Weekend toy for £5k?

[Zonda_]

Please can someone tell me this piece of Italian sculpture that is for sale 10 miles away is a bad idea!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 4104517807

[Beany]

I'm not gonna tell you it's a bad idea.

I mean, it absolutely is, but I'm not gonna tell you that.

[dinny_g]

[Broccers]

Tidy. You can get a 220bhp mini cooper s for similar money that wont ruin you

[Zonda_]

Tidy. You can get a 220bhp mini cooper s for similar money that wont ruin you

Yeah but where’s the fun in that!

[Broccers]

Tidy. You can get a 220bhp mini cooper s for similar money that wont ruin you

Yeah but where’s the fun in that!

A lot. I really do love our one

Get it up to 280 and handling and you have a great car.

How about a baggy boxster?https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175241640792 ... SwaYtiDezM

A 185mph motorbike?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274976917780 ... Sw11thJiSj

[Zonda_]

Tidy. You can get a 220bhp mini cooper s for similar money that wont ruin you

Yeah but where’s the fun in that!

A lot. I really do love our one

Get it up to 280 and handling and you have a great car.

How about a baggy boxster?https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175241640792 ... SwaYtiDezM

A 185mph motorbike?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274976917780 ... Sw11thJiSj

I’ve looked at Boxsters, most of the adverts say £0000s spent in the last 12 months and it kind of puts you off. I might look for a Cooper S.

[Sundayjumper]

Please can someone tell me this piece of Italian sculpture that is for sale 10 miles away is a bad idea!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 4104517807

My mum had a lower spec convertible one. All I remember is it had a weird driving position. And it never ran at the right temperature.

Cooper S is good choice. An early one would leave loads of money left over to get it how you want it. Older cars benefit hugely from a suspension refresh even if you don’t think it needs it. A bit like wiper blades, you don’t realise how bad they are until you replace them.

[Zonda_]

What mileage would put people off a Cooper S?

[Sundayjumper]

4 ?

[Rich B]

I have been to view loads of cooper S's over the years - the cheap ones are all beaten up and knackered. I wouldn't go near any high milers or bottom of the market ones.

Saying that, my sister in law bought an 11 plate one last year for £4K with 98k miles that is lovely.

[Broccers]

What mileage would put people off a Cooper S?

From what I can see they have no issues getting to 200k miles if looked after ie oil changed frequently. I'd look for one at 80k personally.

N14 gets coked up and had chain issues apparently. N18 not so much.

Look at this power table to see whats possible Might turn your 5k into 15 spend over time tho

https://www.lohen.co.uk/dyno/lohen-dyno-leader-board

Not driven one but think these look cool
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115029383978 ... SwZqthXFBL

[Zonda_]

What mileage would put people off a Cooper S?

From what I can see they have no issues getting to 200k miles if looked after ie oil changed frequently. I'd look for one at 80k personally.

N14 gets coked up and had chain issues apparently. N18 not so much.

Look at this power table to see whats possible Might turn your 5k into 15 spend over time tho

https://www.lohen.co.uk/dyno/lohen-dyno-leader-board

Not driven one but think these look cool
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115029383978 ... SwZqthXFBL

Ooh, hadn’t realised they were in budget, always liked the look of them. A cheeky remap and I’m back on the slippery slope…

[16vCento]

My R56 S (JCW engine pack) was a 30k mile one from a Mini Dealer and it still went wrong.

A lot.

I really enjoyed the car, it was fun, and felt spwcial to drive, you sat low and legs out, and could bring the wheel right in. And once it had many more BHP than it started life with, it was a great bit of kit, needed a LSD though as it really struggled to put the power down.

It had the timing chain and HPFP replaced in the first 6 months I had it, all under warranty. Then it had a set of coils and another HPFP about 18 months later under warranty.

Then when the warranty finished I took it for mapping, intake and exhaust mods, a modified turbo oil feed as the standard one is crap and fails, I poly bushed most of the suspension, got rid of the shite run flats which kept cracking wheels, and it was fine for about a year. Then it decided the oil was better outside the engine rather than in it, so had to replace the valve cover. Then the HPFP failed again, that was about 800 quid for the parts alone (N14 Engine).

Both rear light circuit boards failed, the footwell module failed, the sunroof guides failed and that was the last straw.

I gave up and bought my dad's 308, and traded the mini in for him a 3008.

I'd reckon a Boxster would be no more expensive to run, my uncle has had 2 a 1999 and a 2012 and they have both been very much reliable, and no worse on fuel than the Mini was.

I dont think it would be special enough to have as a weekend car, it was a fun daily though.

Abarth 500s are also available for around that cost if you are looking at that kind of car, my friend had one when I had the mini, and he still has it now, that has been reliable. Wouldn't see which way the Mini had gone down a b road or in a straight line though as we found out over several journeys.

You feel like you are going fast in the Abarth though!

[McSwede]

Please can someone tell me this piece of Italian sculpture that is for sale 10 miles away is a bad idea!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 4104517807

That's nice!! Q2 diff too.

[Matty]

Slight concern that the last stamp in the book is from 2011?

"Loads of history" is all well and good ...but if' it's not been maintained in 11 years? Yikes. Great engine though, just remember you'll not see much over 20mpg and petrol is currently the wrong side of £1.50.

[Rich B]

Awful colour for it too.

[Carlos]

They are really fun to drive and well made for an Alfa ( my mate has had 10+ ) but they have a weird driving position.

Definitely worth a look.

[Jobbo]

Awful colour for it too.

It has your preferred black leather seats though

[Rich B]

Awful colour for it too.

It has your preferred black leather seats though

shame, Alfa do some lovely coloured leather interiors - they get that balance of coloured bits V black bits just right.