First Car Advice

CarWashRedhead on 22/02/2021 - 23:23
Last edited 23/02/2021 - 13:49

Hi fellas,

I'm about 3 months into my red Ps, and have been driving my roomate's car. With him moving out soon, I'm looking to get a car that'll last me 3 years until my fulls, after which I'll look to get a decent car of my own, MX5 probably. I'm mid 20s and in a good financial position. I have two options:

Option 1:

Buy the most decent 2000s Japanese econobox I can for <$3000 and drive it for 3 years, then sell it to recoup some of its cost.

Probably the more sensible ozbargain option, but given the inflated used car prices right now I wonder if I'll be overpaying for what I'm getting.

Option 2:

My mother has offered me her Mini Cooper. She's a bit of a hermit and rarely leaves the house, so she'll let me have full use of it so long as I do a shopping trip for her every week and take care of all the insurance, rego, servicing etc. But there's a catch of sorts. She bought the car in 2016 new, and has not serviced it once in its entire life. Not even a single oil change. Granted it's only done 12,000kms, but from what I've researched, these shopping cart cars can still have quite a few issues despite low mileage due to cold engines or whatever.

Regarding the current condition of the Mini (keeping in mind I know relatively little about cars), nothing seems glaringly problematic, except for a bit of cabin shaking, rattling from the boot, and two tyres were under-inflated. After putting air in the tyres there were no warning lights on the dash, though fuel milage seems excessively high at 7.9L/100km? Also octane 98 prices ._.

As for planned car use, I don't see myself commuting to work in the coming year, so car will mainly see light use, for shopping trips and meeting up with friends.

Now obviously I'd love to take the Mini just for style and fun alone, but my inner cheapskate keeps nagging at me. Given how under-maintained this car is, european servicing costs and the brand's poor reputation for reliability, am I shooting myself in the foot and risking a possible large financial penalty for taking up this option?

Update: Thanks all for your advice, I think I'll get the Mini both for the fun factor and making sure my mother doesn't die when she inevitably breaks down in an unmaintained car. Will probably take it to a mechanic to get a full checkup and service after I get it and try to do oil/filter changes myself afterwards. Anyone know any reputable mechanics in and around Pymble, NSW? Quick google shows Pacific Motors has a good rep and is for Euro cars, any other recommendations?

Automotive

Comments

  • Ezekiel2320 on 22/02/2021 - 23:24
    +7

    Buy the cheapest 2000s Japanese econobox I can for <$3000 and drive it for 3 years, then sell it to recoup some of its cost.

    Yes

    Probably the more sensible ozbargain option, but given the inflated used car prices right now I wonder if I'll be overpaying for what I'm getting.

    Yes

    Mini Cooper.

    No

    and has not serviced it once in its entire life.

    NOOOOOOOOOOOO

  • Hybroid on 22/02/2021 - 23:27
    +11

    I would take the Mini and basic service it yourself. Sometimes life's not just about being cheap and it pays to take a chance.

  • SF3 on 22/02/2021 - 23:34
    +5

    though fuel mileage seems excessively high at 7.9L/100km

    That's actually quite good, the way your describe it, it sounds like short trips/city driving (e.g. weekly shopping). So I wouldn't be concern with fuel consumption.

    • kerfuffle on 23/02/2021 - 08:47

      For a Mini, that's definitely good

  • Muzeeb on 23/02/2021 - 01:02

    has not serviced it once in its entire life.

    Surely everytime this car gets started there's a warning that this mini is due for a service?

    12000kms of short shopping trips over 4 years. Ouch. I feel sorry for the mini. Even if you don't take the mini on at least get an oil and filter change for your mum.

    except for a bit of cabin shaking

    This is not good.

  • AdosHouse on 23/02/2021 - 04:06
    +2

    Do not take the Mini option! That engine is a grenade waiting to go off.

    What will your mum do when you're driving the Mini and the engine craps itself? Will she want you to pay for a new one? Will it create strain between you?

    • Archi on 23/02/2021 - 09:00

      on the other hand what will you do when your mum drives it and it craps it self.

      i would be doing my mum a favour and looking after the car for her and getting full use from it., servicing car is a given which ever option you go for… why not help your mum out.

      just saying.

  • Kranbone on 23/02/2021 - 04:18
    +6

    Service the Mini Cooper and drive that around. It's essentially a free car barring expenses (which you'd have to pay on another car anyway). The benefit is you'd have a more modern car with more modern safety, probably more efficient and chances are it would be cheaper to insure than a shitbox.

  • mapax on 23/02/2021 - 07:29
    +2

    Why wouldn’t you take the mini? Is your mum forcing you the keep it long-term if you do take it?

    Service it yourself, join a mini club, make some good friends, learn cars, gain useful life skills.

    If the car dies after 18 months and needs $5k in parts just sell it.

    Heck, I’ll take your mums car and drop her groceries off every week.

  • Euphemistic on 23/02/2021 - 07:41

    Take the mini. Worst case it’s gonna blow up. Best case you’ll start running and servicing it and sell it, or give it back in better condition when you want to buy your own.

  • brendanm on 23/02/2021 - 07:48

    Mini is free. Service it, then drive it. Don't go to BMW/mini for the service.

  • YeemaiI on 23/02/2021 - 08:47
    +5

    Half of these comments are:
    Mini: Hell yeh
    Mini: Hell nah

  • kizzy on 23/02/2021 - 09:25
    +1

    Take the mini!

  • apple2016 on 23/02/2021 - 09:29
    +1

    You might have an advantage in low insurance cost with mini as you can be added as additional driver on your mothers insurance rather than taking out a insurance as p's which is usually more expensive.

