Year: 2006
Make: MINI
Model: Hardtop
Price: $1
Mileage: 100
Color: red
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (Region): Midwestern

Questionable 05 JCW BRG 92k miles $7900
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...code=undefined

 

03 S 25k miles BRG $5000
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...code=undefined

 

Lots of great deals popping up !!




.

 

So out of curiosity, what is your ideal spec?

 

‘Ideal’ ... for an R53
2006 JCW (Factory installed:LSD/211hp/exh)
Pepper-White Black roof
Anthracite headliner
Piano-black ‘seven’ interior
No aero ‘kit’ or grille
Chrome interior and exterior packs
Black side-mirrors
Manual climate control
Heated seats
Heated auto-fold mirrors (never have seen)
Sunroof
R98 wheels, BBS NOT Ronal variant
Panther Black interior (later upgrade leather)
No mods
Xenon’s l
Stock suspension (would get FSD’s)
Rear Fog Light
HK sound


All the bolt on bits, some are nice ... and make for ‘good finds’ during ownership. doesn’t matter if they were dealer installed or not... Not important to me if they are ‘factory BMW/MINI’ or John-Cooper-Works ‘garage’ parts ... or aftermarket parts so long as they are top quality.

That being said... CF scoop, mirror caps, trunk handle with double bonnet stripes done in the R56 Black w/red pinstripes style ... would be cool..

I take it for granted that I’ll need to have the front bumper, scoop and hood re-painted & PPF’d ... and, the windshield replaced as even on a low mile ‘find’ R53 the glass is not perfect, in order to satisfy my OCD-ness. Of course full paint correction and Modesta ceramic treatment.

I love driving these cars ... fun to get around town in... inexpensive to buy...relatively inexpensive to maintain... lots of Fahrvergnügen with these little hot-hatches.

Any mileage so long as it is ‘tight’ and well maintained. Lots of stuff to tend to to bring the cars to the ‘well maintained’ status... weather that is a 15 yr old car with 25k or a 15 yr old car with 125k miles on it... so I know I’ll enjoy my Sunday wrench or detail sessions.


Ideal R56... the one on my garage 😜

Or
A 2012 Goodwood
Reef blue
6-sp

Then, take off and preserve the original bits for:

• Akra Full exhaust with 200 cell converter
• Mario Stage 2 tune
• Forge IC
• Ohlins R&T suspension
• GP2 brakes F&R
• Upgrade rear sway/links
• Rotiform forged NÜE 18x7 wheels
• OR, Silver R113 18x7” JCW wheels
• Michelin Comp 2s
• Recaro CS, heated/SRS, skinned in CornSilk
• MINI factory LED driving lights
• MINI factory LED-Halo fog lights.
• Paint-match JCW aero kit.
• Blackline tail lights
• GP diffuser and pans
• 80% front/70% side 3M Ceramic tint

.

 

2006 Factory JCW
BRG, Silver or Pepper White (Black or Body Color Roof/Mirrors)
Aero Kit
English Leather Seats
Anthracite Headliner
Less than 60k miles (lower the better)
Body Color Door Cards and Dash
JCW Steering Wheel
Xenons
Heated Seats

Just sitting on $20k ready to buy the right car....🙄

 

Krawz

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a PW card/dash on a 53 ... would be cool to see one

was that a factory option ? (Sincere question)

​​​​​​​

 

Sorry I was just dreaming I guess lol. I’m not sure they offered a dash in PW or BRG. I’m sure somebody knows the answer. The Piano Black Seven Interior would be cool and I think Allmag has it in stock last time I checked, but at this point it could be years before I find a car 🙄

 

PW dash was available in the later R52, and can be swapped over. You won’t find that from factory in R53 though

As far as i recall, color matched R53 dash colors included:

Pure Silver
Royal Gray
Chili Red
Hyper Blue
Space Blue
Indie Blue? (2002-2004)
Yellow (forget which one)

There are more, but just with R52-specific colors like Hot Orange, Cool Blue, etc.

They can always be painted, to whatever you want.

 

I had the Dark Silver factory color-matched doors and dash in my '06 R53.

 

Why isn't there a website where you can "build your own" and it looks up all the VINs that are close approximations and identifies their current registered owners, and then sends an email out to each one with your offer?
Hmm.....

There has to be somebody out there who wants to help pry that $20K out of your hand.

 

I looked at the allmags piano black, they were a little rough, but maybe could be polished out to a point. Yeah, most of your list could be added after, you mainly need the right color factory 06 JCW. Of course most would want that list already equipped, but you could either wait 1-5 years for the right one (or longer) or get a solid low mile 06 and go from there. Probably more realistic. But you could “always” get lucky.

 

If that website existed I would own way too many cars lol.

That’s what I was thinking.....but 7 or so months later I still don’t have a car.

 

I realize that the odds of me finding the perfect car are like zero. I’ve come across a few really nice JCWs and passed on them. I think the issue I’m worried about is the fact that finding some of these parts (aero kit, anthracite headliner) is basically impossible.

 

So I’m trying to piece together a few things for mine mainly AeroKit to start. So far, I have:
Aero upper grille (new)
Bumper Upper grille (used but nice)
Bottom Lower grille (used but nice, but will probably order new)
Front bumper (used but a little banged up underneath)
Front bumper (new Bremmen aftermarket) perfect...except needing modification for side marker light
Rear bumper (used and almost perfect)

I got a bumper problem lol. Just need side skirts, and might actually end up with another front bumper, but in almost perfect shape. So yeah, getting OCD about bumpers here lol. Anthracite headliner can still be ordered I believe ($700) just need the plastic parts if you’re going full on. I know where you can get the aero stuff, maybe needing minor repairs and paint. But I don’t think you’d have a problem sourcing them, they’re just not like EBay type items.

