Commuting in a 1098cc Morris

[Alex'n'Ane]

Realistically a lot depends on who your employer is.. Are you in an industry/company where you can turn up an hour or so late, even just once a month, because the car was playing up starting in the morning, or a condenser broke on the way, etc etc. Will you be able to swap over a cylinder head on a week night when it fails, or if not do you have access to another car for this situation?? All very person specific, and questions you need to ask yourself, not others!
(for reference i commuted 100miles a day in my minor, when working for a race team, however now in a corporate environment, and having to go and visit customers a few times a month etc, a modern car is the only sensible option)

[simmitc]

So, a condenser broke? It took a couple of minutes to fix on the side of the road. I didn't have to get the car recovered to a main dealer to reprogram the ECU. My head gasket cost me £4.50 and was changed one evening. I didn't have to wait for a slot at a dealer and spend £800 (I kid ye not). There will always be things that go wrong with cars, whether ancient or modern; just don't let that rule your life - go with what you want to do.

[Alex'n'Ane]

simmitc, I was posing the questions to the original poster, who stated he had minimal mechanical knowledge.
But in response, all well and good if you immediately diagnose the problem, but this tends to come with experience.
Also thats just nonsense about having to reprogram the ecu for every little breakdown!
Why would you have to wait for a main dealer slot to change a head gasket on a modern car? They really are not that complicated to work on, particularly for someone such as yourself who is clearly very capable with a spanner and their car maintenance skills.
Also with regards to fault finding, and 'resetting the ecu' as you would put it, a diagnostics box can be purchased cheaply from the internet, for around £50, which will tell you the fault code, and you can reset the associated system if required..

[lambrettalad]

Gilburton
lm also called vespa boy on other forums

[gilburton]

[simmitc]

Alex'n'Ane, I think that you've simply underlined the advantages of a Minor. With "minimal mechanical knowledge", an owner is going to be faced with either paying a garage to fix faults, or learning how to DIY. For a Minor, that's usually an easy fault finding process (aided greatly by this forum), cheap parts, and simple tools. After buying the correct diagnostic box for a modern car, the novice has to understand the fault codes and possibly work with a host of sensors and inter-related parts. Yes, with experience, one can easily replace coil packs and other parts. Modern cars are fantastic pieces of kit - quiet, smooth, efficient, excellent braking and steering, airbags, pre-tensioned seatbelts, and a host of other gadgets. If that's what you want, then fine. However, the point that I was making is that a modern car does not guarantee fault-free motoring, and this should not be the overriding factor when deciding what car to run. I know of two cars, from two well known manufacturers, that spent the first two years of their lives constantly being returned to the dealers for "rectification". Equally, a badly maintained Minor will need attention - but will probably be easier to fix.

I repeat: go with what you want to do - it's a free country.

[gilburton]

I come from the days when we all had to learn our mechanical skills by experience and a copy of car mechanics etc.
The beauty of the Minor is they are mechanically simple and these days a lot of parts are available cheaply and you can buy or fit parts that actually improve reliability.
The main thing would be to buy the best car you can afford.
If you can buy one from an enthusiast and has been "updated" a bit to cope with modern driving all the better.
Most will have had a lot of work done by now but you don't want to get one that needs welding.
If my experience is typical it's usually points etc that go so electronic ignition will help.
As said carry plugs,belt water hose,fuses etc and points if needed.
Don't be afraid to find out how it works and there are a few good books on the subject + of course this site.
As for driving see if you can get a test drive on a dual carriageway and decide if it is for you.

[kennatt]

Forgetting about maintenance and repairs, The only difference between driving a minor or a modern box ,is you the driver,accept that you will be slower and need to leave bigger gaps to cope with the less efficient braking,with forward vision and anticipation(which should be the norm regardless of the vehicle),you can safely use a minor for all of your motoring,both to work and leisure.After all thats what they were designed for in the first place,just less cars and wagons on the road at the time.

[MarmiteChops77]

Totally agree with you kennatt with what you wrote.

[les]

You need to get yourself in one Adrian, if you're going to do those miles in a Minor you need to know if you can stand it, reliability is one thing but noise on motorways etc can get on top of you mile after mile, day in day out. After a relatively modern car I don't think I could use a minor in those circumstances.

[MarkyB]

It doesn't take much to get the noise levels down to much more acceptable levels.
Very true about how tiring driving a noisy car fast for long distances is.

[Matt]

by MarkyB » Sun Nov 24 2013 10:25 am
Very true about how tiring driving a noisy car fast for long distances is.

When my modern car broke a few weeks ago I spent 4 weeks driving to North Wales and Back (5 hours each way once a week) in my Smiley transit... the app on my phone was consistantly saying over 100dB inside but was far more relaxed when I arrived - probably because the driving position is better

[moggiethouable]

At risk of harping on............Buy a 42cm disklok, £100.00 thats more important than anything else if you want to keep your car, it will also reduce your insurance.

Oh and buy a £25.00 etching kit for the windows.
And fit a secret switch.
And sleep nights

[lornacap]

I've had a minor for 8 years used regularly and taken to France and back with no problems. It was our main car swapped from a brand new BMW Mini-best decision we ever made and much more fun.Suspension, brakes, fifth gear, heating, flasher, improved lights all made the motor way journeys all the more comfortable. Unfortunately it was nicked from outside the house so get a garage and guaranteed value insurance! Good luck!

[GPO_Van]

Adrian
Just do it, a well maintained moggy will be reliable, the only point of concern is that the car you end up buying might not have been well looked after and you have problems and become disillusioned.
Having said that, the help from members here is brilliant, and as you learn more about the car the easier any problems are to sort out.
And it is true that modern cars are more expensive to repair.
As to earlier discussion on waggon drivers the are good and bad just like moggy drivers, I always flash so they know they are safely passed me and can pull in quickly so they get out of the way of faster vehicles trying to get past.
Good luck
Reg

[Hubert]

Minor drivers need to get out of the way of trucks. Truck drivers have a job to do and get very frustrated with slow car drivers and then the car drivers moan they are getting 'cut up' by truck drivers

I agree. But truck drivers, too, have to keep to the rules. I am still trembling when I remember us driving along the M 25 on the way to the Morris Centenary at around 30 mph in a queue and a lorry following us less than ten feet behind my rear bumper. All lanes full and moving at different speeds, so there was no possibility to get out of the way.

AND no, I have not got an HGV licence

I do and I did drive a lorries during my university years. But I never chased slower cars along the motorways. Slower vehicles are also part of the normal traffic and have equal rights.

[gilburton]

Err if all 3 lanes are trickling along at 30 mph where is the truck supposed to go??
I appreciate that a large truck behind you can be intimidating,just as a Range Rover can be intimidating to slower vehicles but in those situations there is not a lot that can be done!

[Hubert]

Err if all 3 lanes are trickling along at 30 mph where is the truck supposed to go??

Very simple answer: At a safe distance. And that is a bit more than ten feet! Look:
http://www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/ ... e+distance

I appreciate that a large truck behind you can be intimidating,just as a Range Rover can be intimidating to slower vehicles but in those situations there is not a lot that can be done!

This is exactly the problem: You are helpless! But that does not seem to interest the HGV-driver!

[gilburton]

Or most other vehicles these days!!

[bmcecosse]

If every truck left more than 10 ft beteen it and the car ahead - when tricking along an m/way jam at 30 mph - the queue would be 3 times as long! The truck driver can see ahead - he knows if the traffic is slowing - his aim is to keep moving at a steady pace, not start/stop and up/down the gears. 10 ft is MORE than enough in these circs. It really annoys me when people leave stupid big gaps in slow moving traffic.......