24 replies to this topic

[Mini-Mouse]

Hi all, I'm thinking about buying a classic mini, but I'm somewhat put off by their tendancy to rust. I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of just how quickly they do rust and when to rectify it - at the first sign or wait until its an MOT failure?

 

It will be my only car, but will probably cover about 3000 miles a year and will always be garaged and never used in snow or ice, so what rate of rusting should I expect?

 

Also, is there a particular year/edition that you would recommend? I like the idea of the late Rover models as they have drivers airbag but from what I understand, these rust the fasted - is this true?

 

Thanks Guys.

[Lordcroker]

Hi and welcome! True, Minis rust- the difficult part is buying a good one in the first place! Pretty much all Minis out there have some degree of rust, it's a question of how bad the rust is and whether it is in a structural part that could make it unsafe in the not too distant future. I've heard that late models rust the worst as well. The trick to rust is to catch and properly repair it as early on as possible. Rust prevention is also key. Rust prevention products like waxoyl, dinitrol etc are your friends! Buy as rust free a car as possible, get any early stages of rust sorted asap and then waxoyl, waxoyl and more waxoyl! When in daily use I used to take my previous Mini off the road for a weekend of cleaning the underneath, checking and reapplying waxoyl every year. I used it all throughout the year and after 7 years sold it as rust free as it was when I bought it. They take maintenance, but are well worth it! I personally wouldn't get too hung up on the airbag and side impact beams of later models. They are still basically a car of the 1960's and have the kind of crash safety associated with cars of that era.

[absx2]

I have used my mk3 as a daily drive for just over nine years, its always parked outside and is fairing very well with just the odd stone chip sized rusty bit here and there and its white which acts as an early warning system for rust   The structure including doors, boot, bonnet and sills have no rot anywhere so plenty of rust prevention is the key.

 

I remove the wheel arch trims in winter and the car gets drowned in GT85, chain lube and Waxoil type products at oil change time which is 2-3 times a year.

 

Having worked in a Rover dealership I can confirm that the late ones do seem to rust quicker as they were showing signs in the showroom

[Lordcroker]

 
Having worked in a Rover dealership I can confirm that the late ones do seem to rust quicker as they were showing signs in the showroom

You saying this has jogged a memory for me! I remember going to my local Rover dealer around 2000/2001 on a number of ocassions to buy parts for my Mini and recall seeing the last of the line Minis parked outside the front for many months unsold. In the end I think that they cut the prices right down just to clear them! There was an Olde English White Mini Seven there and there were definite rust signs on the white paint below the headlights.....

Edited by Lordcroker, 11 July 2016 - 05:41 PM.

[Mini-Mouse]

Rust prevention is also key. Rust prevention products like waxoyl, dinitrol etc are your friends! Buy as rust free a car as possible, get any early stages of rust sorted asap and then waxoyl, waxoyl and more waxoyl! When in daily use I used to take my previous Mini off the road for a weekend of cleaning the underneath, checking and reapplying waxoyl every year. I used it all throughout the year and after 7 years sold it as rust free as it was when I bought it. 

Thanks for the info - how many times a year would you do this, if you were going to cover the entire car: underside and body work? 

[Lordcroker]

Given that you will be keeping your Mini garaged, covering a low mileage and saving it from the worst of the winter weather, once a year should be more than adequate. Waxoyl etc is only applied to the underside and sprayed/injected into any cavities, box sections, panel joins that you can get access to. The actual bodywork just needs regular washing and polishing. The trouble is few people seem to rust proof their cars, so rust will have a 16+ year head start on most cars out there. In a way this is understandable, as the Mini was one of the few cars on sale in the 1990's that required rust proofing and I imagine the only car that still had grease points. Worn suspension and steering is a very common MOT fail/advisory on later cars, in part I'd suspect down to a lack of greasing. The Mini in the 90's was every classic car owners dream, the opportunity to buy a brand new classic. Unfortunately most buyers treated their new car like a new car, rather than the relic from the 60's that it was, which is perhaps one of the reasons why they haven't lasted so well when compared to earlier models.

[Mini-Mouse]

Given that you will be keeping your Mini garaged, covering a low mileage and saving it from the worst of the winter weather, once a year should be more than adequate. Waxoyl etc is only applied to the underside and sprayed/injected into any cavities, box sections, panel joins that you can get access to. The actual bodywork just needs regular washing and polishing. The trouble is few people seem to rust proof their cars, so rust will have a 16+ year head start on most cars out there. In a way this is understandable, as the Mini was one of the few cars on sale in the 1990's that required rust proofing and I imagine the only car that still had grease points. Worn suspension and steering is a very common MOT fail/advisory on later cars, in part I'd suspect down to a lack of greasing. The Mini in the 90's was every classic car owners dream, the opportunity to buy a brand new classic. Unfortunately most buyers treated their new car like a new car, rather than the relic from the 60's that it was, which is perhaps one of the reasons why they haven't lasted so well when compared to earlier models.

