I’m going to own one next year, I want to know everything I need to know in advance, so I’m asking you guys, so that you guys definitely all know I’m buying one for…… £1.2k!

I’ll be driving the car on the motorway, carrying lots of bikes (obvs), going on famileeee trips, and generally being a COOL DAD.

But, er, obviously this thread is all about your options, not me, really. So let the games commence – any advice & pics appreciated.

Ta!

Swoon.

make it gold. i need a gold mini to even up the score against my 5yr old son.

So your going for an early model “new” mini then ?

Which model ?

Few things to bear in mind (speaking from painful experience)

1) The gearbox on the One + Cooper (but not the ‘S’) are prone to failure around the 70k mark. Around £300 for a recon unit + fitting; replace the clutch whilst you are in there.

2) Engines are generally strong; but can be prone to going bang if it’s been allowed to run low on oil (e.g. you get a leak and the first thing you know about it is when it starts making all the wrong noises on the motorway)

3) The PAS pump can be prone to overheating; I believe there’s an updated alternative that’s better.

4) If it’s still on run flats and you like to .. ahem.. enjoy spirited driving it’ll go through tyres at a surprising rate of knots. Best change I ever made was to regular tyres + a can of gunk.

5) Water pump housing is prone to cracking / failure

6) They are great fun to drive 🙂

Jewish Racing Gold Mini Metro?

Now you’re motoring!

What sunglasses do you wear?

😉

What sunglasses do you wear?

Bolle rose tinted.

My 1981 Mini is sat on the drive under a tarp waiting for me to retire next year. 🙂

I’m on the lookout for a Mini to do up, you got me all excited about finding one for under £2k that wasn’t a rustbucket!

Then I realised you’re on about the new Mini, disappointed 🙁

finding one for under £2k that wasn’t a rustbucket!

They are all rustbuckets – they eat sills, subframes etc for breakfast. Although I assume the old rusty panels can be replaced with modern parts that don’t corrode overnight?

Rust
Ball joints
Rear radius arms
Water pumps

I have a line on a 65 morris mini 848 de deluxe.
Off the road since 1990. Located in lincolnshire.
Was thinking about a project, but this is too much for me to tackle with the panels that would be needed and lack of parts availabilty in canada.

Just google

“Project Binky”

Then waste the next 4 hours of your life watching a man in a workshop do ‘stuff’ 😀 and marvel at it

Ah yes, Binky is a masterpiece. Madness, but awesome.

Replacing A-panels, bonnets, doors etc is easy on a Mini!

BearBack, that car is worth a few grand easily. Older ones that are mostly original are sought after.