1997 Rover Mini Heartbeat

The seller of this stunning 1997 Rover Mini Heartbeat 1.3 Twin point fuel injection, has owned the vehicle since 2008 when he bought it as a present for his daughter who was going to University but who never actually used the car very much. He is the fourth owner that has cared for the Mini since it was registered on the 7th November 1997.

In 2016, the owner had some body work carried out to the Mini. This involved cutting out a couple of problem areas around the lower windscreen section, sills and lower quarter panel sections and replacing them with fresh metal. All the work was etch primed and treated with stone guard where necessary, before being painted in the lovely metallic grey. It was at this time that the owner took the opportunity to get the body shop to fit the fibreglass Supersport wider arches and wider Ultralite 7x13 wheels to suit the arches.

With 35,035 miles showing on the odometer it’s safe to say the Mini hasn’t had a hard life. Looking through the stack of receipts and invoices it's quite apparent that the car has been maintained to a high standard with no expense spared.

The Rover Mini Heartbeat is finished in Metallic grey, which was, as already mentioned, was repainted in 2016. It now sits and looks fantastic with the Supersport arches giving it a wider, squatter look.

Starting at the front of the Mini, the chrome work is in a nice bright condition to the bumper and the classic Mini grille. Two spotlights are fitted, which are free from chips. The headlights are also chip free and the chrome surround is nice and bright with no corrosion. The indicators are finished in clear, which helps give the front end a nice clean appearance with no amber lenses. The bonnet aligns straight with the grille and the edges of the wings. There are an odd few stone chips just below the headlights, but only as you would expect.

Around to the sides of the Mini, giving it a period look there is a silver pin stripe which runs down the length of the car. The Mini is nice and straight with the door gaps aligning just as they should. The side repeaters have been given the same treatment as the front indicators and clear items have been used. The door mirrors are a bullet style mirror which is in a nice bright chrome finish. Moving along, and the window trim and surrounds are again nice and bright together with the door handles. As previously mentioned, the new arches are fibreglass Supersport replica arches which are fitted inch perfect to give a factory finish. If you are going to have a sunroof you might as well have a proper one! And this Mini came with a factory fit Webasto sunroof which is also electric. This opens and closes with ease at the touch of a button.

The rear of the Mini is again nice and straight, the boot lid aligns as it should. The rear light lenses are free from any cracks or splits. The bumper, like the front, has a bright chrome finish, free from any dinks. Exiting the rear is the twin upswept stainless steel exhaust which looks and sounds fantastic. The wheels fitted are Ultralite 7 x 13 wheels which have been given a repaint in metallic silver and fitted with Yokohama A539 tyres which are in as new condition.

Inside the Mini is well presented. As you open the door you are faced with the cream leather seats with black piping highlights. These are in good condition with no real wear to them, just some age related creasing to the leather as to be expected for the age. The door cards are finished in matching cream leather which are nice and clean. These are finished with Burr walnut door cappings, door handle, arm rest and window winder. There is some slight lacquer peel to the arm rest but nothing that couldn’t be refinished quite easily. The red carpet is in good condition to the front and rear with just some small indentations to the driver's heel pad. The rear seats are in excellent condition and don’t look to have had much use over the years.

Onto the dashboard, and this is finished with a black top and a Burr walnut facia. Sitting in the driver’s seat the instruments have cream dials to match the seats, the odometer is showing 35,035. There is a rev counter and fuel and water gauges which are working correctly. The clock also has a cream finish to the face. Just below, a Pioneer head unit, which is also MP3 compatible, has been fitted. Further down, the classic look Mini switch and heater layout is there. The switches are all in good condition with no wear to the lettering on them or the heater controls. Being one of the last model mini’s made, it does come with a driver’s airbag in the steering wheel. Directly above you, for the glorious sunny days, is the open and close switch for the electric Webasto roof.

Into the boot, and the original boot carpet is present with the spare wheel, jack and wheel brace. The cover is there to protect the battery terminals. Also included with the sale is some rubber floor mats and an indoor/outdoor car cover.

The underside of the vehicle is quite clean, with no obvious areas for concern. The Mini was wax oiled when the body work was carried out, but a steam clean off and re-stone guarding to some areas would prove beneficial later down the line.

The engine in the Mini is the later type 1,275cc (1.3) twin point fuel injected engine, offering better fuel economy and better reliability. Coupled to a 4-speed manual gearbox the Mini is capable of traveling 0-60 in 14.6 seconds. Mechanically this Mini is all original apart from the addition of the twin upswept stainless steel exhaust.

The Rover Mini has an immobiliser fitted that does require a firm push of the button to enable it to start, but once this is done it fires straight up and runs really well. Driving the Mini can only be described as FUN! Go-kart-like handling, they are a brilliant car to drive. It flies through the gears with ease and comes to a halt nice and straight. The suspension is as you would expect, nice and firm but not harsh as it has not been modified.

This 1997 Rover Mini has been meticulously maintained as you will see from the number of receipts in the well documented history file. The car retains the original driver’s handbook and wallet, including the service book which has a couple of stamps in. The book may not be stamped but there are receipts showing the Mini has been very regularly serviced over the years.

There are a number of old MOT certificates dating back to 2004 and lots of receipts which also go back to the early 2000’s. A recent MOT has been carried out and this expires on the 14th March 2022. This passed with no advisories. To give you an idea of the little use, the Mini has covered just over 11,000 miles in the past 10 years.

One of the most iconic British cars ever made, loved by millions. These are such great fun cars to own and drive. This particular one has had any problem areas ironed out in 2016, with a partial respray plus the addition of the Supersport arches and wider wheels. We think you will agree it is a cracking little Mini which looks immaculate and runs and drives exceptionally well.

Summer is just about to arrive, and what could be more fun than jumping in, opening the Webasto roof and setting off for some fun on a B road blast! That will raise the heartbeat!

We estimate this 1997 Rover Mini Heartbeat to fetch between £8,000 - £14,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.