Car spannerists advice please

Could be a worn bush or linkage.

Traditional method is to jack up the car, grab the wheel with both hands, top and bottom then try and rock it with reasonable force. Listen and feel for any movement. Do the same holding it on the sides.
If you do notice something then you might need a spotter underneath to track it down. If so make sure it's properly supported.

Anti-roll bar links ? Yyou might need to drive it a bit more to identify - usually difficult on a car you don't drive much. MrsF had a MOT on hers, and didn't tel me the advisory was an engine mount had failed - car passed. I only found out some time later when I checked the MOT history. That's what the clunk was on gear changes !  It's a £30 part, I changed it in 30 minutes - including jaking the car up.  I wasn't impressed.

Some folk turn the radio up on cars.... I've always been listening to mine.  My current ar is 22 years old, doesn't get used much, but I listen for noises.

Rear clunks a few years ago were perished/dry anti roll bar rubber mounts to the bodywork - cost less than £10 in parts.

Could be any number of things.

The check (and this is exactly what the garage will do to begin with too) is to get the car up in the air and get a big bar out, start wedging it in and levering each of the control arms and links to identify where the play is.

It's often only possible to 'feel' the movement by having your hand on the loose part - so feel each of the bushes and ball joints in turn.

Give the wheels a wobble too hands at 12 and 6, and then hands at 3 and 9.

Note - you MUST get both left and right side up in the air with the wheels unloaded, if you don't, the anti roll bar is sprung and carrying a huge load, which will take up play and hide lots of issues. Don't just do it corner at a time, you need axle stands.

Also, get a torch up round the shock absorbers and look for snapped springs, turn the wheels left to right to look and listen for crunching or grinding from springs and top mounts.

Further common cause of knocks is loose exhaust heatshields or exhaust itself, snapped hangers etc.

Thanks both. I did wonder about jacking it up and checking wheels for play but I'll draw the line at getting under it!

You need to determine is the noise consistent/in time/repeatedly with wheel rotation and does it only do it in when the brake is applied in which case it's brake related...

Or is it a single noise when the brake is applied in which case it could be caliper mounting pins, loose pads/tired pad retainers or a control arm or suspension bush.

.....and does it only do it after being laid up for awhile?

Definitely this:

the noise consistent/in time/repeatedly with wheel rotation

First time it's done it as far as I know. And it was probably only a week max it hadn't been used for. Not tried it since.

Exhaust and heat shields would be my first check, then any suspended spare tyre, then the suspension itself as above.  If none of those.  Fuel tank would be next followed by the diff.

I have a mini r56, when the anti roll bar bushes or drop links go they make a right noise, luckily they are cheap and easy enough to change, it’s a common problem and there are loads of YouTube tutorials. 

@davros

I don't know how the handbrake mechanism acts on the wheels with a Mini....

Is the handbrake harder to pull 'on'?
Once pulled on then released is there any spring tension in the handbrake lever pulling it back down? Handbrake cable may be frozen/seized.

If the handbrake lever feels okay and the noise only does it when the wheels are turning find a private/quiet road and gently pull the handbrake on a click at a time with the car moving slowly. Does the noise increase?

Probably handbrake shoes/brake pads have 'welded on' and left some material behind.

Not driven many miles
Sound under braking
Consistent with wheel rotation

Has it been parked up with the handbrake on for a long time? Could be just as simple as a rust patch being knocked off the disc or drum. If the braking is reliable and working, a couple of controlled long brake-on descents may clear it.

What year Mini? Droplinks are an obvious starting point but try and give them a wobble if you can with the car on level ground - once its jacked up and everything extends it tends to put strain on them and as a result, remove any looseness that might be present.

If it is droplinks, they're £20+ and not a massive faff to change (unless they're seized on in which case its easier to grind them off and get the new ones on).

Cracked disc/ discs ?
Loose wheel nuts .
Worn brake pads fluttering in the caliper.

It's a 2012. Inspected the discs earlier and they're in good condition. As above, only replaced in the last 2 years. Checked for bolts and they're fine. Partner has driven it today and she also thinks it sounds like it's coming from the rear both sides. I'll try the handbrake test tomorrow and get it booked in at the garage as it's definitely due a service anyway.

Thanks all 👍