Buying Advice: Austin Mini
From Classic Car Life
The Austin Mini is one of the best classic cars on the market today (especially the Mini Cooper) and they have a huge following around the world. Although the classic Mini is getting more and more expensive, it is still possible to find cheap examples; however a lot of these classic cars have been restored and therefore cost more. If you are thinking of buying a classic Mini, read this guide to find out what to look out for.
Buying Classic Cars: Austin Mini
- The classic Mini is famous for being very prone to rusting so this should be the number one thing you should be looking at. The wings, the inner wings, the floor and the sills are especially prone to rusting on the Austin Mini so this should be heavily inspected on any classic cars for sale. The chances of finding a cheap classic mini that doesn’t have rust issues are quite slim so you will need to weigh up your skills in repairing it and how much you are willing to spend. Replacement body panels for the Austin Mini are widely available however.
- The Austin Mini has always handled exceptionally and this was due to the very hard rubber cone suspension. These classic cars however can suffer from suspension issues with the rubber cones deteriorating or the metal trumpets becoming corroded. This can be easily spotted in the classic mini by noticing whether the car sits lower on one corner.
- If you are looking at a cheap Austin Mini, it is quite likely that the engine will have done lots of miles and will have seen better days. The only real way of checking the condition of an engine in these classic cars is by taking it for a test drive. When stationary, check the engine mounts by rocking the engine back and forward. If you are buying a classic mini or mini cooper that has a replacement engine, be wary of the fact that all Austin mini engines look the same from the outside if they are different internally.
- When looking at classic cars, make sure the engine starts first time and be wary if the engine is warm before you arrive as it may have been pre-warmed to avoid any problems. If you are looking for a Mini Cooper, make sure it is a genuine Mini Cooper rather than a replica as these are common. Running an HPI check on the car will confirm this.
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