 

Thanks for the insight, just found a book that covers basic maintanence including greasing, so that will be a definite buy! I'm seeing alot of 90's models with next to no visible rust on the exterior including under the bonnet and in the boot. Should the later ones be considered if they are in this good shape or should I not let temptation get the better of me and steer towards earlier examples!?

Edited by Mini-Mouse, 11 July 2016 - 07:49 PM.

[Lordcroker]

When I bought my current Mini two months ago I only had one goal, as solid a car as possible! I looked at 70's, 80's and 90's cars and would have been happy with any of them spec wise. I'm fortunate to have access to a workshop and a little mechanical knowledge/experience, so mechanical work doesn't worry me too much. Welding and bodywork does, as I have no experience with it!

Any solid Mini is worth considering, no matter what era it is from. With any old car, it is always best to buy the best that you can afford and not be afraid to walk away if it is not the right one.

[minicooperr]

I think if you can get yourself a fair rust free mini and do everything to prevent rust forming and/or take action as soon as you find any, as rust does spread. You should be alright it's just finding a new tidy one for the money now a days

[Mini-Mouse]

When I bought my current Mini two months ago I only had one goal, as solid a car as possible! I looked at 70's, 80's and 90's cars and would have been happy with any of them spec wise. I'm fortunate to have access to a workshop and a little mechanical knowledge/experience, so mechanical work doesn't worry me too much. Welding and bodywork does, as I have no experience with it!

Any solid Mini is worth considering, no matter what era it is from. With any old car, it is always best to buy the best that you can afford and not be afraid to walk away if it is not the right one.

 

You make some good points! As this will only be my second ever car, I plan to use it to learn more about how cars work and from what I hear they are ideal cars to do this; so as time goes on I'd like to think I would be able to do more and more mechanical repairs myself, but I'd ideally like a mechanically sound car to begin with! I know a mechanic who could do minor body work repairs, but I don't want to be visiting him every other week! Hopefully by following your advice this won't be the case!

[Mini-Mouse]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've got more of an idea of what to look for now, so will keep an eye out (whilst saving up!).

[Lordcroker]

The free DVLA MOT history check website is also a really handy tool. If you see a Mini you like you can look up its MOT history (from 2006 to date) before you even contact the owner. This often reveals a lot about the car, any recurring problems and how caring the owner has been.

For instance, one Mini I checked had an advisory about a damaged tyre for three years in a row. If they cared about the car or indeed their safety, then surely they would have had this fixed? It builds a picture about how caring the owner was......

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

[some1158]

Yes, the MOT history is really helpful. If there was serious rust noted in, say, 2012 but not 2013, was it properly repaired with panels cut out and new metal welded in? Or was it just covered in underseal or patched over? You can go to look at a car forewarned for close investigation.

 

Minis rust from the inside out, so any rust in the seams below the headlights, on the A panels, etc, has probably started from inside. It's not simply 'surface rust'. Bear in mind however that new panels are cheap - the cost is in getting them welded on and painted if you're not going to do that yourself.

 

Check the sills to make sure that the correct type is fitted. As built (except for 1959 cars!!) they have open flutes / 'vents' under the car which allow water and condensation to drain out. Often these sills have been replaced with 'wide' oversills that have raised squares but no vents. These don't allow the water out with the risk that the floor starts to rot. They also change the structural box section. Sometimes they have been welded straight over the old rusty sill to pass an MOT (hence the name oversill). Watch out for these sills. (see http://www.theminifo...-to-avoid-them/)

 

There are some photos at http://www.itsamini.co.uk/check.htm

 

As above, a good inspection of the underside once a year plus inject wax into all the cavities (there are lists on here) will do a lot to help.

 

The most important thing is not to rush and buy the first car you see if you have any doubts!

[JBW]

I spent a lot of time studying pics of rebuild threads on this forum, looking at the photo's of rusty shell's to learn where to look for rust, some cars look fine at 1st. look but careful studying showed they were very rusty in the most obscure places.

 

When I went to look at car I now have, I spent over 2 hours looking over it, boot emptied, rear seat out, all carpets up, had it up on ramps to look underneath etc.

On its first MOT, comment was "its had a fair bit of welding, but is very solid".

Since purchase its been waxoyled underneath & cavity wax every possible place I can find, to try & preserve it as it is.

[Ethel]

"When I went to look at car I now have, I spent over 2 hours looking over it, boot emptied, rear seat out, all carpets up, had it up on ramps to look underneath etc."  I imagine the seller was thrilled 

 

Well worth doing though.

 

Possibly with the exception of the window scuttle on MPI's (thicker windscreen) I'm not entirely convinced by the later cars rust more argument. It's not fair to compare the whole of the late cars with just the survivors from earlier years. Plenty of 70's & 80's models rotted away from the neglect and abuse your average, sane, motorist would call normal use.

 

Virtually all the key rot areas are in the firing line of the tyres, which suggests stone chip protection and washing away moisture holding crud from the underside is important.