MINI has been reknown for holding its value, far better than most cars. However, with the looming change in generations, will it continue?

I read that a dealer was telling people to get out of the market now while the values are high because (quoted from mini2)

"Downturn in new orders due to upcoming new cars
Car less fashionable
Options are virtually worthless come trade in [assume this mean aftermarket mods as well]"

Opinions. I know Ive seen at least one disappointed fellow MINI owner here asking far more than what they put into their car vice what they could sell it for. If you pump money into the car as a hobby ... then it wont matter ... as its a hobby!

Opinions on potential downturn of Mini Values?

 

Check out this discussion. I think there are plenty of people for whom the current generation MINI will be even more desirable once the new facelifted '07 appears, but sooner or later production is going to catch up with demand and the new cars will start sell below sticker, which will (of course) drop the resale values.

 

I would think the value would stay the same or increase. I am not yet sold the whole peugot builds the MINI engine thing. We will have to wait and see how well the buying public likes the idea of a turbo over a super. I am also interested in what direction the aftermarket takes. How modable will the 2nd gen new MINI be compared to ours? We will just have to wait and see. The new engine has large shoes to fill. Flashback, the pentagon won several engine of the year awards. If the peugot doesn't the prices will stay up. IMHO

 

MINI might not enjoy the novelty factor it does now, but that may be due to external factors. Other makers have been proposing interesting cars. If the USA allows more tiny cars to be imported--unlikely though--it could erode MINI's position. Folks on NAM have expressed interest in other small performance cars, but in the USA MINI has no direct rivals.

Interesting how a portion of chow4us's post could also apply to real estate.

 

A VW Beatle with RACING STRIPES !

They take our MINIUSA Marketing person, they take our Ad Agency, and now... they take our racing stripes...

NOT to hijack this thread....

I think our cars value will do well relative to the other brands and models...

 

I thought about it and personally I'm not concerned. I've had my MINI for a little less than a year, I still love to drive it, look at it, look at other people looking at it. It is somewhat of a hobby/motorcycle for me and I don't plan on getting anything else for a long time.

I do think the competition is going to pick up which hopefully makes the MINI of the future even better.

 

Ultimately a car is a poor investment from a purely financial standpoint, unless of course your talking about a classic or truely rare collectable auto. Mini's don't fall into either of those categories.
I know for the last few years used mini's have been selling close to new prices, but that's also probably due to the fact that old isn't all that old with these cars. 2,3 or 4 years from now, or maybe even now (haven't looked recently), the '02's aren't gonna bring in close to retail, at least not w/o serious money dropped on mods, and then it's not an equal comparison.

I bought mine instead of leasing it because I didn't want milage restrictions, and I plan to have it for a few years and buy a second new car later without the trade in.

 

Unless you are buying a Ferrari or the like, all cars depreciate over time. When buying a car, IMHO, resale value should be the LEAST important factor especially if you hold onto the car for 5+ years. Want a good investment? Buy stock in WalMart... it's cheap right now! Cars are a very bad investment... buy one that you like/need and consider the depreciation the cost of fun! In the end all cars are just a commodity.

 

I usually drive my cars at least 10 years, so don't expect them to be worth much when I am done. If I bought a Dodge Neon today or a MINI today, which would I rather have 10 years down the road when they are both worth (financially anyway) nothing? That's an easy answer.

 

MINIs hold their value better than most, but as soon as a new generation comes out, now matter if the new generation is crap compared to ours, the majority of new buyers will want the "new" generation as new is always better right? Most are not the enthusiasts to think ours are better and will uneducatedly want the new models, therefore the value of the current generation will decrease.

 

1. The novelty factor wore off a couple of years ago.
2. If you bought a MINI for the resale value get rid of it and buy land.
3 As long as MINI keep making great cars people will want them.

 

Rafthos How modable will the 2nd gen new MINI be compared to ours?

That is a non-issue. The vast majority of owners could care less. It may be an issue to NAMs membership but doubtful to the majority of owners

StickeyWicket & jrsymini. Yes it matters. It matters to anyone who might be on the verge of buying a new car ... wait, buy now, buy later, etc. The issue of a MINI being an investment is a moot point. It has been discussed numerous times ... over and over again. Not the question but thank you ... in case you hadnt read the other threads

My original intent was to see what others thought about the high resale values dropping back into the "pack". I ask that because time after time some people tout the wonderful resale value of the MINIs and I wonder when that bubble will burst

THANKS

 

I also think that the view of it losing it's 'cool factor' is not the same here as it would be in england. the majority of the MINI2 people seem to be in europe... and over there the MINI is far from the smallest car... there are tons of them so the design itself was all that kept it 'hot'. over here it's still tiny to us... I think the smallest car sold in the US. I think the majority of people in the US also have no idea whether it's a supercharged or turbocharged... so the change in model years will probably have very little difference and the first generation cars should depreciate about the same that they have been since they were introduced.

