Help me decide on a car!!!

Damon · 9 Feb 2003, 15:52 (Ref:501468)

Ok, I currently drive a 1.1 Ford Fiesta, L reg 1994. It's in great condition and runs just fine but it's so boring!! I've seen an M reg Mini Cooper 1995 (?) for £2995 (just within my budget) and I absolutely love it. On first impressions (I haven't had a proper look yet)it looks in great condition. The problem I have is that my dad doesn't think its worth the £1000 expense (after part-ex) for the relatively small jump in car age/mileage I'm getting. So the question is, do you think it's worth it? Also to anyone who's got one or had one, are they fairly reliable, cheap to maintain etc. Any help would be great!

Mr V · 9 Feb 2003, 16:16 (Ref:501489)

can't advise on about a Mini, however one piece of advice i'd give anyone.......... never buy a Renault!!!!

redshoes · 9 Feb 2003, 16:41 (Ref:501513)

Think this would be better of in the Road Car forum

Damon · 9 Feb 2003, 18:12 (Ref:501571)

Oh yeah! Cheers. So any ideas?

Tristan · 9 Feb 2003, 18:40 (Ref:501604)

GET THE MINI.

Maisie · 9 Feb 2003, 20:53 (Ref:501763)

Damon, what spec's the Mini? Late Coopers fetch good prices, and keep their value well, so I'd say £3k wasn't out of the ordinary. Make sure it hasn't been molested or ragged though! A little customisation or tweaking's not unusual or a bad thing though.

Damon · 9 Feb 2003, 21:00 (Ref:501771)

I'm having a proper look on tuesday (or tomorrow if its open when I get back from work) so I'll post the specs after that.

Logrence · 9 Feb 2003, 21:02 (Ref:501773)

Sounds like the Mini's a little more fun...go for it!

No! Get a Maestro!

ASCII Man · 9 Feb 2003, 22:10 (Ref:501831)

Quote:

Originally posted by mr v
can't advise on about a Mini, however one piece of advice i'd give anyone.......... never buy a Renault!!!!

What's wrong with a Renault?
I have a Renault Megane ('98)

**Spudgun** · 9 Feb 2003, 22:13 (Ref:501835)

Damon,

You have impeccable taste. Get the Mini! Get the Mini! Get the Mini!

Did you guess that I love Minis? Although I don't have one.

I am planning on getting one, but I have to find one with a 5 speed 'box because I travel quite a bit.

On a serious note though, get an insurance quote first. They like to bump up the insurance because of the 'Cooper' bit.

It's still high for me. It will be until I hit 25 (dear god no!!!).

Damon · 9 Feb 2003, 22:36 (Ref:501855)

on my dads name with me as named its only £450

. Yay! It's actually (through looking on the web) the Rover Mini Cooper. There's a pic of it at the top of this page.

Maisie · 9 Feb 2003, 22:40 (Ref:501860)

It's beautiful, and well worth the price!

daz90 · 9 Feb 2003, 22:43 (Ref:501862)

Quote:

Originally posted by mr v
can't advise on about a Mini, however one piece of advice i'd give anyone.......... never buy a Renault!!!!

i agree renaults are pants, i had a renault 19, awfull car.

cant say about the mini though never had one and dont really know much about them. but i would recomend a pug 306. cheap insurance even on the turbo diesel. bit pricey though still. you could get an early one k,l,m,n for about 3 grand at an auction though.

**Spudgun** · 9 Feb 2003, 22:43 (Ref:501863)

Ah, the named driver thing.. I did that with my dad with my first car, but guess what?? I got twocked in the near side footwell. If it had been on the driver's side I'd have been looking forward to plaster casts.

It was my fault though.

Guess who wasn't happy because it was under his insurance

Good thing was that it avoided the critical structure of the car so a new front wing and a hydraulic ram to pull the footwell back out and the car was back on the road.

Not trying to put you off though, just you mentioning it brought back the memory..

Damon · 9 Feb 2003, 23:05 (Ref:501884)

I actually rear ended someone in my current Fiesta this time last year but because I was driving my dad didn't lose HIS no claims.

**Spudgun** · 9 Feb 2003, 23:47 (Ref:501910)

We must have been with the wrong insurance company!

When I went over to my own policy, we both got hit..

ss_collins · 10 Feb 2003, 00:05 (Ref:501930)

dunno never been convinced by the mini - buy a golf an old Mk2 a stage it up and go rallying.

jetsetter · 10 Feb 2003, 10:32 (Ref:502149)

Being a Mini owner & enthusiast i say get the Mini for sure, you'll not regret it as they're heaps of fun.

Alpina · 10 Feb 2003, 12:50 (Ref:502272)

Of course when you buy a Mini you get the non-optional extra......RUST.......

Bluebottle · 10 Feb 2003, 17:18 (Ref:502484)

....but you can still get complete fiberglass bodyshells....

ss_collins · 10 Feb 2003, 17:28 (Ref:502491)

But a second hand sportscar and restore it.

Damon · 10 Feb 2003, 18:29 (Ref:502554)

Had a proper look today and it looks very neat and tidy, no rust that I could see. The a frame has been coated apparently to stop rustso thats cool. I may just well end up buying this car...

429CJ · 10 Feb 2003, 18:55 (Ref:502587)

Get a Lada Riva - It's trusty & warm - at least in Finland.

sss · 11 Feb 2003, 11:42 (Ref:503213)

whatever car you get, make sure its an suto, makes for an easy life

Alpina · 11 Feb 2003, 11:47 (Ref:503222)

Damon. Remember the iceberg theory cos it certainly applies to rust in Minis. Check around the headlights, under the wheel arches and get under it to check the subframe mountings. I have been there and had the burning underseal in my hair.

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