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Honest John Classics Reviews Mini

Mini Cooper, Cooper S and Seven (1990 – 2000) Review

Item: Mini Cooper, Cooper S and Seven (1990 – 2000) Review 2024
Author: Administrator

Mini Cooper, Cooper S and Seven (1990 – 2000) At A Glance

More grown-up version of an enduring classic

Late Minis with 13-inch Sports pack wheels and suspension are even more uncomfortable!

Latest update Rover Mini from 1990: Immobiliser problems common on late, fuel-unjecxted Rover Minis. See Mini Immobiliser thread.

Rover brought back the Cooper in 1990 as a limited edition of just 1000 after seeing the car selling so well in Japan throughout the late-1980s. Such was the interest in the special edition that the decision was taken to reintroduce it as a mainstream model, with a 1275cc engine plus alloy wheels, white roof and more sporting interior.

An ‘S’ package from John Cooper boosted power to 78bhp. Fuel injection from 1991 increased the power of both types even more, but from 1996, this changed from single- to multi-point with electronic ignition as well. The 40th birthday celebration Cooper S Works of 1999 was the most powerful of them all, with 90bhp. Production ended in 2000, and Lulu drove the last car off the line.

Model History

July 1990: The Mini Cooper limited edition was launched
July 1992: The 998cc Mini was phased out
October 1996: The final version of the Mini emerged, known as the Mk7
October 2000: The final Mini drives off the line at Longbridge

July 1990

The Mini Cooper limited edition was launched

The authorisation for the new generation sporty Mini was given in January 1990, and the limited edition RSP (Rover Special Products) Cooper was a last minute addition to the marketing plan. Mechanical development was farmed out to ERA at Dunstable and the first of the 1990s Mini Coopers was built between 27 April to 3 May 1990.

At this time, Rover was on a roll, with the acclaimed R8 second generation 200, and working flat out to satisfy demand. Graham Day’s vision of turning Rover into a niche manufacturer seemed to be coming true, and the new Mini Cooper was part of that strategy. Featuring a catalysed 1275cc MG Metro engine, the limited run quickly sold out and a mainstream Mini Cooper was introduced the following September. It made a reappearance in a response to the sales of Cooper kits in Japan and also the management’s knowledge that the Mini was now a very real asset to the range which would sell in big numbers, especially overseas.

In 1990 Longbridge produced 46,045 Minis, of which only 10,067 were sold in the UK. Japan took 12,087, France 8977, Germany 4790 and Italy 2680. Even after the original enthusiasm for the Cooper had waned, Japan still took 8508 Minis in 1993. These were major car markets and the Mini could be used to generate showroom traffic for the new generation of Rover cars.

July 1992

The 998cc Mini was phased out

A detuned 1275cc engine provided the car’s motive power from now on. The base model was now called a Sprite, in honour of another past BMC car, while the Mayfair continued as the higher spec model.

October 1996

The final version of the Mini emerged, known as the Mk7

It had a front mounted radiator, airbag, even higher gearing, a long option list and optional 13in wheels. All the Minis now had identical tune 63bhp twin point injection engines.

October 2000

The final Mini drives off the line at Longbridge

The media and various personalities gathered at Longbridge to see the end of the road for Issigonis’s baby. Also attending were surviving members of Alec Issigonis’s team. To the Quincy Jones composed soundtrack of the film The Italian Job, the final Mini was driven off the production line in CAB1 by production line supervisor Geoff Powell with singer Lulu in the passenger seat after a production run of 41 years.

The end of Mini production effectively meant the end of CAB1, for despite all the hopes expressed for the future of Longbridge in 2000, the hoped for demand for MG Rover cars failed to materialise, and the building remained empty. The last of 5,378,776 Minis now resides at the British Motor Heritage museum at Gaydon.

Mini Cooper, Cooper S and Seven (1990 – 2000) Buying Guide

Good

Driving position can be adapted to suit six-footers.
Outlived the Metro.
Lots of specials about, some with Jack Knight 5-speed straight cut gear manual boxes which are good but very noisy. AP autobox works well if the combined engine/gearbox oil is changed every six months without fail. If oil not changed, it can be a disaster.
Retro 'Mini Seven' with 1959 style seats and painted cream dashboard launched Spring 2000.
Jack Knight 5-speed box was fitted to some John Cooper modified cars and is no noisier than standard (only STRAIGHT CUT 4 or 5 speed boxes are noisier).
'K' reg Carb plus Cat cars apparently exempt from MOT advanced emissions test.
Insurance friendly so could be quite a good first car.
Less temptation to go the Max Power route. (For New Mini, see 'MINI'.)
Parts from www.xpart.com and 250 XPart AutoService centres www.xpartautoservicecentre.com
High quality chrome bumpers and top bars from www.xpart.com priced £42.46 fore the bumper and £16.96 for the top bar.

Bad

Hard, bouncy ride (Smootharide kit from Alex Moulton helps enormously).
Standard cars have just four gears sited in the engine sump. Noisy drivetrain.
Feels gutless. Prone to slipping clutch.
Heavy steering on wide 12in wheels, even heavier on 13" sportspack wheels.
Driving position feels strange (but is actually quite comfortable).
They're so low, winter road salt gets everywhere and they rust badly underneath.
Bumpers far too low to be of any use.
Fell foul of EU emissions and safety laws from 2001, so production finally ended in September 2000.
S and T platers 7th from bottom in 2001 Top Gear / J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. 3rd Bottom of 100 models for reliability in Auto Express 2002 survey. Bottom in 144 car 2002 JD Power / What Car? Customer Satisfaction Survey of V and W reg cars. Very high 9 point death rate from accidents in this model.

Watch

Rust in seams was always a Mini problem. Rust also found in sills, in area in front of the doors, in rear battery box and in rear subframes which can collapse. Doors have been known to develop rust holes in as little as 5 years.
Early 'K reg' carb plus cat didn't work (insist on a new MOT if buying one).
Water leaking from core plugs of ancient Morris Minor 'A' Series engine.
Oil leaks.
Head gasket problems ('mayonnaise' under oil cap may be gone gasket, may be from short runs).
Noisy timing chain.
Gears jump out of second due to internal selector collar moving down rod.
Clonking drive-shafts.
Wear on rear trailing arm bushes.
Front tie bars can bend. Never buy a Mini without a good look underneath, preferably on a garage hoist.
Be careful not to get conned into paying too much.
Minis from 1990 suffer front suspension sagging - worse as time went on.
Minis from 1996: twin point injection cars suffer with failed coolant sensors, like other Rovers.

Running Mini Cooper, Cooper S and Seven (1990 – 2000)

27-10-2013: Immobiliser problems common on late, fuel-unjecxted Rover Minis. See Mini Immobiliser thread.

MINI Cooper 1.3i

0–60	13.0 s
Top speed	94 mph
Power	63 bhp
Torque	70 lb ft
Weight	700 kg

Cylinders	I4
Engine capacity	1275 cc
Layout	FF
Transmission	4M