Why should you opt for metal rather than plastic sliding window catches on your Classic Mini Cooper ?
Why choose a metal window opening set instead of plastic? This question has the merit to be asked the day we need to change this part on our Mini. However after careful consideration, the answer seems quite logical.
You should choose chrome metal window openings for three reasons: authenticity, quality and because it is a more economical choice in the long run.
Vintage style, authentic and neat
Choosing sliding metal window catches is to honor the first models of Mini MK1 and MK2. Before May 1963, the Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S were equipped with chromed metal window openings. It is after this period that they were replaced by black and white plastic window openings. These new plastic parts are less expensive for the manufacturers, but they are still consistent with the rest of the car. Equipping your Mini with metal window openings is an embellishment and a tribute to the very first models of this legendary car.
The importance of quality
Style is obviously paramount but never at the expense of quality. Not surprisingly, a metal window opening is much stronger than a plastic equivalent. Plastic openings break down as the years go by. You change them several times, before giving up, using them as "window pushers" and leaving your car open from the outside. A metal set, on the other hand, lasts a lifetime. It guarantees the opening and closing of the window, as well as its locking.
A cost saving investment
Quality comes at a price, that is undeniable. However, this price should rather be considered as an investment. If you choose to buy a set of metal window openings, you are choosing to buy the right equipment once and for all. These parts will no longer need to be changed, unlike plastic sets that you constantly continue to change throughout your life due to the low quality of the parts. These purchases of plastic sets, put end to end, will eventually cost more than a metal set.
For all these reasons, buying a metal opening set seems to be a smart choice, as is buying new rather than used.