Question for those of you who owned an original Mini BEFORE 2002 when the new ones came out.

Have the prices gone up alot? Are current prices of classic Minis inflated due to excitement over the new ones?

I ask because I have an intrest in picking up a classic mini as a daily driver (my commute is 3.9 miles ) but am a bit supprised that the values for a car that had been produced for 35 years are in the 5-7k range.

 

if you can find a minimal rust daily driver for 5 - 7k ....buy it ......but do your homework..........check out http://www.minimania.com/ClassList.cfm to get an idea of what you get for how much money....

 

I sold a MK3 really nice rust free car with a 998 and 12" wheels in 2000 for around $8500.00. I think current value has nothing to do with the new MINI. Like any old car. Good ones are getting hard to find which drives the price up.

 

i agree with that statement........i think there might be a little more excitement about the old ones due to the new ones.....but i dont think thats a reflection to price............i had never seen or heard of the old ones until i bought my "06"

 

Since the release of the MINI, there has been a big jump in the number of Minis on eBay and the like, especially for cars being imported from NZ, Aus and Europe. I really think that the release of the MINI has driven a huge amount of new interest in Minis. Almost every MINI owner I talk to is fascinated and intruiged by classic Minis. Many of them had no idea that Minis even existed before the MINI was released.

 

I'm exactly one of the people you cite. I new about Mini in the 70's, but lost interest (a college buddy had one)

Bought an 02 S and rekindled the interest. Stumbled on a classic at a price I liked and bought it. Having a blast since.

I bought 3 years ago, and then as now I'd agree that a driver is gonna cost $5k to $8k .... depending on your definition of daily driver. Beyond passing a basic safety inspection for states that do that, and starting reliably, and not scaring you to death at speeds of 45mph, prices go up. You can easily find fully restored mint cars in the $30k range.

But that begs a different question. When someone asks me what my '79 is worth, I ask, What will you give me?

Everything is for sale, all the time. The question is, how actively are we negotiating. A classic is worth zippo unless you can find a buyer. Frankly, the average MINI buyer is not someone with a lot of disposable income, in my opinion. Rather I believe that MINI is actually seeing a large number of first time buyers (to wit many of the questions that get posted about 'deals' or 'can I ask the dealer to change this') Not all, certainly...but face it, it is an ideal 'first new car', and that market is not in the position to also buy a toy.

And TOY it is. Anyone who would buy a 'classic' Mini and plan to use it as a daily driver is nuts..... Oh, it can be done, but you need to be ready for unscheduled trips back to the garage & have either lots of time to 'tinker' or lots of disposable income.... I have a little of both...it is a weekend car and I love to get grease under my fingernails.

No I don't see prices going up ... but I do see a bit more action in the market.

 

I think Mini prices have increased over the past 12 mos. But, they do fluctuate up & down as anything else does over time. MINIs have generated more buyers for Minis, imho. More demand + firmer pricing.

 

UNLESS the said kook is buying a Vtech mini which is where I step in - grew up LOVING Minis (Trips to Germany to visit family) but FEARED their maintenance as I'm about as handy with repairs as a bra is for men - he might be weird and like it but it's really not doing anything! The combination of the two cars was music to my ears...the alleged performance gain is icing on the cake.

BUT I have yet to experience the "actual" product and in the future may ask Capt BJ, "What the !*&%$ was I thinking?"

My commute is 3.1 miles down twisty country roads - but I do drive to places for work though.

 

We had a classic as our 2nd car back in the early 80s. Drove it daily and on trips. We had friends down in Columbia S.C. and we could drive down and visit for about 3 bucks.

 

I've had my classic for a couple of months- she had been a daily driver but the former owner had to sell and she is now a cherished member of the family that once winter finishes (it finally started snowing here today) will be out for fun and a few days of commuting to school and back (maybe 2 miles). She does need a little work but... nothing too intensive.

I would agree, the interest has increased but the price is determined by how much the buyer wants to dicker. I paid a little more than I should have, but it was local and I had been thinking about a playmate for my '05 MCS since the summer.

 

I don't believe a person is nuts to use a Mini as a daily driver--but they should be able to get their hands dirty and not be afraid to tinker with the mechanics.

I use my Mini as a daily driver--at least 60 miles a day. I've not ever found myself "running back to the garage," but I can also get into the engine and solve problems.

 

I've wanted a Mini since I was a car-obessed teenager in the 70s. I finally got an MGB in 1995 and spent a year renovating it. It's a fun car for sunny days. I still wanted a tintop and started looking for a Mini. I found mine at Turky's in Charleston (that was an experience) last summer. It was in reasonably good condition and only needed a few odds and ends. As much as love the the fire-breathing look of hotted-up Minis, I've left this one pretty much as it was born. It's a fun weekend driver.

Side note: The missus and I drove it down the bayfront road to a small community where we have a Sunday cup of coffee at a bookstore. When we came out of the bookstore, there was a new Ferrari F430 Spider two spaces away from the Mini. There was a group of about 10 people milling around the Mini - the Ferrari was all by its lonesome. Maybe it proves that love is better than lust.

 

Thanks for the input guys .....keep it comming

A bit more history on me....My dad had restored a morris minor 1000 (and two more parts cars ) and to this day the stupid fuel pump never works very long. (i.e. dont drive out of town) So i am familiar with the classic brit reliability. I have wondered even about the vtecs, whether those are actually reliable or not? But, like a said....my commute is 4 miles and it is not my only car. I like older cars as seconds because I can actually work on them and the systems are easy to understand....since it is more of a toy If I cant get it fixed myself in one day no big deal....I have the other MINI to drive

So, what I am trying to establish is the market for these cars. You know in the case of the morris minors there are far less here in the USA and yet they much lower in price it seems.(ebay searches) Since I was not in the classic mini market 5+ years ago I don't know how much current prices are inflated due to modern intrests.

