Had a couple of BMC Mk1 minis back in the day, part of the fun was things coming away in your hand and improvised methods of opening the doors when the handles or strings broke 😁 Never drove a BMW mini but the build quality was far more modern and much improved. Thanks for sharing, really enjoying the series.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Ah yes, those original MK1 Minis went through extraordinary lengths to save money and cut costs. This certainly is a very different prospect to the pre-2000 model! Glad you enjoyed it, hopefully more No Budget Reviews to come soon.

I am getting a 2006 R50 Cooper in Pepper White with the Getrag manual soon. I can't wait to drive it around town. Everyone who drives one immediately falls in love with them. Great review. Cheers. 🇺🇸

@lloydvehicleconsulting

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, highly recommend for a bit of inexpensive, compact fun! Astonishing chassis, there was an automatic available, but it's not as good as the manuals. Enjoy your new car!

Thinking of getting one for £550 to practice my driving on. Came to see how good they are. Great video mate😇

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

No problem at all, thanks for watching! A Mini at that price will have a fair few things wrong with it, but they are available. I would recommend getting the best one you can afford, though.

I really could not comment without seeming very biased towards the MINI. I too was always Peter Practical towards cars. They had to have rear doors, hatches and legroom. However, my wife wanted a convertible to celebrate 30 years in her job. We tried a MINI. I can't remember a word that the salesman said because, I for one, fell in love with it as soon as I sat in it. It has no rear doors, very limited practicality and is a bit crashy. No matter, it looks beautiful, drives wonderful and puts a smile on your face without fail. I caught you smiling as well Joseph. You cannot deny it. It still provides jobs and the people who build it seem to be very proud of it.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, I did enjoy driving it. It's not something I would consider as a main car for anyone who had a family, but the sales figures have been consistently high for years in this country, so they must be doing something right. Again, one of the surprises of the year, especially at No Budget Reviews prices, but these will continue to rise for good ones as time goes on.

I have a 2001 Cooper. Love it. Its great. Just passed MOT at a cost of £60 which is great

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

That's wonderful, thank you ever so much indeed for watching! These are definitely classics now as they approach 20 years old, and they are sill quite affordable too.

I think it's a good reimagination. Still recognisable as a Mini but more than just a styling exercise. Actually a very capable, fun car on the road too. I have an old Mini and almost bought a used BMW one at one point to have one of each. Loved it on the test drive but couldn't make the figures work. I think for a while they offered an entry level model below the One called the First and there were some quite smart special editions across the range. I always thought the Pimlico looked really smart. I do love the red interior in Matt's.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, I remember the Mini First! I think that was the next generation after this one, with steel wheels and a very low powered engine... I didn't like the design when it came out, but compared with so many cars on sale in 2020, this actually looks rather handsome. You are right, an absolute blast to drive, even at modest speeds!

Great video 😃.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks ever so much indeed!

Thanks Joseph good review. I guess it's a bit nerdy but I always like it when a new model or facelift just scrapes in before a Reg change. Although there are lots of examples, going back a few years I remember that the Morris Ital and Rover 800 were both launched in July of 1980 and 1986 respectively. Meaning that V and C reg ones were quite rare . How exciting if you ever saw one!

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Oh, sir, if you want to be a bit on the nerdy side, then you are in the right place! Yes, I have seen publicity photographs with the Rover 800 on C registration fleet plates. They were quite exciting! Also, the MG ZS EV was launched in July 2019 (as you probably know, I was there as a guest of Planet Auto), and customer deliveries were not until September, so any of those on 19 plates are pre-production cars, like the one they had on test in the autumn. I can even tell you a surefire way to tell them apart from the production cars, that is the level we operate at on this channel...

@David_H-73

4 жыл бұрын

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Noooo I don't know what that can be. Will have to try and prize that information out of you someday! Looking forward to more nerdiness.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

If you watch the Tweed Jacket Reviews episode on the MG ZS EV, I actually mention it in that. That's all the clue that you get...

