How much is my R53 worth?
 

Howdy,

I am trying to see what my expectations should be should I sell my R53. Please give me your thoughts/opinions. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

I moved to DC a few weeks ago and no longer have need for my beautiful baby Mini Cooper. I had hoped I would be able to continue my love for my Mini while here, but I just do not have the time to drive her anymore.

I am the second owner of the Mini, I purchased the car 9 months ago with due diligence and proper maintenance have had not a single issue or hiccup. I picked her up in San Jose, California from an older gentleman who used the car to commute to work and back. Which is exactly what I used my Mini for, I was living 30 miles from my work. The original owner did provide all maintenance and service records since he originally purchased the Mini, which I have kept up with. It has never been raced (professionally on the track or illegally). All of the modifications were installed professionally, without issue. The Mini looks stock from the inside and the outside. No funny shifter or sticker nonsense. I drove the Mini from California to DC, after a full maintenance overhaul (just in case), and only needed to put gas in it along the way. No issues.

While there are many upgrades, this is still a capable daily driver car. From coast to coast, it was very comfortable.

General notes:
- 2006
- 139,3xx miles
--- All highway
- Engine Compression Test - 175psi (+/-1) across all 4 cylinders (06/02/2015)
- California Car
--- Never seen snow
--- No rust
--- Always garaged/perfect paint
- Clean Title
--- No accidents
- A/C blows cold/Heater blows hot
- Full leather interior

Listed below are the upgrades I have had done over the course of my ownership. This does not count maintenance or general services.

Engine Upgrades:
15% Cravenspeed Pulley
JCW NGK Plugs
Alta Cold Air Intake
Alta Intercooler Air Diverter
MSD Ignition Coil
NGK Plug Wires
RMW Dyno Tune
Milltek Header (with CA Catalytic Converter)
Milltek Supersport Exhaust
Canton Racing Coolant Expansion Tank
Slant Racing Coolant Cap
Helix Short Shift Kit

Suspension Upgrades:
OEM Cabrio Brace Upgrade
Alta 19mm Rear Sway Bar
Speedway Motors Drop-links
TSW Undercarriage X-Brace
Schroth Quick-Fit Racing Harness with Pads (Driver and Passenger)
TSW Performance Springs
Ireland Engineering Fixed Camber Plates in Front
Powerflex Front Control Arm Polyurethane Bushings
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position Tires (85% tread/less than 3 months old)

Brakes:
EBC Dimpled and Slotted Front Rotors
EBC Red Brake Pads
BMW Metal Bushings
TSW Stainless Steel Brake Lines (Front and Rear)

Interior Upgrades:
35% Front Tint (Lifetime warranty)
15% Rear Tint (Lifetime warranty)
5% Front Windshield Tint Eyebrow (Lifetime warranty)
OEM Aux Input
Front and Boot OEM Rubber Floor Liner
WMW Front Aero Grill
Beltline Chrome Delete
Shorty Antenna

Con:
- 4" seam separation on the drivers seat left shoulder

Thank you all for your time.

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My nephew says its a great car.

Keep it.

Why? :P

I'm pretty on the fence, but could use some convincing. :)

Without knowing the model year and factory options one can't even value the car on KBB :wink:

You're right!
I have the post updated with the model year.
Besides leather and the panorama roof. There are no options.

I see a MFSW in the last picture.

Using the link in my previous post you can download the build specs for your MINI and attach them to a post.

some random thoughts

1. If was going to try and sell it, I'd invest in getting that seat fixed. That's a game ruiner there. An upholstery shop should be able to stitch that up. don't mess with it yourself, there's an airbag in there.

2. you won't like this but to many buyers, they'll see this as below KBB value BECAUSE of the mods . . . IMO if you hope to get OVER KBB because of the mods that will happen only if you manage to find an 'enthusiast' buyer (like yourself)

3. it is WORTH what you get someone to pay. I might believe that my 79 is worth $12,000 but if I hang that price on it and after a year have not sold it ...... on the other hand you can always lower your asking price .... difficult to raise it if the first offer comes in one day at full asking price!

4. you wanna sell it in a hurry? a dirty run thru KBB gave me $4600 to a private party. You could go to CARMAX and get a free quote.

5. What would you realistically be asking .... you must have an idea . . .

6. It will soon be a 10 year old car from a make that tends to come out low in reliability ratings . . .

7. There used to be a pretty active MINI club in DC
********************************
it has fog lights I believe ... clearly it has the arm rest (but you won't get anything on a KBB estimate for these)
the roof and MFSW suggest the premium package I think it was called ... does it have automatic a/c? that would be the clincher

This looks like a nice car with many upgrades. However, 139K miles is more than 50K miles above the average miles listed on KBB for a 2006 Cooper S. This will affect the value. For someone looking for a daily driver, both the miles and all the performance upgrades will not necessarily be a plus.

