Are all classic minis unreliable and prone to rust?

[LeeC13]

I don't know a great deal about cars but I'm looking for another car and have noticed later classic minis fall into budget. Would a mid-late 90s mini be as bad as say the 70s versions in terms of reliability?
Thanks.

[ClaphamGT3]

They rot like pears but ours has been faultlessly reliable - they just need more frequent routine maintenance than modern cars

[LeeC13]

ClaphamGT3 said:

They rot like pears but ours has been faultlessly reliable - they just need more frequent routine maintenance than modern cars

I see, thanks. The one I'm looking at is a 98 with 50k miles and it looks rust free. Would you say keeping it garaged and keeping up with maintenance, it would be manageable for someone with no mechanical knowledge?

[Cooperman]

So long as you don't mind spending a lot to keep it going. That is what classic car ownership is about.
All classic cars require either an owner with good mechanical and electrical know-how, or one with a big cheque book.

[ClaphamGT3]

LeeC13 said:

I see, thanks. The one I'm looking at is a 98 with 50k miles and it looks rust free. Would you say keeping it garaged and keeping up with maintenance, it would be manageable for someone with no mechanical knowledge?

I would get yourself a Haynes manual and get to grips with a lot of the basic stuff - oil changes etc - yourself. Ours is an auto and is used almost exclusively in town so I change the oil about every three months. There's a bulb to change or a little niggle to sort out most week-ends (passenger door lock barrel seizing was this week's fix) but nothing to stop it running.

The main thing is that they are an absolute hoot to drive. Marvel at how revolutionary they must have been in 1959 and enjoy!

[prg123]

I Have a '98 sportpack cooper and it has been completely reliable with only standard servicing required (my brother who is a mechanic does it for me)

The only thing is rust.... the 90s Minis are terrible... Mine is starting to bubble in the usual places.

When it gets too bad I am going to get it completely restored as the car is for my son when he turns 17 if he get 8 GCSE's

- Pete

[FWDRacer]

LeeC13 said:

I see, thanks. The one I'm looking at is a 98 with 50k miles and it looks rust free.

Bahhhaaahahahhhhh

It looks rust free. The later ones seem most prone to returning back to nature. Poke and prod in all the usual places. Boot floor around rear subframe mounts. Inner and outer sills (lift carpets), floor pans, and top of scuttle/inner wing joint. Anyone not willing to allow a screwdriver/MOT poker to prod to there pride and joy, turn on heel and walk away.

[vx220]

I read somewhere MPis rust more around the bulkhead/scuttle due to the different airflow through the front-mount rad?

[brownspeed]

the airflow must affect the floor and sills too

[Cooperman]

vx220 said:

I read somewhere MPis rust more around the bulkhead/scuttle due to the different airflow through the front-mount rad?

MPI's rust more because Rover did virtually no rust-proofing
Early Minis rusted, but none rust like the later ones from about 1989 onwards.

[baller11]

I wouldn't even say they are expensive to maintain...If you have a Haynes and a few spanners, you can fix most stuff yourself. There arnt many jobs I have not tackled on a mini, they may seem daunting at first but they really are a doddle to work on, and parts are cheap too compared to many!

[Pit Pony]

I had 3 mini's in my youth, and in an attempt to recapture that youth bought a 1988 mayfair in 2010.

It was a bad year. No particular rust issues, but every mechanical issue reared it's head. And Electrical issues too. All easy to fix, and cheap enough, but every other weekend I was doing something. And the quality of parts from Moss and Mini Spares didn't seem to be as good as back in the 80's. (3 condensers in 1 year)

Best bit of it, was selling it on PH classifieds. So many desperate 17 year olds. Sold it for the same as I paid, 12 months previously.

[1275 GT]

I'll add my 2 cents...

A mini can be reliable. But they are all prone to rust.

The 90's minis are the worst for the rust issues by far. My 1972 car is in much better shape than my friends 1995 mini. I've had to do some serious rust repairs on his!
The biggest cause of rust I've seen though is poor repairs, as this can take a small area of rust to a serious problem. Oversills being the classic example.

They are certainly a classic even if you buy the last ones ever made, and you get all the associated problems. They require a lot more attention than a modern car.

If you were to have one maintained by a garage, and take it to them with every niggle you'd be spending a fortune. I wouldn't recommend one to a friend unless they were prepared to get stuck in. It's not difficult to learn but essential in my opinion. A haynes manual or proper service manual are also essential.

My mini has been entirely maintained by myself and apart from the initial work I did ( It had been off the road for 14 years so required a full recommission, oh and addressing accident damage) Has only required required servicing in the last 12 months.

It's never let me down.
As far as addressing rust my car is very rough looking, which in this area is brilliant. Any future problems I find can be rubbed back to the metal and addressed before it develops.

A mini is only unreliable if poorly maintained.


I'd buy a haynes manual and get reading now!

Joe

[GreyGray]

Get anything you're considering buying looked at by a Mini expert or a garage you know you can trust