Advice on pre sale Morris Minor check

[LouiseM]

A list of faults as long as this points to the standard of "restoration" work carried out 30yrs ago not being too good!

Can't really see your logic there. The report states that the chassis/underside is sound and the bodywork is structurally good. The paint and hood are more cosmetic, and hoses are easily replaced. The main thing that needs doing are the brakes - the heater and horn might well be easy fixes. The OP states that she isn't looking for a perfect car, and let's face it, it's rare to come across a Minor which is. When buying a Minor the key thing is the chassis, structure and safety critical/ MOT items. Anything else is really down to whether the buyer wants to live with things as they are, and maybe improve as they go along when funds permit. My traveller is solid underneath and has new wood but the paintwork isn't the best - you just make an individual choice on what you are prepared to live with, not what anyone else thinks. There's obviously room to manoeuvre with the price, but this is for the OP and sellers to discuss and if they come to an agreement which suits both sides then the thoughts of some on here who haven't even seen the car are irrelevant really.

[ManyMinors]

As Roy says, in current condition, £5k well over the odds, why CW valued it at £7k is staggering!

Apols for being SO negative!!

And this is based on exactly what experience of buying and selling Minor Convertibles?

Third time lucky!

I've copied and pasted the text from the Charles Ware doc:

To take this car on as a vehicle to prepare for sale, we would value it at about £5,000.00. In the private market a fair price would probably be around £7,000.00

If Charles Ware's organisation, as perhaps the largest dealer in such cars in the UK, tell you the car would be worth £5000 to them "to take on and prepare for sale" then surely you cannot really argue with that? I must say that I agree with Laurie that I am staggered at the negativity regarding this rather good sounding car. The few faults it has are pretty easy to fix and hardly deal breakers are they? They simply involve some negotiation. It is some years since I bought my own convertible but good ones are NOT easy to find. I looked at many before parting with cash. All you can do is to find the best that is available and go from there. To suggest that Clare should "look for something much better if you are planning on spending £5000" is not helpful unless it is linked to cars which are actually for sale at such prices.

I hope you're not put off Clare. The car looks very decent and much of its history has been helpfully explained by two respected former owners on here.

[Clare45]

Thank you all very much for your advice and input, it's very kind of you to take the time.
I have made a note of your points and will be sure to get further advice.

That said I do feel that the extraordinary circumstances by which this car came to me cannot be ignored and as a Nutritional Therapist I tend to go with my 'gut feeling' which hasn't let me down so far I want a car that's safe to drive and reliable but I don't mind investing in restoration.

She may be a little rough around the edges but there is no doubt that a huge amount of love has gone into her and that's more important to me than perfection. I don't trust perfect things being a bit wonky myself!

I feel very grateful of your input though and will be sure to keep my feet firmly on the ground until I feel 100% armed with all the facts I need to make the decision.

Happy Sunday to you allx

[Clare45]

Goodness this really is opening a can of worms. It seems to be causing more of a stir than the EU referendum!
Again I am very grateful of your advice and comments but please don't let it cause conflict, we have more important things to worry about at the moment.

Clare

[bmcecosse]

No conflicts - we just don't want you buying a money pit. I'm in Scotland - so my views on car 'values' are perhaps lower than in England where there is much more of a market/demand. On the other hand -repairs and restorations seem to cost a lot more in England - especially in the 'Bath' area.... Good luck with whatever car/traveller/van you decide on.

[Budgie]

Just because a company has been dealing in Morris Minors for x amount of years , doesn't mean they know all about them .Neither does it mean that the work they carry out is of high quality. How many time have you seen adds, stating "car restored x amount of years ago, and not too many sometimes,"by all the well known Minor dealers , and at the end, car requiring some welding [even after a chassis guarantee!, painting etc. I myself have looked at one traveler and two saloons in the past four years [amongst other privately restored cars] and each professionally restored Minor that was once in the hands of a well known restorer was of poor quality even though the seller had kept the car well looked after although I appreciate that we have to take to sellers word for that. The car does seem to me to be a bit over priced but that's just my opinion and after all it is a tourer [and I have one], and it is summer time so they are now at a premium price. It all comes down to comparing private prices / condition to dealers bearing in mind dealers will always be more expensive. And for what it's worth, if the price and condition is right , then I'd happily buy or sell a car to Roy BMC, or anyone else for that matter.

[morris van]

When I bought my van I did not pay much for it as it needed work like a set of new tyres brake cylinders as they were leaking and a hole in the floor and it was only just been MOTed before I got it but I can do most of the work myself.

[Adrian Pearse]

Charles Ware would have been looking at this as a way of bargaining the car for themselves to refurbish and sell on at huge profit. The wouldn't take much work for them there purchase price would be rock bottom so would there parts and the selling price from wares would cover all that and more.

Granted the car has a few faults but nothing that can't be fixed other than Wares. Keep that list of faults in mind and use it as bargaining point on an offer price

[Budgie]

Here, here couldn't agree with you more.