Would you recommend a mini to a female friend?
Turbo Mini Forums

Not a turbo obviously but say a later mpi? A girl at work here badly wants one, she got insurance for a '98 Cooper for £700 and is all go but I can see it going to crust before her eyes. How is a low mileage mpi for reliability? Considering she has no mechanical experience and doesn't have the incredible mini knowledge that I have (heh heh). Just your thoughts.

Yes. Simply because there is something about a female mini driver.

you know a female who would like to drive a mini!

dont tell Nic

its gives you an excuse to go to her house.........

think the offer of you to maintain her lil pride & joy to stop it degrading would be worthwhile

the mini i mean

i had a trouble free mpi, rustproof the hell out of it but pay loads of attention to the a-posts & scuttle, just inject wax inside it everywhere!!!! all cavaties (spelling)

as alex says a chick in a mini!!! :)

SKYLINES ARE LIKE CLITS, EVERY FLANGE SEEMS TO HAVE ONE: see this sticker on my silvia

the Search-section on this forum is blummin superb & simple to use, unlike some other forums, without the search-section & the help of this bunch of chaps on here i'll never be able to !!!Start the day with a 998cc turbo!!! :) i'm getting closer though!

Tom Fenton says: I have it all, make me an offer

miniskirt?

i wish i had the opportunity....

well as long as u dont mind doing everything to it when it goes wrong!!
1 in my house hold is bad enough but now my sis has one its a fooking nightmare!

nic dont even bother!! lol

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Got any pics????????

my mate had a girlfriend with a mini-by the sounds of it he spent most of his time fixing it for her

I got with my girl friend by offering to weld up her seams.

yer my mate has a girlfriend that had a mini then wrote it off! (silly girl!) and is now in the process of doing up a mini 30 that has taken up space in his workshop for about 6 months! hes saved her 1000s on it though as hes a car sprayer. and can get bits cheaply etc.

the thing is, if shes willing to learn a few basics like how to check oil, water, or knows when somthing is not right etc, then it shouldnt be to bad.
but if shes the type that just wants to drive it and have no mechanical simpafy (SP?) then i would say it will end in a big bang!lol

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

All the women I have had in my mini have complained that their tits wobble too much (including my mum, although I don't think she used the word tits)

Perhaps you should take her out in yours and check that the wobbly tit syndrome is at an acceptable level before she bites the bullet. Or get a good sports bra.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

she might like it!! lol

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Oh I couldn't take her out in mine, she'd run a mile (single box RC40, LCB and slamed into the ground)! But she is dead serious and nothing will put her off. I don't mind helping out, like I could rust proof it etc but I think a girl needs something as reliable as a "normal" car if you know what I mean. I don't even have time to work on mine as it is so I was just wondering if it is feasable. I say it is, I have heard good things about mpis. I just don't think she knows what mini ownership is all about. I popped 2 engines in mine and a gearbox within a year of ownership!

a mpi if its been looked after will be as reliable as most other modern cars like the equivelent pugs, citroens etc etc. but make sure she buys a good one to start with with lots of service history. and thats where the dilemma starts say she needs to spend 5-6k on a good one then what other more practical car could she buy for cash?

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

I have to say I disagree there Carl, the MPI's are renowned for gearboxes failing, whereas the likes of a 1.1 106 will take all the abuse most people can throw at it without getting too upset.
It depends on the sort of driver she is, in my experience younger lasses either drive very carefully and conservatively, in which case she'll do fine, or else they are complete bloody lunatics with no mechanical sympathy and a complete mental block when it starts making funny noises as theres no bloody oil and water in it etc.......
The other thing is most young lasses want all the mod cons, elec windows, remote locking etc that a mini doesn't have.

I have several female friends with minis, all drive like lunatics and have no mechanical sympathy (much like me!). I would definately recommend one, the late model mpis did have some gearbox troubles like tom said, but the ones i have seen have never been any trouble!!

My mate's got a MPI mini, and it seems to be ok reliability wise. Bit of trouble with some wiring but since then it's been ok. Barring the two incidents where he sheared the wheel studs :/

There is no sense crying over every mistake- you just keep on trying til you run out of cake.

Tom's hit the nail on the head here, most people think ALL cars have keyless entry and fast glass right? One of my friends laughed once when I said my mini had a choke. I guess the test is if she can stick my mini, an mpi must be shear luxury in comparison. I did see one for sale locally, '98, 30k miles and well looked after for just over £4k but it wasn't red and that's mandatory apparently! Anyway she has her head screwed on and she's not dizzy and I told her about how they aren't like "normal" cars (with all the modern fruit) etc and she is still keen so that's all I can do. I guess I posted this as I wouldn't want to lead someone into mini ownership and them regret it.

[quote=Tom Fenton,27th of Feb, 2007 at 08:34pm]I have to say I
It depends on the sort of driver she is, in my experience younger lasses either drive very carefully and conservatively, in which case she'll do fine, or else they are complete bloody lunatics with no mechanical sympathy and a complete mental block when it starts making funny noises as theres no bloody oil and water in it etc.......
quote]


exactly what i was trying to say!

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Don't think there will be a problem there, she's a very gentle chick. Nic I'll put in a good word OK?

As to Tom says gearbox is the week link mine will be replaced on the mpi within next few months (50k miles).

If you rust proof it well then they can be the most reliable standard minis. Just service the plugs every 6k and an oil and filter every three along with the normal servicing and you wont have a problem. (Try and get one with 12s i am fed up of replacing ball joints as the standard 13 weight a ton)

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

I look after one for a friend of mine and she is super happy with her MPi ......

It's a really nice car and every time I drive one I want one ....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...