Irish Mini Owners Club

hi
i wouldnt be familiar with repairing or modifying cars. i really like the look of minis when they are done up. I was thinking of looking for one done up and would run perfectly. Am i just dreaming here. Would i have to be prepared to spend a lot of time at the mechanics if i got involved with a mini?
regards,
mike

i dont think you`re dreaming, it was my dream to have one for a over year, and i finally bit the bullet about 6 weeks ago and bought myself one

in fairness i bought a 1999 one, so not muich could be wrong with it, but it absolutly great, you get loads of compliments when driving them, people let you out in traffic alot more, and parking, well, its childs play

id recommend getting oen, i bloody love mine more than i ever thought i would

I had two mini's and they're a little minter of a car to drive, run etc - I think once you treat them well they last a lifetime.

Just make sure you get it looked over properly by a mechanic before you buy one. I had the misfortune of buying one from this site as it would happen and it needed an awful lot of work done to it and very few garages were prepared to undertake the work so I ended up having to sell it for half what I'd paid for it 3 weeks previous :shock: talk about gutted!

Needless to say I've done my homework and learned a lot about the cars since then so I wont be caught out next time I buy one which will hopefully be v soon!

If you want a good one do be prepared to pay good money for it though, the mistake I made was buying that first mini cheap and it ended up costing me in the long run!

i agree 100% with chrisbonnie though, the difference when you're driving a mini - people really are more inclined to let you out in traffic that bit mroe in one and I found a lot of people do the whole 'flash and wave' when they see a mini, they're just such a sweet little motor!

Hi Mike, and welcome to the forum,

My Mini has been my daily driver for the last 18 years, they are easy to run and maintain, you don't need to be an expert mechanic to own one and if you do need help or guidance then there are many knowledgeable members of the club in every part of the country that are either an email or phone call away. After 18 years I know a lot about all aspects of Mini mechanics, but I still contact the people who know more about certain things than I do. The club has experts in every field, whether it's the electrical, mechanical, bodywork, history, provenance or whatever.

The Mini is an easy car to live with, there are very few specialist tools needed to work on the car, you may start off just doing your own oil changes but the bug will grow on you.

As Harlem has learned, do your research before you buy, or better still buy from somewhere that can offer you a back-up service. Good luck in your search.

TMG.