Advice on buying a Convertible please.

[Stuartandsue]

THIS POST IS NOW A FEW WEEKS OLD AS AT JUNE 2016.. WE HAVE BOUGHT ONE...

IF YOU ARE LOOOKING FOR A MINOR YOU CANT GET BETTER ADVICE THAN HERE...

ITS A BUYERS MINEFIELD BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE ADVICE GIVEN HELPED US BUY A GOOD CAR.

REPSECT IS DUE TO THE MMOC... THANK YOU !!

PS. WE PAID UNDER £8000 AND MET THE SELLER AT HIS HOME, LOVELY HOUSE.. NICE FAMILY AND FUN DOGS...WE WERE LUCKY... THEY ONLY SOLD IT TO GET ANOTHER CLASSIC CAR...THEY ARE KEEPNG IN TOUCH.

SORRY ABOUT CAPS I JUST WANT TO SHOW WHATS NEW TO THE POST.

Hi All after much deliberation and visiting shows etc we have decided to go for a Minor convertible and we were hoping to get a bit of advice before we buy.

Budget is not too important but we would definitely like one nice enough so we can take to classic car shows and sit by with a picnic basket on out fold out chairs etc. ideally....

I would rather pay more money and buy one that we can just enjoy rather than something we have to work on before we can use it...

I think the best thing to go for would be to go for a factory convertible rather than a converted from saloon one but a lot of the original ones I have seen so far have uprated brakes or suspension or even one with a Marina 1275 engine, pedal box and gearbox or other such mods and so its a bit confusing to be honest as I always thought that buying a car that's as original as poss was best...

I like the English White colour best I think..

Can anyone give us any tips or advice or a link to someone who may be able to help us out... we live in the East Midlands Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire area.

Thanks for reading.

StuartandSue

[MrIan]

It might be best to find your local MMOC meet area and pop along and discuss and maybe someone that knows their way around a mog would come with you to view a car. To me an all original with matching numbers would be the one to go for, BUT the 1275 engine mod/ 5 speed box and servo disc brakes help them to keep up with normal everyday traffic, which is handy if you're going to use it quite often. Quite a few new owners are shocked at how little power the standard engine has got so don't pass up a good condition car just because it has what i'd class as 'upgrades'. Also the 1275 engine is still an A series and 'looks the part' anyway.

[bmcecosse]

Top tip before buying - check the MOT history on the DVLA site, and - note the door gaps when it's sitting - then note them again with 4 people sitting in the car. If the gaps close up significantly - run away!

[Stuartandsue]

Sounds like good advice thank you, we have joined the owners club although we don't own one yet...

We run a business so our time is money these days so as I am an ex MOT tester and Mechanic I think the mechanicals will be ok for me (I have NVQ 3 in Motor Vehicle and a National Craft Certificate) Worked for the AA, Halfords Garage Servicing and several main dealers I don't actually want to be doing much at all to it...

There is English White one on ebay for £13750 with the 1275 engine at moment being done up by WRCC or something similar and it looks ideal for us but I am not sure what to go for at this stage and its a long way to go just to have a look at it as it isn't local to us.

[Stuartandsue]

How about eBay item number 182107294780 would that be the kind of thing we should go for (but more local as Halifax is a long way from Derbyshire)...

[Stuartandsue]

Might go and look at the one I mentioned in last post unless anyone tells me its a bad idea...

182107294780

Just spoke to the dealer on the phone and they say its a good example...

Still if someone else can have a quick look and give me any advice I would be grateful.

I presume the getting people to sit in it and look at the door shuts will still apply here ?

[busguy]

Go look at as many as possible before buying one, and also drive one.
You can buy a good honest car at a lower price than that ebay one. It might be a really good car, maybe not, but take your time with the purchase, whoever you buy from.
There are a lot of Minor club members close to the Derby/Nottingham area, and if you make contact with the local branch they will soon help you learn what to seriously look at, and what to avoid.

[MrIan]

Well i've personally never heard of them. Also as it stands there in the pictures the lower passenger side 1/4 (just in front of rear wing) looks like it's all filler as it isn't straight, both doors are out of line n need sorting. If these are sorted correctly and all rot on edges done away with is it still worth £13,500 ??. That is a heck of a lot of money to me for a Mog when you can see very good looking cars for half that amount. There was someone on here that bought a very good looking car from a dealer a year or so ago and yes it looked spotless, until the new owner looked underneath where it needed £1,000 s spending to sort it.
Also i'd be a bit worried how they can put a price on it even when it hasn't been finished yet ?
Go and look by all means but take a moggy boffin or 2 at that price !!

[smithskids]

Our 2 year old Volvo V70 didnt cost that much when we bought it 7 years ago!! and my MM tourer isn't worth any where near that and it has no rust or mechanical problems.[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

There are many hugely overpriced Minors out there - especially from 'Traders'. Don't be suckered in to paying way over the odds. I assume this is the ebay car I wouldn't value it at much more than £7k. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... Sw-tNXHzMw Door gaps look odd and the bonnet doesn't sit well. Strangely - it seems to have a ladder on the boot lid? Also somewhat chequered MOT history in the past - mostly brakes and suspension - but read it for yourself! https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

[POMMReg]

As Roy indicates(?), some dealers aim to catch the "more money than sense" enthusiast.

