15 replies to this topic

[john2502]

Just a thought that occurred to me after an order from Mini Spares today.

I've had a few classics over the years (less than some but more than most people i guess!) and after ordering a new radiator,mounts,and uprated water pump for a total of £150 it struck me how well these cars are, for the most part at least, catered for not just by Mini Spares but also others.

Some cars I've had you simply can't get stuff for as too rare to make decent replacement parts commercially viable for. So it ends up being eBay and even then paying over the odds due to scarcity.

Only other car I've had that has come close is a classic Mustang, I'm sure there are others, I imagine older defenders for example? Anyway.

Most people I know these days (other parents of young kids) pay a fair bit more for their annual service which is basically an oil change and a few checks. I told one guy I needed a new radiator and water pump on the car and he physically winced, I then explained the price and how easy to replace they are and he was taken aback.

Just a bit of a positive thought for a Friday I guess.

[sonscar]

Try a TR7,maybe hundred left.New radiator £400,new water pump £300,new sill £300,new front panel £1000 etc.There are no incentives to repair these cars as they are almost worthless.The suppliers probably have more spares than cars left.
I have one with tired bodywork and similarly tired engine which I am trying to ressurect as it has some sentimental value.
Yes mini owners are in a good position.Steve..

[john2502]

Ah yeah, I do like TR7s and did wonder if their feature in The Detectorists might spark a bit of interest in them but it seems not from what you say.

Had a GT6 for a few years and the MK3 especially were catered for well but more with bad quality Chinese repro parts rather than OEM quality.

[beardylondon]

Well said, and try telling Minuki that!

https://www.theminif...-2#entry3803607

Just a thought that occurred to me after an order from Mini Spares today.

I've had a few classics over the years (less than some but more than most people i guess!) and after ordering a new radiator,mounts,and uprated water pump for a total of £150 it struck me how well these cars are, for the most part at least, catered for not just by Mini Spares but also others.

Some cars I've had you simply can't get stuff for as too rare to make decent replacement parts commercially viable for. So it ends up being eBay and even then paying over the odds due to scarcity.

Only other car I've had that has come close is a classic Mustang, I'm sure there are others, I imagine older defenders for example? Anyway.

Most people I know these days (other parents of young kids) pay a fair bit more for their annual service which is basically an oil change and a few checks. I told one guy I needed a new radiator and water pump on the car and he physically winced, I then explained the price and how easy to replace they are and he was taken aback.

Just a bit of a positive thought for a Friday I guess.

Edited by beardylondon, 07 August 2026 - 05:40 PM.

[lsto]

A friend I work with has a MK3 escort estate that he has put a tasty engine in but other than brakes is basically standard. He has had a nightmare sourcing bits, and like you say a lot of what was on offer was overpriced junk, he had a nightmare getting panels for it too as it's an estate. Someone else I know was after a headlamp for his MK2 fiesta for ages. There were some on eBay but they were either massively expensive for a second hand unit and the only new units available were all from Europe but they were all left hand drive units. It amazed me because the mini scene is so well catered for I just assumed all old cars, especially like old escorts and fiestas would be, but not so.

[68+86auto]

I work on some cars which there were less than 1000 made. That can be difficult and expensive.

[Shooter63]

I think one reason that certain cars are well catered for and others aren't is the term " Classic" which today seems to be any car over a certain age possibly due to the road tax brackets and insurance companies. Was the Morris Marina ever a classic car? No, was the E type a classic? Yes instantly. At one time I had a Rover P5B I remember I was once totally out of character being social and going to a club meeting, I actually started talking to the club president, he made a very pertinent statement, " these are old cars we like, not classics". It seems real classic cars are well catered for, while just old cars aren't, even short run classics are catered for ie Aston, Ferrari etc 

 

Shooter 

[mab01uk]

Not many cars are in production practically unchanged for 40 years, while also becoming a classic car before the final years of factory production ended. In the Minis case it also helps that it become an iconic part of British motoring history while being ahead of its time and pioneering the front wheel drive/transverse engine layout that went on to be copied by most other car manufacturers worldwide right up to the present day. At the same time crossing several generations of owner/drivers (1959-2000) and their memories (good & bad) has extended interest in the Mini over a much longer period, while many of the Minis late 1950/60's contemporary classic cars are now starting to fall in value and demand as the generation that still remember them with some nostalgia dies out. (The significant drop in value and demand of pre-war classic cars in recent years at auction is also an earlier example of this generational process happening).

