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What Mini For Me?


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#46 mab01uk

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Posted 30 March 2021 - 11:31 AM

Thanks everyone, it's sad to hear but also good to hear it now. These sills were sketchy to me, now for reference would anyone have a picture of what kind of sills I should expect in the 6000 range? Also, wouldn't it be possible to hide rust behind brand new sills?

 

Is it that bad? I own a 95 Toyota truck, and of course it's a Toyota + much more modern design so I don't expect anything near as bulletproof as that, but there are plenty of cars from the 80s that seems reasonably quiet. Rust aside (plenty of cars from the time also have rust problems), is the classic Mini especially unreliable compared to its peers of the same era?

 

The sills on that Mini are a mess of flat plates and oversills welded over whatever is left of the originals underneath. Such repairs are done purely to get an old Mini through its MOT and maybe get another year or so out the car before the rust breaks through again and leads to finally scrapping as an MOT failure.

 

You cannot compare an '80s Mini with its peers of the same era in the 1980's as the Mini was designed in the late 1950's and remained pretty much unchanged as far as bodywork and lack of rustproofing and rust traps were concerned until 2000, in fact if anything it got worse by the late MPi Minis. When it was designed people only expected cars to last about 7 years before rust started to become terminal and the Mini was sold as a cheap basic car with secondhand examples scrapped once rust repairs or temporary 'bodge' repairs were uneconomic and it was cheaper to buy another old Mini than repair.


Edited by mab01uk, 30 March 2021 - 11:32 AM.


#47 sonscar

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Posted 30 March 2021 - 12:04 PM

I really feel like a traitor to the cause here saying this but as a long time classic car owner three of which I have owned for over 30 years my advice to anyone is unless you have pots of gold in your shed,trusted elves who are quick and good at repairs or have the ability to repair every aspect of your purchase yourself then buy a newer car.For £6k there is a jungle of really nice motors out there.

I am only trying to dissuade you insofar as I would hate you to buy a lemon and end up much poorer and disappointed in Mini's and the people who sell them.

Good luck with your choice.Steve..



#48 some1158

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Posted 30 March 2021 - 12:16 PM

In the 6000 range you should expect perfect condition vented sills. Yes, they could be replacements and if so you'd have to trust the job has been done properly but this is why you have to look carefully at the floors from above (lift the carpets) and below to see what they look like.



#49 sonscar

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Posted 30 March 2021 - 12:29 PM

Do people pay £6k for Minis?With the past year situation my Mini has sat in the garage and now I am much poorer I shall have to consider its sale,a pity as between my wife,son and myself I have maintained it for 17 years.Sorry for veering off topic,Steve..



#50 Cooperman

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Posted 30 March 2021 - 07:13 PM

For £6K it is possible to get a reasonably good Mini, albeit one which will require some work to make it 'mint' (not concours).

There are cars available for less, but they will all require work. In fact, those at £3k to £4k may well need extensive body and/or mechanical work. Imagine buying a 'snip' at £3k and finding out that it needed front wings, sills, A-panels and thus a full re-paint and then that an engine or gearbox overhaul was also needed.

My personal belief is that if you are able to do all the body & mechanical work yourself, then buy a cheap and rusty 'project'. That way after spending the money you know it is correct and sound. The alternative is to buy a much more expensive one which is 'all-good' as evidenced by photo supported build data, invoices and in-depth inspection by a Mini expert. Then all that will be faced is routine maintenance.

Limited edition Minis should be all-correct and if they are, then their values will continue to increase. In fact, limited editions such as 'Mini 30' are already very expensive and models sugh as 'Racing' and 'Red Hot' are going the same way. The even more desirable ones such as the 'Paul Smith' and 'Open Classic' , which are 1275's are now becoming very desirable.



#51 Fab

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Posted 03 April 2021 - 03:45 PM

Hi all,

 

Coming today originally to show a bit of my Easter egg hunt with a white auto MPI (Japanese import), as I'm still learning how to recognize a good body, so here are the pics...

 

Now, the last few comments are as interesting as they are discouraging. I was still under the impression that with a bit of attention it'd be reasonably ok to run a Mini daily, without making it the most mint or concours-ready, just enjoyable and drivable... But if I read well, I should maybe forget about it...

Attached Files



#52 some1158

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Posted 03 April 2021 - 05:55 PM

From the photos those sills look much better. They are at least the correct vented type! Although covered in some kind of underseal/stonechip, and I'm wondering about the rivet (?) in the second photo, so give them a close look.

 

The late Japanese cars are a mix of MPI and SPI tech but can be in better condition, bodywork-wise, than their British equivalents owing to the lack of road salt used there.

 

I am sure it is possible to daily a Mini - it was of course what people did for years. But to do so without the bodywork disintegrating after a few years (as it did in the past) needs a careful approach to keep the bodywork clean and protected. Plus some knowledge of how to keep the mechanicals in good order so that they stay reliable. It will need regular attention at the weekends...



#53 Cooperman

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Posted 03 April 2021 - 08:56 PM

Personally I wouldn't want to use a classic car as a daily driver. that applies to virtually every classic designed in the 50's or 60's. remember, the Mini was designed in 1958. They do require a degree of know-how and constant attention. In fact, they did back in the day with an engine oil change every 1500 miles, suspension greasing at the same intervals, manual brake adjustment quite often and a lot of fettling.

Minis are a lot of fun to own and drive, but they are old cars with the youngest now 21 years old.  I know I couldn't afford to run one at all if I couldn't do all of the possibly necessary work myself including bodywork, engine rebuilds, suspension and general mechanical stuff. 

My Grandson did have an MPI a his first road car when he was 16 and after he passed his test it was his daily driver for a few months. He and I can do everything on a Mini, but after about 5 months he decided he needed a more modern car and sold the Mini for quite a lot of money as it had been completely restored by us. With the cash he bought a Fiesta 1.25 Zetec which was reliable, quicker than the Mini, smother and above all, reliable. Of course, he can drive my Minis and now has one of his own. In fact, he is aiming to go into the Mini buying, selling, and restoring business.

Most classics are really now for leisure use, but if I was to own a classic as a daily driver, I would go for an early VW Golf or something from the 1980's such as a BMW E36 or an early Mazda MX5. 






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