Rate this Mini Cooper please!
- Thread starter Accy cyclist
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Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
Because they are a dealer, shirley?
Accy. History of the car - paperwork and stamps in a book. MOT record. Explicit conversation about how long they warrant the car for - and (I expect) why that's a shorter period than your statutory rights
Test every single thing works. Listen for unusual knocks and noises.
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Basically what @Drago said, and don't forget, it's a 20 year old car, and will have faults, make sure everything electrical works, listen carefully for knocks & rattles when being driven, do a google search for known faults on that particular model
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OP
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
Well I went to look at that Mini in nearby Blackburn. I quite liked it. My first impressions were nice looking for its age, without any obvious dents, dints, marks etc. I almost fell into the driver's seat, with the seller telling me to climb out and pump up the height of the seat, which didn't really make much difference as it was nearly at maximum height when I first sat on it. Anyway, if I have the car the low seat can be remedied with a bulky cushion. Even though I was low down I had a better view than last week's Arbarth test drive when I could hardly see over the dash! My first impressions on the car were very quick from nought to 30mph. The brakes are new and does it show! I just had to touch the pedal to get a rapid response. The steering was quite harsh though, which after a while you get used to it. I barely got into 5th gear, with the seller saying if I want he'll let me try the car out on the motorway. Now for the bad bit. The rear and passenger seats were quite damp. The inside of the soft top roof was dry though, though I suppose if he wanted to, the seller could've towel dried it before I arrived. I mentioned the damp seats to the seller with him saying it was condensation caused by it standing for a month with the windows closed. The radio was good, all the lights and indicators work and all the warning lights came on then went off after ignition. As the advert says, the seller told me the car has a new, fitted by him timing chain and a new water pump, also fitted by him with him showing me the videos he took of the jobs being done. I asked about the slight rust on the subframe with him saying that was on the last but one MOT, not the last one which I'll check after posting this message. I didn't/couldn't hear any odd noises as well. The seller said he could only offer me £400 for my car, saying no way could he offer the £800 or 900 the Arbarth sellers were offering. I left telling him I'm going to check insurance quotes for it and see if any buyers of cars will offer me more than £400, adding I'll phone him tomorrow about the car.
The exhaust's tail pipe is a bit grim, but I suppose some autosol might buff it up, or better still buy a chrome end for it.
The exhaust's tail pipe is a bit grim, but I suppose some autosol might buff it up, or better still buy a chrome end for it.
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Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
Are BMW Mini bodies better made than Fiat 500's and Abarth's? I ask because on closing the Mini's door today it reminded me of the Mini D I had a few years ago, before buying my Fiat 500. The door closed with a hearty clunk, unlike my Fiat's door which isn't quite the same. I noticed the Mini's 'clock' and rev counters were made of glass, unlike the plastic used on my Fiat 500. The Mini would look better if it had leather or part leather seats instead of that 1980's look, patterned fabric, but at least the seats weren't torn or marked.
Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
Hmmm. Damp you say, or was there wetness? Take a squint:
View: https://youtu.be/8Ff_yai_OMY?si=Gqi0oIueA7IC5b4P
View: https://youtu.be/8Ff_yai_OMY?si=Gqi0oIueA7IC5b4P
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Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
The rear and passenger seat were damp. Maybe the driver's seat was as well, but I didn't think to check it, but on going back to my car wishing I had, I checked my heavy overcoat to find it wasn't damp where I'd sat on the seat. I did Check the front and back carpets and they were fine/dry. Surely if rain was dripping onto the seats from a leaky roof it'd hit the floor as well as the seats.🤔 The rear window had substantial condensation on it, obviously indicating a wet/damp interior, but my Fiat always had the same amount of condensation on it, before, not after it started its raining in at the drainage holes under the windscreen wipers problem. I think most soft tops have condensation problems, as indeed many hard tops do at this time of the year.
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Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
I had a Fiat 500 pass me yesterday, doing 20mph at the most, while I was walking on a narrow, slow moving traffic street. The car had a certain rumbling engine noise that made me do a double take, thinking it might be an Abarth in disguise. I tried to wave the driver down so I could ask her if her car had been 'souped up', but she didn't seem to see my hand gesture and just smiled at me in a kind of batty old biddy way, carrying on her journey.
Surely a woman in must've been her late 70's at least wasn't driving a souped up Fiat 500, or even better an Abarth?🤔 Anyway, not only the car's noise, it was also a GREY Fiat 500, but it wasn't in a dull battleship or primer grey, but in a metallic graphite grey.😎
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Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
A Twinair engine which have a distinctive engine note?
On dampgate, if the dealer hadn't cleaned the seats (and surely he'd have told you) then there's a problem there. If things are in order, convertibles are dry.
Your fiat has a different problem, shared with all small fiats and is the underbonnet 'duckbill' drains getting blocked. Easy fix, easy to maintain.
On dampgate, if the dealer hadn't cleaned the seats (and surely he'd have told you) then there's a problem there. If things are in order, convertibles are dry.
Your fiat has a different problem, shared with all small fiats and is the underbonnet 'duckbill' drains getting blocked. Easy fix, easy to maintain.
Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
Drink like a Volvo too!
Drago
Legendary Member
Indeed. They can be super economical, or can keep up with modern traffic, but not both at the same time.
Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
Those that have them usually think they're wunnerful, but I don't get it, having had one as a hire car for a week bitd.
Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
Yes, in the way that an S2000's characterful you have to give its nuts a real revving to make regular progress, and that engine note tires. Won engine of the year, mind. That was before they all started breaking
