I have heard alot about re-vin cars. I know it is illegal and all, but how many people have you heard getting the cars taken away??

Also, if I am buying a Mini, how do I check to see if it is a re-vin?? Even if the person selling says it isn't??

 

Check the equipment vs what the seller says is the year. Most of the time it's going to be very obvious if you've done your homework. If you have a book or two they'll give you the answers.

It's a touchy subject, that's for sure.

 

As posted other places.....there are a couple of places on the car where the rear of manufacture is placed. Two that come to mind are the wiper motor and the boot lock. If the seller says it is a 72 and you fid the number 92 there....welllllllllll

The choke point appears to be at the point of entry. If the car gets past the inspections by customs et al, and is released to you, you are almost home. If you then successfully get it registered/titled I've never seen another check on a retitle (changed mine twice already). The people in the state offices really don't know what to look for. So if it is a re-vin but has a US title you really are running low risk from that perspective. Just don't cross the border with it!

The unwritten risks are

a) if it is a really late MINI - a mid to late 90's .... it now has an ECU and fuel injection and you will be hard pressed to find a mechanic in the US with the right equipment and experience to fix it. If this doesn't worry you, great.

b) sometime a bit of scorn from the people who poopoo re-vins..... but agin, if it doesn't bother you.......

If anyone knows of a re-vin being seized at other than the port of entry I'd be curious to hear about it. On the other hand I have seen GSA auctions listing seized Minis that could be bought for immediate export only.....

p.s. - if u want pics of latch or wiper motor marks PM me.

 

If it has a fuel injected engine or A/C then it is most likely a re-vin. If you see either of them, you should start looking more closely at other small items that will help date the car.

The other thing that can tip you off is the amount of rust. All old Minis will have rust unless it has been completly restored. The car might have been restored completely, but that is not very common given the number of Minis out there. If you want an old Mini, it is most likey going to have some rust. If a car looks too good to be ture, then start looking for signs of a re-vin.

There is nothing wrong with a re-vin as long it is in the country and was titled by a state. Some people want a very clean car with a more modern engine that runs good. But if you want a true classic Mini experience, be prepared to fiddle with carbs, fix things, and deal with some rust.