The best Minis from £1500 - used car buying guide

Whether it's the brand heritage, the quirky styling or small size, there's no denying that the UK loves Minis - and the best bargains can be found for as little as £1500. Here are our top five.

1 - Mini Convertible (2004-2008)

Mini’s first effort at chopping the roof off was a success: the Convertible is well made and a rather imaginative affair.

It remains a cool car to own and is cheap to run, albeit not as much fun to drive as the hatch. It may not have much room for a weekly shop and the rear seats are near useless, but it’s a stylish way to get a tan.

Reliability is reasonable, although the roof cables can break in early models and cost £800-£900 to replace. The Convertible can also 
be prone to the same power steering and gearbox issues as 
the hatchback.

We found a 2006 Cooper S example with 61,000 miles on the clock at £4750 from a private seller.

2 - Mini Clubman (2007-2015)

If there was ever a car to split opinion, it is the Clubman, a five-door estate car featuring three unconventional doors.

It has a stretched wheelbase and the same spec and engine options as the hatch. The ‘Clubdoor’ behind the driver is an interesting talking point, but you have to push the front seat forward to allow reasonable access to the back. Also, the door is on the ‘wrong’ side for UK cars, opening into the traffic, not the kerb.

Still, the two ‘barn doors’ at the rear make the boot very easy to load and unload. You get more space than in most Mini models. There are no well-known reliability issues with this model, either.

Prices for a 2007 Cooper with 62,000 miles start from £5300.

3 - Mini hatchback (2001-2006)

With its quirky retro styling, the 
first BMW-owned Mini transformed 
the supermini sector when it was launched in 2001.

Mini’s new owner proved that a supermini with good packaging, great looks and a premium finish could take the sector by storm.

The first-generation Mini has quick and economical engines and a handling set-up that makes the car feel alive. So it is a lot of fun to drive.

The main known reliability issues relate to power steering and manual gearbox failures.