I wanted this car for years, now I finally have it I may have to sell it. I am having chronic back pain issues and I don't think it's any coincidence they have started since I had the Mini.

I have a Chili Red 2007 S, with the winter package, LSD, ASC, Auto Climate - pictures are in my profile. Less than 11k miles right now.

Anyone have any tips on the best way to get maximum value for it?

 

If you really love your car, have a chiropractor check it out. Maybe he/she can give you tips.

 

I've been going to one since Christmas. I took a cross-country plane ride to San Diego last week drove around in a rental car while I was there, flew back across the country and I was fine. Then I got in the Coop to drive home from the airport and I'm in pain straight away - it's only a 20 minute ride.

Trust me, this is not something I wanted to do. I fought my wife for about 3 years to get one of these cars.

 

I would give your back some time to adjust. How many times has the doctor said, "a hard chair is better for you than a soft one"? Maybe a back brace for awhile until you get used to it. Or one of the QVC cushions F27884? This would re-align your back maybe.

 

I had the same issue with an '06 Honda Civic coupe. Loved the car when it came out...had to have one. As far as cars go, it was a great car, great service, great mileage, etc. Problem was that I could NOT get comfortable in it. After 6 months of back/knee pain, I traded it off and, of course, took a big hit. Same situation you are in now....back hurt from the moment I got in that car no matter what. Tried cushions, pillow, etc.....nothing helped.

If you love the MINI that much, maybe you can find a custom upholstery place and have them take a look at it. Surely there is someone who specializes in car seats and they can manipulate the padding in the seats or change things around. It's worth checking into, at least.

I would have done this for the Honda I had, but it just happened that I also discovered that it had trouble towing a small trailer....that was the straw that broke the camels back, so to speak. It had to go at that point.

Good luck.

 

what seats/interior do you have??

 

If you have back pain issues and your visits to chiropractors have been ineffective you NEED to see your PCP or either a orthopedic surgeon or neurologist who deals with pain issues. Chiropractors may not have the training or ability to deal with your medical issues.

Vinaya Reddy, MD
Abdominal Imaging and Intervention
Riverside Radiology Associates
Columbus, OH. 43214

 

Yeah, I meant that the doc should see you AND your car together

 

... spoken like a true doctor, ..... J/K around though

 

I too have major back issues but instead of selling the car, I went out and bought a set of Recaro seats, while I currently don't have them in the car right now, I did in my last car....they were costly (mostly cuz they are a rare seat) but well worth the money.....have you thought about swapping yours for a better seat? From my research, bracket/rails for the mini cost around $400 for the pair to install plus the seats.....just another option....and if you want to see what my seats look like there are some pics in my gallery.....good luck either way!!!

 

Fabric sports seats - very hard.

If you have back pain issues and your visits to chiropractors have been ineffective you NEED to see your PCP or either a orthopedic surgeon or neurologist who deals with pain issues. Chiropractors may not have the training or ability to deal with your medical issues.[/quote]

Already seeing an orthopedic surgeon as well - he was the one that found the stress fracture in my spine through an x-ray, I also had an MRI, which was clear. He is sending me for a nerve root block, which will hopefully help/pinpoint the problem. Chiropractor is just doing core strengthening exercises right now.

However, what bothers me is that all these problems started around the time I got the car and as I described earlier, I can sit in other cars and go on long plane rides and be fine. Very frustrating.

 

I feel your pain... When I drive my g/f's '03 MCS (leather sport seats), if I forget to make some adjustments to the seat, my back will start hurting within an hour. Unfortunately, since we're about the same height, I usually forget... I've never had this with any other car.

Your comments are curious to me as the new R56 sport seats feel a lot more supportive and comfortable than the R53 sport seats, although I have yet to drive one or ride in one for any length of time.

 

Is the R56 like the R53 in that cloth seats do not have lumbar support adjustment?

You may want to test drive a MINI with lumbar spt. -- I think it really helps.

As to your question:
Private sale -- you won't get max value as trade-in to dealer
It's a nice looking car by the way.

 

How do I accurately assess it's value? Kelly Blue Book doesn't have a listing for Mini under used cars.

 

At least with 1st gen cars, I've found Kelley to seriously overvalue the MINIs -- although that's a good thing when trying to convince a buyer that your asking price is reasonable.

But to get a more accurate estimate of your car's worth, I would check out edmunds.com -- their values tend to be more realistic.

 

I agree with JohnnyG, do you want to keep the car?? Why don't you go back to the dealership(if it is close) drive a MINI with lumbar support, if it works, swap/buy new seats!!! If you don't really want to keep it be ready to take a bath on selling in this market. Financially, it would be cheaper to replace the seats

 

Don't give up on the Mini!!! I ordered the sport seats in mine, because the regular seats absolutely killed my back, but the sport seats are fine. Really comfortable, actually, even on long trips. If you really love the car, check out different seats for it.

 

Go to Edmunds.com and do the "sell/appraise" link off the front page. Edmunds is much more accurate, in my experience, for both used and new cars versus KBB or NADA as it takes a look at the prices that are actually being paid by the market. Edmunds also is simply a great web site and tool for car shopping and sales.

 

I am preparing to put my '03 MCS up for sale and the back pain I am experiencing as a result of the seats is among the top factors motivating me to do so. Don't get me wrong, it is a fantastic car and an absolute blast to drive, but the seats are among the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in.

 

When I bought I looked at eBay "completed listings" to see at what prices MINI's were selling (green) and which prices (red) were not. I think eBay sales (green) will be on the low end of what you can get. You can also see Autotrader or cars dot com to see what others are listed at just to get a ballpark

 

I have the sport seats in cloth. So far, no back problems with the Mini. However, I had a company vehicle, a Dodge Caravan that nearly killed my back. Also I recently got rid of an F-150, with captain seats that would cause lower back pain unless you constantly changed positions. My wife has a Ford Explorer that I can drive all day in comfort. So, depending on your height, etc. seats can cause back pain.

 

I have had to deal with flank pain (kidneys) in various cars in the
past and have found a simple cushion can make all the difference
in the world to me.

If you think about it... the difference between sitting in your MINI
and other vehicles are mainly twofold. Position , and support.

If you find the right combination, you should be able to fix the problem,
I'd think. (It would be different if "All" cars hurt your back.)

For a lot less than the cost of new seats, I'd find a vehicle that's not
a problem to you, try to visualize what's different about how your
positioned in the seat , and try to "match" it as close as possible.

It may be just a matter of ergonomics. Kind of like figuring out where
the rock is under your sleeping bag, if that makes sense.