Irish Mini Owners Club

Need some help

What are the things to look out for when buying a 2000 mini Cooper?

Thanks for your help

I've one here and recently brought it down for a quick respray. Was anything but. Had to replace good few panels. Has the car got a current nct? I used mine as a daily driver for nearly two years. Have it insured as a classic now so limited miles each year. Check the main areas from rust anyway. Make sure it's not full of fillers. Had problems with mine on the electrics. One of the wires into the fuse box has worn and wasn't allowing the current in.
The later models are very bad for rust so say that's your main concern

All MPi Minis ('97-2000) suffer badly from rust. If its cheap its full of rust or filler.Rust areas are scuttle panel. front wings and front panel, bottom of doors and rear wheel arches. If it has been resprayed ask to see photos of the panel work before paint and receipts for parts. Most non mini people or garages will use cheaper panels so check the panel gaps. Mechanicly there quite good except the diff which when it goes can take out the whole gearbox.Recomended upgrade to a 4 pin diff. Electrical problems are usually down to bad earths.

Sound lads

I went over it fairly well now and knew the places to look (I've a sprite already) for rust and I couldn't see any anywhere now that's not to say it's there somewhere underneath somewhere the whole under side and even the inside of the boot is under sealed which would be good right ?

All panels and gaps looked OK the boot is hard to close but I think it has a new rubber so that might be why.

It's not ncted and hasn't been since 2012 (as it was stored) would Itake have to be back ncted? When I bought my sprite I had to ncted it and 3 months later I had to again ?

Thanks for the help

You don,t have to back NCT it but when you get an NCT it only runs to the annaversery of its first date of registration.