4 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Autocar magazine - (Nov 2025) - 3000 miles in a Classic Mini: Why it's all over for my little Rover - by Alex Wolstenholme.
"Minis are great, until you have to live with one as your only car in Britain. But it's not always their fault…

For as long as I can remember, I've loved Minis. I wasn't really fussed whether it was a Morris, Austin, Innocenti, Cooper, Cooper S… just as long as it was a Mini – the classic-shaped one, not the later BMW-era cars.
Four or five years ago, just before I could drive, I desperately wanted one to have as my first car to learn in. Unsurprisingly, my parents said no. We had no garage space and they would have had to be at least partially responsible until the point when I was finally able to drive it. 
But in 2023, the stars aligned...."
https://www.autocar....my-little-rover

Autocar - Used Rover Mini 1991-2000 review (June 2024).
As eager as it is charming, and fun as it is cute – but will you come to regret buying it?
https://www.autocar..../mini-1991-2000

Edited by mab01uk, 02 December 2025 - 10:52 PM.

[Steam]

"Minis are great, until you have to live with one as your only car in Britain. But it's not always their fault"

They either should have stopped at the first 3 words, or finished with until you drive one and realise they are brilliant.

Millions of Brits drove as dailies with no issues.

[68+86auto]

The complaints in the article sound like the typical poorly maintained (or stupidly adjusted) mini. The same issues would occur on any vehicle.

Edited by 68+86auto, 03 December 2025 - 06:16 AM.

[Mr.greenPullover]

I bought mine '93 Mini Cabriolet 13 years ago, as my very own first car and the only car I bought until today. After we caught up with the maintenance and set up the suspension right, it's the most brilliant fun I ever have in a car even in city traffic...

Yes traffic jams sucks more... luckily we have not so much traffic jams around here - no wait, we are arguably the capital city of traffic jams in germany - never mind...

And yes I had to stiffen the shock absorbers about two clicks to cope with British roads on my 5.000 mile road trip around Scotland in 2019...   

 

It's still going strong with 180.206 miles on the odometer (of which I drove about 150.000 myself)...

Edited by Mr.greenPullover, 03 December 2025 - 10:42 AM.

[mab01uk]

I guess it is all relative to what you are used to and what is available as an alternative, especially if you are a youngster and do not have the mechanical skills, money and tools to keep an older classic car like the Mini running reliably all year round and passing MOT's.....while all your mates have cheaper, more robust modern small cars which rarely need the bonnet opened, don't go rusty, have air con, etc and are much more refined on motorway journeys....plus from a parents point of view are much safer for an inexperienced young driver with modern safety crumple zones and air bags.

 

Back in the day (1970's) my first car and daily driver for many years after, were classic Minis but then other small cars at the time had the same drawbacks but were much less fun to drive than a Mini, so you just accepted any downsides to ownership.