Hey All,

I am currently on the hunt for my first Mini. I came across this GP and I am considering buying it. I would love to hear your thoughts/advice about it and if any of you have any inside knowledge on this particular GP I would appreciate any insite.

Also from what I read online it seems like most people looking for a GP like them all original. Since this one doesn't have the original Seats, Wheels, Exhaust, Side Markers and I think the Gear Shift ****. Would all that affect the value of the GP?
Thank you all in advance!

GP #0323 - 72k miles

Factory Leather Dash Upgrade
Sway Bars
Custom Exhaust
Lighter Wheels
Recaro Seats with tilt/slide/recline
5 Point Harness & Original OEM Seat Belt
Bolt-in Roll Cage

recent service history:
Brakes
Clutch
Tires
Fluids
Smog etc...

 

Can't get past the wheels.

 

Ha Ha! In a good or bad way? At first I figured I would change them out or paint them if I get the car, but the more I look at them the more they kinda grow on me... lol! I'm still undecided about them but in the grand scheme of things it's the car that matters, I can always change them out or paint them.

 

Depends on the price obviously, has a lot more miles than the recent ones posted up on the board. Further it is from stock the less it is worth to a collector.

Hate the wheels, but if black or silver might be lots better.

 

Does it hurt the value? Yes and No. Of course to the purist it does but to most others that plan to really use the car it shouldn't. They may use that as a negotiating point to try to get the price down of course. Are you buying it to play with, track days, auto-x etc or as an investment? If you get it at a decent price and get to enjoy it for however long you'll get your moneys worth out of it when you sell it. If it becomes a garage queen and you want what you paid for it, maybe not..

 

I am buying it to play with as a daily driver for the most part. I wouldn't be opposed to tracking it a little seeing as I figure it probably has seen some track time already, given it has race seats, lighter wheels and a rollbar but that isn't the plan.

Along with that I would think it also would hold its value a bit better than a non-GP, But I dont see myself selling it, as I plan on keeping it indefinitely should it be this GP or another one.

May I ask what you all think would be a fair price for this GP? I would like to know what would be a fair price, so I know to take it or walk away and wait for a better deal.

 

What is the asking price?
It is definitively not much of a GP anymore so if there was any extra value as a GP it is mostly gone. However, if you are looking for a fun Mini Cooper S the GP is a good starting point because of the basic mods that came on the GP such as JCW engine mods, bigger intercooler, JCW suspension, JCW brakes, alum trailing arm, rear seat delete, rear wing, and aero package. There are a lot of little mods that can be seen in the pictures so much depends on the quality of the mods and whether or not they are mods you want such as a roll bar or "custom" exhaust.
I would not be concerned about the miles. I have 100,000 on my GP and it is still going strong.
There are minor issues that happen with all 2005-2006 Mini Cooper S that it would be nice to know if they have already been fixed such as engine mount, lower control arm bushings, thermostat housing/gasket, crank position sensor o-ring, and fan relay. I can see that the coolant reservoir has been replaced with Alum tank (make sure it fits/mounts correctly). What is red button on driver dash panel?


I live 60 miles north of you if you get serious about the car and want to bring it by for us to give it a look over and I can point out the mods plus give my opinion of each mod's pros/cons.

 

Ok, I'll comment...

First I had to laugh when I read the ebay post (I still get the ebay GP alerts despite my search being over). Seller I believe wrote "not tracked" which is funny not only because of race seats and rollbar, but because of all the track stickers on left rear window - which are typically put there to "show off" all the tracks the car has been on!

Putting that aside (and the related thought that maybe seller cant be fully trusted), I have no problem with any of it (wheels can be dealt with later) if you want those mods. I think that MINI didn't take the GP far enough and that its a far better(more fun) car to drive when taken closer towards the image the car represents (street/track racer). Of course this is very dependent on what your ideals are, how you will drive it, and ignores resale value. I love mine more each little step it takes towards hardcore, but not a dd.

[Edit] A good price to you will swing by thousands depending on whether or not you expect to install similar mods yourself later.

 

The asking price is 17,500 but the owner said he is willing to negotiate on the price. My thinking is that price is a bit high given the state of the car. That is why I am looking for advice here so I know better how to negotiate with the guy.

If you dont mind could you point out the little mods you have noticed that I might be unaware of. So far I noticed the Wheels, Seats, Side Markers, Front Grill, Roll Bar, and the Exhaust, Rally Lights, Blacked out Door Handles, Gas Cap and Headlight Trim.

I think the red button might be for the Rally lights on the front, but I could be wrong. I will ask the seller when I talk to him tonight.

Also Thank you for your offer to give the car a look over, I greatly appreciate it! I might take you up on that should I buy the car. Would love to have you take a look before I purchase it but the seller is about a 150 miles south of me so unfortunately that isn't an option.

 

I would say that $17,500 is too high for that car. That would be about right price, and maybe a little high, for a stock GP with lower miles. I would think about $13,000 for that car with it mods especially if the original parts (like wheels) are not included with the car. The seats are nice.
I think you got most of the obvious mods. I also see door handle covers, alum coolant reservoir, dash cover, stubby antenna, shift ****,and black headlight surrounds. I cannot tell if it has different springs/shocks.
Too bad he didn't wire the rally lights into the normal toggle panel rather then red button.

 

Thanks again QuikMni for your helpful advice! I had a feeling $17,500 wa a bit high as similar GP's I have seen for sell are going between $15,500 and $16,500 and they are mostly original.

So we have $13,000 so far... Would anyone else like to concur on that price or have any other numbers you would think would be a fair price for this GP?

 

This is a bit late now, but a BIG thank you to all of you for your input. I greatly appreciate it! So the price was right, I can happily now say I am the proud owner or GP #0323 I absolutely love the car!!! <3

 

Congrats on the Gp, thats the first one i have seen with those recaros in it.

 

Congrats - glad to see it worked out in the end. Hopefully you will be looking for some autocross events to take this to Those seats with harness' alone will be a major plus there.

Just for your own knowledge, you should inspect the S/C pulley to see if its been changed out for a smaller one. Considering the other mods, I would be surprised if the stock one is there.

 

Thank you ECS and AJ! AJ I have checked out the engine and S/C Pulley, along with going as far as tracking down most if not all previous owners of the car to learn the history of the GP.

From what I have learned, The engine hasn't really been touched aside from some maintenance. Most of the mods that have been done thus far have only been cosmetic aside from the Hotchkis Rear Sway Bar, Rear Lower Camber Links and Billet Power Steering Revisor.

I do have plans for the car, so I am sure that I will eventually switch out the S/C Pulley along with everything else I would like to do... ha ha!