Mark Seniac Posted June 25, 2021 Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 WELL what can I say !!!! Thought I would share withĀ you my other run around ... Ā say HELLO šĀ tooTILLEY the mini š„“ !!!!Ā sheās a Mini Cooper 2003 1.6 in Green. we purchased her in November 2020 and paid Ā£1500 for her....Ā NOW... for many years Iāve always admired the Mini and always thought I would like too own one. The original miniās unfortunately are too small for our intended use And I wasnāt looking for another classic soĀ Looking around I finally found this one.Ā it was described as this...Ā We went too view it and it looked great sounded great it wizzed roundĀ nicely and handled great. Seats were comfortable and held you in just fine... 45 minutes drive test !!! WE BOUGHT IT ....Ā Ā The followingĀ 2 weeks I used it nipping here and there then the Wife had it for 5 weeks using it as a daily driver....Ā Then the dreaded words were spoken by the wife āa light has come on in the carā !!!Ā ENGINE MANAGEMENT!!!Ā anyway .... whilst looking in the folder I found this...... Should it say Mini Cooper ? ................. āAgainā. ANYWAY ........... Got the engine management light checked couldnāt really distinguish WHY it came on garage said just could be blocked sensor....Ā I drove the car for 4 weeks after this and I have too say it was TERRIBLE !!!!!!!! ?. My GOD !!!.Ā I canāt believe the car I thought I wanted all those years was as bad as this.Ā After a long journey you felt like you had just done ten rounds with TYSON..Ā Its smaller than you think... you open the door too get out and you feel like your climbing out of a cellar grappling with the door too get out ...!! All round vision very poor... and the suspension feels like your riding on Bricks....Ā Like the old saying goes NEVER DRIVE YOUR DREAM CAR YOU MAY BE DISAPPOINTED !!!!!. āNever a truer word saidāĀ BUT the Wife LOVEās IT .. Ā Ā what can you say too that ? .... SO now Itās HERĀ car and I NEVERĀ want too drive it again .... šĀ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffds1360 Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 At least your insurance will be a lot cheaper Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 IF, you think the ride is rough, in that??. For a couple of years I was the owner of an ORIGINAL cooper S. First generation. Mine Got, was that a rough ride. Exiting to drive well shod, it went as if on rails, really ticked all the boxes performance wise. Then the Engine blew up,š The cost of rebuilding it was 3 times the Value of the Car!. So grandson and I grafted a 1300 engine into it. It still went well. Eventually though the ride got to me, My wife only ever rode in it once,Ā it was like sitting on a skate board at 70MPH. So we passed it on to a Guy and his son, who where going to to a complete rebuild back to original. Often wonder if they ever did get it back on the road.? You are right though, The lady`s seem to love them, At least 4 or 5 of the female staff at the Doctors/Pharmacy close by park them daily on our close!. My Neighbours wife has one.? Maybe it`s the "small things" syndrome (like diamonds?). Ā PeteMaybe it`s 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Seniac Posted June 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 1 hour ago, PeteH said: IF, you think the ride is rough, in that??. For a couple of years I was the owner of an ORIGINAL cooper S. First generation. Mine Got, was that a rough ride. Exiting to drive well shod, it went as if on rails, really ticked all the boxes performance wise. Then the Engine blew up,š The cost of rebuilding it was 3 times the Value of the Car!. So grandson and I grafted a 1300 engine into it. It still went well. Eventually though the ride got to me, My wife only ever rode in it once,Ā it was like sitting on a skate board at 70MPH. So we passed it on to a Guy and his son, who where going to to a complete rebuild back to original. Often wonder if they ever did get it back on the road.? You are right though, The lady`s seem to love them, At least 4 or 5 of the female staff at the Doctors/Pharmacy close by park them daily on our close!. My Neighbours wife has one.? Maybe it`s the "small things" syndrome (like diamonds?). Ā PeteMaybe it`s Hello PeteĀ great memories... I would still like a mini but it would need to be a 1960s model canāt be doing with it when they recreate the classics.... !!! Ā why Mess with them they look large next too each other so why call it a mini (even though itās small inside) ?Ā Ā Mark ...Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 My first project car was a 997Ā Cooper in 1985 when i was 19,got an engine from an Austin 1300GT and rebuilt it to 1293cc, with a hot cam from Avonbar racing in Byfleet,head work etc.Straight cut gearbox. Went like rocket,it had a 90 mph speedo and i used to get the needle past that and round to the petrol gauge at the bottom.Problem was the brakes were awful,it had 7 inch discs which were actually worse than drums.Sold it for Ā£800 in 1986 and bought my current Vitesse for Ā£700. Both my daughters had BMW Coopers,one a 2002 ,no aircon,one a 2003.The 2002 one was brilliant and never had any problems,2003 one was a nightmare,overheating and steering issues.I had to put a new water pump on it which involved taking the whole front of the car off. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffds1360 Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 I too had a 997 back in the '70s very weak crank bearings! Not enough of them ! I had itĀ re-bored but could not afford to sort the g'box synchros so also had a 'crash' box. Cost me about 200 inc. and sold on for 300. Bought a Spitfire4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 I had a 900cc Mini city back in the day... now THAT was basic. When I wanted a first car for my daughter IĀ was told to avoid the modern BMW Mini at all costs. I know people who have them and the roads are certainly full of them, the convertible seems very popular, but the mate who told me is a professional mechanic and works on them all the time - IĀ suppose it makes him happy!