Advice on car purchase

I don't see why not, if it's been done right in the first place. At that budget you should be able to afford something from the specialist dealers like Charles Ware. Parts availability is excellent. Any car which is well-looked after should last 20 years. The timber on the Traveller will need plenty of attention to keep it in top condition, as it's the most expensive bit to replace. And to be quite honest, I can't think of another car which fits your requirements better than that!

Thanks for that - it's funny isn't it, that for that price I could get a 3 or 4 year-old small hatchback, but would it last more than about ten years? Probably not! And, wouldn't have the "charisma" of the moggie......

Only if you get a mint one now.

I'm looking at getting one as near mint as I can......

Gordon ( snipped-for-privacy@gbpcomputing.co.uk.invalid) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It's lasted this long, with less careful protection...

No sense of adventure.

You could get something quite silly, but still practical for that kind of cash.....

How about a CX Turbo Familiale (spelling?)

Needs to be. My old mans has had all the underside panels replaced in the last few years and they're not looking too great again.

On the upside, at least you're not one of these dreamers who'll think they'll get a decent one for £1k.

Certainly. There is no reason why a MM can't be kept on the road indefinitly. AFAIA there is nothing on a MM that can't be replaced or repaired, and it's likely to continue that way. Have a look at Charlie Ware's site.

SteveH ( snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

They only put the petrol turbo into the saloon, not the Safari (5-seat) or Familiale (7-seat).

Unfortunately.

Mind you, there's a few been built - I've driven one, built from new by a dealer, for the then Keeper of the Queen's Pictures...

Conor ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Perhaps if they'd been replaced properly...?

Ahhh, didn't know that, 'cos I've seen a couple around.

Heh.

I'd love something really stupid like that.

SteveH ( snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

They DID put the Turbo Diseasel into the Saf/Fam, though...

Not too sure about that - he hasn't said anything about upgrading the brakes... ;-)

Ron Robinson

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Adrian saying something like:

Not Blunt, was it?

Grimly Curmudgeon ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEgmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Bit more recent...

Theoretically, you can keep a Traveller going indefinitely. Most parts bolt together, rather than being welded like more modern cars, so replacements are usually within the scope of an owner with a modest tool kit. All parts are available from Charlie Ware. He has a factory in Sri Lanka which can provide spares sufficient to assemble a complete car from scratch, though at about six times the cost of a mint restored model.

But as well as looking after the underneath, you really have to look after the timber. It is structural on the Traveller, so any rot is an MOT failure, and replacing it is expensive. So put waterproofing and varnish monitoring to your list of must dos.

If you are prepared to reduce the 20 year life expectancy, there are other models you might think about, and on your budget you could buy two or three and restore the spares while the current one is on the road... The Mini Countryman, the A40 and the Herald Estate can all carry dogs and won't frighten the insurers.

Jim

Unfortunately that's not an option due to lack of space and garage......

Consider it essential that you have it looked at by someone who knows the cars inside out. There are plenty of botched Minors about and for the money you're talking about, you could lose a lot if you get one that hasn't been restored properly. I'd suggest joining the owners club before buying one.

Thanks - yes I've put joining the owners club in the diary - I did run an MG Midget as my everyday transport a few years ago so I'm not entirely new.......:-)