1996 Mini Cooper 35 Special Edition

The Mini consigned here was purchased in the best way, on a whim in the memory of a loved one. The common story for the previous generation was that everyone either had a Mini or had a story about one and the owner of this example is no different. After being exposed to the lovable little car in their younger years, a promise was made that one day a cooper (with the quad spotlights) would take up residence in the garage. After a chance flick through a Mini magazine, over a coffee about a 35 anniversary Cooper the decision was made to place an order. The next step was to call local Rover dealers to place an order for one of these special editions, but after none of the local dealers knew anything about it (classic Rover communication there) the owner had to look further afield. After phoning ‘The 3 Way Motor Company’ Rover dealership (who incidentally knew all about the special edition) the owner was treated to some fantastic customer service and even had the opportunity to spec a numberplate.

The current owner has had this car its whole life, a good condition Mini nowadays is a bit of a special thing, one that has only one owner and it’s kept in such amazing condition is even more special. Couple to that that it’s a special edition and we realise we need to use some different adjectives to describe this car. Continuing the spectacular story of this characterful car and building a picture of how it’s been treated, the car has been kept garaged for most of its life and benefits from exceptionally low miles. It has only failed an MOT once for a rear exhaust box (which is astonishing considering how readily Mini’s like to return to nature), it’s never been driven in the snow/ice and very rarely in the rain. The most recent mileage and perhaps the most in the last few years is when the owner took the car up to the Yorkshire moors to get some photos of the car for posterity.

The car has been treated as a part of the family, more like a pet than a car and one that facilitated in many a memory being created. This was never the intention of Alec Issigonis back in 1959 but seeing as the Mini was a child of the loving 60’s, it’s no surprise that it has become one of the most loved classic cars of all time.

The Almond green paintwork, porcelain green interior and Diamond white roof is the colour combo the 35th Anniversary edition was given, and after some restorative work on the car it is all in fantastic condition. The car has had some rust repair work as is the case with most if not all Minis from any era, but after spending the effort, money and time to fix the issues with this one it has been given a coat of Waxoyl to prevent any further corrosion down the line. This means that the near new finish you see now will be lasting much longer than if it was just left as it was from the Rover factory.

The 12” black Minilite wheels are also in fantastic condition with no curbing, lacquer peel of scuffing to be seen and with the addition of good quality tyres fitted in 2018. The tyres have not seen many miles during their time on the car and have plenty of tread left. All electrics work around the car, this includes the spotlights, indicators, and wipers, even the original radio/cassette player works as intended with the wing mounted, manually operated aerial. Condition of the chrome work around the car is great too and the fit and finish of the panels is remarkable for a car that sometimes had issues with finish quality. All round a beautiful example of a 26-year-old classic.

Now if you thought from the photos that the exterior of the car looked good, the interior is even better. It looks barely used, there is no wear and tear on the switches, the steering wheel isn’t fraying or showing any signs of wear, the walnut dash is beautifully finished and shines with its lacquered surface. Upholstery wise, the seats are in near showroom condition with very little if any wear, especially to the usual places like the back and seat base bolsters. The rear bench is the same little to no wear at all. Everything is in place and operation in the Mini and it’s a real testament to how well this example has been kept by its one owner. The white dials are a nice original addition and really pop from the walnut dash readily giving the driver all the info they need. Dare we even say this Mini is luxurious? Looking from the rear seat into the cabin gives you a distinct impression that Rover went all out with the 35th Anniversary edition and we can confirm that driving it is an absolute dream.

Underneath and the body shell is absolutely mint (well Almond actually), a good indication to the condition of the metal work is to look in the most common rot areas such as the boot, the door surrounds and the sills which are all in fantastic condition. The stone chip covering on the underside looks to be near new with very little damage to it, but with only 5,000 odd miles this is to be expected. The rear subframe is starting to show some surface ‘bloom’ but this is very unlikely to be structural and wouldn’t warrant any worry although as we all know with Minis, is good to keep an eye on.

Suspension wise, the Mini is not suffering from any issues at all, no untoward noises or handling difficulties, the exhaust looks sound and with a relatively new backbox its set to be that way for a good, long time. All rubber components from what we can see look to be in good condition and the engine and gearbox look in very good condition too.

Peering under the bonnet, we see the single point fuel injected 1.3L, 4 pot, A-series engine in all its glory. All rubber piping looks in good health with no cracking or splitting, all wiring looks to be healthy with no dry covering or stray wires showing. The engine paint even looks good with no signs of any oil leaks or spray. There is no rust in the engine bay either indicating no fluid leaks or damage of any kind too. In summary then there are no nasty surprises waiting for you from this car, only an exceptionally well looked after car that has had all preventative work carried out to ensure it lives a long life under the continued care of any future custodians.

The 26-year-old mini is one of the later models from the Rover group and as such is in much better condition than some older models. It has had some work done which are summarised below and most of the services have been done by either Rover dealerships or specialist garages with the stamps to prove.

- General service – Darvin Motors – 21/09/2021

- Rear brake service – Darvin Motors – 24/09/2018

- Waxoyl’d inside doors to prevent corrosion – Darvin Motors – 23/09/2019

- A panels replaced and repainted, both sills repaired and repainted, full waxoyl – The Mini Place – 22/07/2013

- Rear exhaust section replaced – Fred Henderson LTD – 21/07/2010

- Driver’s door skin replaced and repainted – Simon J Robinson – 03/08/2005

- Rust repair on front section, repair and repaint where needed – Simon J Robinson – 28/11/2003

Finding a Mini these days is becoming more and more difficult with buyers either needing huge sums of money for restored early models or needing huge amounts of money to restore other models that have started to rot away. The fact that this 35th Anniversary special edition has had one owner from new, has been taken care of like one of the family and doesn’t cost the prices some of the other’s command makes it a no brainer. This 26-year-old mini was one of the last of the breed with production coming to an end 22 years ago. It’s no huge prediction to say that the 35th Anniversary edition will continue to rise in value and admiration as we relentlessly, and somewhat reluctantly, march toward a future of battery powered transport. The point of the Mini was never to be kept locked away hidden in a garage as a future investment opportunity however but rather to be out and about doing what it does best as a frugal, fun city car whilst simultaneously spreading smiles and joy to all who see them. Not to mention just how rare this car production wise, with only approximately 200 being sold in the UK.

No matter which way you look at it, this should be one of the most desirable Minis on sale right now and we absolutely love it.

Our estimate for this car is £15,000 - £20,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.