 

So basically the demand and numbers still interested in the Mini as a classic car today and probably well into the future, is still large enough for a reasonable number of specialist companies and businesses to continue to supply most replacement parts/panels and even invest in tooling to re-manufacture some items that are now in short supply even in good used condition. (eg. Minispares - now produce new Cooper S Cylinder Block castings).

Edited by mab01uk, 09 August 2026 - 12:14 PM.

[Icey]

I’m just getting to the end of restoring(ish) my Land Rover Series 3; there’re very few parts I can’t get new, lower dash panel is unicorn poop but is now being remanufactured. There’s also people still working on upgrades - power steering and disc brakes being the two big ones.

As has been mentioned, it helps when you’re working on a car that didn’t change much for years and came from a wider parts bin (I’ve bought things for the Landy from Somerford!).

When I had older Hondas it was pot-luck what you could still get but I was often surprised how much I could get from main dealers.

[john2502]

When I had older Hondas it was pot-luck what you could still get but I was often surprised how much I could get from main dealers.

I may be mis-remembering this but about 10-12 years ago I seem to remember talking to an S800 owner (love those but asumed it would be a pai to keep on the road) and I swear he said a lof of the parts Honda still stocked for it which amazed me.

[john2502]

I work on some cars which there were less than 1000 made. That can be difficult and expensive.

Yeah I bet, do you always keep an eye out for parts that are rare? or would that be hording? Haha

[68+86auto]

 

I work on some cars which there were less than 1000 made. That can be difficult and expensive.

Yeah I bet, do you always keep an eye out for parts that are rare? or would that be hording? Haha

 

Hard to hoard parts if they can't be found in the first place. A lot of parts are shared with a car they made 23,307 of which is just slightly easier to find. I collect any parts I can get at reasonable prices. Same story with minis. I have the luxury of more space than most people dream of but it is still not enough. Part of that problem is I spend the money on parts and tools rather than the storage to put them on/in.

Edited by 68+86auto, 09 August 2026 - 11:43 PM.

[Minuki]

Well said, and try telling Minuki that!

https://www.theminif...-2#entry3803607
 

Just a thought that occurred to me after an order from Mini Spares today.

I've had a few classics over the years (less than some but more than most people i guess!) and after ordering a new radiator,mounts,and uprated water pump for a total of £150 it struck me how well these cars are, for the most part at least, catered for not just by Mini Spares but also others.

Some cars I've had you simply can't get stuff for as too rare to make decent replacement parts commercially viable for. So it ends up being eBay and even then paying over the odds due to scarcity.

Only other car I've had that has come close is a classic Mustang, I'm sure there are others, I imagine older defenders for example? Anyway.

Most people I know these days (other parents of young kids) pay a fair bit more for their annual service which is basically an oil change and a few checks. I told one guy I needed a new radiator and water pump on the car and he physically winced, I then explained the price and how easy to replace they are and he was taken aback.

Just a bit of a positive thought for a Friday I guess.

 

You've really taken the huff about me not liking Minispares, haven't you? 

[mab01uk]

BMW have a Classic division which can supply quite a few parts for their older models of BMW cars and motorcycles, they even list the classic Mini amongst them on their website below, but I'm not sure they could supply any classic Mini parts direct, (before the Rover/BMW R50 MINI of 2001), other than through Heritage (ie. BMH).

Classic BMW, BMW Motorrad and, MINI Models:-

https://www.bmwgroup.../en/models.html

Edited by mab01uk, Yesterday, 08:59 AM.

[68+86auto]

BMW have a Classic division which can supply quite a few parts for their older models of BMW cars and motorcycles, they even list the classic Mini amongst them on their website below, but I'm not sure they could supply any classic Mini parts direct, (before the Rover/BMW R50 MINI of 2001), other than through Heritage (ie. BMH).

Classic BMW, BMW Motorrad and, MINI Models:-

https://www.bmwgroup.../en/models.html

 

Also have a look at Bosch classic. They provide parts for old European cars and also have a list of approved classic repairers. Most of these repairers have old Bosch engine analysers to test the cars properly.

 

https://www.bosch-classic.com/de/en/

 

A relative came across a Bosch classic workshop in Paris that does minis. https://share.google/qKgJgdfuX5a8Ga4ne. I was sent a picture of a mini and only I would track down the location from the other side of the world.

Edited by 68+86auto, Yesterday, 09:24 AM.