So i'm going to buy my first car

jojothemonkey69

jojothemonkey69

jojothemonkey69

Associate
Joined
3 Jan 2006
Posts
1,942
So i've started saving up for my first car. looking to do some research into car's etc before making purchase over next 6 months. Thinking about £1000 something funky perhaps 1990 or 1994 mini????

anyone know anything about mini's?? - reliable? rubbish??

Alternatives in same price brackets???

Thanks :)
 
jojothemonkey69 said:
So i've started saving up for my first car. looking to do some research into car's etc before making purchase over next 6 months. Thinking about £1000 something funky perhaps 1990 or 1994 mini????

anyone know anything about mini's?? - reliable? rubbish??

Alternatives in same price brackets???

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Rubbish deathtraps that corner like little else when setup properly! - Speak to these guys for details! :D

Rubbish meaning an old old old design kept going way past its sell by date due to the metro (the Minis replacement) being so crap!

Good first car, just don't crash it. ;)

My sister had 2 Minis, a 1979 T reg and a 1989 F reg Mini "Rose" - Pink roof!
The 1979 car was a shed, the car 10 years its senior,was equally bad.

Poor starting, rotten subframes, overheated frequently poor brakes cold (crap heater) still, she loved them both dearly.

She replaced the 1979 Mini with a 1984 reg Nova, replaced that with a new F reg Nova Diamond 1.2 and promptly chopped the new nova in against an ex-demonstrator - The Mini Rose mentioned above!

Fiesta, Micra etc would be alternatives, and, more reliable imo.
 
Last edited:
I would only recommend a mini if you like working on cars and most likely bodywork too! I had a mini for a first car it cost me £500 without an mot and I ended up stripping it down, doing a lot of welding and respraying it myself. Apart from the bodywork it never let me down and I ended up selling it at a nice profit. It was a lot of fun to drive, bombing about country lanes when I lived in the country!
 
Last edited:
wow ok, well I've got loads of time to let me look at user reviews, tips etc which is better than having a week to decide lol

think I'll be using Norwich union pay as you go insurance any comments on this???
:)
 
jojothemonkey69 said:
think I'll be using Norwich union pay as you go insurance any comments on this???
:)
Click to expand...

It's OK provided you do only a tiny amount of miles. You can't drive in the morning or after dark or on 30mph roads otherwise you pay through the nose.
 
R124/LA420 said:
Rubbish deathtraps that corner like little else when setup properly! - Speak to these guys for details! :D

Rubbish meaning an old old old design kept going way past its sell by date due to the metro (the Minis replacement) being so crap!

Good first car, just don't crash it. ;)

My sister had 2 Minis, a 1979 T reg and a 1989 F reg Mini "Rose" - Pink roof!
The 1979 car was a shed, the car 10 years its senior,was equally bad.

Poor starting, rotten subframes, overheated frequently poor brakes cold (crap heater) still, she loved them both dearly.

She replaced the 1979 Mini with a 1984 reg Nova, replaced that with a new F reg Nova Diamond 1.2 and promptly chopped the new nova in against an ex-demonstrator - The Mini Rose mentioned above!

Fiesta, Micra etc would be alternatives, and, more reliable imo.
Click to expand...
Dont you mean 10 years its junior? ;)
 
its 11pm to 6 am when its £1 per mile.
I go to uni where everything is on campus i'd only need to drive when going home or to see girlfriend in Bangor. and i wouldn't do it in that time(11pm to 6am) so it could be right insurance for me.
 
Last edited:
MuvverRussia said:
pay as you go insurance seems like a bit of a con- £2.7k for me on my focus (1.6 zetec, no NCB). I'm insured for £1300 fully comp...
Click to expand...


it's aimed at people who use their car a few times a week. if you use this insurance policy and apply it to going to work 5 times a week + other trips it will inevitably come out more expensive. its calculated by the mile so more miles = more expense
 
jojothemonkey69 said:
it's aimed at people who use their car a few times a week. if you use this insurance policy and apply it to going to work 5 times a week + other trips it will inevitably come out more expensive. its calculated by the mile so more miles = more expense
Click to expand...

If you're getting a mini, I can almost guarentee that joining a lub and getting a classic/limited miles policy will be EXCEEDINGLY cheaper than pay-as-you-drive insurance.

*n
 
The old mini are bascially a box on wheels, feels like it too. Use the £1k and get a Ford KA or something. It is a world of difference.
 
Raymond Lin said:
The old mini are bascially a box on wheels, feels like it too. Use the £1k and get a Ford KA or something. It is a world of difference.
Click to expand...

You're right. It is a world of difference - the Ka will have more rust, more rattles, no driver enjoyment and higher depreciation.

*n

PS: Girls like boys who drive minis.
 
Minis are cool got a couple of friends with them, as long as you can get on with the driving position i.e the seat not going back far enough and the lorry like positioning of the steering wheel.

Buy one get some NCB then stick a metro turbo lump in it for some wheel spinning goodness.
 
penski said:
no driver enjoyment.

*n
Click to expand...
Tut tut penski, go fling a Ka down a backroad before making such comments! Very very flickable, one handed lift off oversteer on command, all in all excellent fun. Needs good/recent dampers though as ex town cars will generally tired and loose.
 
Lopéz said:
Tut tut penski, go fling a Ka down a backroad before making such comments! Very very flickable, one handed lift off oversteer on command, all in all excellent fun. Needs good/recent dampers though as ex town cars will generally tired and loose.
Click to expand...

"Tried it...Didn't like it."

I had a bit of a 'naughty drive' in my sisters 20k example a few years ago and found it rather wooly...You really had to provoke it.

It had been used for a daily 30 mile commute each way so not all stop-start...

*n
 
liam72uk said:
You're being silly now.
Click to expand...

No...I'm not.

Ive seen four year old Kas fail their MOT on excessive corrosion.

Tailgates that have rotted all the way through, wheelarches that resemble lace more than steel...Kas rot like nothing else.

*n
 
Nothing rots like a Mini. Take your rose tinted specs off, old cars are a pain unless you have a beard and like getting your hands mucky. If you do, then a nice classic is great. If you can't be bothered, get something good instead.

Ka or a 1.25 Fiesta will be fine. Also Nissan Micra.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom