Looking for a Rover Cooper
Discussion
Hi everyone, new to the forum. Not the site itself, come here daily to escape work...
Anyway, I'm putting my Punto Mk2 Sporting up for sale soon as it's been a problem child....
So my next car if all goes to plan will be a 90s Cooper.
Wonder if you can tell me anything about them really? How they run etc etc....
I don't wanna spend ££££££ on one. No more than £3000.(I know I won't get a perfect one for that)
I'd just appreciate any advice you guys could offer.
Thanks!!
Oh, and I did see this, http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/findacar/used-car...
Just seems a bit fishy.... It'd be the green one.
Anyway, I'm putting my Punto Mk2 Sporting up for sale soon as it's been a problem child....
So my next car if all goes to plan will be a 90s Cooper.
Wonder if you can tell me anything about them really? How they run etc etc....
I don't wanna spend ££££££ on one. No more than £3000.(I know I won't get a perfect one for that)
I'd just appreciate any advice you guys could offer.
Thanks!!
Oh, and I did see this, http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/findacar/used-car...
Just seems a bit fishy.... It'd be the green one.
You should get a fair, but far from excellent, one for £3k.
My Grandson got a 1997 MPI last year. He paid £1660 and it has 6 months MoT. We expected it to need a lot of work, and it did/does. So far it's had new front panel, front wings, A-panels both sides, inner & outer sills both sides, screen scuttle panel, front screen inner lower rail, bulkhead repair, front inner wing repairs, door skin on LH door, new (solid) front sub-frame mountings and a re-paint.
To do is an engine re-build (it's done 90k miles), gearbox inspection replacement of any worn parts, new front suspension bushes, calliper re-build, rear radius arm re-build on RH side, improved headlights, full electrical system test, new front bumper, plus some other odds-and-ends.
When complete, with us doing all the work except the painting, we reckon it'll stand us in at around £3750 but will be like a new car worth about £5500. If we had to pay for the labour at £40 per hour we would be into heavy loss, but it's a 'hobby-job' for us.
If you buy at less than 'excellent' condition/price, expect to have to do a fair bit of work. But look out for rust - it's everywhere. The mechanical work is easy, it's the rust, rust, and the rust you need to look out for.
My Grandson got a 1997 MPI last year. He paid £1660 and it has 6 months MoT. We expected it to need a lot of work, and it did/does. So far it's had new front panel, front wings, A-panels both sides, inner & outer sills both sides, screen scuttle panel, front screen inner lower rail, bulkhead repair, front inner wing repairs, door skin on LH door, new (solid) front sub-frame mountings and a re-paint.
To do is an engine re-build (it's done 90k miles), gearbox inspection replacement of any worn parts, new front suspension bushes, calliper re-build, rear radius arm re-build on RH side, improved headlights, full electrical system test, new front bumper, plus some other odds-and-ends.
When complete, with us doing all the work except the painting, we reckon it'll stand us in at around £3750 but will be like a new car worth about £5500. If we had to pay for the labour at £40 per hour we would be into heavy loss, but it's a 'hobby-job' for us.
If you buy at less than 'excellent' condition/price, expect to have to do a fair bit of work. But look out for rust - it's everywhere. The mechanical work is easy, it's the rust, rust, and the rust you need to look out for.
I spent roughly two years looking for a 90s Rover Cooper in decent condition for the best price possible. I ended up with a 1995 Cooper SPI and paid just over £2500. When I got it, there were a few issues that needed ironing out but its now in good condition and running well. For about £3000 you could probably get a near mint Single point or a decent enough MPI.
Heres mine in red at the MCR show.
Heres mine in red at the MCR show.
Edited by roscozs on Tuesday 4th January 18:08
If ou ae going to do the work yourself it is probably best to get a rusty one, then you know that it is absolutely right when you've re-built it. But if you would have to pay labour charges, then you really have to pay more initially to get one that needs very little work. Just take someone with you who knows EXACTLY where to look and what to look for.
Sam, I have been running minis since 1971 and even after all that time I still love the cute little rascals.
As a previous writer says watch for rust. I run a 1996 Cooper 1.3i which I have had for over 10 years. I bought it from John Cooper Garages so it is about as good as they get. I love and cherish it, keep it in a garage, only use it normally when the weather is good but even so I have had a new door, two sills, work arond the boot, A panels, windscreen scuttle, work around the headlights. It has been mechanically petty reliable, the main cost was replacing the suspension. I had a Moulton Smootha ride fitted which ran to about £800.00. At MoT time the big issue is exhaust emissions, trying to get a 1950's engine to pass a 21st century test can be tricky.
You need to remember that any mini is now over 10 years old so look very hard before you buy - you will certainly have extra costs to face all the time and if you intend to use it as a daily drive rather than a toy, I suggest you buy a Volkswagen!
I paid around K£5 for it and have probably spent about the same on it over the years.
Don't let me put you off though - everyone should have a mini at some time. I have been all over Europe in them. Just don't rush to buy the first one you see.
As a previous writer says watch for rust. I run a 1996 Cooper 1.3i which I have had for over 10 years. I bought it from John Cooper Garages so it is about as good as they get. I love and cherish it, keep it in a garage, only use it normally when the weather is good but even so I have had a new door, two sills, work arond the boot, A panels, windscreen scuttle, work around the headlights. It has been mechanically petty reliable, the main cost was replacing the suspension. I had a Moulton Smootha ride fitted which ran to about £800.00. At MoT time the big issue is exhaust emissions, trying to get a 1950's engine to pass a 21st century test can be tricky.
You need to remember that any mini is now over 10 years old so look very hard before you buy - you will certainly have extra costs to face all the time and if you intend to use it as a daily drive rather than a toy, I suggest you buy a Volkswagen!
I paid around K£5 for it and have probably spent about the same on it over the years.
Don't let me put you off though - everyone should have a mini at some time. I have been all over Europe in them. Just don't rush to buy the first one you see.
It's strange but the most difficult rusty area to sort out is the screen scuttle and screen inner lower rail. When they go they take the top of the front bulkhead with them which complicated the repair.
This area is not a problem on early cars and on a 1966 Mk 1 which I did a body restoration on fairly recently the screen scuttle and inner rail were OK except at each end, which is easy and cheap to repair.
This area is not a problem on early cars and on a 1966 Mk 1 which I did a body restoration on fairly recently the screen scuttle and inner rail were OK except at each end, which is easy and cheap to repair.
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