Right, I’m 16 atm well last month (January 12th.)
And telling and seeing ‘frozo’ getting a mini makes me want a mini/a car more than ever… ¬¬ ;p
So just wondering, when did you start looking for your first car? Was it a project car/new car? etc, a few general questions
Moving house soon, i think either next month or April? And that has enough parking to park it on the drive or even in the garage if necessarily.
I’m the worst kind of buyer as I have a bad habbit of impulse buying.
With regards to buying my mini, i bought it within 5 days of being able to afford one. Won it on ebay and took the risk of bidding without viewing it, lol.
I wouldn’t do that again because i’v found a few nasty bits on the mini that i don’t even think the previous owner was aware they had been bodged rather than sorted properly but you learn from things like this.
one important thing is, start looking by all means but you can’t buy without the money. Set yourself a limit of how much you would like to spend. Do you want a full project? half project? or something thats ‘‘a minter’’.
It would be very nice if you can get a classic Mini as first car needing some work. You learn so much doing a bit before the road and will make a better driver understanding the car and keep you busy while other young are floating about getting in trouble with no goal. My dad gave me the family garage to build my first road car for those type reasons.That was a 1971 Mini 850cc.Please take someone with you to buy it with mini skills to check out the car. On here you will get a lot of help advice when you need it. The other young man is running a restore thread as he goes along. Us older boys enjoy others prodjects.
As said really,
Dont jump in at the deep end, thats what i did and ended up with a mini that needed loads of work and loads of bits to get it roadworthy again,
I’m stuck in what to do & comtemplating wether to buy another in better condition, not the sort of position you’d want to be in!
Just take your time, try find a decent project or full mini if possible. If buying off ebay or similar, try go see it before you commit to buying so you know what needs doing.
Its too easy to spend hundreds/thousands without noticing the benefits.
I’ve been on here my whole life (feels that way with you lot )and ive still not found the right one for me, im 16 now …
What Jack said is spot on really
Ahh right, thanks folks
Glad to see another 16 year old on here
Its a great Spot here for all ages and fair. Craig is right wait to get a good prodject.When i bought my 850cc 1971 to rebuild many of the minis buying parts for it were in better condition in the scrap yard. Still i kept on after all it had cost me £150 to start with. I do have some pictures still left of the long build and will share them when the family find them in there house and someone tells me format and how to post them up on the web.Mine was a big job.
Will be good to see you get a mini we can go on some road trips aha
but like the others said dont rush into buying one. and just cause it looks good on the outside doesnt mean its good because there might be rust lurking underneath and in places you cant see.
i bought my first mini when i was 16 and still didn’t get it finished for when i passed my test as i was using to practice on as i was a apprentice mechanic at the time. get one as soon as you can means you have more time to get it right just remember to buy one with a solid shell and spend money on the important things like good brakes a reliable engine and sorting any rust don’t do what i did and buy lots of shinny things then realise you cant afford the essentials.
i started looking when i was 15 but that was for a mk1 escort when i realised i couldn’t get one for the money i had i got my first mini, ten years on a 5 minis later a still have the same love hate relasionship with them.
All advice sounds good to me so far. The other young man has got a great car of the other member.
He is a gent in my old book. The young man will share his restore with us all. Thats what us old boys like.
I actually have a little secret. Similar to Frozo, i was given my 87’ City E when i was 14 years old. It used to belong to my godfather but he moved abroad and didn’t want or need it, it had been sitting in my dads garage for 12 years, so when i turned 17 he signed the papers over to me! But i had already been using it on our long drive, practising gear changed and the like.
It was in great condition, although it hadn’t seen a service in years! After an oil filter change, being fettled to run on unleaded, change of spark plugs, a new exhaust (the old one was blowing) and a new battery, it was good to go!
Ohh nice, yeah but if i start looking and find a great mini/car then i won’t be able to get it yet and will just be annoyed that a great car has gone :L
Good Andre above you kept it moving that saved many parts. No rush for any mods. ENJOY it.
> Good Andre above you kept it moving that saved many parts. No rush for any mods. ENJOY it.
That didn’t make much sense? ;o
> > Good Andre above you kept it moving that saved many parts. No rush for any mods. ENJOY it.
That didn’t make much sense? ;o
Lol!
Just wait till you have some money before looking then, and when you have enough money you could buy a project mini or save even more and buy a ready one
> Lol!
Just wait till you have some money before looking then, and when you have enough money you could buy a project mini or save even more and buy a ready one
I’ve got £200 atm, and this Christmas / 17th birthday would go towards it wouldn’t it.
Shall i start saving now, or what? 
I’ve got £200 atm, and this Christmas / 17th birthday would go towards it wouldn’t it.
Shall i start saving now, or what?
yeah start saving now
£400 wouldn’t get you alot really. £800 seems to be the minimum for a “Solid” mini recently. I’d say ideally £1200, but theres nothing stopping you buying a £400 one, lets just hope that you like welding
> £400 wouldn’t get you alot really. £800 seems to be the minimum for a “Solid” mini recently. I’d say ideally £1200, but theres nothing stopping you buying a £400 one, lets just hope that you like welding
Didn’t say anything about £400’s?
Yeah, been looking on ebay recently, good one’s seem to go for £1200 - £1550.
I have not found any good bargain Minis to pass on. Best today found by me is a Polo 1997 mk4 open air with a mot. I will keep my eye out for you lot. The Female who loves hers might like it. Better than spending on her repairs and very rare.
