7 replies to this topic

[Steamo]

Why can't people be honest about a cars condition? > >

Spent most of sunday on a 300 mile round trip to view a clubby for my cousin. What a waste of time and fuel that was. Plus missed the midlands mini festival and didn't get any work done on my car either.

Asked the guy on the phone whether the sills were the proper ones (narrow versions) he said yes. Also states that the body work is in quite good condition with a few small marks.

Got there and its got oversills with rust visible throught the jacking points filler in the A-panels and the scuttle/wing join on one side. Once I commented on the condition he said it could probably do with new A-panels and a wing and you could see he'd had a go at them with some filler (which he admitted to) - funny how he never mentioned that before we went there!

I know car condition is subjective and difficult to quantify but when specific questions are asked (i.e. sills) I expect a straight answer - or if the owner doesn't honestly know, they should at least say so!

Hes asking £2000 for the car as well so you assume some kind of quality as well - Now my last clubby see below went for £2000

I know you can't tell the condition of the car from pics but this had no rot anywhere there was one tiny blister on the drivers door and that was the lot. Only other bad point was that the sills were wide sills - however the old ones were removed and there was no rot in there (all painted and waxoyled) - I know because I did it myself!! (would have fitted the narrow ones but I didn't know at the time). Mine was MG powered and braked and had fully adjustable suspension and a nice comfy interior as well.

Is this chap dilusional, stupid or a bit of a conman??

Sorry about the long rant but what a waste of £30 fuel and a whole gorgeous day (god knows we don't get enough anyway) which could have been so much better spent.

The car is on ebay and in the for sale section should I name and shame or just leave it be?

[marc]

Would be wise to warn people of what the vehicle is actually like, as long as your not lying about anything or being offensive in any way i dont see a problem.

Where abouts did you go to see it?

[Dan16v]

I have been to see quite a few similar to that, you ask a list of questions about the body work, comments about the usual panels etc, even asking about very small amounts of bubbling

The last one I went to see was a mini 30, he said only a bit of rust on one door, I got there and you could quite easily see it was in virtually every panel in the car, and not just small bubbling! my fingers nearly went through the scuttle!

They try to act dumb at first, but they always catch them selves out once they start talking about minis.

Complete timewasters! I have now just decided that I wont go over about 15 miles to see one and a good one will turn up eventually!

Hope you have better luck next time.


oh, forgot to say, name and shame, might save someone who doesnt know what they are looking for from buying a lemon or potential death trap.

We should start a new section, 'Minis to avoid'

[Steamo]

Middlesex its a yellow clubman.

May be a little narked about the wasted trip but I have described the car exactly as I saw it.

Also I'm not saying that the car is complete wreck. Its got a years ticket and it did drive nicely so it will be worth something to somebody. However IMO its nowhere near a £2000 car and it will need welding work and panels replaced in the near future.

Dodgy areas are A-panels, drivers wing/scuttle seam, oversills. Floors not pretty but seemed strong enough. Floor also had fibreglass in along where it meets the crossmember and had not been painted on the inside on the back of the oversill welds and had gone rusty - it was not too clear whether or not this would be a problem - but to be honest by this point it was clear that we wern't having it anyway so didn't pay too much attention.

Have to say a few years back I went to look at a Park lane for £275 thought I must be mad but the guy assured me he was telling the truth - turned out to be a beaut, one genuine rover sill and a set of minilights of a mate for £100 and it had a MOT - went throught the next one as well with no work. Did over 15,000 miles and had it for nearly 2 years and I sold it for £475 with a blown head gasket and knackered waterpump! They're not all bad - anyone got any tips for weeding out the genuine ones??

[TWICEmonkey]

Well he's not a proper TMFer yet as I saw the post steamo is talking about and the For Sale bit has been his only post. He obviously just using the For Sale section for free advertising and nowt else

[Dan16v]

I often find that if I ask for more pictures of certain panels and they are a bit resistant to do so they are usually not telling the truth.

On the other hand I am hopefully going to get a mini from a local garage, they were very honest about the condition when I phoned up and was just as described when I went to see it,

£1400 for a very solid 1987 shell, 1275 RSP engine and brand new 12 inch revolutions with a nice dash etc (does this sound like a reasonable price?)

I just wish everyone else could be the same!

[miniboo]

now that is a shame because that mini looks great in the pics and looked like it could have been a good'un

[Steamo]

Me too, I had high hopes for it - prime example of not judging a car from the pictures!