39 replies to this topic

[creakyjaws5533]

I start with a mini at 17 it's brilliant not 100% reliable but you get a good knowledge of cars insurance £1400 on my own policy price of the car £1030 not to bad also my mate bought a 05 polo for £2000 then £1700 insurance and so far he needs head gasket and valve and new steering costing over £1000 on top minis for the win

[OfMini&Men]

Peronsal i wouldn't have it as a first car at 17. They are awful! you'll always be working on it and spending alot of money

get a car but something different like a skoda cause insurence is cheaper and buy a mini and restore it alot eaiser

[anthonysjb]

I'm 18, drive a Cooper as my first car, got it a month ago. So far so good, it's brilliant to drive and is seriously cool, had a few mechanical jobs to do but it runs great so far. Just beware of speed bumps and be far too careful when pulling out of junctions, and there's no ABS so have to be very careful when its wet!

[mk1leg]

Hi..Youngman and welcome to TMF and enjoy....................

[PurpleXrA1NX]

my insurance is 1200 and im 17 with a 998 mayfair. so insurance is not a problem in my opinion


its definitely NOT the MOST SENSIBLE .car you can buy at that age..but if you have the extra money, time, effort to maintain it. its worth it.

[littlemissmagic]

My first car was a mini at 17 (im 23 now).
I learnt to drive in it and took my test in it much to the shock of the examiner.
I then drove it EVERYWHERE and very often on motorways etc.

However I think it very much depends on what sort of person you are and the mini that you buy.

My mini ran the best it possibly could and i maintained this so I could comfortably travel at least 70 on the motorway. I once drove a mini I had just bought back home and I literally thought i would die. It had terrible drum brakes and no lorries etc could see me...... terrifying!
Since then ive stuck with my mini as i know its perfect (apart from rust.... but lets not mention that.... ever! Lol)

If you want a car to learn about everything yourself, keep maintained and occassionally deal with problems a mini is a fantastic first car.
My bf didnt have a clue about cars or looking after them until I got him into minis. His first car was a brand new peugeot and he drove it from A to B without ever really realising he needed to do anything to make a car run!

I think the only problem for you will be the long motorway journeys and unless you have someone who can help and show you how to maintain it etc, I would also go with no, not as a first car.
If a mini is looked after, it can be the most reliable car going (in 4 years my mini only let me down once - more than can be said for my family's cars) but dont just expect it to run the same as a modern car!

Edited by littlemissmagic, 02 March 2013 - 12:15 PM.

[Gremlin]

Yeah, Mini's are one of the unsafest cars, and you dont want to be doing long distances, the insurance isn't rediculous but you have to decide. Also if you work all week away from home and come back at weekends, you don't want to be carrying loads of 'stuff' up and down the motorway as there isn't that much space and weight affects Mini's quite a lot as there isn't much power

[mini-luke]

Like many here I also had a Mini as a first car. And like many, I also wouldn't recommend one as a first car, they are noisy, unreliable and expensive to buy. They are also dangerous in a crash, something insurance companies recognise in their premiums

[Gremlin]

I start with a mini at 17 it's brilliant not 100% reliable but you get a good knowledge of cars insurance £1400 on my own policy price of the car £1030 not to bad also my mate bought a 05 polo for £2000 then £1700 insurance and so far he needs head gasket and valve and new steering costing over £1000 on top minis for the win

Needs valve and new steering? Explain?

[creakyjaws5533]

I start with a mini at 17 it's brilliant not 100% reliable but you get a good knowledge of cars insurance £1400 on my own policy price of the car £1030 not to bad also my mate bought a 05 polo for £2000 then £1700 insurance and so far he needs head gasket and valve and new steering costing over £1000 on top minis for the win

Needs valve and new steering? Explain?

Not to sure he came in one day saying his head gasket had gone and he needed the valves replacing then about 2 weeks ago his steering failed new column and rack I think luckily he wasn't driving at the time