Hey guys,

I've been reading on this forum for a while now, but haven't posted until now.

I'm actually interested in buying a Cooper S Cabrio (with JCW package) in the near future. Having owned a number of "smaller" cars in the past (namely VW GTI's) I like the fact that the Mini is compact enough to have some fun with yet distinguished enough to look elegant - if that makes sense?

I'm just having a hard time justifying the price tag of $50K? After reading a lot of posts on the board and some magazine articles, it seems that the closest competition to the Mini are the VW GTI, Dodge SRT-4, etc etc - cars that are much, much less expensive than the Mini.

With a price of nearly $50K it seems that a well configured Mini (especially with JCW) is already in the territory of other "luxury" cars such as BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, or Audi....how then do people justify spending $50K on a car that is consistently pegged against the offerrings of VW, Dodge, etc??

Also, i'm well aware that the 2007's are just around the corner and am debating whether it is worth it to wait it out (despite the fact that I highly doubt a JCW package will be available right off the bat). When do you anticipate the new cabrios will be out? 2007? 2008?

Thanks in advance.

EDITED by Dave: NOTE later in this thread it gets clarified that this is in CANADIAN dollars.

 

First, welcome to NAM.

I'm a little confused how you're optioning the car to get to $50k.

The MCSc bases at $26k, with the Sport Package, the JCW, and leather seats, it takes you to roughly $35k.

The other cars you mentioned weren't convertibles, so take into account that with the MCSc you're paying roughly $4,000 more for the convertible than what a hardtop would run. So more apples to apples and you'd be down around $31,000 (sport, JCW, leather).

 

I'm in the camp that would never spend $50K on a MINI, but if it's really want YOU want.....Anytime you reach a new pricepoint, you open many more automotive possibilities. At your $50K ceiling, we're talking Z4 coupes, Boxsters, Elises, Corvettes, etc...all cars that offer a much higher level of performance and value. Value is the MINI's greatest asset. Performance and fun factor versus relatively low price of admission. I guess running up the price of a new MINI is part of "youification" but I prefer a relative stripper.

 

If you take a stock MINI Cooper S and dropped $8000 into it (CP Pistons and a twincharge kit), you be able to compete with any production vehicle. Just depending on how high you push the boost.

 

in the 50k range, i'd consider a used e46 m3 or porsche boxter S.

50k is beyond the cuteness range of the mini.

 

definatly e46. that elise is lookin nice too.....

 

for 50k it would be very hard to justify. As for the new cabrios I think MINI themselves stated that the model will be out until at least 09 or so.... so don't worry about the model change. The thing is that you CAN option a MINI up to about 40k, but you surely don't have to. Even a fairly base MINI will still do everything you want it to.

 

Someone bought a fully loaded (almost every option available) from Cincinnati Mini last month. The MSRP was 53k and it was not a cabrio. The dealership had it as a demo to show off the options, they never really thought it would sell. I am sure Polizei would know more as he works at the dealership. I liked to go an sit in it while mine was in service. I walked in last month and it was gone. The MA I talked to said he was shocked it sold.

 

Did you guys not see Dave's post......Why have this conversation? I dont understand how you take a 20k base price car and add $30,000 dollars in OPTIONS and then ask us to justify a 50k MINI.......The real question is to the original poster.......Justify the what and why of 30k worth of options!

Just because the MINI allows full customization of your car on MINIUSA does not mean anyone has to have one or all of them. And is certainly not the way you compare this car to those others mentioned.

 

I would NEVER buy a MINI for $50k! If I had $50k to spend on a car, I would have a new Lotus Exige sitting in my driveway.

And Flickster, that was a fully loaded JCW MINI, and I believe MIGHT have been the store owner's, but I'm not sure. Anyway, yes it was ~$50k, which is just rediculous.

-Cody

 

buy a vette and save yourself the trouble

 

That's right, it was a JCW. So did it sell or did the owner finally take delivery of it? Curt said they sold it.

 

50K for a MINI, how is that possible?

 

When we ordered our 06 MCS, Mini of SF had a MCS in the showroom listed at $48K! It had the JCW factory kit, JCW suspension, JCW 18" wheels, all the packages, and full aero kit. Not sure if it had any carbon fiber stuff. The car initially had a $3.5K mark-up! Two and a half months later it was still there.

 

i think i saw that one when i picked up mine. it had all the cf bits. imho, at 50k a MINI no longer makes much sense, unless cost is truly no object, but in that case i doubt the OP would have posted.

since there is no location info, i'm wondering if the OP is in canada?

 

When building my Mini online I played around and built a $55k Mini with tons of optional equipment... but I would NEVER buy something like that.

One thing to consider is that the Mini holds it's value very well, but that does not take into account the money spent on add-ons. Things like the Aero kit, JCW wheels, alarm, upgraded interior surfaces, etc... those items do not adjust the resale value of the car very much. So a $23k used Mini is common, but it doesn't matter much if it was $25k new or $30k new, it just depends on what the new buyer likes. A $50k Mini will not be worth much more than a $25k Mini in the resale market.

Drew

 

54K

 

How do you justify money for a car with accessories.

Spec the car. Accessorize it to your taste. Check the price.

At that price point, is there another car you're interested in that you can get for that amount of money, comparebly equiped? (some more expensive cars have better standard features)

If so, research those options.

If not, you've found your car.

 

But I NEED the Cup holder, the illuminated running board, the Carbon Fiber and rear rubber boot mat!

 

"Just because you can does not mean you should"...... I have over $40 in mine but that happened over time with mods.....If I had the +40 in hand..probably an Elise.....the person that buys that car is one of those "I want the most expensive" kind of people... they are always out there...... the guy that buys an Escalade to go camping etc..... If BMW ever comes up with a true "uber" Mini with 300 WHP with suspension, brakes to match etc.... a $50K price is still a choke.

 

And that doesn't include installation of the extra bits!

$17K in accessories!
Still though, that's less than a tune-up on a Ferarri.

 

OR - if they are in Canada it would be easier to reach that point...

 

Flickster, I guess someone bought it....Kurt is the head MINI guy there, so if he said they sold it they sold it! Not sure to who though....and I haven't seen it since.

-Cody

 

Yikes! Our 2006 MCS was about as loaded as it gets short of the JCW stuff. It came in right at $30K. Considering you can option out a Hyundai to $30K, and something as bland as a Ford Explorer now starts at around $30K, it seems more reasonable. And I'm sorry, but an optioned out Corvette Z06 comes in at more like $82,000.

 

I love how people say that 53K, you might as well get a Boxter S or some other 50K plus auto. Mini offers more stuff on their build list than any other manufacturer that I've seen, so to say that the Mini cost over $50K isn't true. It's ALL options, nothing more. If you build a Boxter S and deck it out the same way you did to your Mini, you'd be close to $70K. Imagine if Porshe had the same type of options the Mini site did. Same thing goes for the SRT4, GTI, and Si, put similar options on these and you'd be in the same ballpark. Only thing is, none of these have anywhere near the options that Mini offers. So this is a pointless arguement.

my .04