Filed Under: News
As a youngster I lived in London, like many during the war we were bombed out, luckily we were in the air raid shelter and came to no harm, but after the dust had settled we found that everything had gone. So it was off to live with my dear old gran in Stockwell.
Toys were no existent in those days, I acquired an old tyre to push around with a piece of stick, I remember it well it was made by The north British Tyre Company, which has long since disappeared with many other famous names, whilst I had no intention of writing about one of Britain’s most famous car companies, how on earth could it disappear into the great blue yonder, Austin.
It was a household name, the foundation stone of British engineering, our landlord drove an Eighteen, silver in colour, how he didn’t get bumped off carrying all that money, one wonders perhaps there was not the criminals around like today. He used to come every Monday morning, he looked wealthy he had that aurora about him that said money, so what it was the car.
Like many things in life they go into the memory box, sometimes they don’t come out again, however we, Eileen our Robert and myself actually took the Volvo to Urlingford for the St Patrick’s day parade, before we get lost in cars, lunch was at Brian Morrisey’s in Johnstown, now it is a couple of years since I have been there, but now the motorway bypasses the place pubs, shops have closed down, one can cross the road without almost looking, but it is sad for those whose living depended on not only local but passing trade, Any way Brian Morrisey’s pub lunch, Eileen had the roast beef and I the cod, though very simple it was great value for the money, we would recommend it to anyone, however the dessert, pudding call it what you like, was something else, I would doubt that there is a hotel or restaurant in Kilkenny or for that matter within fifty kilometres that serves a Sherry Trifle like Morrisey’s in Johnstown, it was definitely home made, it is worth making the trip to Johnstown just for the trifle.
It was on the way home that Eileen said I would like to go to the parade in my own car next year, do you know I would love a mini, okay we will start looking for one, Eileen was definite it has to be a classic, right, we thought the best place to start to get an idea of prices etc was Ebay.
There are plenty of Mini’s on Ebay, there is also plenty of rubbish being offered as a Classic so much so if you are tempted to try your hand at buying on Ebay there are some basics to be aware.
Before you even look at the car, check the person selling it, in the top corner of the screen you will see a coloured star with a number and a percentage number below it, anything below 15 would show the person was a relatively new seller and that the percentage number might not be a true reflection of the quality of the goods being sold, we would ignore any percentage below 99%, just walk away there are hundreds of other cars.
Then you go to the description, “I am selling this for a friend”, don’t even go any further, it is unknown territory, I mean does the friend even know the car is on Ebay? I am not suggesting but think deeper, okay.
A favourite is, the car is in good condition given the year, you know there is something not quite right, they may give a suggestion as to what wants doing like rust, needs a little welding, in other words it is falling to pieces.
The price is a fair indicator these people are not fools they know exactly the worth of a car in good condition, remember no one is going to give away money and no one is going to sell a car far below it’s value, so do some research, cheap cars usually spell expensive trouble.
Another typical statement is “I have just lost my garage“, there must be an awful lot of lost garages in the UK, it was my daughters car she wanted something bigger and it has been sitting on our drive for months, if it was that good.
Needs small amount of work to pass MoT, so why didn’t they do it?
Mileage, so easy to alter, ask for previous MoTs or any garage receipts to establish authenticity of speedometer reading.
If you are determined to buy the car, do not send money before seeing it, as much as I dislike carrying cash, it is safer no one gets to know your bank account details and what’s more important if there is no car you have not lost any money.
Having said about Ebay, I have been trolling an Irish web site, a couple of cars advertised said the engines were larger than what is shown on the log book, interesting how does one tax and insure a car with incorrect details the engine number cannot agree with the official number, who checks this?
From what we have seen so far there are very few genuine early mini’s, the ravages of time and poor manufacturing have decimated the much loved mini, though there are some around at silly money.
If by chance one is in the right place at the right time one can come across some brilliant examples of cherished cars, twice this week I have spoken with owners of cars that would walk away with top prize in any show, you might just know the owners , car number one was a bright red morris minor pick-up, I was so overcome I forgot the reg number or whether he was a member of “the club”, even under the wings one could see the bright red paintwork, the rest of the little Morris was as spectacular, by the way this was in the Esso Station by the Callan road roundabout, well our Declan has provided the answer, yes it is in the club.
Car number two was in Lidl’s, another red car, a 1986 mini, given it was some years younger than the morris, took nothing from it, spotless immaculate, the young owner did not belong to our club and had restored the mini himself, definite asset to any club. The car had an IZV reg, would think he was local, ah by chance I had the camera handy….
TED LAY tedlay@gmail.com
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