Hey everyone - looks like there's a fair bit of collective knowledge here, so I'm going to have to put out a question or two! I just hope they haven't been asked a million times before...

The thing is, I'm looking at getting a car to commute to and from work (about 10km each way), and just generally do a whole heap of short trips - in other words I'd be using it a lot. I've been interested in the old (non-bmw) minis for a number of years now, but then again I am after something with low maintenance and associated costs. I have little - if any - free time so I definitely wouldn't be after a project car.

I guess it's safe to assume that Minis are alright on fuel costs, but I haven't heard anything good about their reliability or getting parts. Understandable with a 30-40 year old car, but is it possible to get one that isn't going to need too much attention? To make matters worse I'd be parking on the street all the time, and I live close to the coast (Northern Sydney), which can't be good for rust....

I'm looking to spend between $5-8k all up and I'd be extremely interested to hear how much I could expect to be paying in running costs. Would that sort of money get me something reliable? At the moment I don't even know where to look!

Thanks

Rob

Hey Rob, Welcome.

I'm new here myself and in the same boat as you. I too am looking for exactly the same things in a mini as you are. With that kinda cash you should be able to find a very half descent mini, maintenance wise, i've heard they do require a little TLC but like any car, neglect them and they'll hurt your hip pocket.

I'm looking for something with disk brakes, unleaded ready and an electronic distributor (you don't want to replace and gap points all the time).

Many in here have helped with my Q's... Good Luck!

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Santo

"The Lone Ranger"
HI-HO Silver......AWAAAAAY!

Welcome mate,

$6k+ should will get you a decent car.

BUT as with anything that is 30-40 years old how reliable it is depends on how much how well it's maintained. I use mine daily 80km round trip to work and i love it.

Parts are readily available as they only stopped making them in 2000...

If you don't have time, i suggest you get it serviced regularly my a specialist..at least every 5000km..which could add up..

It depends how you drive, if you go and modify the engine or get one with a modified engine, fuel economy can go out the window for such a little car..i get about 10.8L/100 or about 180km/$20 (a full tank) and that is an 1100cc motor, but modified and given a hard time.

Goodluck with it.

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Dont get carrioed away on either reliabillty or economy - compared to a late model one litre car, a mini is primitive. They are in all respects, fuel economy, performance and handling.

They did instigate the handling and economy revolution but many other makes quickly caught up.

Buy a mini for what it is - a historic car that is a ball of retrospective fun, enjoy it enormously and keep another car for for daily grind.

Buy a Toyota no trouble go forever do the speed limit keep up with traffic.

Unless you do a nut and bolt resto and have the best redo the engine and box buy something else. If not and your going to use it daily one little thing after another.

Do a clutch yourself $120 pay someone else close to a grand, everything is like that. If your not going to do the work spend big bucks 10-15 and you'll be ok. The car you want nothing to fix get in and drive ie: Donna's mini K $7000 are few and far between. Plenty will sell you a mini for 5-8K and an average fixer upper is 3-5g. A properly restored car one that needs no money spent on it what so ever even Morris 850's in this condition will cost you over 10 and these cars rarely come up for sale.

On the other hand give me 8 grand and I'll build you a great car and make a big profit better me than someone else who'll do the same thing. Joking but buyer beware.

If you want a mini you'll need to personally love it.

steve

Mike, I gotta take issue with you over the handling- most 1L etc Asian cars still handle crap compared to a Mini- and I swear our 1.6L Laser had a wooden tiller steering system..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

There is a certain truth to that..you will have to love your car and it won't be something you just drive to get you from A to B...

You'll spend your weekends working on it. Some mornings cursing it, it WILL break down on you...eventually, especially if your not that mechanically inclined and you don't have time. Even if you service it regularly you still need to know what to look out for, otherwise you could be in for a lot of heartache..

Yea Kev, i agree..my sister's Barina GSi is OK (with suspension setting from lotus is ought to be) but most econoboxes are shite...Hyundai Excel anyone? (sorry bob )

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Doc - yep to a point i agree with you and I said that with some hope of creating a discussiom but....... compared to a Mk2 Zephyr a mini is stuck on rails and compare to a twin spinner customline - well

But ....... after owning and motorsporting a improved production mini for a few years a friend motor racing collegue (Garry Eyles) and I investigated running a Honda Civic at Bathurst. We track tested the Civic at Oran Park and in standard form it comfortably ran a second or a second and a half faster than the mini of the time. It was just the rapid handling development of the times.

Some cars are bags of sh** in terms of later cars.. But compared to even the EH holden (and HD, HR) the mini was god. Five years later we are talking miliseconds difference between a tiller steered laser and a mini. Old Alex did create a revolution.

Issy was a genius.
Amazing thing about the Mini to me is, the basic suspension geometry never really changed from 1961 until the end.
For example a 1961 850 swivel hub is identical dimensionally to a 1978 Clubby LS, or much later UK, one- except these all have the disc caliper mount lugs.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Reliable, cheap, low maintenance... Looks like you want to buy a toyota corolla

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Doc,,,they were just saving money

& don`t forget our old mate Mr Moulton

Alec & ALex, partners in crime

& to answer the original post question--maybe you should buy a corrolla, northern suburbs with a mini parking on the street???,,,well forgive me for saying this but i have a firend of mine living there & she has had her mini smashed into, stolen, wheels gone missing smashed again, valndalised etc etc etc...if you love your mini then hide it from the public around there

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

yeah there are plenty of us who use minis as daily transport, the squarefronts are better from a service point of view, most parts tend to be cheaper and are overall cheaper to purchase.

fuel economy and reliability are good on fairly standard models
engine performance, brakes and cooling are yesteryear though
and the handling is amazing even today

by the way
"old (non-bmw) minis"
are called real minis

I drive a 42 year old mini every day as daily transport and if not a 42 year old mini a 37 year old mini or a 37 year old MG. Shortly a 46 year old mini will join the daily drivers. They have taken a great deal of time to ensure they are reliable.

I drove my daily driver to Mudgee and back from Sydney Wednesday without a hiccup.

All parts for them either round or square are available.

You drive an old holden and blow a motor, for $1000 you have a newy, have a mini motor melt down on you and see what it'll cost you especially if paying labour for RnR. Mini motors are a really weak set up compared to anything else and not designed for daily 2006 city driving, alot of us do however.

I was quite surprised that a lot of people on here don't.

Pick a mini and you will get to know it intimately, it will however get into your veins and convert you forever so you won't mind.

steve

i use mine everyday 100kms round trip and despite the fuel costs advantages it costs me a fortune. I have zero mechanical skills and have to pay for everything to be done for me, but i wouldn't drive anything else. Once you have had mini there is no turning back. i'd live in it before i'd sell it to cover living costs.
Josh

yeah if you don't like the idea of working on the car yourself or paying for someone else to do it, then buy a new car as they make cars to require very little maintenance or attention these days..
minis need love and attention