Request photos of bodyshell stamped chassis number AND body number - neither should be illegible - if no or excuses (added to the poor fitting panels) forget it, 13k WELL over the odds.

[MrIan]

There are many hugely overpriced Minors out there - especially from 'Traders'. Don't be suckered in to paying way over the odds. I assume this is the ebay car I wouldn't value it at much more than £7k. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... Sw-tNXHzMw Door gaps look odd and the bonnet doesn't sit well. Strangely - it seems to have a ladder on the boot lid? Also somewhat chequered MOT history in the past - mostly brakes and suspension - but read it for yourself! https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

Maybe the ladder on the boot is to help get the roof up n down ?

[ratrodmog]

We've had our convertible for 10 years (converted saloon) that we're selling now, but when originally looking for a car to buy we did go and look at quite a few ranging from rough to well overpriced. Just take time to look around as there's plenty available.

[ASL642]

Contact our East Midlands Branch ? Brian Fletcher 0one773 8three2522 mobile 079seven0 6340one4

He should be able to put you in touch with a few local to you members who own convertibles and can give you advice.

[Stuartandsue]

Hi Thanks all yes I can see what you are all saying and I definitely must wait and look for a good example....

Its just its taken several years of persuading the missus that we should get a classic car and now we have both agreed on one we both really like I want to get in before she changes her mind...

The " I need a Morris Minor Convertible this week " mist was rolling in...

[Stuartandsue]

There are many hugely overpriced Minors out there - especially from 'Traders'. Don't be suckered in to paying way over the odds. I assume this is the ebay car I wouldn't value it at much more than £7k. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... Sw-tNXHzMw Door gaps look odd and the bonnet doesn't sit well. Strangely - it seems to have a ladder on the boot lid? Also somewhat chequered MOT history in the past - mostly brakes and suspension - but read it for yourself! https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

See what you mean about the door gaps yes...

[Stuartandsue]

I can work a spanner and a few other tools but bodywork and chassis stuff scares me, door shuts have been mentioned a few times now so I think I will need someone to come and look with me..

We are hoping to go to our next local meet as MOP's (Members of the Public) and see if we can see what's going off but after years of looking at different classics and one of us liking one and the other not (Sue wanted a Stag for instance and I was looking at all sort of different stuff) the convertible Minor has lit both myself and wife up so that's the one for us I think...

[Stuartandsue]

As Roy indicates(?), some dealers aim to catch the "more money than sense" enthusiast.

Request photos of bodyshell stamped chassis number AND body number - neither should be illegible - if no or excuses (added to the poor fitting panels) forget it, 13k WELL over the odds.

You sound like you know your stuff...

[ManyMinors]

Hi All after much deliberation and visiting shows etc we have decided to go for a Minor convertible and we were hoping to get a bit of advice before we buy.

Budget is not too important but we would definitely like one nice enough so we can take to classic car shows and sit by with a picnic basket on out fold out chairs etc. I always thought that buying a car that's as original as poss was best...
StuartandSue

A Minor 1000 Convertible is a great choice of Classic car. In good condition it will be a pleasure to own and drive. My own one is not an original convertible but was priced accordingly and is in standard form mechanically. I do not think of it as "underpowerd" and cover upto 6000miles per year. I seldom drive it on the motorway as I have a modern car more suited to that but am regularly held up by slow modern traffic on other trips and it will cruise perfectly well at 60ish which is fast enough for me.

To my mind, a standard car is more straightforward to service and maintain, easier to obtain parts for and will also retain its value better. The car on ebay is priced among the highest I've ever seen for a Convertible but is painted a non standard colour for its age, has an interior trim pattern and material of a much later version, along with major mechanical changes all of which to my mind will devalue it in the years to come. Of course, a 1275 engine can be reversed at some time but the Marina pedal box will be very difficult to return to standard at a future date (and has probably removed the important chassis stamping!) and such a car must be regarded as highly "personalised". It has also lost its original registration number which is a pity and again, devalues the car.

I'm not against such things, and 1275 engines and telescopic shock absorbers are popular "upgrades" at the moment but I would consider very carefully paying a great deal of money for a car which might have limited appeal in the future. Generally the classic car market becomes more discerning as cars become older and buyers prefer cars to be more "original".

As others have said, talk to owners and view and drive as many cars as possible before you buy.

Good luck!

[ASL642]

^^^^^ Agree with above. It you are new to Morris Minors a standard 1098cc car will be easier for you to learn to do the basic things on - all parts are available from our suppliers and you can always ask on this forum for help!. Whilst a 1275 cc Marina engine/pedal box may make the car quicker if something fails you can't just ring for another one! It may take a few months to source replacements. Morris engine and gearbox can be obtained from stock. A well maintained standard car will prove just as enjoyable as a "modified" and probably more reliable.