So if you bought one before 01-02 maybe you could share the price you paid and the condition of the car and perhaps whether you imported it or bought it in the states

 

I've been watching Mini prices for the past few years since my g/f bought an '03 MCS. Through that car we've met friends with older Minis and I've driven a couple. Prices for decent drivers seem be around $7K - $10K. Any more than that and the seller isn't really interested in selling (sorry Norm, I love your car, but $12K is just insane... ...maybe... maybe if it had a freshly rebuilt, worked engine w/ twin SU's... ).

But, as stated previously, a car is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it... not what the seller is asking for it. No Mini is worth more than $10K to me... but that doesn't mean there's aren't folks out there who will pay that much for one.

IMHO, a classic car can serve as a daily driver, but one should really have a back-up car in case of repairs or foul weather. If/when I get my Mini, I will probably drive it to work as often as practical (100+ mile commute), but it will stay in the garage at the first hint of rain or snow.

 

Like you said a car is worth what someone will pay........do i want to sell my mini....NO......will i sell my mini.....Yes ........for 7 - 10K......NO........i will keep my mini for-ever, but everything has a price tag and 12.5K is mine.....i've seen crappier ones for more........if someone doesn't have the time and skill to put into one they might spend more for one that has already been re-worked

 

New MINI made more people (like me) love or rekindle a love for the Mini. More demand = highter prices, as the supply is limited. In addition it brings buyers into the market that will overpay as they do not know the real value of something, this will in turn also raise other prices.

On the subject of maintenance, I am curious to find an AVID MG guy with a Mini as well and see if that Mini has been kept up better.

It has been my experience that I have seen a bunch of reuse of parts that would better be discarded, that makes me think that a Mini, if maintained properly, including replacing of parts and hardware with NEW or REALLY reconditioned items may be more dependable.

Nonetheless I am going Vtec, If I get a second Mini I will likely go with a Mini motor and keep it more of a restoration job than my current one.

Then again a Moris Minor with a straihgt 6 crate motor has me and the GF thinking...

 

It does add up quick when you start from scratch on a project car...I think once I do paint in a couple of months mine will be hitting total investment near Big Norm's asking price.

 

To answer the original question. Yes.

In 1985 a clean true Mk1 or Mk2 Cooper S fetched between $3500 and $5000.

However, in 2000 that same car would sell for close to $8500.

Since the New Mini, regular 998 cc and 1275cc cars coming over from Europe and Australia have flooded the north american market and have set a standard price of $8-10,000 with a true Mk1 or Mk2 Cooper S comanding $15-25,000.

This has been the trend since 2002, and though the prices may have swayed on an individual basis, the prices have stayed relatively still since 2002

Also of note, replacement parts prices have skyrocketed, and now are mostly nongenuine and aftermarket, with decreased quality in many instances.

dr dave

 

I was told by the couple that I bought my Mini from (who import them using a contact friend in GB to locate suitable cars) that finding decent Minis, at least in GB, is becoming more difficult. Maybe the WestPAMini guys can confirm this. Given that decreasing supply, the aging Baby Boomers (with excess discretionary $$, a fond rememberance of the first Italian Job movie, and flashbacks of tooling around in British sportscars during the 60's), and increasing gas prices, I think that the existing Minis will increase in value. This will be especially true of those that have been well maintained and restored by Mini enthusiasts like us.

 

[quote=Xanthus;1325832]

On the subject of maintenance, I am curious to find an AVID MG guy with a Mini as well and see if that Mini has been kept up better.

It has been my experience that I have seen a bunch of reuse of parts that would better be discarded, that makes me think that a Mini, if maintained properly, including replacing of parts and hardware with NEW or REALLY reconditioned items may be more dependable.




I was surprised to see the price premium that Mini parts carry over similar MGB parts especially in light of the fact that 5 million Minis were built compared to 500,000 MGBs. Most MGBs were driven hard becuase of the nature of the car - open top sports car. I would think that most Minis that have remained in an as-built condition have not been driven quite so hard.

The common problem of course, is rust. All cars of the vintage we are talking about here have horrible rust prevention. The advantage that I had with the MGB was that nearly all rust-prone parts are bolt on. The front wings, doors and bootlid on my car had to be replaced with better donor car parts. Since 2/3 of all MGBs built were exported to the USofA, donor cars are easy to find and cheap - I bought two for under $500.

I love my MG and Mini. They're both reasonably affordable, easy to maintain and fun to drive. And you get to hang out with nice people like everyone here...

 

Yeah, the cost of Mini parts has been a bit surprising to a wannabe owner... given the quantity of cars built and the general "smallness" of those parts compared to other popular cars. Prices are comparable to those for the Volvo 1800 (we have three '73s)... of which around 46K were built during the entire production run from 61-73.

 

i also believe that the curency from pounds to dollars as also cause an increase here in the states

 

I have a 1987 Austin Mini that I use as an everyday driver. It has never let me down yet. I have had other British vehicles that you couldn't depend on starting or ever getting where you are going. I have been very pleased with this Mini. This car is dead stock other than spotlights and Stereo. I think the less they have been modded the more reliable they are.