35 replies to this topic

[frog998]

Looking to get a new toy and have a budget of £1200, looking for something with MOT, not bothered about age, mileage etc just a useable car.
Have sold minis in this price range so expected to be able to buy some but doesn't seem the case.
What sort of money should i be looking at?
This will be my 6th mini so its not like i dont know what to look for its just seems they are getting rarer or that the rotters are rotten and the decent ones are vastly overpriced (supply and demand maybe?)

[Pooky]

I'd say for £1200 you'd get a working Mini but it'll need plenty of welding (new front end panels, doors etc). If you want a Mini that needs no work then yes the prices are higher (more like £2.5-£3k). But these will mostly be peoples finished projects styled to their tastes. Depends how much work you can do yourself/are prepared to pay/what sort of Mini you want at the end...

[frog998]

I'd say for £1200 you'd get a working Mini but it'll need plenty of welding (new front end panels, doors etc). If you want a Mini that needs no work then yes the prices are higher (more like £2.5-£3k). But these will mostly be peoples finished projects styled to their tastes. Depends how much work you can do yourself/are prepared to pay/what sort of Mini you want at the end...

Dont mind some welding (just spent time welding my vw camper) but dont want a project, a rolling resto would be more like it (something i can use now and do the work as required), engine issues are to much of a problem as long as it runs and rives and the interior doesn't matter as i want something i can adapt to suit, might have to look at spares or repair and use the camper, although at 20MPG this is the reason i want something else and use the camper as a weekend car

[miniman44]

I'm afraid I agree with Pooky,£1200 will get you an on the road mini that needs some work done,any thing less and you could be looking at a shed.I blame it on the Americans and the Japanese,am I allowed to say that?

[ShoutforJoy]

I know this will get shot down in flames but have you considered an automatic? You do get more for your money and there's lots for sale at the moment.

[Tommyboy12]

I don't really agree. Hunt hard enough (gumtree, free ads, side of road, etc.) andd you will find some fairly solid cars for less than £1200. Mine was only advertised on the side of the road and literally the only rust is on the passenger a-panel. It only cost £700. Seen a few rusty but MOT'd examples on gumtree for as low as £500.

[Minigirl]

whats wrong with automatics? i thought about getting one too, generally theyre in much better condition and you get a lot more mini for your money
are they prone to breaking more or something?

[ShoutforJoy]

Don't get me wrong - I don't think that there's anything wrong with automatics. I have one!

I do know that a number of people on this forum are a bit sniffy about them and immediatley suggest converting to manual whenever they come across one.

In my experience they are no more prone to breaking down than manual ones and all spares are readily available. When you come across them you do tend to find them in better nick and with lower miles as they've generally been owned and well looked after by the more senior members of our society.

[miniman44]

Auto's are great around town, though the 998 isn't too good on a long run fully loaded.My late partner and I did London to Sidemouth and back,3 up with camping gear for 1,never again.

[miniman44]

Don't get me wrong - I don't think that there's anything wrong with automatics. I have one!

I do know that a number of people on this forum are a bit sniffy about them and immediatley suggest converting to manual whenever they come across one.

In my experience they are no more prone to breaking down than manual ones and all spares are readily available. When you come across them you do tend to find them in better nick and with lower miles as they've generally been owned and well looked after by the more senior members of our society.

OOOOH!I'll tell Joyce about you,when we meet again.

[rimmer1993]

I saw a 1990 Cooper on ebay the other week was in mint condition with an honest description, needed a little work on the 2nd gear synchro in the future, but shows that you can get a cheap solid mini with tax and test with not much work needed doing.

Edited by rimmer1993, 17 August 2010 - 12:02 PM.

[Abminis]

i will have a 1989 mini checkmate with a full mot on for £1295
998cc
please get in touch if intrested

the car is black with white roof

[chivz]

I bought mine from FleaBay 2 months ago and it's just passed an MOT with only two new subframe mounts required. Rust is very minimal (surface only) and the garage commented how good it was.
It's interior is excellent, exterior is very good, with only minimal surface rust in some of the usual places, no new panels required (2 new doors last year) and the engine is strong and leak free. It's also had new tyres and full exhaust fitted int he past 6 months.

Price? £1100.

However, I did take a while finding it and some others I looked at up to £1500+ were in a much poorer state.

[frog998]

Have seen a few autos going but as i use the motorways for the majority of my work journeys i'm not convinced, also i prefer to drive the car the way i want to drive.
Will keep looking as not in to much of a rush to get something, might look to get a project instead for a few hundred and do it that way, would prefer a rolling resto though

[frog998]

i will have a 1989 mini checkmate with a full mot on for £1295
998cc
please get in touch if intrested

the car is black with white roof

alec 07766 231200

Surrey to Durham is a bit far to travel but thanks for the offer