Classic Mini Talk Interested in the Classic Mini? Discuss the Classic and its variants here!

Mini as a daily driver?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #26  
Old 06-13-2008, 03:26 PM
MITJ's Avatar
MITJ
MITJ is offline
1st Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: White Lake MI
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mubex
i put in my Mini 07 in this year 25k..

and i love it!!!

if you want japan Reliability please buy JDM car
I owned 1 Japanese car, lets just say i won't own another.
 
  #27  
Old 06-13-2008, 03:30 PM
MITJ's Avatar
MITJ
MITJ is offline
1st Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: White Lake MI
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Tall Mini
I drive mine.. almost every day unless I know the weather is going to be bad and then I'll drive the back-up (or if I have an issue I havn't got to yet.) That said... you must remember that you are not driving a civic (or MINI for that matter.) It will require more attention than washing and putting gas in it.
Also you have to make sure that you match the car you are looking at to your drive (ie If you have to highway miles then make sure the Mini's you are looking at can handle it.) I think most Classics will perform very similar to one another up to 50 mph (some may get there a bit faster than others but...) above that though what motor the car has and, maybe more importantly, what Final Drive the car has can mean the difference between livable/fun and frightening/dangerous. JMTC's
Well I am a mechanic/ fabricator so i don't mind working on cars. I would like to drive both city and highway, any suggestions on what to look for,engine and gear combo?
 
  #28  
Old 06-13-2008, 04:24 PM
dimini's Avatar
dimini
dimini is offline
6th Gear
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by MITJ
I don't have any issues with v-tec mini's, in fact if it a cheap option I would consider it. I am not a purist just a guy who fell in love with a Mini he saw racing about 34 years ago. I need a high mileage vehicle for my fleet. plus something that I want to drive not have to settle for,and I can pick up a classic for cheaper than a new one.
Vtec conversions are not cheap options. They are not necessarily dependable ones, either, as there's a great deal of engineering that goes into the procedure, which opens the door for addtitional issues to arise.
 
  #29  
Old 06-13-2008, 11:00 PM
2phun's Avatar
2phun
2phun is offline
4th Gear
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: O-Town
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Minis can be good daily drivers, but it doesn't hurt to have a backup ride for times when you do need to make repairs. I've learned a good bit tinkering around with mine, and have some good resources relatively local if I have issues I can't handle myself. If you are a mechanic, then working on a Mini is about as simple as they come.
 
  #30  
Old 06-14-2008, 03:56 AM
MITJ's Avatar
MITJ
MITJ is offline
1st Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: White Lake MI
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the input

I appreciate all the comments, and have decided to purchase a classic Mini. Now the hunt begins.
 
  #31  
Old 06-14-2008, 10:56 AM
Tall Mini's Avatar
Tall Mini
Tall Mini is offline
4th Gear
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Of course I gave it the nod and then... my car died on the way home last night. Not a huge deal but a bit of a towing charge. I think mt fuel pressure regulator went out... I kick myself because that is a piece that I have said that I need to carry a spare as they are cheap (quality that is.)

As far as to what to look for I would otp for a 1275 over the 998 if you are going to be doing epressway driving. The laster MPI and (I think) some of the SPI had the tallest Final Drives. (I have the 2.79 in mine and it is great at speed.)
 
  #32  
Old 06-14-2008, 11:30 AM
gokartride's Avatar
gokartride
gokartride is offline
6th Gear
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 38,578
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by MITJ
have decided to purchase a classic Mini.
That's great as long as you're going in w/ no illusions. Given the presence of the MINI, it's easy to over-romanticize classic ownership. I mean, it's super, but it does exert some demands.
 
  #33  
Old 06-14-2008, 11:33 AM
billie_morini's Avatar
billie_morini
billie_morini is offline
5th Gear
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,008
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
MITJ,
not only do I commute 3 to 4 days each week in my 2006 S, I aslo use if for local and state business travel. It's as solid as a rock.
 
  #34  
Old 06-14-2008, 11:41 AM
miniroll's Avatar
miniroll
miniroll is offline
2nd Gear
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My classic is a '91 with a 1300 marina engine. I drive it everyday, even on rainy and cold days and never had a issue. Of course I built mine from the subframes up
 
  #35  
Old 06-15-2008, 04:40 PM
MITJ's Avatar
MITJ
MITJ is offline
1st Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: White Lake MI
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Tall Mini
Of course I gave it the nod and then... my car died on the way home last night. Not a huge deal but a bit of a towing charge. I think mt fuel pressure regulator went out... I kick myself because that is a piece that I have said that I need to carry a spare as they are cheap (quality that is.)

As far as to what to look for I would otp for a 1275 over the 998 if you are going to be doing epressway driving. The laster MPI and (I think) some of the SPI had the tallest Final Drives. (I have the 2.79 in mine and it is great at speed.)
Sorry to hear it broke down, but as long as you know what the problem is and it's a quick fix, drive on. Every car i have owned has had a tool kit and the "known" spare parts that go bad in the trunk. That is nothing new to me. I think I'm Mini bound.
 
  #36  
Old 06-15-2008, 07:31 PM
2phun's Avatar
2phun
2phun is offline
4th Gear
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: O-Town
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm sure you've browsed the other threads, but if not you probably want to consider going for a carbed Mini rather than fuel injected if you plan on doing the work yourself. Much better match for the do-it-yourselfer, as finding a shop that can read the faults of a non-carbed Mini is next to impossible.
 
  #37  
Old 06-16-2008, 04:51 AM
MITJ's Avatar
MITJ
MITJ is offline
1st Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: White Lake MI
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 2phun
I'm sure you've browsed the other threads, but if not you probably want to consider going for a carbed Mini rather than fuel injected if you plan on doing the work yourself. Much better match for the do-it-yourselfer, as finding a shop that can read the faults of a non-carbed Mini is next to impossible.
I was thinking the same thing.Plus I haven't heard alot of good things about the SPI
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Getrieben
1st Gear
21
11-19-2020 06:03 PM
igzekyativ
MINIs & Minis for Sale
34
07-16-2020 12:54 PM
arf88
General MINI Talk
22
05-31-2016 03:07 PM
xpunisherx
JCW Garage
8
08-10-2015 10:50 PM
jrezzo
MINIs & Minis for Sale
0
08-09-2015 10:32 PM



Quick Reply: Mini as a daily driver?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:40 PM.