I drive 1 hr to work so at least 2hrs a day (if not more) and half of it in 80/90/100 zones. It handles it fine, though I don't have a matic so that may be the difference. It's an old car so you have to expect things to break. Though being around 6' it's starting to make me sore (knees ankles), need a bucket seat me thinks

Would like a 5th gear though. What revs does it do in 4th at 100. (Mine is a 1100 clubby, I know different gear ratio's will give different figures just want an estimate.)

I'd go for it, if you want a mini get a mini, if you have trouble then you'll learn alot about cars and life, all good IMHO.

Paul.

if i were to get a Mini, id get it in plain BRG. not metallic.

ive had the impression that metallic paint makes everything plastc-ie, hyundai-ie, mass-production-ie.

stick with the old, simple basic BRG, no flashy trash-ness and youll find yourself $2k in the back pocket.

looking back at the last sentence, do you think it also applies to the odd hooker? hah


well there you go, except i was about 3 years late

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Yep, I was planning on basic BRG paint, maybe one day when I'm richer I'd like to experiment with Metallic.

Seems like most Mini's for sale are the Candy Apple Red colour.

Recently I just got a new full time job ( which I really like, and its rare to find a job you actually like doing day to day ) so I won't be able to invest much time at all doing up a Mini at this point. Not only that, I live in an apartment so I don't have a garage. ( My parents are thinking of moving, I'm trying to get them to move out to the sticks so I can leave my future mini projects in their garage ) Until then, the only real hope I have at this time, is trying to buy a Mini mostly already done up the way I want. ( I feel my credit card burning... )

But importantly, half the fun is finding the car

I've had a few offers from people, but most of the problems tend to be either out of victoria cars, or cars I cant afford.

I'll keep trying and let you know how it goes.

** Also, I kept harrassing my older sister to teach me Manual driving in her car. I'm purely learning it to get a Mini! It's going really well, but I'm not sure how I would go if I got a dodgy clutch.

Anyone ever transplanted those Techtronic Gearboxes ( Manual gear change with no clutch needed ) into a Mini ? That would be an A Class luxury....

hi mini_tk,

If i were you i'd go for a manual lesson or two, it's not that much harder than driving an auto and it's also much more fun, esp in a mini. You'll find that a manual will be easier to find at your price range I would say (Don't quote me on that one)

I'd check for rust all over the car, inside and out. Use a magnet to check if a panel has been bogged over with putty or whether it is genuine metal. Check the A frames (just above the front heel arches for rust and in the back of the car check under the rear passenger seat for rust. In the boot, lift out the spare wheel and check under the battery box.

As for mechanicals... Someone could and have written many books about this very subject so I would go to the library or online and read before you buy to save $. There will no doubt be problems with practically every car you look at, it's deciding which has the least problems and will cost you the least.

Best of luck!!!

the matics were made with the gear choices as follows:

reverse
neutral
1
2
3
4
drive

thats pretty much techtronic for ya there, except the technology is 40years old

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Mini_tk,

Regarding the three year P-plate...
After you get to your 2nd year (green plates) you are not restricted to just automatics...
I did my test in an auto but could drive manual a year later!

But it may have cahanged (unlikely)[/quote]

Different system in vic.

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hehe, you lucky NSW people ! In Victoria, you can't drive manual until 3 years later.

As for your tips, theyre really great ideas for people who wouldn't normally know. From now on, everytime I go to check out a car, I'm going to take a magnet with me! Thanks heaps for that idea.

As for the techtronics, they try and sell it to us now in the year 2000# as a whole new invention o_O hehe

Learnt about Rego and transfers today. Also found out that if you have a Health Care Card you get half price registration on your car. ( well, that's in Vic ) also, don't quote me on this, but someone said if you underquote the value of your sale/car you pay less Dutys / Transfer fee.

Today I also learnt, driving Manual is nothing like Daytona USA

Hehe Daytona USA...

Well if you get used to it, that's about what it's like. Once you get the muscle memory going with the left foot it's easy.

Cheers!

Yea, I wouldnt suggest you do it offcourse as its highly illegal, but I heard that some people (other people not me coz I wouldnt willingly underpay taxes, no never) always ask the seller to put a much lower ammount of sale on the transfer papers. The seller doesnt care, as they dont pay anything, but it saves the buyer a few hundred.

The ammount on your transfer has no bearing on your insurance valuation, btw,I heard that those wicked tax avoiding folk just always make the seller write a separate detailed receipt for the full ammount which can be used for the insurance.

Damn those wicked, wicked people =P

Thanks Mike. Atleast its informative

Though the penalties for tax fraud are big ie. 000's of $, is that really worth risking for a saving of what $20!!

Why risk it?

That's just MHO.

Isn't it funny. Despite the fact that the average mini is only slightly less noisy than standing behind a boeing engine (oh.. is that what mufflers do?) it's surprising how subtle our hearing is. A mini driver can tell you when the float is getting out of standard on their drop gears, that number 3 cylinder outlet valve pushrod is running a fraction to much clearance and inlet port number 1 isn't flowing as well as number 2..

and watch a mini person walk. It's a pit like a sailor on dry ground. Why? Coz there's no bounce when you're out of the car..

what does exaggeration mean?

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