@David_H-73

4 жыл бұрын

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Ahh the blue column stalk buttons. Would be cool if they lite up to!

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

I don't think that they light up, but nevertheless I do like the little lift they give to the interior.

Great fun, and in later models a fair bit of power.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Oh, indeed, an awful lot of fun! That 60th Anniversary Edition you had last year was really quick, wasn't it?

Lovely cars. My friend is in the Y reg club too. I think he has two Y reg version. OBL

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, the OBL were the press launch cars, I believe! Mr Richardson's was in the first 210 made, so another very early car, and part of the Y Register.

Cool cars , i buy my self ,1year ago a mini cooper s, r53 frome 2005. Fun car

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Wonderful, yes, very much a driver's car! Glad you have been enjoying your R53.

Love this car. In fact mine's identical! No484. 😎

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic, glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, these make a lot of sense as a modern classic and it was even more fun than I expected. Thanks ever so much indeed!

3:45 I've seen this model referred to as just a BMW MINI, MINI One, and MINI Hatch.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

2 жыл бұрын

Its official name was just the Mini Cooper, although the first generation of this new design had the code R50, which is what most people use as the designation these days. One was a trim level like Cooper, BMW Mini is an accurate way of differentiating between this and the Classic Mini, and the Mini Hatch is sometimes used in the press to set this apart from the other Mini models, such as the Countryman, although the cars do not carry this badge.

When the R50 “New Mini” first came out I absolutely hated it, it was oversize, it had a no character engine sound and didn’t look much like the original. However after driving one I borrowed while my Rover 200 was in a garage for servicing, I did warm to it a bit, it was fun to drive and quite nippy and has quite a characterful interior which does in some ways remind you of the interior of the original classic Mini’s. But deep down I’d still prefer a classic Mini. But since prices for these are coming down I think I would have one for the experience of owning one.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, the space inside (apart from the front) is a bit tight, as is the boot. However, these have now become classics, and are becoming more appealing to that fraternity by the day, it would seem. The engine is not the most interesting, but it is more reliable than the Prince engine! The driving experience is extremely good, surprisingly so, actually.

@willswheels283

3 жыл бұрын

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes agreed it is a good and fun car to drive and it did raise a smile when I drove that one I mentioned. I’d certainly have one.

Certainly very different to the original Mini but you can really see the design inspiration Frank Stephenson used when designing this car, especially with the modern plastic design interpretation of the pull cord to open the door. Not sure there's any more rear leg room in the back of this than the original Mini either but as you say, this was built for the fashion conscious public rather than the practicality focused. Certainly has taken many design cues from the MK1 Mini Such as the rounded front grille, door handles and the massive central speedo.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, I did go in the back of a 1976 Mini in South Africa in 2011, and I don't honestly think that there is much more room in the back of an R50 at all. Certainly, there is a lot more room in the front, though, and the driving position is completely different. Yes, a very carefully designed car, and a lot of these little touches Frank Stephenson made are still used in the current Mini generation. You don't actually have to go very fast in an R50 to have a lot of fun, which I think is the same as the original too. I kept glancing at the massive speedometer and seeing that I was actually going slower than I thought...

@FuelPower

4 жыл бұрын

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Frank Stephenson is an incredibly talented man to bring us not only this iteration of the Mini but also the Fiat 500. I've never driven one of the newer generation Minis but I have ridden as a passenger in a few, certainly less bouncy than the old Mini for sure! You're right about not needing to go fast to have a lot of fun in the Mini

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Well sir, I think you would enjoy one of these R50s. I certainly did! The ride was much more akin to something like an MG3 or a Mazda2, firm, but not too uncomfortable, and definitely not on rubber cones... I kept being amazed at what modest speeds I was doing!

