A Traveller as a surprise 50th - after some help, please

[NoisyGriff]

Hi all,

After lurking around the forum for a while, the time has come to join and ask my question. For what it's worth, I really like the forum- it seems like a very friendly place and bodes well for a future Minor owner.

I have agreed to help a friend with a plan to surprise his wife on her 50th birthday. I agreed to help as he knows little about cars and has almost zero spare time to look into this. While I love cars and had an MGB GT as a youngster, I know little about Minors.

So, the question... We are looking for a Traveller and his budget is £5,000 (although I think he might stretch this a little if required). Funds are not endless and he's been saving for this for a long time.

I am after a couple of bits of advice. His wife's birthday is in January 2013, so i hope there's plenty of time. It seems as though we have 3 options:

1. Have a car restored. From reading through the forums, this might not be possible within the budget (which needs to include the purchase of the car).

2. Buy a solid car and spend any money left over on tidying the car up.

3. Spend the whole budget on the best car we can find in budget.

I would be really grateful for any thoughts on these options. We are based in Oxfordshire, but happy to travel around if required. If anyone can recommend reputable specialists in or around Oxfordshire, that would also be of great help.

Thank you everyone for reading this and for any help/advise you can offer.

[chickenjohn]

Hello, the best idea is for you to join your local branch and ask around, cars are often for sale there.

[bmcecosse]

First off - is he SURE the lady will appreciate the gift - not be met with 'I'm NOT driving that thing...'. Have you investigated this one ? It's been on/off sale before - so make sure it comes with a NEW MOT, and possibly the asking price will be 'negotiable'. http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45512

[liammonty]

Speak to Richard Plant at Minorparts of Oxford (based in Ascott-under-Wychwood)- he sometimes has good travellers for sale. If not, he could perhaps advise where to find one locally. £5000 will buy a nice traveller, but you'll have to be careful, as there are a lot of nasty ones out there for very high prices.

[Biggles1957]

Agreed! I got mine from Richard a couple of years ago and its a cracker!

[Tamsin]

Of the options you presented, normally option 3 is the best.

£5,000 is a strong budget and you should be able to find a traveller in tip-top (albeit not nessecarily concourse) condition for that sum of cash.

A very quick look on ebay reveals this, which is maybe a *little* overpriced imo, but gives a good indication of what kind of thing you can expect....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Minor- ... 6rk%3D1%26

[Matt Tomkins]

yes, i can too vouch for richard.
top, honest, bloke with a huge knowledge of minors.

I'm in oxford term time, so would be willing to cast a second eye over something for you if needed. Just pm me

Matt

[autolycus]

Does anyone know of any car, of any age or make, ever bought as a surprise present for a woman of any age, that has truly been a success? There are far too many sad tales behind adverts...

Even trying to recreate lost youth by revisiting cars that were the owners' pride and joy 30 years ago rarely works: people's expectations of cars have risen, and endearing quirks seen through young eyes soon become just plain irritations as middle or old age, with its loss of physical and mental flexibility, takes over. My lady wife may talk wistfully about the Hillman Imp she learned to drive in, but would kill me if I turned up with one. If I ever finish the MG TC that's in the garage, I doubt if either of us will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed one many years ago.

Kevin

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Does anyone know of any car, of any age or make, ever bought as a surprise present for a woman of any age, that has truly been a success? There are far too many sad tales behind adverts...

Even trying to recreate lost youth by revisiting cars that were the owners' pride and joy 30 years ago rarely works: people's expectations of cars have risen, and endearing quirks seen through young eyes soon become just plain irritations as middle or old age, with its loss of physical and mental flexibility, takes over. My lady wife may talk wistfully about the Hillman Imp she learned to drive in, but would kill me if I turned up with one. If I ever finish the MG TC that's in the garage, I doubt if either of us will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed one many years ago.

Kevin

That is correct and nicely sums up.... it's a really risky strategy surprising someone like that (especially - dare I say it - a lady). As has been pointed out there is the trouble of getting used to driving an old car and its foibles when coming from modern vehicles, and the initial interest and novelty value may diminish (because the person never genuinely hankered after one), so it might just end up as a toy rarely coming out of the garage.

Sorry to be so negative but there's just too much to go wrong here... but if you're sure she'll like it then option 3 is the best.

Nobody in my family apart from me will drive the old cars and sometimes it's a challenge to get them to even ride in it!

[bmcecosse]

" it's a challenge to get them to even ride in it! " 2nd on that one !!!!!

[ASL642]

I must be the "oddity" chere. Jon could but me Minors until there weren't any left - no vans though as I can't see out of the back!

[lambrettalad]

Got my mrs a surprise spitfire in Yellow ,for her 40th she loved t and still talks fondly of the car and having to carry a plastic hammer around with her

[tysonn]

Plastic hammer?

[faversham999]

Buy her a Modern Mini and get yourself a Morris Minor . My wife drives my morris Minor to work only when her car is off the road.