Rover Mini Buying Guide - The Last Classic Cooper (MPI/Twin Point/Mk7)

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The final iteration of the "classic" Mini built by Rover from 1996-2000 - also called the MPI or Mk7 - is a great way to experience a Mini with a few modern conveniences. Jeff tells you all you need to know when buying one!
Thanks to WB & Sons for loan of this car: wbandsons.com/
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[@leoallafila]

As someone that buys lots of Minis professionally, this is a very good video

[@donls1sscme]

Is it true that all the Japanese models had a/c and fuel injection ?

[@Maulinator69]

The rust on these things is bonkers... by comparison from Rover at the same time period, my dad has a 19 year old Rover 25 that he's had for the last 13 years. 50,000 miles, lives on the driveway and doesn't have a single spot of rust ANY where on the body. Great video.

[@tjshill82]

Seriously impressive knowledge there my friend. I’m not buying one but enjoy learning about different cars

[@dougbingham1085]

Had mine 8 years love it

[@paullacey2999]

I had one years ago Y plate 1983.I learned a lot about Minis....Pushing it,breaking down,and yes lots of rust!The Metro that replaced it wasnt much better..... Bought 'foreign' cars after that and never looked back...

[@timothy.p6128]

MPI wiring looms (Im finding out recently) are quite rare due to some parts not being made anymore. So if you need a new one make sure you hold on to everything except maybe the wire.

[@rob_lightbody]

Excellent accurate information.

[@Car_and_classic_lover]

Great video. I love the MPI's but if anything electrical goes wrong it can be a nightmare to fix, trust me! Haha. They are definitely more luxurious and more comfortable to use, especially on long distances than an ordinary Mini and if you get a good one they are still just as fun!😎👍

[@vontrap6942]

GORGEOUS!! I have had 5 BMW Mini's - The ONE, COOPER, DIESEL COOPER, CLUBMAN COOPER S and COUNTRYMAN COOPER S. All were fantastic to drive, not so much the Countryman, however reliability is pretty awful so I don't think I'd have another one. The classic Mini was originally a very affordable vehicle but not anymore! BMW charge a premium for a not premium vehicle. The classic Minis were affordable. A working class car but sadly that has all gone to corporate greed. My mum owned a classic Mini for about 5 minutes, and while learning to drive it with me in the back, crashed into a field and that was the end of that. Not the brightest my mum! When we move back to the UK, my wife would love one of these. But I fear it could be a headache to keep going and looking pristine. Mechanical issues are easy enough to deal with but rusty panels is a whole other issue and a massive expense. My Ram 1500 truck rusted out and I spent a lot of time doing the rocker panels, front and rear fenders to get it back on track, not perfect but decent enough. Saved about 6k doing it myself - yes they wanted that much to fix the issues. I don't fancy that again! If I was best mates with a body shop bloke then I'd go for one but alas I am not. I think I will have to look at track days in old Mini Coopers for the wife instead.

[@nickrodis6862]

Thank you.

[@franktaylor7617]

😎👍🇺🇲 Cheers. Owner of a 1971 Cooper S Marry Hart edition. Of course I don't know anything about the Marry Hart cars. Been told it was a fleet car from a door to door cosmetic sales company like the Marry K in the states.

[@alexandrecouture2462]

Nice little car! I didn't knew it lasted so long!

[@foreversingle1975]

I have a 2000 plate mpi called bubbles because it has rust but i love my mini.

[@DansCycles]

this car makes me happy

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

It makes lots of people happy! :D

[@cyrusserrano2356]

Where to buy

[@nataliehayden8330]

Hi would love to pick your brains on the history of these mpi models. Mine is registered as a import and was given a UK plate from dvla. It doesn't have air conditioning so not from Japan. Having a look around on line the vin number lettering could indicate that it was a left hand drive also just noticed that the carpet has a incorporated mat on the passengers side and not the drivers side. Where else could my car come from do you know?

[@chrisclamp8260]

If it were from Japan it would have been RHD ,with a KPH speedo, so LHD MPi is just regular european market. Headlamps and wipers are give-aways. An original LHD car that has not had the wipers changed. The drivers side wiper ends up vertical next to the edge of the screen for both LHD & RHD cars and the wiper motor was always on the opposite side to the driver.

[@ericcriteser4001]

I had no idea these even existed this late.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

It's amazing they kept it going for so long!

[@G1NZOU]

They outlasted their intended replacement the Austin/Rover Metro, that's how popular they were despite being more expensive to make with outdated manufacture methods. It's incredible how much stuff they could pack under the bonnet and the dashboard in these later edition Minis, I would have thought they'd have kept the Clubman style front end for more room but the original style front was more iconic.

[@Richard-Bullock]

If I could afford a classic Mini, I'd have 7!

[@alltapedup]

Could have saved a bunch of time by listing the places that don't rot!

[@callum9679]

Shame lancaster insurance dont cover mpi minis

[@stevenmoran4060]

Proper minis had 10 inch wheels, no disc brakes and lots of rust. I had a 5 year old one in 1976, it was rotten everywhere!.

[@G1NZOU]

Coopers have always had disks since the Mk1 Cooper. But I agree 10 inch are the OG wheels. I've got a Hornet and one upgrade I've got planned is replacing the drums with Cooper S disks, the original wheels will still fit.

[@guy4469]

a good one today is £20 grand its mad .

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

They're certainly appreciating!

[@AussieTVMusic]

It's like 70s cars here that were rust buckets.

[@alunjones2185]

Such a shame! Rover had the most beautiful car - lasting beauty!

[@markcarter9476]

It makes me very sad to see the quality of work produced by the British car industry in the 90's. No wonder the British car industry has declined to such an extent. My 1999 Audi S4 Avant has fully galvanised body and panels. It has now covered 294k miles and in my 18 years of ownership the only bodywork that has required attention is replaced,ent of the two front wings. I would love to buy British cars but cars that rust I do not want. There is enough mechanical and electrical items that require maintenance on older cars, I don't want bodywork issues added to the mix.

[@chrisclamp8260]

It was mainly caused by massive cost-cutting by BMW as they asset-stripped Rover before ditching it.

[@glenrobinson1267]

I guess most cars rust in the uk

[@G1NZOU]

Many do, salt on the roads in winter and wet summers. My grandfather had an old Land Rover when he managed a boatyard on the coast of North Wales and the combination of Welsh weather and the sea air turned the frame into Swiss cheese. The Mini design did have some flaws where water could collect though, so they were more prone to rust in certain areas than many other cars.

[@ronwhite8503]

The best guide is not to buy one......unless you can weld and spray. It's a no from me.

[@BN1960]

So in other words, buy a 1997 Mini Wrong

[@bondjamesbond9041]

Great cars but rust rust and even more rust.

[@rob_lightbody]

They weren't painted properly underneath, and they didn't have wheelarch liners, that was the main problem.

[@homelesszaya.6548]

Mk 3 or bust !!!!

[@asa1973100]

I brought one new on a W plate and it was a pile of shit . Within 500 mls the first gear failed and the exhaust kept coming undone from the rubber mount that fixed it to the car . ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE BUILD QUALITY... It’s no wonder Rover went bust

[@chrisclamp8260]

All under the control of BMW by then. They assest stripped everything they could and prioritsed profit over quality as they knew they were going to ditch it.....and they bombed our chippy !

[@paulshepherd1348]

​@@chrisclamp8260agreed!! BMW have a lot to answer for... then to add insult to injury after they ditched the proper Mini, they bought out that over inflated blimp and called it a mini!