While the car has been reliable to date, it is impossible to project the future. It is also difficult for a prospective buyer to confirm how the car has been driven in the past, particularly when the car has spent most of its life thousands of miles away.

The value will be limited by alternatives in the local market. A cursory look at Autotrader shows at dealers in the area three 2006 Cooper S cars with fewer miles (72K to 94K miles) in the $8200 to $8900 price range. Your car may have performance upgrades but as suggested not all buyers will be interested in these. In addition your car has many more miles and is being sold by a private party, which will generally bring a lower value.

Based on KBB, a loaded 2006 Cooper S with the JCW package (which may be the best comparison for some of your upgrades) sold by a private buyer with your miles in very good condition is valued at about $8330.

Good luck.

^ this. The Captain is dead on. The mods other than what was needed to maintain the car can actually hurt the sale price..

I'd say it's in the $6,000 ball park, maybe $7,000. If I were looking for an R53 I wouldn't be too interested in it because of the miles being so high, even if they are all highway, and It's really hard to believe that a car with so many mods hasn't been driven hard/tracked. Even if it's true, someone who doesn't know you from adam probably won't believe you.

For reference, I bought an R53 last year with pretty much the same engine upgrades sans tune or exhaust and stock suspension, upgraded audio system, and a good service history for $8,800 but it only had 56,000 miles on it. Seeing as yours has like 85,000 more miles I'd be really hesitant to pay that much for it.

If it were me, I'd keep it if you can, it's hard because I think these cars are kind of undervalued, you definitely get alot of smiles per dollar but it's hard to get what it feels like they're worth.

It is worth more to you than to anybody else...
If you trade it...they will offer $3500-4000..maybe even $500 less....the seat...but bet you could get them to $4500 if you are firm...
Private sale...$5000. ..maybe a few more if you find a sucker...
Modded cars are worth less than unmolested unless you find a sucker who wants a premodded car...but what is the fun in THAT!!
the issue with modded cars..it is vindictive that the car has been used HARD...and you have high miles...
I'm not saying it is not beautifully modded, with lots of nice parts, but they are sunk costs...
I kinda WISH i still had mine!!
East Coast prices are less than WEST coast or middle country cars...there are just more of them in our areas...

i like the engine mods done to it, and if i were a buyer i'd definitely prefer some work done since i'd modify it anyway after buying it. try asking around $5000. that's the general price for the r53's around my area with over 100k miles.

How much is my R53 worth
 

i get that point.. of not knowing how hard the car has been ran.. its done one burn out in its life no track yet... its well kept.. but think it may come down to demodding.. and going from there

This post was from 2015

R53 pricing problem
 

Bought a shagged out R53 a three months ago, needed lots of TLC. Three months later has new, not reman motor with warranty. Every part I've uprated from an LSD and short shifter, magniflow header, milltek exhaust system, flowed and ported supercharger, 15% reduction pully, Jesus head with 550 injectors, completely new evap system, canton water reservoir, m7 cai and strut bar, ohlins coilovers I could go on. She has been flashed and on the dyno puts out 253 at wheels.
She needs a new home, I've got way to many cars and need to find time for my new Lotus. Anybody know what figure I should put on this puppy?

R53 pricing problem
 

Bought a shagged out R53 a three months ago, needed lots of TLC. Three months later has new, not reman motor with warranty. Every part I've uprated from an LSD and short shifter, magniflow header, milltek exhaust system, flowed and ported supercharger, 15% reduction pully, Jesus head with 550 injectors, completely new evap system, canton water reservoir, m7 cai and strut bar, ohlins coilovers I could go on. She has been flashed and on the dyno puts out 253 at wheels.
She needs a new home, I've got way to many cars and need to find time for my new Lotus. Anybody know what figure I should put on this puppy?

It’s worth what someone will pay for it. Realistically, I’d say add up all the money you’ve spent on parts, divide by 2, and that’s what you’ll probably get out of it. Maybe up to $1,000 more because of the motor, but that’s iffy.

253 at the wheels, what type of work was done on the engine? I know you say that it's new, but not even New JCW engines put out 253 at the wheels? Pictures and a Dyno report would help.

Never mind, someone bumped an old thread.

That’s why I’ll never sale mine, and I knew this going into all the mods. To me it’s worth all the money I put into it, to someone else not so much.

R53
 

Decision on R53, put about $25000 into this car and apparently will not get that back, I've decided to give it away.
Anybody know of a charity which would benefit from this vehicle.

Huh? It's not valueless.

Happy to set up a charity in my name. I'll give you my address!

I don't know about Iowa, but here in Arizona our local NPR radio station has a program to accept donated cars. They do all the paperwork and haul it away. Then you can make a charity claim on your income tax.

https://kjzz.org/vehicle-donations