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 Mark, You bought a car that was NINETEEN years old!Ā Ā The average age of cars on the road is less than eight and that of cars that are scrapped is 15 years.Ā Ā Your MINI was geriatric, and so must be expected to need more maintenance, and to come down with the collywobbles sooner than a youngster. And you say that it's uncomfortable to drive - "All round vision very poor... and the suspension feels like your riding on Bricks"Ā Ā Worn out suspension, dampers?Ā Ā And is difficult to get out of?Ā Ā Ā You didn't notice that on your test drive? "Caveat Emptor"!Ā Ā Glad you wife likes it! JOhn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Seniac Posted June 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 26 minutes ago, JohnD said: Mark, You bought a car that was NINETEEN years old!Ā Ā The average age of cars on the road is less than eight and that of cars that are scrapped is 15 years.Ā Ā Your MINI was geriatric, and so must be expected to need more maintenance, and to come down with the collywobbles sooner than a youngster. And you say that it's uncomfortable to drive - "All round vision very poor... and the suspension feels like your riding on Bricks"Ā Ā Worn out suspension, dampers?Ā Ā And is difficult to get out of?Ā Ā Ā You didn't notice that on your test drive? "Caveat Emptor"!Ā Ā Glad you wife likes it! JOhn Afternoon John yea it felt ok for the test drive throwing it round all over the place. Ā I think because iĀ really wanted one that overrode the finer points and blindsided my reasoning....Ā anyway the wife loves it and thatās probably more important as they say āhappy wife happy lifeā lolĀ MarkĀ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 My 1980 mini is absolutely packed full of character but absolutely no mod cons. I probably fill 3/4 of the width of the car, can't get abouve 45 mph (but working on that) but have the biggest smile on my face and frequently big smiles from onlookers. Never going to win a rally but a winner for me! In reality a well kept modern can tick your boxes but realistically it will rarely live up to expectations, especially at 19 years old and marketed as the wrong model. Buyer beware! At 19 years you are entering the realms of modern classic and all that comes with it, the more complex the more to go wrong (especially beyond basic mechanics). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Seniac Posted June 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 6 hours ago, Adrian said: My 1980 mini is absolutely packed full of character but absolutely no mod cons. I probably fill 3/4 of the width of the car, can't get abouve 45 mph (but working on that) but have the biggest smile on my face and frequently big smiles from onlookers. Never going to win a rally but a winner for me! In reality a well kept modern can tick your boxes but realistically it will rarely live up to expectations, especially at 19 years old and marketed as the wrong model. Buyer beware! At 19 years you are entering the realms of modern classic and all that comes with it, the more complex the more to go wrong (especially beyond basic mechanics). Totally agree Adrian modern classics far too complicated.....Ā I often wonder how the future generation and their classics will look like going forward in life (think Iāll start a thead on that) as for the mini I have too agree good fun and can be exhilarating but I think with this one it has put a bitter taste in my mouth BUT lessons learned and all that ....!! It probably has drivenĀ more towards a REAL mini classic and Iāll leave the rest and this āminiā too the wife as she does enjoy it ....Ā Ā Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 Anything Mid 90`s or later, the first thing you do is buy an OBDI reader!. Saves hours of "p******g" about if you have a clue as to which little bloody sensor is giving issues. And don`t get me started on EGR valves!!!. OR Fiat Diesels!. The latest incarnation of the BMW (sorry Mini) looks like it has been bingeing on steroids!. Bloat! It needs a Diet. My Current "Modern"/Hack is a 56 Reg P -107, with the semi Auto box. (SWMBO has her own `18 Quashqi, auto) Ā£25 a year tax and ridiculously cheap (relatively) insurance, Just done it`s 2nd MOT in my care. Big enough for me/wife and small dog. Best advatage?. it Tow`s 4 wheels down behind the Motorhome, and we don`t even know it`s there!. Excellent for shopping/sight seeing when we are away. Wouldnt use it on a long journey though. That series, The Aygo and C1 are on the same platform, are too, very popular with the Ladies I notice. Modern vehicle`s, to me generally, are tools, my "toys" have always been much older. Pete Ā 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 3 hours ago, PeteH said: My Current "Modern"/Hack is a 56 Reg P -107, with the semi Auto box. My daughters first and second car, Peugeot 107, brilliant to drive, excellent all round vision and the corners are easy to see so you know where the extremities areĀ for parking. Only problem was fitting a headlamp bulb which meant taking mostĀ of the front of the car off... and she crashed the first one... but I loved it and drove it quite a bit when she was away. It now belongs to another student who also has to fight her mother for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 4 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said: Only problem was fitting a headlamp bulb which meant taking mostĀ of the front of the car off. You noticed that as well did you!.š. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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