but it could be a real PITA when you got idiots asking about
buying your car from out of state and lowballing ya by $3k.

i'd just take it to Carmax or just sell it locally to a friend...or
just trade it in.

 

I think it depends... it seems most of the time it's better to go new, but it's all in the options and model, etc. If you load up on all the options, you probably won't make as close to the money you spent on it. I am just getting a pretty bare bones MC, and it was WAY more worth it to go for a new... For the same price, I was looking at '03s with options I didn't even want... It's crazy really... I mean that's almost FOUR YEARS OLD, and I can get a new one with exactly what I want for the same damn price!! I think in the end it all depends on the options you want...

I agree that you probably need to sell it yourself to get a real good resale... This is how some people MAKE money selling it back...

 

fwiw, i saw a 2005 used MSC at the dealership when i was buying my 2006. he was charging about list for a 2006 for the used 2005... but of course you could drive it off the lot that day.

his prices weren't cannibalizing the used market, or his new market

 

Valid points. I got some good options on my '03 that would have cost quite a bit to add to a new one. Same with my wifes' Toyota Sienna, we got a nearly fully loaded Sienna used for almost $10k less then what a new one would have cost.

Besides that, finding a new MINI in the SoCal area for $16,900 would be tough to do. I was looking at almost $20k for a bare-bones MINI.

 

Well there are always multiple factors in selling a car... The economy always plays a big role, but also you're location and the type of vehicle people in your area are looking for.

As far as driving off the lot and losing value... Mini really doesn't do that very much. I could have sold my car for the same amount I bought it this past january because the msrp went up $500 for '06. But I don't plan on selling my limited edition checkmate.

 

I'm never selling Spike!

 

I feel pretty good getting my 03 for 15,000. It has a fair set of options and a auto for the wife. Of course that hurts the resale value for the rest of you.

Sorry

 

when i traded my car in for my M i got like 16,500 for a 03 DS/MCS

made money on it too.

 

Essentially, the model year is four years old. With the '07's, there's going to be new changes, especially in the JCW's. Guess the question is, define high resale value? The economy is slowing down. Flipping cars is as bad as flipping houses; you're going to get burned.

 

You should bring your MINIs up here to the NW and sell them. Used MINIs list at the dealer lots for new prices, even 03 models and such. I'm not sure what they actually sell for, but dealer-asking-price relative to what the MSRP was when new here is amazingly high compared to other car models. E.g. : http://parkplaceltd.com/pages/files/make.aspx?make=17 shows an 03 non-S and they are asking $24K - even if they get $20K that seems pretty high. I'd love to know what the dealers around here are actually getting for these cars considering how high those asking prices are.

I know, its too hard to sell cross-country unless you just use eBay or such, but there does seem to be large regional discrepencies in prices.

 

Park Place might not be a good example. I was looking at their Lotus prices and they are ridiculous. $65K for an Elise? Insane. Maybe its the area but I have heard complaints about Park Place prices on other boards with people wondering if they ever sell any cars.

 

realistically, when i was in the market for a used MCS it seemed as though ppl were asking private seller price (which is reasonable) but i could never find one with features that i wanted.

Many were modified with Ugly wheels, had cheap kumho tires or were really not "pristine" as they claimed. I detail and restore cars so my standards are realistic.

Many were customized in ways that were really not to my taste. All in all, the used car market is hit or miss. When i ordered my 06 MCS from the dealer, i chose the items and colors i liked and dont think much about the resale value at the moment. Its just a car... its our 3rd car, not the only car we have so wear and tear is nominal at best.

 

but what if you work for a top real estate firm flipping houses (among other things) ? I have only lost money once!

 

A little OT, but another example of good resale value. I bought my 2003 M3 as a 7 month old CPO car with 7K miles on it for $47500. Had it almost 3 years, ran it up to 57K miles, and traded it in on my A3 for $32K. That's about a 68% residual, very good. The used car manager at the dealer went by Mannheim auction figures, said he was pretty amazed at its value.

 

I'm surprised there isn't a "I'm keeping my MINI forever" club. '03 is the best though.

 

Do you want to start the new thread or me?

 

You should try coming to Canada to sell them. Seeing as we pay a lot more for the Mini up here, the re-sales are quite high as well. I know of a couple people that bought down there and then imported up here, and saved a couple g's.

J