I made a list of all the things my Mini would need if I were to keep it.

"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
04/15/2019 at 13:09 • Filed to: None

It’s only about $3-4k of stuff for a car that’s only worth about $2500.

DISCUSSION (32)

Spanfeller is a twat > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 13:16

If you sold it tomorrow, you’d get 2.5k?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spanfeller is a twat
04/15/2019 at 13:18

Nah, it would only be worth 2.5k with a healthy transmission. If I sold it as is it would only be worth about 1.5k

Spanfeller is a twat > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 13:24

How much of the 3-4 k budget is the trans?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spanfeller is a twat
04/15/2019 at 13:42

A 6 speed can be bought on eBay for $600-900 but you also need a new flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, trans mount, starter motor, and drive shafts in order to put it in my car. It would probably be about $2k to buy all the parts myself. My mechanic says he already has a 6 speed and most of the parts needed so I’m expecting it to be somewhere around $2.5k to complete the swap. Then it’s probably $1k for the bodywork needed and then another $500-1000 in random bits (ac compressor, steering fix, mounts). Add in the new tires and I’m probably getting close to 5k.

Spanfeller is a twat > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 13:48

Will it be worth 6.5k after all of that?

I say you should do it either way, primarily because getting a different car will bring hell of its own, and it will probably be more expensive to fix after selling the Mini. But I don’t think you're going to see the value of the new parts reflected in the long term.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 13:52

This is how cars become racecars. Much of that list doesn’t matter any more. Actually, forget I said that. I would never advocate for someone building a FWD racecar, and I wouldn’t do so again if I could go back in time.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 13:58

So can you find a Doner with a bad engine and a manual? Swap in the engine and you’ll have a parts car?

CompactLuxuryFan > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 14:11

What are you gonna do with it?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
04/15/2019 at 14:18

My mechanic says he already has a 6 speed and most of the bits to put it into my car, I'm just waiting on a quote from him.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/15/2019 at 14:18

FWD rally cars though...

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 14:19

I like the way you think. I just wouldn’t advocate for anyone building a FWD roadrace car. The running costs will kill you compared to a RWD car of similar performance potential.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spanfeller is a twat
04/15/2019 at 14:34

Nope. A minty Cooper is only worth about 4k. If I were to go through with fixing everything it would be throwing financial logic out the window in favor of keeping it for a long while.

Spanfeller is a twat > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 14:48

If it’s easier to get a minty mini, I’d do that

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spanfeller is a twat
04/15/2019 at 15:00

I looked at what I thought was a minty Mini last Friday. It wasn’t.

Kinja'd!!!

Right now my debate is between addressing all the issues with my Mini, or my mechanic says he has an S that just came out of paint and is getting a fresh engine.

Spanfeller is a twat > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 15:14

I’d give a look at the f resh S, but if a “mint” one is 4k and fixing yours is around five plus the value of the car itself, I think choice will depend on how you value your time, and how much you trust “mint” minis compared to how much you trust yours

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > CompactLuxuryFan
04/15/2019 at 15:18

Still not sure. Currently weighing fixing mine vs an R53 S vs something 4-5 years old.

CompactLuxuryFan > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 16:31

Such a conundrum! I’m always scared I’ll end up in this situation with my A4. Manual ones are becoming quite rare and mine’s relatively low mileage (~100K), but they’re listed all over the place as far as price goes so I never know how much I could actually sell mine for.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > CompactLuxuryFan
04/15/2019 at 18:05

Mines high mileage (160k) but the engine runs like a clock and the shell is clean with the exception of the rock chip on the roof and the crease in the rear quarter.

CompactLuxuryFan > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/15/2019 at 19:04

That’s not really what I’m getting from your laundry list of things it needs

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > CompactLuxuryFan
04/15/2019 at 19:33

There’s a bunch of auxillary things it needs but the engine itself is spot on. All the cosmetic work it needs is on bolt on panels (with the exception of the rock chip on the roof and 3 inch long crease in the rear quarter), the unibody shell and the parts welded onto it are clean and rust free (unlike the 87k Mile S I looked at last week which had rusty light buckets.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/16/2019 at 00:10

Just like I could save a bunch of money just buying a mintier Jaguar instead of fixing up mine, but I like mine and I know what it s quirks are. And how can you be sure minty is minty? You should totally fix up yours unless you find a really truly minty one for cheap.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/22/2019 at 20:37

Can you get a cheapo Miata for 3-4k? Im assuming 150-200k miles and paint/body imperfections but no rust anywhere...

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
04/22/2019 at 21:45

I don’t fit in a Miata. Not without racing buckets mounted as far back and as low as they can go. Even then I can’t pass broomstick test with an off the shelf roll bar.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/22/2019 at 21:48

That’s unfortunate....

Can your mechanic "find" you a 53? And exchange it with your 50?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
04/22/2019 at 21:54

My mechanic has already offered me first dibs on an R53 thats coming back from paint the week and then is going to get a freshly rebuilt engine. That could be really tempting depending on what he wants for it.

I do see my dad’s point that leasing a new car might be a good idea. I could see myself doing that as long as I can keep the Mini around.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/23/2019 at 05:13

And fix the Mini on your own dime when you can? That’s a good idea, although I do not like the whole leasing thing: if I pay for a car then I wanna own it at some point...

To each his own, just dont lease a Corolla please

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
04/23/2019 at 08:54

The Mini would be the dedicated track and autocross car and would quickly end up stripped and caged.

My view on leasing is that it allows me to have a reliable commuter for about $200 a month and then in 3 years my financial situation should be such that I can give it back to the dealer and then have my pick of the litter of BRZs.

Having owned a 2006 Corolla for about a year I’m not living with one of those torture boxes again. Current considerations would be a Civic, Mazda 3, or Impreeza Sport, all with the stick.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/23/2019 at 09:12

Wait, the manual is only offered on the Mazda 3 on the loaded FWD hatchback trim for $28k. We can scratch that one off the list then.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/23/2019 at 10:30

Mini would be so much fun as a full on track car!

I’m partial to the Imprezzas, my friend had an 07 and it was too much fun for what it was supposed to be. That awd traction we amazing

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
04/23/2019 at 12:04

Things would get out of hand very quickly if it became a dedicated hoon mobile.

I do like the Impreza as a daily driver idea, it would never be able to take over autocross duty from the Mini though. The Subaru dealer near me lists a pair of 5 speed base models as in transit to the dealer so I may check one out this weekend if I have time.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/23/2019 at 17:54

But it would be so much fun! :)

Yeah the Impreza wont be any fun to autox and the steering feel is gonna be meh at best. Nothing compared to our Minis.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
04/23/2019 at 20:54

Lookit:

Now I want my Mini to sound like this: