I was torn between buying a 03 MCS or a Mini. While the MINI has a hatchback/storage and reliability going for it, which is what won out, ever since I was a kid I wanted the classic style (and still do). xsmini's wife has exactly what I want in fact.

My "island car" is a 40mpg Honda Prelude that does exactly what I need, but I would love to replace it and go BiMinial. However, as it would be a daily driver and the anti Lucas comments I read about, plus advice from friends/parents, I have to ask -

How much mechanical trouble is there really? I would get a restored "tarted up" Mini like xs's so I would think that a lot of the mechanicals would be upgraded/fixed from mk1 days? The "tarted up" comment is not mine, it came from a mk1 owner XS...

What kind of maintenance should I expect? Am I doomed to just dreaming about a classic and being sensible?

 

"I was torn between buying a 03 MCS or a Mini"

A 2003 MCS is a Mini...??? U meen a 2003 MCS and a Classic mini?

Classic minis tend to be alot less reliable as far as a daily driver goes. Parts are generally cheap, but installations can be a bugger. For a mechanic, try looking in your phone book for a british car repair place near your home.

I have read that Some minis will last 80K without problems and others say that they get new problems every time you start the car. The mini that you have posted as restored "tarted up" mini is a Referb mini with the Multi Port Injection engine. I have read that these are generally reliable except common problems with electric Cooling fan sensors and transmission problems. Also rust problems are common on all classic minis, so if you buy one you need to keep it covered. As far as daily maintainance goes, change the oil frequently enough, use the HIGHEST grade of fuel, Dry it off properly after washing and you should be good to go.

If a part does break, there are many resources to get new parts from.

www.minimania.com www.minisport.com Just to name a few.

I persioanlly do not think that a classic mini is a good reliable daily driver, as compared to a Honda. If you have the money to spend on the car and future parts, and some mechanical know how i would go for it...

 

im in the same boat. but what makes me lean toward the classic is the cost of the new minis. almost 30k? for all the doodads i would want on it. even at 21k for the lower end is crazy imho.

i beleive i am going to keep my current car, 96 mazda 626 as a backup car. its paid off and id only get 3k for it. then find a nice mini classic, which one? i have no idea yet, im too new. but! im with you, exminis wifes mini is perfection to me.

 

According to posts here and in general -

Notation of
MINI = new style
Mini = classic style


Local mechanic know how consists of myself and my dad. I'm kinda out in the sticks... I'm not afaid of tools, wouldn't want to do a whole restore though.

 

Yea the cost of new minis is a bit much. Base for a cooper s is like 20K and a very very nice restored classic is about 15K. The only thing i would advise as far as buying a mini over the internet is Go look at it first. Theres alot of things that you need to visually inspect, or have a very enthuiastic photographer. Fuel lines usder car, Boot ( trunk) inspection , rust under the fenders, suspension components etc....

IF you plan on repairing the car yourself , buy a Repair manual over the internet to assist you in your repairs. I think you should go for it if you feel able enough to perform under the hood.

 

My 2 cents...and not worth that: The question is simple really...

for under $20k you can buy a new Cooper, or kick up a notch and get an S, and get state of the art quality and a warranty that's worth is a function of the dealer u need to deal with. And in the beginning - prepaid maintenance.

Or

Buy a 25 year old used car, for which there are no dealers cuz the company no longer exists, and few mechanics. It must be 25+ years old to be a legal import ... or you can play grey market.

Any 25 year old car is a gamble. If it has been 100 % restored it might be a solid car. Or not....see the story in the recent Mc2 issue... My 'solid' 79 had several issues on the ride home after I bought it, and it took about a year of toying to get things sorted out. I learned as I went (and continue to) - after 2 years I found a local mechanic that's actually GOOD....but charges accordingly.

There are a few who use their classics as daily drivers. There are exceptions to every rule. For most they are weekend toys for people who enjoy keeping them running as much as actually driving them.

As 'toy' or 'collector' cars go, they are really inexpensive and the parts are easy to find...simple engineering = easy to work on. Not like a model T, or a Packard....more like a 66 Mustang. A good learing platform.

