I bought a classic Mini and it has been a dismal experience , so now I want to help others learn from that experience via a Web-based source that incorporates expert advice and actual experience.

The site is independent of the classic car industry and includes information that classic car dealers might not want you to know.

I write to ask you to review the information and provide feedback, before I take the site live and market it.

The site is available for your review as a blog: http://dawachodrak.wordpress.com

There is a Comments form at the end of the site. Thank you -- Mike Keller

 

I purchased my Mini sight unseen, no PPI and knew I was taking a huge risk, the car, for the most part was as advertised, the price was right and it is nearly impossible to find an affordable Pickup with the features mine has, like working AC, Australian Doors, recaro seats, flares, rims, and then to find out later a 1293 engine, KYB Suspension, HiLow's and a RC40 Stage 1 kit.

My pickup:


The engine has a bad knock on startup and once warmed up a different knock, I think it was a bad rocker and I am in the process now of fixing that. I have been chasing around lots of little neglect things, but for the most part it has been a pretty solid truck.

Since I paid a tad over $10K for it I did not bother with a PPI, I felt the price point was low enough that if it needed some work, I was o.k. with it. I did not mind if this was a project car of sorts.


Go back a few years, I decided I was finally going to own my dream car, an older air cooled, Porsche 911. I found a winner after 3 failed PPI's the 4th PPI was the charm. It was a 1980 Targa with a 1990 3.6 liter engine swapped in with lots of go fast goodies added. The car was completely restored and the shop that did the PPI gave the car an enthusiastic 9.5 out of 10, the show owner even told me if I did not buy it he was buying it. I wired the money up the day before flying from Florida to Kansas City to take delivery of the car. I met the seller, who handed me 6" of folders with receipts for everything done to the car, I had to promise never to add it up and if I did, never disclose what it added up to, he stopped keeping track after $50K.

I paid 23K for it, drove it for 3 years and sold it for 23K, the buyer had a PPI done as well and it came out the same. Ironically the buyer was an old college room mate with the guy I purchased from. I tried to buy that car back 2 years later and the new owner with not let it go.

The Porsche:


Your blog has a lot of good information, the bottom line is this, it is up to you to decide what price point makes you feel you need more insurance regarding the purchase. As indicated a 10K car that I know is worth more like 15K I was fine buying a pig in a poke. When I was looking at a 23K car, a PPI was a must, as mentioned a lot failed the inspection and the sellers were not being forthright.

I understand your frustration, the old saying Caveat emptor, always applies, it is the buyers responsibility to ascertain if a purchase is the right one.

I try to shop on forums for cars being sold by members when it comes to specialty cars like Mini's and classic Porsches. I will only deal with established members that are well regarded, these folks have a reputation to uphold and are less likely to pull a stunt.


That said I purchased a 1987 Mazda RX7 Turbo from the OWNER of a RX7 enthusiast board and he totally misrepresented the car and completely ripped me off. I was so pissed that I hated to even look at that car and hold ill will towards him and a few "tuners" that worked on the car. I have no respect for any of them and 1 of them is a well known RX7 tuner in the rotary world today. I ended up selling that car, with full disclosure as to all that was wrong with it, for almost 50% less than I paid for it. I was a fool to buy sight unseen with no inspection. Lesson learned the hard way.

 

Site no longer up?

 

me thinks he has rethought his 'post/site'

in the end he bought a used car he did not check out well . . .

sorry, nothing new here . . .

Classic Mini or a 2000 Chevy .... same rules apply. Buyer beware . . .

 

So does that make it a ute? And out of curiosity, what are Australian doors? Apart from the left one on the right and the right one on the left...?

 

Traditional Roll up and down windows, the classic Minis have windows that slide front to back. I was told these door cost a decent amount and I was asked to sell or trade on a couple of occasions.

 

I'm always surpsied how many dishonest Minis can be found in the US market. A lot of them look like re-VINs.