Let me preface this with I am not looking for any arguments, just looking for answers on your opinion.

Why would any GP owner spend $40k+ on getting one of the exclusive to take things off like decals and wheels and have it look like a regular MINI JCW?

If you buy it for performance only, would it not of been cheaper to get a JCW and add the performance parts of your choice?

Changing out the wheel is one thing, taking off all the decals is another IMO.

The paint and decals make it a GP, not just the performance again IMO.

Here is why I asked. The owner asked "Which do you prefer"

 

I do understand the point of making the changes, but I wonder about how good of an idea it is. The GP is an ultra limited edition car. Only 500 of them will be available in the US. While wheels can easily be swapped back, I've read of people changing the suspension, modifying the engine and interior, etc. I would think that would reduce the value of what is a pretty rare car. To each their own, though. From what I've seen, the GP is a second car for most people, and I figure that the kind of person who has a spare $40K to play with isn't really concerned with the resale value of a car.

 

Then why buy an exclusive model. Like I said, why not buy a JCW and go nuts on the performance end of it making it better the a GP?

 

Maybe they don't want to mess with getting all those mods done and messing up the warranty. Some people worry that dolled up cars attract theives and stuff.

 

Some people do it for attention... specifically like this thread. As a GP1 owner, you always hear about the guy that... has a stripe on his GP... turn his GP into a truck... wrapped his GP in matte black...RMW tuned his GP...etc.

Some people just don't care. Money to buy the best and then call it their own. Certainly you can get similar performance in a JCW, but there's still something to be said about the suspensions, lack of rear seats, special paint color/combination, 135i brakes, rear wing, rear diffuser. While you or I would love to mod our cars, others want them out of a box.

I personally like to make invisible changes.

 

If it were between the two in the pics, i would pick the stock GP on the left. Aside from the factory out of the box performance, i like the GP badging/stickers. The whole package makes it a GP.

If the owner wanted to make it a sleeper, he still has a way to go: red brakes, red ducts, JCW badging. And it looks like he's doing away with the chrome. If that's the case, silver roof needs to go too.

 

It should be down to two questions,
1) You like the GP2
2) You don't like the GP2

If #1 you go ahead and buy one & LEAVE IT ALONE !!
if #2 you buy something else and make it whatever you want.

It makes you wonder why someone would buy a very special car and then change it in to something it was never meant to be.

 

I don't own a GP so I did not do this for attention.

 

Philosophy 101. Just another Ancient Greek asking questions, right?

 

Call it curiosity

 

The first thing I'd do if I was a new GP owner was remove the tacky graphics/red highlights. They can always be added later to satisfy a new owner that needs to 'advertise' his/her GP.

Different strokes for different folks.

And it would not be a garage queen.

 

I understand you don't own the GP. But if the owner of that GP wanted this type of attention, he got it due to this thread.

 

I'm sceptical that there are only 500 in the US. first they are only numbering them in the US, secondly the dealers are adding the numbers and lastly it appears that every dealer is sitting on GP inventory. At the Dragon this year you couldn't turn around without seeing a GP2 driving by. If you own number 0001 it's not the real 0001.... It's the US Market 0001. What's that really worth?

 

color? thunder gray metallic

resale?

 

I have had 8 Minis to include two of the 2006 GP's and a new GP. It is my money that I spend I work hard for it, I feel like I can do what I want. I can afford a Porsche a BMW even a Ferrari but I really like the Mini brand and the GP is the one for me at the monent. Everyone has their own ways of making cars that they own>> Unique to each other.
These GP's are unique and with only 500 reaching the USA, me personnaly I would keep them like the way they left the factory except maybe new tires, a Front clear Bra and Tint the windows. a Few little stickers doesnt hurt if you want to add as they can esily be taken off. This is my opinion. Oh By the way I had my car at the Dragon this year. I go to the Dragon twice a year. I have been there maybe 20 times and the GP handles the road like no other car that I have taken to the Dragon. I am enjoying the Car >> BMW / Mini made it Awesome!!

 

The GP on the right is badass

 

Well, some people buy the car because in their mind it is collectible others buy it to track it and others buy it to be their daily driver... Which is why I bought it. No matter what car I own, I always alter it to my liking. Sure one could buy a regular mini and convert it into a GP clone but it still not be a GP. For me it was the best starting point for a Mini and a platform that I can improve upon. This is not the best Mini could've done when designing a GP in my opinion but for me it was a good base and no matter what I do to it it is still a GP. Whether or not people think I cheapened by altering it is a matter of opinion. I feel that anything I do to my cars makes them more likeable to me. I see where your coming from and the bottom line is that with anything, one can always replicate another vehicle for less money but they will never be an original. So if people remove decals, swap out wheels and suspension or add carbon fiber to their GP it's their choice and at the end of the day it's still a GP versus the guy that added GP parts to a Cooper that will always ever be a Cooper.