A, and maybe THE danger point is rust in their unibody construction. Followed closely by Lord Lucas . After you find a mechanic, maybe b4, find a body shop or take welding classes. Odds are you'll need 'em.

I love mine - tons of fun. But I don't rely on it.

 

The rust issue depends on the country of origin, New Zealand cars are usually rust free, UK cars seem prone to rust,
Mine is a daily driver, 14K miles last year, very dependable, nothing major, BUT, there is not one mechanic in my state that knows squat about my car, The Haynes manual is not much help, I can get any part I need in 3 days average, sooner if I need.

 

It was the presence of air conditioning, 6 airbags, ABS, traction goodies, etc that, for me, nudged the whole question in favor of a new MINI. I got a Cooper and a very few strategically selected options. The car was right around $18K. Lightly appointed, it falls more into the feather-weight category among MINIs, and I have totally enjoyed that.

 

Erm... we're talking about a carbureted, push-rod, 4 cylinder engine here. I can count the electrical components on one hand. No computers. Some of the spaces may be tight under the bonnet, but the grille is easily removable, and you can have the engine out in a couple of hours time.

It's not rocket science. I'm not the smartest guy on the block, and I can work on my Mini with no problem.

Everyone makes such a hubub about "lucas electrics", but the board over at Minimania also contains stories of "brand X" trucks, cars, etc that have also had wiring problems. I think it's a bunch of hogwash. Properly serviced, things work just fine!

 

I agree - these things are really simple when you get down to it. Problem is just that they are also somewhat unique so if you run into trouble finding an experienced expert can be a problem. Took me about 2 years to find someone locally that was really good with SU carbs. But finially I did. He's rebuilt a slew of Healy's so I trust him....

And yes, even the electrics are simple. But complaining about Lord Lucas is part of the Brit Car fun!

 

Well, I bought my MINI about a year ago and I still have the bug to get a classic. I was looking around and most REALLY nice, fully restored Mini's are almost 19K-21K. I actually found a local dealer here in Salt Lake that sells fully restored and low miled Mini's, but they are really $$. I just went down this afternoon to take a look and I like'em even more in person and they are in excellent condition. No visible rust and are like new. If I did nab one, it would have to be a daily driver, but still.....considering how old they are, I just can't see the reliability.

 

I know several people who use their Minis as a daily driver. There's nothing overly complex or crazy about the Mini, but each of them are very comfortable working on the car. That being said, with some essential spares in the car I don't think I'd have a problem driving it every day - but I would make sure my AAA membership was paid up just in case.

I have a MK1 car though - with those damn 2 piece sliding windows there's no way in HELL I'd drive the car every day! :D

 

Be warned, you may not want to drive the MINI nearly as much....

 

That is what hot rod wiring harnesses are for.

I plan to rewire EVERYTHING in mine in time.

 

well the type that Knottyman was looking at is an MPI engine, which are not carberated, they are computerized ( for lack of a better word). Not Necessarly the engine is the main trouble source, lighting wiring has a tendency to go. Also I am talking about installations, not the computers. For me anyways, there arent many british car places, where i can get work done. If i needed a major engine component to be replaced, the instalation can be a bit cumberson formyself

 

The MPI engine does not have a carb, and is operated by a computer. The type of car that knottyman had linked us, had an MPI engine. These engines are alot more complicated then the standared Carb Mini. To repair these takes a bit more Automotive know how then a Carb mini. Any installation on a mini form a good british car place does run quite high

 

you'll eventually want both, so start with whichever one is within your budget.

 

I would say use as a daily driver depends heavily on where you live and what your commute is like. I live in the NorthEast (re: SALT!) and drive 100 miles everyday for my commute. While reasonably fuel efficient, a Mini would not really be a practical commuter for me. I might use it on occasional nice days, but otherwise it would have to be a w/e car. If you live in a less hostile climate and don't have to drive as much, a Mini may work for you. Personally, I would still keep the Honda as a back-up.

I drove a '69 Cooper S (a real one, not a repro! ) and I'm in love.