Expert Buyer
Rover Mini
PROJECT
LOOK FOR STRUCTURAL ISSUES
These cars typically need a lot of structural attention. All panels are available, but new shells have risen to nearly £9000 (primed).
HOW’S PARTS AVAILABILITY?
This is nothing you need to worry about. Club support is huge, resources are plentiful and everything is perfectly doable – at a price.
KEEP IT SOLID
Start with something that hasn’t already been played about with. There are many half-finished projects of dubious origin out there.
USABLE
RUST SPOTS
Be alert to rust in many areas, hidden and in plain sight – especially around the lower six inches of the car. Interior damp is a further clue.
LOOK FOR TLC
These later models have quite cramped engine bays, which is less inviting for DIY maintenance. Check for old fluids or ignored leaks.
CHECK IT INSIDE
Interior trim deteriorates over time, something that should pull the price down, but replacement seat fabric, headlining and door trim can all still be bought.
GOOD
IS IT THRASHED?
Many Minis are driven hard – usually by owners who care about upkeep, but there are posers who overlook maintenance. Suss them out.
HISTORY MATTERS
A strong value should mean frequent care, ideally every 3k miles, especially in automatics, as all transmissions share the engine oil.
CHECK THE TECH
1990s Minis (with servo brakes, fuel injection, airbags etc.) have more mechanical aspects to haggle over than earlier cars, so keep them peeled.
CONCOURS
IS IT RESTORED?
Few top-priced Minis of this era have have undergone lavish restoration; pristine preservation and sub-30k mileage usually characterise the best examples.
WHICH MODEL?
Perhaps predictably, Cooper S Works cars fetch a significant premium over lesser models, while £7k or so buys a mint but humble auto, gently used by few previous owners.
ORIGINALITY
A few tidy – and preferably subtle – modifications don’t hurt the appeal of sporting models, but originality matters for others, especially if mileage is low). Loud exhausts and big stereos are a no-no.