1981 Rover - Austin Mini City 1.0 from UK and Ireland
Summary:
A cheap, economical, reliable motor
Faults:
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.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 16th August, 2000