 

I've had my 05 MINI Cooper since August 2004. It replaced a 2003 Harley Ultra Classic, I agree,,,,totally!!!!!!!!!

 

Right On!!! If this wasn't the Gods honest truth we'd all be driving Toyota Camrys! This is what keeps people wanting to buy cars like Alfa Romeo... there is no other explanation!

 

I think the Values will fall like a Pesos in values. You should all sell now. Quick before you have to pay some one to take it off your hands. I will by them now for $100 each if you want to get rid of them before the MINI crash of '06.

 

Bumble, you are such a rake! Listen, people: being in the MINI community since 2002, they have held their value beyond what any of we pioneers ever thought they would. These are wonderful and special little cars, loaded with amazing value for their cost. I feel good about the long-term valuation. :smile:

 

Cant blame a guy for trying. I doubt any one anywhere would get rid of a MINI for $100. But if you are that person PM me.
I hope the MINI holds its resale value, but then again I don't plan on letting mine go so would not lose any sleep if it did. To me the high resale value just means it will be that much more I have to pay when I go to get my wife one when we pay off the Kia.

 

I totally Expect BMW to continue limiting the number of MINI that come into the states to keep the value "Artificially high". This is their approach with the BMW line as well.

It is basically wait and see if the public will accept a Turbo MINI. Yes it appeals to the teens and twenty somethings who grew up on the Rice and The Ridiculous movies. They are neglecting the majority of the market by taking the MINI Cooper away from normal aspiration to the turbo croud. Today we have basically two choices Tin Top or convertable. Adding a long wheel base variant will add a third choice.

This might cause the resale value fof the first gen cars to explode. I would not expect them to plummet. What will kill the resale of the first generation cars is Mileage. Yes we know that a car depreciates, even if you put it in a temperature/ humidity controlled glass box. But mileage causes depreciation to skyrocket. And how the heck do you keep from driving a MINI. The only way I know to avoid driving a MINI is to simply not own/lease one!

 

The only thing that hurts resale are the number available and the price at which people are willing to sell them for. Of course there is always the whole "supply and demand" theory .

 

A lot depends on the quality, performance, etc of the new car. Look what happened to the Mustang in the 80s. The classic Minis are not given away by any means.

Cars are a bad investment.......the only way you make out is to get pleasure driving etc..... My car is probably worth about 1/2 of what I have invested in it..... I knew that as I continued to mod....... but I really enjoy it. At some time it will be close to a $50K Mini as it is well over $40K now and the LSD and Sparcos are yet to come....that is another $6K +. This car will be in my garage (when I buy another house) as my toy for a long time and driving the hell out of it is how I will "get my money back."

 

I hope the resale value goes through the floor. I hope to see people on street corners with cardboard signs with 'Will MINI for food!' written in crayon. I hope MINIs get shoved into the bushes behind the kind of houses with refrigerators on the front porch and floors you can watch the chickes through. I want to see MINIs used as planters, surrounded by whitewashed inside-out truck tires.

Then I'll have a MINI for everyday driving, one for the track, one just for the beach, one for eating lunch in, one for brushing my teeth in.....

And think of all the original factory spares I'll have, too.

 

I hope that I won't have a problem, B/C our Zoomness is a LY S which is now becoming "rare"...

 

Me too! We'll never sell the MINI. But we might buy more of them. Imagine if in 5 years you could get a used '02 for $5,000....

 

That would be ME! Loud blow off valves make me...

very happy.

But what is so awesome about the MINI, is people my age THINK it's alot more expensive than it really is. But even though it's cheaper than they think it is, they still can't afford it. Or they're so stuck on the sexist comments about it, they don't even bother.

I was just thinking on my way into work if they're purposely keeping the waiting period as long as it is just to help hold it's value longer. And i can't even count how many times i'm asked why i didn't get the "turbo" mini. It's an S. That might help you remember that it's supercharged, yes?