I am seriously considering selling my 2003 MINI Cooper S (electric blue, white trim, very-well maintained), replacing it with a classic Mini for under $10K. I welcome advice from owners of classic Minis about purchasing a classic. Thank you in advance.

 

looking at a 'classic' for a daily driver or replacing a pure tyoy/extra car?

If daily driver this topic comes up about every 4 months and one thread can be found here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-mini-but.html

an under $10k Mini is still going to be needing regular care and repair well beyond that of any MINI and is not something I'd recommend as a daily driver or only car. Mine is a pure weekend toy.

search daily driver

 

Hah, we really should make a stickied reference thread with links to all the discussions of this sort!

Keep in mind also that unless you get a hopped up classic, it isn't going to come anywhere close to the power/weight ratio of a 2003 S, or even a Justacooper for that matter. And once you get a hopped up one, using it as a daily driver will leave you deaf within a year or so. If you don't mind slow, or don't mind loss of hearing, these cars are a hoot to own and drive.

If you're planning on having this as a daily driver, you'll want to be pretty good at troubleshooting and know your way around under a hood, have tools to spare, carry a box with a good deal of spare parts under the back seat, have an active AAA account, and own a scooter for the days that the car acts up. $10,000 will get you a well-sorted Mini, but these cars are 30+ years old (the limit for legal import) and parts will give out.

 

Also, be sure to read the stickied thread "MiniFinity Ultimate Buyer's Guide - PRINT OUT if inspecting a possible purchase... " at the top of this forum listing. The link in the first post is no longer accurate, but browsing through the thread will lead to other good guides and info regarding buying a classic Mini.

 

technical comment

the import limit for the federal law is 25 years but some states want 30 for collector/antique plates.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/hs799short.pdf

see exemption 1

Florida would not grant antique plates until my car was 30 years old but heck - there is no $ savings for Florida antique plates anyway! OTOH if you get collector plates in VA you do not pay personal property tax (p.s. FL does not have one); you do not need to go thru annual safety inspection (FL does not have one) and in VA the collector/antique plate was a one time fee - no annual charge . . . wel they beat FL here. {I lived in VA when I aquired OC}

 

25 years...that is correct. Brain fart.

 

Mike --

I live in Chandler and bought a classic in Feb 2008. If you do decide to buy one, expect to do an AZ emissions test every year unless (1) you buy classic car insurance that requires that it's not your only car, (2) buy a 1966 or older car that is exempt from emissions testing, or (3) buy a car that you're sure will pass an emissions test.

There is a group of classic Minis in the Phoenix area if you ever want to come up and check them out. I know of at least one classic Mini down in Tucson area (or maybe CG). If you want contact info I may be able to find it for you.

If you don't know what to look for when buying a classic Mini make sure you either have someone in-the-know with you when looking at potential purchases or do your research so you can know what problem areas to look for.

Good luck and happy hunting,
Jeff

 

I would say check the sills, if they have rust in them walk away.

 

not too be argumentative

and the sills are an important place to check for rust

but sills, even oversized ones can be bought for as little as $30, all you need is a wee bit of welding skill.
http://www.minimania.com/web/item/MS55L/InvDetail.cfm

I replaced 1 side completely and about 18 inches on the other in the garage with the help of my trusty MIG welder. Follow-up with a little paint and you've got a fix good for many years. I did it for under $100 but that depended MUCH on the tools in the garage, and the skills in the tool box. getting this done at a body shop CAN be $$$$.

So what's the point? How much a classic will cost you depends very very much on how much you can do yourself - and THAT also depends on the tools you have, and the skills or the willingness to learn. I'll bet I've easily spend $5000 in tools and classes since I bought my Mini. But then again I relish the chance to buy a new tool!

 

^This^