Other than the aero kit, mine has pretty much what I want. Surface7 with chromeline, factory 06, LSD, HK audio, H/R coilovers, but otherwise bone stock, 52k miles, paint is 9.5 out of 10. Garaged summer driver only. Popped up in sept on CL. $6500, but I waited over 2 years, and didn’t have all of your specs. Still, I feel quite lucky, it took enormous patience.

Only pics I got so far, sitting in storage until spring. Lots of plans and pics for the little ****.

 

Build it !!!

 

None of us are going to be able to resist this question, even though you just asked krawzdogg, but my perfect MINI isn't just the 2005/2006 JCW (or just S) manual hardtop in green, all stock with low miles, but also must have the perfect seller. I always look at used cars in that you're buying the previous owner as well as the car. Every time I've bought a used BMW from somebody that I didn't get a good feeling from, there was always shady stuff discovered later. Always. Usually I want the car badly enough that I over-look the seller's poor communication, lack of detail, nebulous answers to simple questions, lack of records, not fixing simple things, not prepping the car properly, etc.

As I've gotten older and (hopefully) wiser, I'm looking for the 'good enough car' from the perfect seller vs. the other way around. When I sell a car, I feel like I am handing over my preservation duties to a new custodian. These types of cars to me aren't transportation, but the cars you like looking at, restoring, fixing, returning to OEM, taking out on special occasions, CnC, etc. So I have a hard time considering purchasing a used 'special' car from somebody to whom it wasn't special to them.

Here is a car that, although isn't painted in my favorite color, is very well optioned, ticks all the right boxes on condition, maintenance, and miles, and most importantly, appears to be somebody I'd want to buy from:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co.../market/352869
He's had multiple MINIs, knows to look for the rare options, knows what's important to the buyer and isn't hiding anything. And he's posting here on the enthusiasts' forum. All pluses in my book. If we just didn't move into a rental house with a tiny garage and driveway (and if my wife wouldn't slit my throat in the middle of the night for buying another R53 before we move into the new house!) I'd be looking into Canadian import logistics on that one.

What are the things I don't worry much about?
Location (just ship the car or fly-n-buy if it's out of state!).
Original parts that haven't been changed yet, as long as the car's in otherwise very good condition (like expansion tanks, struts, tires, etc.)
Reversible modifications (aftermarket/undesirable OEM wheels, stereos, cold air intakes, decals etc.)
Price (I'm OK paying good money for the right car; maybe not BaT money, but reasonably good money)

What do I care a lot about?
Spec.
Color
Mileage
Near perfect paint and body (to include no sun damage, rust or bodywork)
Clean interior
Enthusiast seller

So as if it wasn't already hard enough to find the special MINI I'm looking for, now I have to also find the special MINI owner/seller! It's going to be tough waiting for the new house to be built and move in, as I know ALL of the good cars are going to pop up for sale between now and then.... and as soon as we're settled and the 4 car garage is ready for its first R53, the market will suddenly go dark...or gasoline will run out, or asteroid hit...or 2020 all over again LOL

 

You are exactly right. I find that a very large percent of owner/sellers were on the younger side of 30 (more S than JCW) Nothing wrong with that, actually good that the younger gens have enthusiasm for these particular cars. But many do some pretty silly things to these cars, and are more interested in loading it up with shiny EBay stuff, and mods installed in their driveway without the benefit of knowledge and or experience. And no foresight to understand the ramifications of the changes their making. Then they post on FB and ask why their engine blew up.

I was determined to find one that was just left alone and driven the way an adult would drive. My seller was a 70 year old retired electrician, bought it in 2008 from original owner at 20k miles. He loved scooting around the mountain roads in Colorado. The first thing he said to me over the phone, with his honest mid western twang, was “it ain’t hardly got a scratch on it”. I believed him, and he was right. I still stay in touch with him. Great guy, great seller.

 

How long did it take you to type that response?! Haha. I couldn’t agree with you more as usual. But..You mentioned shipping. I’m really interested in a car right now on the other side of the country. Looking at $2000 shipped enclosed trailer....definitely gets out of hand.

 

You can go enclosed, obviously most expensive route. If the car is flawless and you don’t mind spending that much cake for transport. Top load is your next best bet. I paid $725 Denver to Boston, 2k miles I think. Most of the other companies wouldn’t quote top load because they couldn’t guarantee it. They most likely also do enclosed. Superb communication and service. Tons of great reviews on FB and elsewhere. I was surprised how cheap they were compared to the others, was expecting unpleasant surprises and got none. Whatever you do, don’t punch in your real phone number when shopping, they’ll all blow up your phone even after you’re dead and buried. It’s an aggressive business.

https://mercuryautotransport.com/

I also have the owners direct line. Pictured below is the transport driver. Guess he was surprised I paid to buy and transport from so far away. He said “I hope it’s worth it” I said “oh, it’s definitely worth it” lol.

 

Thanks! If I decide to pull the trigger on this car I’ll have to shop around for rates. I do know a few shipping brokers too. It’s definitely going to have to be enclosed since it’s going 2775 miles in the winter.

 

I’ve shipped twice and traveled twice when finding the “right” one. With a limited market, that’s getting hard to avoid. Though coast-to-coast does push the envelope for sure.

Great comments in this thread, it’s by far my favorite thread on NAM for the past year.
And great car finds too, of course.

 

Do tell???

 

This is a great site. And reveals the little known unauthorized owners manual. Good to take the edge off your grueling search for the elusive one.

http://www.billswebspace.com/MINI_UAOM.pdf

 

Haha. Let me make a decision on it first. It’s not exactly what I was looking for but I definitely won’t find a cleaner car.