K Series Engine - the GASKET - went bang at 58k - they don't last past 60k normally, £350 to fix.
RUST - although mine was 98% mint, as it was white, I battled with rear wheel arch bottom sections, rust just gets under the skin and keeps, a black one ya not going to care much, a white one, well, it cost £300 patching and spraying.
To find a nice one, rust free now, is just not goin to happen, mine, was a great 0-60 dash at under 7secs, as I fitted full pico exhaust, k&n, de-cat - rolling road made interesting reading and the prev owner had chiped it some how, was 122bhp, up from 105 as standard.. very quick, prob 6.4 to 60 so mad as a goose quick.. the seats were firm, but comfortable, with standard metro plastics, with some new switch gear from the rover range.. not all bad.. other than that.. a fun packed parcel, even in 105 bhp, 0-60 is 8.6 seconds, still nippy, but like any small hot hatch, if ya over 5'2'' tall, you look like a giant sat in it.
Lol you think 17bhp increase will take 2.4 seconds off your 0-60 time!!! you would need more like 80bhp increase for your 0-60 to come down to 6.4 seconds.
Might feel that quick, but it really isn't.
:o have it...