Been looking to purchase a Classic Mini, preferably Right Hand Drive, but really have not been very sucessful. Would like one restored. Most cars I've looked at online, need to be approached very cautiously. Need a reputable person/dealer recommendation. Thanks

 

$12,000 will get you mine


















90% probability you're gonna be buying from a private party, 5% chance a used car dealer who knows NOTHING about what he's selling, and 5% chance a 'classics' dealer who STILL may not be reputable (search for recent threads on one guy's experience)


In the end, you are buying a used car - restored or not - that is at least 25 years old (to be legal in the US altho there ARE "re-vins" kicking around.)


How much do you know about classics? If not much then you'd better learn because if you buy a used car without knowing the market you WILL pay too much.


MINIMANIA.COM is a place to look .... most classics for sale that are listed elsewhere like eBay and Craig's are also listed here as it is known to the Mini community while the other ads are fishing.


You can read MINIWORLD which has lot's of classifieds of cars for sale in the UK ... it can help you judge prices. You CAN buy a UK car and ship it to the US for about $1000 (last time I looked)


Every once in a while a Mini turns up at one of the collector car auctions. At the 2014 Mecum Auction in PA a 1971 Austin Cooper S sold for $18,000 .... it was not perfect but Hemmings Sports and Exotic Car judged the price "on the money" {Nov 2014 issue ... just received it}


By the way, when I bought mine I broke most of these ....


I knew virtually nothing about classics, but saw pictures of a cool car and felt it was a good price (and this is IMPORTANT ... do YOU like the price!)


I bought the car, subject to inspection and test drive, unseen ... from pictures on a web site. The car was still en route to the buyer who had bought unseen from the UK but suffered buyer's remorse b4 getting the car . . . he was just trying to get his money back (b4 his wife killed him ;-} )


This is NOT a good way to get a classic Mini or ANY car. But .. it CAN work ..


I've had this one for 10 years now . . .

 

Thanks....Lots of good info...Buyer Beware seems to be the mantra.

 

ABSOLUTELY!


- Everything cliché you've ever heard about used car salesperson applies. I don't trust appraisers. Trust no one. I wasted 6 months "fixing" a problem according to an expert's advice, but the car wouldn't run. Then I got out the books and discovered the expert was wrong .... next day I was back on the road. In the service we often said, "trust ... but verify."


- If the ad says 'rust free', there's lie number one. These things had rust b4 they came out the factory door. The only rust free Mini's I've ever seen had undergone 100% 'frame off' restorations with the body 'dipped' and even THEN . . . see
http://classicmotorsports.net/projec...mini-cooper-s/


- To be 'legal in the US, any classic Mini is going to be more than 25 years old. If an ad says 1977 Mini updated to 1998 specifications, this means the car is a 1998 imported by changing the VIN plate to one from a totaled 1977.


- Pay what you feel is a good price .... that's WHAT the car is worth. Don't get on a cruise ship and ask someone at the bar what they paid for their vacation ... enjoy YOUR vacation!


p.s. to my prior post


the first time I looked at my 79 I walked away, disgusted by the 'real car' versus what I'd seen in the pictures and what was described as a perfect rust free nicely modified car.


but the seed had been planted and the price was still good IMO so I bought the car several weeks later at the original price (seller had since raised the price on advice of experts)


It overheated 30 minutes from the seller's home. 30 minutes after getting back on the road the bonnet came loose and popped up at 50 mph . . . $400 damage . . .


I found myself asking "why did I buy this crate?"


Hence what I call it - Orange Crate .

 

I don't know where you live but in CA if it is not an original CA car then it has to be a1974 or earlier to bring it in to the state. Hence why you need to know what a 1965 vs 1975 vs 1985 etc looks like. Have to be cautious of the re-vin or it can bite you in the end at the DMV.

 

ah yes, I've heard CA is more strict but did not know the details ... but if you find a car already titled in CA you should be OK. Caution factor applies for an out of state (or country) car


as I understand it the CA rule is 30 years, while federal law is 25 . . .

 

Good ol' CA is 1974 or earlier...it's tied to whatever the cutoff year for smog is...hopefully in the next year or so it will go up to 1975...only increases every couple of years. Wish we went by the federal cutoff, that would be great.

 

I purchased a mini off of eBay site unseen off of a guy the the name mountainmins, he has very low feedback and he had me wire him the money through western union (a big nono). In the end and after many many WEEKS of sweating it out thinking I lost out on my money, my mini (filomeno) arrived. It was a rust bucket for sure, hole bigger than the national debt, but that's exactly how it was described to me, it also was running and required only to turn the key and pull the choke to start. And it was a beast. Drove like a champ but was rust everywhere. I've since sold said mini, and have purchased my second mini in better shape. But as for my experience he was honest and the price was great, I won't be afraid to say what I paid witch was 3500, plus customs and tow fees. And sold it for 5k. Paid 6 for the one I currently own but it's in much better shape with bugger motor, they both are 83's but the one I currently own has been "updated to 93 specs. A quick eBay search will show up a car being sold right now by that guy, could be an option. Or I might be tempted to sell my car right now for 7k, but that'll be contingent on me buying another mini that I've been eyeing.

 

I'll let you figure out which one is which

 

$24,000 will get you a full fast road 1380cc 1990 mini retroed down to look 60s.......



full mk1 retro seats in red/grey/gold brocade


heated front screen

and a full front and rear suspension rebuild and KAD 4pot callipers...