extremely early retirement), and have a few other classics to play with, so don't do a lot of miles but it sure is fun :D



#3 greenmini1275

greenmini1275

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 348 posts
  • Location: Barnsley

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:53 PM

My Mini is my main car. My wife drives a Tucson, I drive my Mini. I shop in the Mini, take the kid to nursery in the Mini, I do an 18 mile round trip everyday of the year. I've put 9k on the car in 2 years and part of that 2 years was a restoration. I used to drive from Gutetsloh in Germany to Salisbury every other weekend in my Mini and from Dishforth in N. Yorkshire to Salisbury every weekend after that. A well maintained Mini will take you anywhere.

#4 Laurie

Laurie

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 298 posts
  • Location: Gloucestershire
  • Local Club: GMOC

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:56 PM

My second car / hobby, my main car is a mini as well, but, well, it's a BMW mini :D

#5 noeman

noeman

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts
  • Location: essex

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:56 PM

Yes I had mine back in the 90's too and it was my daily drive. But I only had drive round the corner for work and use it to socialise with friends as I was in my early 20's. But after a while I yearned for something more comfortable, eventually replacing it with a Ford Sierra haha.
But now I feel I can appreciate a mini a lot more.

#6 jt19

jt19

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 745 posts
  • Location: Hertfordshire

Posted 15 August 2017 - 08:15 PM

I used my first mini as my daily. Did a lot of miles in it in the 4 years I had it on the road. 17-21 you for alot of miles if your into your car like I am. We used to just go for a drive in the evenings to car meets and what not. Oh thoughs were the days!!

#7 ministeve1

ministeve1

    Stage One Kit Fitted

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPip
  • 56 posts
  • Location: Maidstone
  • Local Club: CharlesExete

Posted 15 August 2017 - 09:14 PM

My mini is both if that makes scence lol I was in same situation realy wanted a mini again sold half of my homemade gremlins collection to save for one and finaly got it. its mine and i use it for driving to work....when it works lol if not i use the other car. it needs a lot of work to get it up to scratch but its a work in progress as they say. So all the time its working its my main car, when its not its my 2nd car lol but i couldnt take it any more and just had to get another mini even if it does take every spare penny i have.

 

Kind regards

Steve ;-)



#8 phillrulz

phillrulz

    Super Mini Mad

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 617 posts
  • Location: North West London

Posted 15 August 2017 - 09:16 PM

hmmm third if you count the company van



#9 panky

panky

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,776 posts
  • Location: Cheshire
  • Local Club: Northwest Casual Classics

Posted 15 August 2017 - 09:30 PM

I racked up about 70,000 miles in first the six years I had mine, not really surprising it need that 'refresh' ;D



#10 Laurie

Laurie

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 298 posts
  • Location: Gloucestershire
  • Local Club: GMOC

Posted 15 August 2017 - 09:36 PM

I racked up about 70,000 miles in first the six years I had mine, not really surprising it need that 'refresh' ;D


That long? I've done nearly 10k in 4 months in my BMW mini (Bini?) 😂
What can I say? I work a distance from home lol

#11 panky

panky

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,776 posts
  • Location: Cheshire
  • Local Club: Northwest Casual Classics

Posted 15 August 2017 - 09:59 PM

I only worked about five miles from home but we went to Scotland a lot :proud:



#12 mab01uk

mab01uk

    Moved Into The Garage

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 11,776 posts
  • Local Club: Mini Cooper Register

Posted 15 August 2017 - 10:33 PM

Classic Minis were my first and main cars for over 30 years but for the last 10 years I have had this 2002 R50 MINI as my daily driver and my classic Mini is now a second/summer weekends only car.

Also have a E90 BMW 320D as the main family/long distance car.

 

SAM_3299.jpg

 

 

My daily driver Mini below in the 1970's!

 

67-Mini-3_zpsa5598ece.jpg


Edited by mab01uk, 15 August 2017 - 10:47 PM.


#13 Steve220

Steve220

    Up Into Fourth

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,877 posts
  • Location: Shropshire
  • Local Club: RAF Mini Club

Posted 15 August 2017 - 10:37 PM

Mine's a giant paperweight. I've got a daily driver as I do a fair amount of miles and want to travel in comfort.

Edited by Steve220, 15 August 2017 - 10:37 PM.


#14 Neville1971

Neville1971

    On The Road

  • Noobies
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
  • Location: Durham
  • Local Club: Trying to find them

Posted 16 August 2017 - 07:19 AM

Mine is a relatively recent purchase but because I wanted one and because the offer was too good to turn down she is mine. Therefore she is a 3rd car if I include my wife's car but in reality she has very quickly become my first lol......

Although she is now running very smoothly and seemingly reliably with new brakes and a stage 1 kit fitted, she is a long term project and will only ever be taken outside let alone driven in the dry.

I don't think mileage is the issue for me, after all she is 29 year old with 55k on the clock, but how accurate that is, is totally different issue. No one really expects these cars to have a low mileage. For me it's about being fun to drive, simple and cheap to maintain, parts are inexpensive compared to modern cars therefore she can be revamped, refurbished, tinkered with or simply looked after and nearly everybody thinks they're great.....



#15 megamini_jb

megamini_jb

    Crazy About Mini's

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 5,491 posts
  • Name: Jamie
  • Location: -

Posted 16 August 2017 - 07:24 AM

They've always been my main car when road worthy. My current one I've had for about 2 weeks and I've already done around 800 miles!! And will be used all through winter too and enjoyed!




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users