General Cento's v Classic Minis?

[Guzzi Steve]

Prolly sticking my neck out a bit here.But, I just can't help noticing how much dearer,old Minis compared to Cinq's/Sei's.Not comparing the B.M. Bini,obviously.But the older cars fetch good money for what they are.I used to own a 1275GT mini years ago,& it wasn't any quicker than the Sei.I would prolly describe the Sei as a better all round performer than a Mini.Minis have problems just like fiats. Plus they rust,so why the high prices? Or is it a cult thing? thats pushing the prices up? I think fiats suffer from having the wrong badge on.If a company VW/Audi etc made a competitor to the Cento.I wonder how they would price it & how well it would keep it's price? Even if it was a very similar product?

 

[J333EVO]

Tis funny you mention the 1275GT as I recently read in a classic car mag that they along with the original 1000cc Coopers Minis are some of the most sought after & difficult to find in original condition, should have kept it!

But then as a comparison, think how many of the Original Fiat 500's that were built as well in the same sort of era as the Mini and they go for crazy money toady as well, especially if you can find an Abarth fettled one, or even one with period Abarth kit fitted.

But you are right about the cult thing, the Mini won that by winning the Monte Carlo rally 3 years running, & having such lumineries at the time like Paul McCartney, Twiggy etc having one, and the rest they say is history, but then at one point I remember from my step dad being a 2nd hand car dealer you could pick up Minis for less than a £100, and thats only going back about 12years, so I think in the future the Cinq may be the same, the market will drop right out of them, then lots will be scraped as deemed uneconomical to repair, then the rest are collectable due to being so few left in good condition, but unlike its predecessors it doesn't have a link to rally success or a master craftsman like Carlo Abarth working on them, so may never achieve the same cult following.

 

[Guzzi Steve]

Yes,I would agree about the old Fiat500 prices.I have seen them on e-bay from 4k+.They where a mass market car just like Minis,but the true Abarth ones where very special cars,& not made in any real quantity.Unlike the John Cooper Minis,I guess Minis have the heritage thing going for them,Especially since the B.M.W. take over.They are fun cars,no doubt about it, & looking through Mini magazine adverts.You can find dealers asking £9k+ for late low mileage Coopers.It would prolly be a good investment,if you could get one at the right price, & keep it.Or even a good Mini at the right price, as a daily driver.Would prolly hold it's price well, or even go up? I just think it's sad that Centos,are so undervalued even the nearly new ones.Time will tell what will happen I supose.As small cars now seem to be virtually non existent in the market.

 

[Liam]

Do you think some older folks want to relive their teens hence the Mini sales and the trend for upping the price cos they know they will sell?

Liam

 

[Steven]

I think in a few years Cinqs will start to appreciate in price. There are too many around at the minute and that keeps prices down.

 

[The younger modder]

classic minis are ****e and arent worth the money get a good cinq and feel what a proper car is like i learnt front personal experience the hard way recently and wouldnt touch a mini again unless it was a NEW MINI as there well nice and handle.

 

[Steven]

In fairness, Minis have their problems, but if you get a good one they can be fun.

 

[The younger modder]

nope i had two one didnt even get on the road and the other well thats a very long story which i aint gonna go in to but this probably comes down to personal oppinion

Ive owned 2 minis, a nova, a metro and of course my cinq and even though the cinq is slowish some times it is still the best as it has loads of character and i love it to bits

 

[Liam]

Of course the Cinq is better than a metroid, mini's and the Chav mobile!

Liam

 

[arseofbox]

Of course the Cinq is better than a metroid, mini's and the Chav mobile!

Liam

Must admit I think yure wrong saying the Cinq is better than a Mini....I dunno, but I think The Mini / Fiat 500 type cars defined small cars as we know them!!!

