26 replies to this topic

[Hannioli]

Right, my student loan's coming through in a couple of days and I'm thinking I could quite happily buy a mini and have it running on the road for a year on that money!

Thing is, i still need to convince my dad somehow not to go ape s**t on me for wanting a car so I'm gonna do some calculations to get him convinced!! (im actually going crazy with my lack of a car dreaming about cars and thinking about them and driving alllllll the time!)

Sooooo, i was wondering how much it generally costs to keep a mini running for a year if the mini you get is sound structurally and runs fine, no modding or buying new bits for the mini in this year ( )

[E.L.M.O]

sound structurally and runs fine, no modding or buying new bits for the mini in this year ( )

ha ha ha ha that wont happen!

anyway,

a car you wont have to do alot to will normally set you back (at it will have to be a careful buy) between £1000 and £1500 (most likely if you dont want to have to do anything the high end of that bracket if not more)

insurance, well your a girl so thats in your favor (tut) you shuld get some quotes on that as guessing wouldnt be easy but remember if needs be the insureance can be payed monthly at most places if it helps. try putting in details of a car on ebay in confused.com to give you an idea.
Also get a good alarm. I dont think the insurance companies recongnise Pedro security!!!

fuel, depends how far you drive. a 998 would be best bet.

and your 20, tell your dad you want a car so
its part of growing up. a sign of inderpendance and a right of passage. the first car
hope this helps

Edited by The Last and the Ludicrous, 15 February 2007 - 03:28 AM.

[Hannioli]

shh i will be good and wont buy anything for my mini if i get one!

it's not that easy with my dad...he's a tad bit scary also i've already had a first car!! the dad got rid of it...true it was falling apart but still :'(

who says i'm a girl? tee-hee, anywho i've done some insurance quotes when i was supposed to be revising, lowest quote i got was at £400 under my name, fully comp. I also had in mind up to £1500 on buying the actual mini!

thanks for that...need some more figures really though!

[E.L.M.O]

what more/other figures?


anyway go to bed!

[Guess-Works.com]

Basically you're going to want to find yourself an unmodified mini with 12 months tax & test, but also with evidence of it's been looked after.. things like the tyres all have a decent tread on them, grease nipples look like they been touched, not got a dirty old oil filter or air filter.

I don't know how much a student loan is, but I suspect the above will take up a fair wedge of that...

Then you have running costs, petrol, services, I would also suggest an AA/RAC membership and also a "oh dear it's gone wrong" fund

[Roo]

I agree. you will need a "if it goes wrong fund" .

Mine was sound for the price i got it, only needed a gearbox replacement. in the last year of having it its had a new: Gearbox, Clutch, clutch cylinders, alternator, starter motor, head gasket, wheel bearings and is now in for new front brakes!! Shes also had a full service.

Edited by Roo, 15 February 2007 - 08:51 AM.

[Bungle]

my 1990 mini does around 3000 miles a year

insurance for a old git is £200
tax £100
MOT £50

and repairs must advrage out at around £200 a year

last years mot cost me £65 but other years as mush as £400

and fuel will depend on how much you drive it and how you drive it

[minimarco]

i drove mine for a year and a half, 20 miles a day, 7 days a week, 10pounds worth of gas a week + 700 for a year of insurance (im20). nothings gone wrong (yet) routine oil change, serviced twice. oh and tires

Edited by minimarco, 15 February 2007 - 09:51 AM.

[Holly]

my mini cost me :

£600 to buy
£400 insurance
£110 tax
£300 (maintinence with a trade card)
£50+ for MOT

student loan atm is £4000

so easily got 2000k spare for petrol!

[biggav]

not saying what mine costs

[Bungle]

mrs big gav on line again

[minimarco]

so easily got £2000 spare for petrol!

that could last me 3 and a half years on premium petrol

[TimS]

I gave up trying to run Winston at uni. Just far to expensive, and he spend most of his time sat out in the rain

[tino]

Mine cost £1250, £450 for Insurance, £110 tax, just spent £500ish on repairs after covering 10,000 miles in the last 7months.

Still under my budget of £2500 for the year minus petrol

Of the £500 £200 was spent on converting down to 10" wheels and £100 was on little bits to make her look nicer so its only about £200 on repairs the rest was 'optional' extra's

[Hannioli]

thanks guys those figures help muchly!

As i'm at uni in central London, there's pretty much no point in me having the car with me at uni, but my mum wants a car (which she'll use about once or twice a week, roughly 5 miles a day! in term time), so I was thinking of letting her "Look after" the mini whilst I'm at uni! Means I'd be constantly checking up on her but that would lower the cost of running the car, hooray!!

my student loan's quite fat because of central londoness sounds like enough to buy a mini, run it and still have leftovers for justin!! just gotta convince the old man now...