 

Tim I have been patiently waiting for you to get involved. I appreciate and respect your answer thank you

 

I don't think you can understand why people do what they do. I like small cars and I always liked the MINI. I usually lease cars and for some strange reason I decided to buy this one. Its a JCW that someone configured with just about everything there was to add from the factory except for PDC and NAV. They could not get financing and it sat on the lot for 4 months until I came along. The sticker on the car was $42k. Crazy expensive back then for a MINI. I got a good deal on it for $38k.

Now some might say that $38k for a MINI is way to expensive. I have even had people tell me I have a $20k with $20k in options.

It looked like this:



I found NAM a day after I bought it. Now it looks like this


I spent a ton of money during the first 3 years I had the car.

Looking back on this little adventure... I am sorry I bought it. If I leased it I would not have done many of these mods. And you know what I am sorry I did any of this.

I walked into the dealer last month and there was a GP on the floor much to my surprise. I thought about trading my car in. Doing all this stuff was fun but now I am stuck with it. I can't sell it because I would never make back what I put into it (not that I even expect to) and I wouldn't want to remove everything and put it back to stock to sell it.

In summary... to each there own. You can never understand why people do what they do or why they spend their money on certain things.

To answer the question. Which do I prefer? I would pick the car on the left. The car on the right is not a GP any longer as far as I am concerned.

 

Just to be clear. I am not bashing anyone who does anything to their MINI. I am just curious to why? Nothing more nothing less.

 

I picked mods that weren't gonna rip my pockets. I really don't need a lot since I try to keep a budget so if anything crazy does happen I can keep up with my maintenance or repairs. But I think I'm good since I have a plan of what I want. Plus I will still be able to sell the car later on in two-three years. But I might keep him. I see a lot of owners with 200k miles, and my goal is to get somewhere near that with my R56. And I'd love to add the Countryman JCW into the family in two years or so.

 

One of the fun things about having a MINI is the level of you-ification you can do. Seriously, get a bunch of MINIs together and just marvel at the differences. No other car is like this.
The thing is, every one of the GPs are identical. The colors, the interior, the decals... everything is exactly the same.
I'm not sure that I'd want to show up to MOTD or even a local meet up and have a car exactly like someone else's.
So... would I remove the decals? Maybe. Would I keep the decals and add other stuff? Probably.
The point I'm making is that the owner of that GP is you-ifying the car, just like we've all done to ours. It may not be done to our liking, but it's NOT OUR MINI.

If the owner likes it, then it's perfect.

Motor on.

 

If I had a GP, I would leave it as is, but I bet that if the color combo Thunder Grey/Silver wasn't exclusive to the GP, it would be one of the more popular colors around.

 

I am thinking about getting a GP. I would remove all the stickers from the car before I took delivery, the dealer said it would be no problem. I would also order a new sticker kit for the new owner if and when I decided to sell it. I like the idea of all the mods being done by the factory and the warranty. I don't like all the flash and think the car looks great when all that is removed. Every mini is unique!

 

I have one of the original GP's and find all of the opinions very interesting. I have always liked cars that are exclusive and have owned several. My take on this is the following.
1. A GP will always retain a higher resale value vs a JCW with upgraded GP parts. This would especially be true if a GP was modded but the original parts were retained to bring the car back to stock condition. In most situation's an unaltered car has a higher resale demand. If you compare a '06 GP to a '06 JCW, which may have started at the same price, you will see that there is a substantially higher return on the GP.
2. Every car made, including the GP, is targeted to a specific market. This involves not only the purpose for which the car is built but also has to comply with several different countries conditions of manufacture. Bottom line here is that everything has it's compromises. IMHO if their is something that you would like to do differently to make the car fit your style better then have at it. Just know up front that these alterations are for your own personal enjoyment and that they will not necessarily increase the value of the car and may even create a condition of lesser value.
I use my GP for spirited country road driving. I have set up my suspension for that purpose which is completely different than if I were a track junky. I also like to listen to music on my jaunts so I have installed a kick *** stereo. These mods may not be what others would like but they fit my use just fine. In my eyes I have improved my GP for the purpose that I use it for and have no regrets.
Steve