I'm thinking about selling my Cooper to get a Cooper S but I don't know how much I should consider selling it for. Here are the specs on my car:

• 2002 British Racing Green Cooper
• 28,458 miles
• 7 month old Trans and Clutch with no new drivers
• 5 month old S-lites with Pirelli tires
• Aero front grilles
• Driving Lights
• Racing Stripes
• Premium Package
• Moon Roof
• Beige and Black interior
• S front Bumper and Side Skirts
• Manual Transmission
• 15" White Revolver Snow Tires.

The car is in excellent condition. There's only was small ding by the gas cover.
I posted two pictures. About how much should I consider selling it for privately?



P.S. the picture doesn't show the S skirts but I took those before I put them on.

 

Prices are very location dependent. See what similar cars in your area are going for, check KBB (which seems to be insanely high), and maybe ebay for a national view. For the low end, ask your dealer what they would pay you for it - then add a few thousand. In the end it's worth what someone will pay. The higher your price, the longer (in general) you'll wait for the right buyer. Key is to set your asking price slightly above what you expect to get (everyone loves to knock a few hundred off.)

You've got some good adders (aero, driving lights) but the new tranny will likely reduce the amount you get. Even though it's new, (at least for me) having a newish car which has suffered a serious mechanical issue is a negative.

Good luck with the sale!

 

Your car has similar specs to the one I sold back in June.

2003 (Sept. '03 build) CR/W Cooper 5 sp, 15" holies, 27k miles (new tranny at 15k), premium package, fogs, Borla exhaust, Moss intake

I got $16250 privately. The '02 vs '03 will definitely make a difference, and prices have come down a bit, but I bet you could get around $15k for your car. As Eric said, check out the prices in your area.

Be sure to emphasize that the Midlands failures have been largely confined to the ones produced in a 4-6 month period in 2002.

Put a couple of coats of wax on it, take some new photos, and don't forget about craigslist!

Good luck! :smile:

 

Get the little ding fixed. It won't cost you much and can be a big turn off to potential buyers. Then get some huge red ribbon and make a big bow to put on top with ribbon running around the car. Take pictures and advertise it as a great Christmas present.

This is purely a guess, but I'd say ask about $16,000 and expect to get, maybe, $15,000.

Good luck!

 

my guy SilverNewt got $18k for his 03 with 36k miles on it. stripped down too. ok there were new tires, but not runflats or anything. ask for the sky...it's worth it to someone. :smile:

 

Thanks guys! I the dealerships around me are asking forhigh 17's and low 18's for a stock cooper with about 20 thousand miles. A lot of the private sellers are selling their cars for 17-18 as well.

 

Go to www.edmunds.com They have a used car appraisal tool that can give you a rough idea of what could be a fair asking price for your car in your local market.

I personally would not give out too much info about the transmission. If it has been replaced and it is working fine, then that is it. Instead, make an emphasis on the remaining of the fully transferable (and free of charge I might add) balance of the factory warranty, scheduled maintenance service and the roadside assistance. This is a BIG selling point for most folks as this instills confidence in the purchase they are about to make.

Also, you need to tell your potential buyers that your car is being sold to them "AS-IS" condition and in the unlikely event they experience a problem with the car, they can take it in to any one of the 75 MINI dealerships accross the USA. Also the warranty is good in Canada and Puerto Rico. You are not liable for any future repairs or problems that may take place once the vehicle's title is transfered to the new owner. This is why it is a good idea to purchase a "Buyer's agreement" blank form available at your nearest Office Max or office supplies store. The form once signed states that you will forever and ever resign any rights of ownership of property or any other legal responsabilities for the car you are about to sell. The form is then signed by both parties and can be notarized. Each party keeps a copy. Nice thing to have just in case the other party wants to sue you for any issues related to the car.

Don't volunteer more information that you have to, but don't appear to be withholding everything. If potential buyers want 100% perfection, then they have no business looking at an used vehicle... They need to buy new

 

Thanks C4!

 

Not true or why would all the posters on this forum go to such EXTREME lengths to keep up their vehicles? Personal pride figures in a bit, but they say the measures are to preserve the resale value. So if you shop USED like you are buying NEW, you will find you hold out for the best model available and can pass on a lot of "close, but no cigar" choices. Nearly NEW condition is always the goal, if it's a personal not a business buy. IMO

 

Don't forget to check out CarMax to see what they would offer you, if you have one in your area. Should be more than a dealer would offer you, but probably less than retail.

We have a Mazda dealer near me that gets used MINIs on their lot all the time, but they can keep them only 2 -5 days. They go like hotcakes. The prices for the non-S models, '02 -04 (I can't tell more than that by looking as I drive by) have been in the $16 - 18 range.

And absolutely research CraigsList and consider posting your car there, if there's a CraigsList for your metro area.