  • AndyC1 on 23/02/2021 - 09:40

    As you are not familiar with driving cars I would buy a cheap car as you will probably have accidents in it and as its yours your mother will not freak out. As its yours you can do anything to it (as long as its legal). It will have issues and problems that you can try and fix yourself and if you can't then you can take it to a mechanic, this will help you learn about cars if you want to.

    Insurance with a P plater & under 25/30 will be expensive no matter which way you go. With insurance choose wisely as prices will vary immensely.

    • brendanm on 23/02/2021 - 11:14

      As you are not familiar with driving cars I would buy a cheap car as you will probably have accidents in it

      Not sure why everyone says this. Myself and mates never had any issues when we got our licences.

      • AndyC1 on 23/02/2021 - 11:17

        How many 1,000's of km driving have you done in the city, country roads, small/medium towns, night, dawn/dusk have you under your belt? If it's not a at least a few in each then you have your answer.

        • brendanm on 23/02/2021 - 11:18

          I've been driving since I was 16, now 35. You do the math. At the moment doing 20k a year.

          • AndyC1 on 23/02/2021 - 11:50

            @brendanm: The OP is "about 3 months into my red Ps"….

            • brendanm on 23/02/2021 - 12:52

              @AndyC1: Yes, hence why I was talking about when we first got out licences. None of us were randomly crashing into things.

  • Archi on 23/02/2021 - 09:51
    +2

    to be honest i wouldn't be comfortable letting my mum drive a car knowing it hasn't been serviced or i thought something would go wrong.

    i would have just done it for her.

  • Flying Ace on 23/02/2021 - 09:52

    Take the Mini - spend a couple of thousand (maybe) getting it serviced and tarted up, and it should be good to go.

  • nubzy on 23/02/2021 - 10:08

    Take the Mini! Great fun cars and the 1.6 engine in them is excellent, by 2016 all the kinks with this engine were well and truly worked out. Service it properly and on time and it will serve you well for many years. Peugeot's also have this engine and it's great fun.

  • Randxyz123 on 23/02/2021 - 11:19

    Mini Cooper
    She bought the car in 2016 new, and has not serviced it once in its entire life. Not even a single oil change.

    Ok wtf on the servicing… Surely it would be saying “service due” when she turned it on??

    I’d take the Mini to be serviced at least. If it is sorted out I don’t see the issue with driving that. It is a great car and fun to drive like a go kart.

    Take it to a dealer and have it sorted then find a good independent German specialist and take it there every year from now on. (what state are you in?)

    Does it need things like its airbag replaced? At the very least take it for a service whether or not you take it as your car…

    the brand's poor reputation for reliability,

    What reputation for reliability? Mins are pretty rock solid.

  • Sunproof on 23/02/2021 - 11:19

    Take the mini, I had an 02 and it didn't cost me too much in the 3 years I owned it. I had an ABS pump issue which looked expensive but I managed to source a wrecker part for 1/7th of the cost - just have to think outside the box where possible. A lot of the common issues I would assume have been sorted by now. I always plan to get another one someday. Agreed, don't service at BMW.

  • Zachary on 23/02/2021 - 11:30

    though fuel milage seems excessively high at 7.9L/100km?

    I'm guessing you want a 5L/100km fuel efficiency or less?

    Also octane 98 prices ._.

    Don't have to use 98 RON if the car is not tuned for it explicitly….

    • Euphemistic on 23/02/2021 - 13:26

      It’s an interesting thought process. Not wanting to pay extra in fuel costs, but may end up spending all the extra fuel money on buying a car that is cheaper to run.

      It pays to do some calculations. An extra 2l per 100km and 15000km per year is 300l, say $450 at $1.50/l. Can you buy a newer car for less than $450 extra for year? It’ll cost more in depreciation, more in insurance etc.

    • CarWashRedhead on 23/02/2021 - 13:43

      Just surprised me since it's such a small car. My girlfriend's Ford Kuga does 8.4L/100km and it's a crossover. Must be the short stop/start trips bumping the mini's usage up I guess.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2021 - 11:33

    For someone on their Ps and extremely new to driving , OP hits that mark where they are at one of the extreme % levels of having an accident , which is why insurers slug P platers with juicy premiums in addition to the age.

    I dont know about you but simple physics dictate this person might not be in such a good position if they were to have an accident in a mini , just something to think about.

    Sure in reality all it needs is a oil flush either chemically induced or natural and then fresh oil in and done but realistically it is still a premium car so i would argue that reliability would not be the cars main feature at its pricepoint , there is a reason Toyota and Honda sell cheap reliable cars but the interior features and form is night and day different (well not quite because they have come a long way over the years but it is something to take into account)

    The only reason i would personally suggest the mini is so OP can he can help his mum out from time to time and maintain that bond and enjoy something they probably would not be able to afford for years to come.

    • md333 on 23/02/2021 - 13:23

      Its a 2016 mini, not small, quite modern and safe, much better in an accident than the proposed alternative 2000s shitbox.

  • CarWashRedhead on 23/02/2021 - 13:49
    +1

    Thanks all for your advice, I think I'll get the Mini both for the fun factor and making sure my mother doesn't die when she inevitably breaks down in an unmaintained car. Will probably take it to a mechanic to get a full checkup and service after I get it and try to do oil/filter changes myself afterwards. Anyone know any reputable mechanics in and around Pymble, NSW? Quick google shows Pacific Motors has a good rep and is for Euro cars, any other recommendations?

    • Brodo Faggins on 09/03/2021 - 23:48

      PQ automotive in Chatswood is highly recommended - it was on my list to full service my Euro & change suspensions, but it's 45mins (no traffic) drive from mine.

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