1981 Rover - Austin Mini City review from UK and Ireland
"A cheap, economical, reliable motor"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I have only broken down 3 times. The causes were: water pump, clutch slave cylinder seal, carb float chamber valve.
Other things that have gone wrong are: steering rack, all front brake cylinders, 3x choke cables (because they were budget items), heater valve, alternator.
When I bought it had been neglected a bit which was the cause of two breakdowns. The water in the radiator was just rust and no anti-freeze, which caused the pump to go, and the fluid in the clutch and brake reservoirs hadn't been replaced for years.
General comments?
This car has been really good.
I have used the car at uni travelling from Devon to Hampshire regularly (175 miles) and even for trips to Nottingham! Now I use the car daily to get to work from Barnstaple to Exeter and back (120 miles a day). It can cope with a constant 75mph and MPG is around 38.
I changed the cylinder head to make it lead free and didn't need to make any other adjustments. Even though a couple of things have gone wrong I have been able to fix them all with the help from Haynes manual and parts are really cheap, e.g. exhaust - £20, tyres - £22.50.
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| A piece of British Leyland best forgotten, but it was fun! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1981 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 65000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 88000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Escort MarkII |
| Date of Entry | 16th August, 2000 |