I had one in 2006 but had to sell after a short while to move abroad. I have missed it ever since so I am finally getting another one, unfortunately prices are still crazy high over here.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, they do sell Minis in most countries, don't they? It is certainly a lot of fun to drive one of these. Whereabouts are you based at the moment?

@peskachina

3 жыл бұрын

​@@lloydvehicleconsulting i'm in China. Nowadays R50s are very very rare and difficult to keep running because of lack of spare parts and inspections are required every 6 months for cars over 15 years old.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! That is absolutely wonderful, what a blessing to have a viewer in China. Didn't realise how strict the inspections were over there!

@peskachina

3 жыл бұрын

​@@lloydvehicleconsulting Thanks for your useful videos. And I just purchased a 2006 Cooper Checkmate in excellent conditions. Previous owner has passed inspection easily a couple of days ago before giving me the key, fingers crossed for the next one, they are very picky when they see old cars.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

@@peskachina, that is excellent news, I hope that you enjoy your new car.

Joseph- We were on the M25 earlier following a 69 plate silver Ssangyong tivoli and I thought, that looks like Joseph's car. And it was! We were in a red focus estate and I put my thumbs up and gave you a wave out of the window. What are the chances!

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Well, well, well sir! I have been on a secret mission today in Buckinghamshire at various locations used in some of my favourite television series from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In fact, there is a whole playlist of videos about the cars used in them on the channel... I do remember seeing a red Ford Focus Estate at some point on the motorway and someone waving, but I didn't realise that they were waving at me. What an auspicious start to the weekend!

@jsaxby6561

4 жыл бұрын

I didn't realise it was you until we went past- it would have been hard to understand the wave was for you. My brother spotted you first and went, 'that's lloyds vehicle consulting!' Did you see the sierra estate on the recovery truck?

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, it was a bit rough round the edges and had the wrong wheels on it.... I didn't put two and two together at all when I saw someone waving out of the window of the Ford Focus!

@jsaxby6561

4 жыл бұрын

I can also now conclude, that having finally got round to watching this video, I am more of a 'modern' mini fan than I was before.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, I probably am as well!

My first Mini was a 51 plate Cooper. I agree the seat operation is terrible. Mine went back a few times to have it adjusted. BMW changed it on the face lift. These handle best on the 15” wheels. Also the ride is better. They added a glovebox as standard soon as production started as customers thought that not having one was a bit too retro. The fire issue was a risk of static on the fuel filler that could have caused a spark. All cars should have been recalled to have it fixed. I disagree with you about the engine’s character. I thought it was very characterful. At approx 3500 revs it would suddenly take off until the red line. The difference in performance without moving your foot on the accelerator was quite marked. It was almost like having a turbo. So if you kept it around 4000rpm on the motorway, the car felt much more alive than at 3000rpm. Only downside is that this was at slightly naughty speeds. When I stepped up to the supercharged model, it lost this aspect. But I liked the fact you ‘could’ drive like a lunatic however the car was also perfectly happy to be driven slowly at about 1200rpm in 6th. I did recently see a Y plate for sale for £800. It was snapped up quite quickly.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, the Y registration Minis are now worth something, although it is possible to get a slightly later one for under £500 still. It actually makes a lot more sense now as a classic than it did when new, in my opinion, although sales were still strong, and the Mini hatches are still one of the country's best selling cars. Having had numerous K Series engined cars, I just didn't feel that the engine matched up to the character which those have, although presumably they are more reliable in terms of head gasket failure, etc. Never having driven a Tritec engined car before, I came into it cold, and that is just my subjective opinion, it is not an objective assessment. I know the Cooper S variants do have quite a whine from the supercharger which certainly would change the noise somewhat. I was impressed with the overall driving experience, which I think they must have nailed immediately, and that is impressive. Thanks for advising about the fire risk element, I knew that it was something like that, but I couldn't remember. Mr Richardson's car just had a recall done on it after 19 years!

