hey all,

im after a mini, well, really toying witht the idea at the moment which i guess i shwy im here...
how reliable/fuel efficient etc are minis - im only looking at spending a few grand on a car that runs well, and has no terminal rust/little rust...

i need a run around car, and its either this or another bike, and my mum would kill me if i bought another cbr he he

so, would you recommend a mini as a daily driver?...

thanks heaps in advance

michael

yes you should buy one

they are reliable when they dont break down but you always have your bike to fall back on, it never takes to long to fix them anyway.

they are very fuel efficient- depending on how you drive them and how you have them set up eg. i run to uni/work everyday in mine on about $12 a week.

cheers Ryan

yeah i plan to use it to get to uni etc too, and i sold the cbr but now have a rex to drive shouild the occasion arise

but yeah, i want a car that doesnt use so much fuel so readily, and its heartening to know u find yours to be (generally ) reliable...

I wouldn't use a mini daily, that's why mine is for weekend use, mainly because I'm concerned about safety and security (not that my excel is). If you have money to throw at it, get one. If you are struggling to pay the bills, a mini isn't the cheapest alternative, due to constant maintenance and short service intervals.

i think the best way is to hop in one
choose which model you like
and wait around for it
and ask us for tips before you get it, or get someone to come along

out of curiosity was it a blue and silver cbr250rr you were selling?

_________________
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Appreciation without Depreciation
forever chasing clearer skies...

if you get a mini in good condition, they're hella reliable.. i mean most of them are 30-40 years old and are still going good.
AND
very cheap on fuel provided they're not modified.

yeah im not afraid of maintaining a car myself within reason, so servicing isnt too mcuh of a drama...
im aware of tthe age fo the car, but i figure a fairly standard mini would be quite good on the ole benzin, so what i save in that should cover parts
my cbr was an aus spec redwhitblue - sold it 2 yrs ago n promised my mum that id got it outaa my system he he
i rekon a mini would be kinda fun in a go karty way tho, and as for alternatives, i guess i could pick up some shitbox corolla or something for a grand or so, but it would be totally uninspiring to drive and for a bit more i could get something id actually smile when driving...
safety and security, he he im comparing it to a bike so thats not much of a concern...
so providing maintainance etc is done regularly (and is there much more to it thatn fluids etc - any specific idiosynncracities that need regular care?) it would be an ok daily drive?...

yeah they're a good daily driver, keeps a smile on your dial.
regular work includes adjusting brakes and checking fluid levels, and changing the oil and filter every 5000km
parts are cheap and readily available

ha ha thats it? sweet - i do more than that to the rex to keep it purring along!!!

ha ha i think the search has begun......

dont buy one that needs work though,
get a nice clean standard one thats been looked after.

oh yeah,
first thing to do is lift the carpets and look at the condition of the floorpan, rust here means $ - 850 per side or sommit like that

also get down on hands and knees and check the sills on both sides for rust

check the boot and the battery box too, though rust is more forgiveable here.

do a 360 with the steering wheel on full lock and accelerate through, if there is knocking from the cv's its $300-400 to fix

also make sure there is no crunching or popping out of 2nd gear, it can get up to $1500 to rebuild a transmission.

thats the main things to look out for

thanks heaps for the tips mate - so where should i be looking for a mini? and what would i expect to pay for something decent as a run around - prefer the older shape (pre 70's i think) and would prefer to minimise what i spend withou buying junk.....

any good sites (other than this one, of course )

check the mini parts dealers etc
and the trading post is a big one
you'll pay less on the private market
also check the mini clubs

kittykat bought a great runabout for $1250
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6779

check the backlogs in the for sale section here to see prices etc
i'd expect to pay $1500-3000
depending on what model and what extras etc.

the earlier ones, pre 71 also known as morris's and roundnoses are generally always in worse condition and cost more than the later ones which are called leylands, clubmans, clubbies, squarenoses 71-78

But dude they are a classic car - atleast 25 years old by now (mine's 35) and to begin with they come from an era when cars were far less reliable on an everyday basis. Back in the 60's/70's every car owner would have owned a manual and used his tools regularly - how many people do this today?

So if youre expecting it to be a sort of pickup\use\discard experience like a corolla - then I think you'd be bitterly dissapointed comes your first morning when youre late to uni and the car just wouldn't start for some reason or trying to do a hill start and then discovering that the handbrake isn't adjusted - etc etc.

Its not really all a nightmare but it is a constant job to keep them on the road if you want a reliable daily driver. If you want trouble free motoring then you'll go for a restored example where everything was done already and all you'll have to do for the first year atleast is gradualy discover staff that wasnt done properly and rectify it. But thats a bit pricey.

If you want to go the low budget way then do expect to spend time on your car regularly (and I mean more like doing work not just changing the oil and the washer fluid) and for the 25 odd year old engine to chuck some surprises your way now and again.
Here I think finding the right car to begin with is paramount - so you should go for solid average all round with some shorfalls instead of a car say with a great paint job and a smoky engine. So say a clubby with a paintwork thats starting to fade but no bog and little rust and a 1100 that starts first (or 3rd time everytime from cold) and a smooth gearbox etc. Also getting a car with say 9mth rego and new tyres will add $300 to the price but will save you close to a grand etc.

Also as you intend to use the car as a daily straight away - go for a car thats used this way. Classic cars hate to be left standing - they need to be driven or staff starts falling apart (brake lines rust, seals dry and collapse, everything everywhere begins to rust really if left standing). Daily drivers, though often less tidy, would have had many gremlins rectified for the sole purpose of the car being driveable. The sole fact that somebody was willing to trust his life and his ability to get to work, to the car is just another proof to you that its atleast half reliable and that a myriad of relatively small but very time consuming things (like correct mixture, points gap or elec. ignition, oil changes, effective cooling system) have been done. Owners who leave their hobby car in the shed during the week and only drive it on weekend runs for example would almoust always have a higher (some say overinflated) view of their car's value, they have little motivation to make it run reliably everyday, and to make it a decent everyday drive experience - they look at all the little problems (like refusal to start in the wet) as just part of the car's personality and quirkiness and are ready to put up with them. The last thing however, that you want to do when you just bought an unfamiliar classic car is to start rectifying their neglect.

So basicaly get a reliable all rounder that might look a bit tired, but is rust free. It wont be a trouble free existence with a mini, no matter what, but then at the end its all worth it.

yeah thats cool - i mean i accept that ill have to do a bit of work, and i always have another car to use if the mini wouildnt start for some unknown reason...
thanks for all the info mike! well the doing work etc is a good point, but is it weird that i like working on cars? ..... he he i think u just added to the appeal for me!!!!

(besides, as far as something like a corolla goes if something goes wrong on them its usually an expensive trip to the mechanic, hopefully, as u said, a mini is more user serviceable - simplicity is the key)
thanks heaps everyone for all your helpful responses!!!

michael