The classic British Mini.

[Devils Advocate]

I stumbled on one a couple of months back and having recommissioned it the car is now a little gem.........although not my cup of tea.

Anyhow I mentioned this to some friends out there in Spain full time and as always happens they want it

The lady fancies it for the sake of it being something different whilst still being quite economical etc.
I also think it would last a lot longer out there too.

Question is before I start mucking about and talking seriously about selling.....have you ever seen a UK classic RHD mini matriculated on to Spanish plates over there?, I haven't. I'm wondering if this could be an issue. I've just called the lady who deals with all our "spanish issues" and who has matriculated all previous cars for us and apparantly this model isn't showing on her list.

Thanks for that.

[AndyT]

I think there must be a classic mini club as I often see Spanish plated cars parked up and a few months ago they must've had a meetup as there were about 12 of the things parked up in a row. I'd forgotten quite how small they were!

[Enrique]

Hi DA,
Might be worth getting info from Mini clubs in Spain...........

http://www.clubamigosdelmini.com/clubes/clubes.htm


Some of the listed sites are no longer on line

[Devils Advocate]

Cheers Andy and Enrique.

As for being small yes. I took it out over the weekend to go to a farm shop and there was a "New" Mini Cooper in the car park in the same colours...it looked huge , funny thing is though inside it's not as cramped as I'd imagined, Tardis-like really!

I guess I must be one of the only blokes in the world who never had a Mini as a kid, I just was not attracted by them, years later I can see the point at long last albeit I still wouldn't want to use one on a regular basis.

Many thanks for the website links, one in particular could be very usefull. I'll send the link across to our friends later and see what they make of it and if they are really serious about having one over there.

I've just thought...........the drive across there would be funny

[Colinm]

I've just thought...........the drive across there would be funny

put it in your carry-on bag and give Ryanair a heart attack

[julian]

there was a right hand drive mini cooper for sale in marbella recently, it had been imported and was on spanish plates, so it must be possible, or was possible when they had imported it

there is a mini place in malaga mini1300.com I think, he knows everything to know about minis

[Devils Advocate]

put it in your carry-on bag and give Ryanair a heart attack

Problem is they leak even when they're standing still and the right way up, don't fancy it in my new carry-on bag

Julian, top find, exactly what I needed. it's actually just mini1300.com. though.
Problem is I hope the couple aren't serious now I've seen the prices they're asking , incredible to be honest!!!, but huge food for thought

Many thanks once more for that

[julian]

I went to mini1300.com with a friend who bought a 1991 cooper from there, 6.900 euros, superb car !!
the guy said he preferred to import them from germany rather than the uk becuase of the right hand drive hassle.

[Devils Advocate]

I take it the guys running the place are all Spanish Julian? Having looked at all their cars they are indeed all LHD but just having nipped into garage to check on this one all of the apertures and positions are in place for an easy conversion to LHD right down to even another set of blanked off holes for wipers, even dash looks switchable without replacement...............I'm thinking some must be converted UK models at that place as there'd still be big profit at the prices they're asking...........anyway it's good ammunition for me if they want the car.

Thanks again.

[julian]

yes they are spanish at mini1300.com...but he did mention that the conversion was a lot of hassle, although possible.
there is alaso a mini place in estepona industrial estate www.theminiworld.com they may be an english setup..i think thats where the rhd mini for sale in marbella originally came from

[AndyT]

there was a right hand drive mini cooper for sale in marbella recently

Did it have a Union Jack roof? I'd seen one parked up around here most days about 2 years ago but not seen it recently

[julian]

it was red, with a white roof, don´t remember if it had the union jack, it was always parked at puente romano hotel

[Devils Advocate]

Thanks for the latest link Julian ,very helpful once more.It's interesting that all the cars there are indeed RHD and on UK plates..........I wonder if they are selling them without matriculating them Was your mates car matriculated out of interest?

Cheers

[Devils Advocate]

Sorry, just realised your friends car was from1300.com

[julian]

YES, the one from mini1300 was on spanish lates LHD

and the one that came from estepona was also on spanish plates but RHD

the RHD drive one was MUCH cheaper, i think he was having trouble selling it because of the RHD, the car was in good condition, but it was for sale for ages, and cheap.

[katy]

My first car was a Mini, I loved it. Very nippy and excellent road holding on twisty country lanes. Downside if anything went wrong the part would only cost about £9.99 but labour would be about £99 due to the small contained engine (so they told me!)

[Devils Advocate]

Ah well as expected, just got a call saying they don't want the mini..........I wish people wouldn't say things they don't mean, I was actually looking forward to a laugh taking it over , they probably thought they could buy it for 500 quid with matriculation and transport costs thrown in


Katy, those nasty men in the garage were jokers

[Enrique]

Hi DA,
Have sent you a PM.

[Devils Advocate]