Austin/BMT/Leyland MINI!

Anyway, Minis I love them, the cool little racing cars. Can't wait to get my Mini looking all mean its going to be a celebration with my friends I can do the panel wk and maybe the painting I can't afford much on it but yea its going be cool.

I love our Leyland mini its great for town when there are the hard car parks to get into or when you need to squeeze in a narrow path

Overall, I intend to keep my mini as long as possible. We have put a bigger engine in it and can go faster than 100mph easily. Its like having your very own little rocket on four wheels. I would definitely recommend a mini to anyone who enjoys driving and looking after their cars.

I sold my perfectly practical Fiesta to buys my little Mini. Was really fun for about a week! Then the electrics went wrong. 2 weeks later it failed its MOT on broken subframe mounts. Then the water pump broke. I have just got the main and needle jet in the carburettor done and now the clutch has gone!! Those are the bad points. The good points are when it does actually work perfectly it is the best car in the world I can't imagine being without it. It also is really nice to have other Mini drivers wave. Just don't get caught in a storm, they tend to leak!!

I got my Mini when I was 16 as a running project, it was great, it handled like a dream, it wasn't so fast that I would get any points, (can be sorted if you got the money).

Just remember, these cars are old and prone to rust, they need a lot of TLC to keep them running, so keep on top of the work and don't let that rust take over, otherwise you have to take it to the scrap yard! :-(. The 998's arnt that fast, but join the clubs and read that mags and save your pennies and it could be a rocket ship.

The only reason I would buy another Mini is because they are uber cool and more fun than you can imagine! And i think thats the only reason other people own minis today! If you want it and can afford it, GO FOR IT! you won't regret it!

Where to start?! The Mini really is the greatest car ever made. Cheap, goes round corners like nothing else, cool, for its size you can get a lot in it, pretty economical (although i'll come to that in a sec!) cheap insurance, easy to improve (usually because they're falling apart!), easy to tune, more fun than anything else out there!

BUT.... They're hopelessly unreliable. If something can break, it will! Often this is due to neglect, or the lucas electrics that look like they were designed and built by toddlers, oh, and they go rusty! I once had mine fill the footwell up with petrol on the motorway, endured electrical gremlins, water leaks (coolant and rainwater!), oil leaks and more petrol leaks. I once had to drive 150 miles using the choke cable attached to the throttle on the carbs when the new throttle cable snapped!

BUT... I loved it, and I always forgive it - eventually. It never once failed to get me home, sometimes it went a bit further because it couldnt stop in time... and no matter what mood I was in, I drove it and came back with a grin!

Oh, and I managed to fit in despite being 6"2 tall

yep i do love the mini's, as long as the word standard isnt in any sentence i will continue to buy more

Right... where do I start.

Firstly, if you're gong to buy one don't spend less than 500 quid.

They're incredibly easy to work on.

The clutch is hydraulic so most clutch problems are in the hydraulic system, you can unbolt components individually, clean them in the sink or replace them for cheap money.

The engine will carry on regardless no matter how knackered it is. Mine went fine on no water, no oil and no head gasket, and a knackered head!

When I did replace the head and gasket it was easy, no complex pipes just a few bolts.

(and I know nothing about mechanics)

Areas to watch are (a lengthy list!)

The floor, especially the corners where it joins ot the front wheel arches.

The boot, especially the wheel arches again.

The sills, although not too common because they don't collect water (due to their shape)

The panel behind the front wheel arch, these go rusty at the bottom.

And the door bottoms (doors are very easy to unbolt, chuck, and replace so no worries)

Engine wise:

White smoke is a BAD thing.

Check the oil and water.

Listen for rattles, especially the water pump (behind the radiator fan) There WILL be a metallic clatter from the timing chain so don't worry abot that.

Look for leaks in any water pipes, there a small rubbers one that goes between the head and the water pump on the righ hand side of the engine. (near the rad) Check this for cracks!

Other than the above, check that the heater works (its a myth that they're bad - they should be damn hot!)

And make sure all the electrics work.

Other than that, buy one.

They're cheap, low insurance and average around 40 mpg.

You'll feel like you're doing 110 and 30 mph and they drive like a go cart.

I loved mine to bits and am going to buy another.

PS: Buy a later (late 80's) one as they have disc brakes on the front, rather than rubbish drums!