1999 Rover MINI Cooper

Chris, the vendor of this vehicle, has owned this lovely Japanese market Cooper for fourteen months, and was originally planning to take it back to his native Australia some time next year.

“When I bought it I got the best I could,” he explains. “That’s because if there’s any rust or crash damage on a car then the Australian authorities will trash the car, rather than let you bring it in.”

As such to ensure it was a top example, Chris had the car professionally inspected before purchase. However as for many, the current global situation has prompted a rethink and the Mini is now for sale. “I’ve had to change my plans, and will now be going to New Zealand.”

The Mini itself was imported to the UK in December 2015. There are pluses and minuses to owning a Japanese market classic car: the main benefit being that they haven’t been subjected to vagaries of the Great British weather (i.e. salt), so invariably have a superiorly sound underlying structure; on the flip side is a lack of history, so while there are plenty of bills from its time in Blighty, there’s little prior to that.

However this is a classic car that you most definitely buy on condition, and our photographic gallery below demonstrates just how smart an example it is.

The odometer reads 67,344 kilometres, which is of course just 41,846 of our lovely British miles, and it has a fresh MOT that runs until May 11, 2021.

Think of the Mini Cooper and your mind can’t help but reach for the go-to image: The Italian Job. Pre-eminent among that trio of protagonists was the dashing red example. Okay it didn’t have a Union Jack roof in the film, but here we’ll forgive that particular omission as our car most definitely does.

Factor in Minilite alloy wheels, muscular wheelarch extensions, racing stripes, a white roof-rack complete with Rallye Monte Carlo sign and a visage full of rally spot lights and you have a visual package positively oozing pizzazz.

“It’s in fabulous condition,” says Chris. “The bodywork is perfect; all the panels are straight, and there are no dints, chips or scratches. The wheels do have a couple of small scuffs, but nothing major.”

Allied to this, the door shuts and door bottoms are immaculate with no signs of dirt or grime – always an indicator that a car has been very well maintained.

The chromework is still in very decent condition with no evidence of any pitting or other untoward surface imperfections. Your eyes are of course drawn to that majestic flag up top – ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the national anthem.

“Likewise the interior is in pretty much perfect condition,” says Chris. “All the leather seats are good, with no cracking or heat damage. The wood veneer dashboard is in nice condition, although there is a touch of sun damage at the very top of the door cappings.”

Under the mats the carpets look to be in very good condition and the headlining remains unmarked. There’s a lovely chunky leather steering wheel – with SRS airbag naturally, given its vintage – and Chris says all electrics function exactly as they should. It’s a lovely cabin with a real retro-classic vibe.

In the boot you’ll find a spare wheel that when lifted reveals a pristine, corrosion-free wheel well.

“It drives really, really well – great fun,” says Chris. “It starts first time, every time and the engine pulls nice and strong. The gearbox is a common problem area on these cars and reassuringly it was rebuilt by a previous owner; it shifts beautifully, I had the brake pads redone (new pads and discs) and it needs no work.”

He’s added a couple of short videos below; the first gives a visual guide of its lovely condition, and the second a tantalising indicator of just what a delicious little beast it is to pilot, as well as the fruity exhaust note its stainless steel exhaust emits.

The pictures of the underside show lots of solid, protected metal with the factory stone-chip still in place. There are one or two areas under the wheelarches where it’s chipping a little, so we’d be tempted to have those topped up. Oh, and there’s a sump-guard fitted should you wish to embark on a bit of frisky off-road driving. Overall, it’s a very reassuring picture.

Under the bonnet the engine bay is a touch dusty but that’s just an indicator of a regularly used car. There’s plenty room for a bit of elbow grease and plastic ‘back-to-black’ product to sharpen up the engine visuals should you so choose.

There’s not a huge deal in the history file, just the MOT certificate and a number of bills from its time in the UK – the latter are mostly of a servicing and consumables nature.

The invoice for the recent brake work (£90) is included, as is the all-important one for the gearbox rebuild (carried out by Southwestern Gearbox Services at a cost of £540). The latter was comprehensive and included a full strip with bearings, synchros, gaskets and seals all replaced, as well fitment of a fresh differential carrier, second gear and reverse idler.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very high standard.

Prices of original Mini Cooper and Cooper S models went stratospheric a long time ago, so you need relatively big pockets to afford one; and even then, how often would you be happy to use it?

The benefits of a late version like this are three-fold: you can use it (everyday, if you wish); purchase price is significantly lower (we reckon it’ll go for somewhere between £9k and £12k); and finally production standards were significantly higher in 1999 compared to the original’s 1963-’71.

As a Japanese market car, you can also take reassurance from the fact that it’s been protected in its early life from exposure to UK roads and all that that entails. Heck, you even get air conditioning!

This particular car is in the model’s most rousing hue and further enhanced by its Italian Job/Monte Carlo Rally additions. The cabin is a lovely combo of classic and retro, and the vendor says it needs for nothing and is absolutely on the button. The model’s Achilles heel, the gearbox, has also been recently rebuilt – win-win.

If you’re a Mini fan, and more importantly, a Cooper fan, then this fab little example could be just what you’re looking for.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor at his home in London; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.