@colinhicks4174

4 жыл бұрын

Lloyd Vehicle Consulting Yes the supercharged engine made a great noise at 6500rpm. When the R56 came out and they switched to the turbo engine it lost something. Mainly the noise. And that flat torque curve meant I was changing at 4000rpm. I figured if I was driving it like a diesel, buy a diesel. The N47 engine had more character. Getting back to the R50, one area where the Tritec wasn’t brilliant was around town. Because all the torque, and power, was so high up the Rev range. I once had a 206 as a hire car. It had a 1.4 8v 75hp engine. That easily outpaced the Cooper around town because what torque there was, was available around 2000rpm. Plus being French and very lightweight helped. My Dad had a Rover 214 with the 75hp K series. That was not a bad engine from memory. I really remember the excellent ride, compared to the R50.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

@@colinhicks4174, the 75 bhp carburettor version of the K Series was far more common in the Metro, and was rare in the 214 (only available on the stripped out pre-facelift 214 S), so that must have been quite an early one. The ride in an R8 is quite good if the suspension isn't too worn out, which sadly afflicts most of them these days. Certainly a turbocharged engine is not as characterful as a supercharged engine is it? A lot of the smaller capacity turbos now have quite flat torque curves, the Seat we had was the same. Yes, lots of the non-turbo 16 valve twin cam engines from the early 2000s had very little torque and power low down the rev range (the MG3s and manual MG ZS models have virtually no torque at all unless you thrash them, which you will hear me talk about a lot in the reviews). If you aren't a particularly demanding driver, you don't notice this too much, though. Not a huge Peugeot fan myself, though, as you have probably worked out by now.

Hard to believe these cars are 19 years old. A better looking car than the current incarnation. Cheep ? There’s a 51 plate for sale near me for £1995 !

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

It does make me feel a little bit old when I still remember when these came out so vividly! Yes, plenty of examples of the R50 around for under £500, but a nice Y registered one like this is going to be a lot more than that now.

I want to buy one but it has 270k km on it. Owner asks 800 euro. Is it worth it? Or should I bid less?

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

Gosh, it really, really depends. Factors will include the service history and general condition of the car and whether the timing belt has recently been changed. I also don't know the prices of the local market where you are.

@erdal0

3 жыл бұрын

@@lloydvehicleconsulting in the Netherlands the average second hand price is between 1500 and 2500 euros. Km count is between 270k to 180k km respectively.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

3 жыл бұрын

@@erdal0 , as I said, it depends on the condition, service history, whether the cambelt has been done and many other factors. Without seeing the car in person, and knowing the market properly, I am not really able to comment any further, I am afraid.

12:47 cooper s wasnt turbo , it was compressor

@lloydvehicleconsulting

2 жыл бұрын

This is a really old video now, it's not really the best, and you are indeed right, the Cooper S was supercharged. Thank you for watching!

They are great cars.....for the 00's but i think the novelty is slightly wearing off now, Btw i hope matt knows you took it for a spin, i think he's had enough surprises recently, especially with his mercedes w123 starting up randomly out of the blue!!

@lloydvehicleconsulting

4 жыл бұрын

I think that Mr Richardson knows I went for a little drive, I did leave him with the Ssangyong for a while... He has indeed had one or two other surprises as well, hasn't he?

I do not like them. I guess that is due in part to prejudice, based upon nostalgia for the real Mini. But it's not just that. As you say, the car is just not practical. at all. The styling, too, I find gratingly artificial. I'd rather have a car with comfort and real class. Class, that's the very word I am looking for! For me the BMW product does not have it. You can't win 'em all.

@lloydvehicleconsulting

2 жыл бұрын

We tested both BMW and classic Minis on the channel last year. This one is much easier to drive and live with, as well as being more spacious and cheaper to buy. Mind you, I think I would prefer a Metro to one of these, personally, despite the fact that they drive really quite well.

@Scale_Slotcars_Latvia

Жыл бұрын

So what car do you prefer?