Rover MINI (1984 - 2000)
BY JONATHAN CROUCH
This is the car that started the small car revolution. If you've never driven a Mini, then you're in the minority. Most of us squeezed ourselves behind the wheel at one time or another in our formative years and if we're honest, most of us enjoyed the experience. There was something about driving a Mini, a cheeky quality which today's breed of 'superminis' have found impossible to duplicate. It was an individual car created by an individualist: Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis. In the 2000s, it's something of a cult car. And of course, there are plenty about.
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Early cars in good condition should be priced on an individual basis whereas early cars that are showing their age a bit can be obtained for a couple of hundred quid. Post-1996 facelift models with the 1275cc-litre fuel injected engine and a drivers airbag start at about £1,500 for the base model on 97P plates and go up to around £3,000 for a 00X. Add around £300-£500 for a Cooper. Specifications can vary widely and prices will vary a little according to the options fitted as these later Minis could be extensively customised by the factory.
Cabriolets range from about £1,000 on 93K plates to just under £2,000 for a 96N. There are also numerous special editions about but you shouldnt have to pay more than around £50 to £100 extra for any of these.
Check carefully for rust; few of the Mini's panels are bolted on and you'll need a welder if the car is too far gone. Watch too for crash damage which can put the whole body out of alignment. Look for leaks from the radiator and water pump the engines aren't known for their longevity and can give off blue smoke from burning oil. A rattle from the timing chain is not unusual. Clutch judder is common; also look out for rattling gear levers and crunching gears. Check that the steering isn't sloppy and ensure that the doors are hanging correctly. The rear suspension can 'clonk' when worn and the rear brake adjusters sometimes rust.
(approx based on a 1989 1.0 Mini) An exhaust system is about £25. A clutch assembly will be around £105 and brake pads front and rear are around £20 and £17 a set. An alternator should be close to £85 and a radiator around £50.
Minis are great fun to drive, with perky performance; rest to 60 in a 1.3 takes just over 11 seconds on the way to a top speed of some 92mph. The car is noisy and you have to get used to the Sixties driving position but in comparison to the driving enjoyment offered by anything else for the same money, it's a real treat.
A hoot. The rock-hard suspension will be a shock to those used to modern superminis, but if you don't mind sacrificing a little comfort, its the most fun you can have around town for the money.