Ive decided I want a project Mini...Im hoping it'll pass

 

[JonnyBoy]

Two of my mates have Minis. One is an '89 1-litre, it's a heap of cack, he bought it for £300 a year or so ago and has spent well over 2 grand on bits for it, it's now twice as crap as it used to be It's nasty, rotten to the core, an absolute pig to drive, and a bog-standard 899cc Cinq would lay waste to it in a race. I'd rather drive Del Boy's Reliant van than this wreck of a Mini.
In contrast, my other Mini-owning mate has a '92 Cooper which he's had for nearly 4 years, it's stripped out, engine tuned, suspension and brakes all uprated, the full bag of mashings. I drove it last year, it went like joey-s**t and cornered like a go-kart. It's now off the road, having every tiny patch of rust welded up, various bits resprayed, new powder-coated subframes and possibly a 1380cc engine dropped in.

The moral of the story is that if you want a decent Mini, start with a good one and do everything properly, don't just buy a shed and bodge it up week in week out!

 

[Liam]

Like JB says Tom, Mini's are rust buckets and the folks that make replacement panels can't even make Mini ones from decent metal!

I shouldn't really compare a 50's car to a 90's car though.

Liam

 

[arseofbox]

Fair point Liam...but as I was saying to a mate tonight: I think manufacturers have lost touch with the whole small car idea... A small car isnt small anymore!

Theyve lost all their fun...The world needs its small cars, It just defines the essence of fun in a car to me!

 

[Liam]

Agree with you there Tom, my Cinq behind a Mini Mk1 is like David and Goliath!

Liam

 

[arseofbox]

Agree with you there Tom, my Cinq behind a Mini Mk1 is like David and Goliath!

Liam

Wasnt thinking that bad..I still wview the 'centos as small cars...its the new Panda (a small van), Micra, Mini etc...that I dont view as small. To call a car of that size a "Supermini" is an embarrassing use of the word!!! What the world needs is a proper small car (I get the impression the Trepiuno wont be that small :bang

 

[The younger modder]

An old mini isnt that much smaller if anything than a cinq i should know i had both at the same time.

There is no way of defining bad minis and even worse minis.

The only mini i would have is the NEW MINI yes it is big, heavy and not as quick as some of its rivals but and it is a big but it has reliability something an old mini will never have no matter what the owner saids even the year 2000 mini sportspacks rust heavily and broke down etc.

my idea of fun is a car which

1)looks smart and has charcter
2)handles well when sorted
3)is nippy
4)can easily do the speed limit
5)is reliable
6)cheapish to maintain
7)And puts a smile on your face when you drive it

For me the cinq does all that and as many of us cento owners on here will agree they are far far underestimated for what they are for example

Recently ive seen a seicento sporting 1998 s reg, broom yellow, off course all electrics and locking etc and it sold with history for £1000 and it was clean modern car.

My mini mayfair was a1985 b reg (old shed with cover ups), white (showed the dirt very badly), wind windows, lock each door, uncomfortable seats, crap heating, wipers (that didnt work when raining), no stereo

 

[Guzzi Steve]

Wasnt thinking that bad..I still wview the 'centos as small cars...its the new Panda (a small van), Micra, Mini etc...that I dont view as small. To call a car of that size a "Supermini" is an embarrassing use of the word!!! What the world needs is a proper small car (I get the impression the Trepiuno wont be that small :bang

Yep, bang on the nail! Cars are getting too big,maybe it's the Americanization psychology, of making people think they are getting more for there money.By flogging bigger cars,mostly full of crap accessories that you never need anyhow! I would like to see more Cento sised cars,cheap to buy,with good mpg,& enough power to be fun to drive.The nearest thing to my ideal car would prolly be the Lupo GTI.Which is only slightly bigger than a Sei,& smaller than a Bini.I wish Fiat would make something cento sised but with 120bhp+. :tempt:

 

[HP]

I remember reading somewhere that manufacturers are leaning toward larger cars as it's easier to make them pass crash tests.

 

[charlie_cinq]

Gotta Disagree with you guys, i have a mini and its my life. Have a Cinq too, but thats my run around. The Mini is running about 80bhp, and is a whole load of fun. A Friends brother's mini is Turbo Charged...producing 186bhp, it kicks ass. My mini...

And the Cinq...

Love both the cars to bits, cinq has just done 90k and passed its MOT
Wouldn't change either of them for the world...

Grim

 

[Guzzi Steve]

That's a nice couple o cars there Dude.