47 replies to this topic

[rwerry]

Hi guys i have just recently joined TMF and i am 15 years old i am thinking of getting a mini for my first car but i have been told not to buy one because they are not very reliable, is this true or not?

Hi Liam

I have a good laugh when people make comments like that. I bought my first Mini when I was 15 (and it was third-hand then). 41 years later, it still hasn't broken down once!

I'v e had several Minis over the years and still own three of them. They have all been totally reliable. The only time I have ever had roadside assistance was when someone stole my rotor button.

If Minis weren't reliable, in a general sense, there wouldn't be any left on the roads. After all, they are all now between 11 and 52 years old. How many other cars of that age do you see driving around?

Of course parts on any car will eventually wear out, but good maintenance and sensible driving will help guard against this. You need to understand that Minis, because of their age, do not benefit from some of the low-maintenance technology incorporated in more modern designs. However, I wonder how many of today's cars will still be around in 50 years' time.

[mini_legend]

People who tell you not to should be ignored!!!!
Get a mini, look after it, service it well etc and get brake down cover and ur sorted
ohh, and do what i do, always carry jump leads and a well stocked tool box!

JK

[minidream94]

welcome to tmf mate.

another advantage of owning a mini is, even if something does go wrong on a run 90% of the time you can fix it by the road side yourself with very little mechanical skills. After all, most of the breakdowns are caused by the ignition system and so a spare dizzy cap or something will always save your bacon if something does happen. Have a look around the forum and theres LOADS and i mean LOADS of information on what to carry in your car for spares that will enable you to fix it at the roadside.

by the way, im 17 currently learning to drive, had one of my minis since november (but its a rebuild project) and the other ive had for about a month and a half so havent really been able to see whats she like yet

but yeah, get a mini and dont listen to what other people (friends who have no idea) say you wont regret it

[ldorbin]

ah cool i think as soon as i get enough i will definitely get one and thats cool that you're so close

[ldorbin]

cheers for all the help guys your making the forum feel so welcoming

[Carlos W]

I've seen brand new 30 grand Audi TTs end up on the back of recovery trucks with coil pack issues!

Buy a mini, live the dream!

[oli8925]

I'd slightly disagree with the above comments on reliability... yes they can be fine if well maintained but a 'modern' car would be far more sensible...

...however, you're 15 so being sensible should be the last thing on your mind! Minis are cool even when on the back of an AA wagon so just do it

I'd have to slightly disagree with this. A mini or any older car can give you reliability equal to that of a new car, it's just that a new car won't require maintenance or a service (which you'll have to pay a garage to do) at such regular intervals. Where people go wrong is that they believe new cars don't require any maintenance at all. It's still a machine and will go wrong if not maintained properly, and when it does go wrong it will probably be a much bigger bill + labour as you'll likely need a garage to plug it in to run diagnostics.

I used an '89 Mini as a daily for the first 1.5 years of my driving life which after systematically replacing the tired components was very reliable, and cheap and fun to fix anyway (they're boring when they work ), and for the last 2.5 years have used a '75 Viva as a daily with relatively few problems, again systematically replacing the tired parts as they fail. I'd say it's a lot more reliable than my girlfriends 55 Corsa that's always got something or other wrong with it. Mind, when the Corsa's actually firing on 4 it's faster and much more comfortable on a long drive, it just depends what your priorities are. For me the joy of driving my Viva even if it's slower, less practical and less refined far outweigh the pros of a modern car. And a Mini's just about the most fun you can have on a road.

[samperks]

Buy a mini, live the dream!

+1 aha

[new_zealand _minis]

i had mine when i was 16 ( not my first car ) having lost of fun with it love wroking on it most days .. has been good only started to go wrong when i decided to modify it .

i have had heaps of cars and i have sold one after the other and still had a mini on the side . but now a mini is the only thing i need

im 18 now and its one through 3 diffrent tunes .. 1000 std then 1275 lumpy cam . now its a 1293 supercharged

you shuld not regret getting one if you do. if you keep it std it shuld not go wrong

[MiniChap]

My Mini Mayfair is my first car, it's 18 years old, has been serviced to death and it's fine. It's only got about 22,500 miles on the clock and about 100 of those were me. It does take getting used to as not having power steering is strange to get used to, as no doubt you will probably have lessons in a car with power steering. But as everyone says, it's got class and character, over the last week the amount of people stopping to tell me that they love my car is something you don't get with other cars and at 17, it attracts countless birds.

Be different. Buy a Mini.

[J_AUSTIN_B]

The Mini is truly an amazing machine. Once you own one you become part of a unique community of people who like to look at things out side of the box and don't adhere to the norm or common. I am originally from Texas where everybody drives a pickup truck (stereotypical but true). I would have never dreamed of owning an original mini...ever. Until I moved to Europe for four years and learned what real automotive ingenuity is. I love my mini even and all of it's eccentricacies. And just like any automobile, if you take care of it...it will take care of you. I emplor you to go with your gut and get the mini.

[Swainy]

Do it! Get one!

Chicks dig blokes in minis anyway!

(I'm still waiting to see if this is true)

[dossy]

^^^^^^

HAHAHAHA!

small car means you arent trying to cover up for other small things!! hahaha!!

[mini_legend]

Yer, girls do love minis!! lol
And it doesn't take getting used to if its your first car to be honest! lol. for the short time you use a driving school car, i only drive a mini! lolol


JK

[mini_legend]

^^^^^^

HAHAHAHA!

small car means you arent trying to cover up for other small things!! hahaha!!

Damn right. I keep telling my boss this, he drives a 2.5l TDI mazda BT50 twin cab pick up lol

JK