I'm very interested in this used 2005 MCS because it is the exact options/colors I'm looking for:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/296097785.html

However, I'm relatively new to the used Mini market and have the following questions:

1) What is your opinion on the price? Seems a few thousand high.

2) In conversations with the seller, she thinks her vehicle is in "Excellent" condition, as defined by Kelly Blue Book. Don't only the newest of used cars really qualify as "Excellent"? (I think this is part of the pricing problem!)

Thanks in advance!

 

At $25k she would be the first person I've heard of who got 100% kbb excellent-condition price.
Only 1 in 20 cars is considered "excellent" by kbb. As a reference point, if she were to take the car to a dealer, they would use "fair" condition as a starting point -- they never pay 'excellent' and rarely, if ever, good.
Additionally, MINIs are not selling for kbb.

You can get an '07 with these options for only a couple thousand more!! Even if you don't care about leather/leatherette seats and lack of premium sound, keep in mind that a car without them will be harder to sell (i.e. lower resale values). I'm not saying that these are must-have options, or even that they're worth the money -- just that they do affect resale value.

That's my 2-3 cents.

 

Sounds high to me, see what Edmunds lists for the car. There has been numberous discussions on here about resale value, and typically Kelly is high.

 

Send her a reply with your offer and the reasoning behind your offer. If she is reasonable she will work with you, if not then your better off not dealing with her either way. I would hinge everything on your test drive, clear car fax, etc. Just be clear about how you came up with your offer, etc- no need to call her to the carpet as she's just probably starting high to guve herself bargaining room and to get the most for her car-nothing wrong with that.

 

I've posted this before, but here we go again...

I picked up my used '06 MCS ~2wks ago from the dealer...
It was CPO'd, which means that the dealer has an extended limited warranty above and beyond the std.

The car came with 17" crown spoke (wannabe MiniLites)
LSD
Trip Computer / multifnx steering wheel
space cloth seats

8200 mi (built Aug '05, del. Sept. '05)

cost in NJ was $20K ($6K under list, from the dealer, with extended warranty)

HTH...

 

I was patient and got my '05 cabrio at $5-6k below 'excellent' private-party kbb value.
As noted by bzn by, there are numerous discussions about resale value and kbb -- but the bottom line is that those numbers are inflated, and cars aren't selling for that.

 

Good info, folks.

I did evaluate this vehicle based on Edmunds valuation, and it's closer to the $20-21,000 range.

Demand is fairly high out here, but there is also a lot of supply, so I'm thinking $22,000 to $23,000 at the most for this vehicle.

 

I picked up an '05 MCS with 10K miles, sport, premium, cold weather, HK & LSD for $22.6K last summer (from a local non-mini dealer). I'm in NJ, so I'm not sure how the relative demand compares. Just another point of reference for ya.

 

you have to realize that this is west coast, there is a much higher demand for mini's in the west.

 

I am not sure how the price relates in your area but I bought my MCS brand new in LA and I paid 2500 above MSRP. there are states that mini's are in really insane demand therefore the crazy prices. Still looks like a great ride.

 

That price range definately seems more in-line with the market here in NorCal.

For what it's worth, if you already have test driven a mini, know what options and colors you want, and already have financing in place, I suggest checking eBay in addition to search engines like cars.com and autotrader. If you do your research well, stick to reputable dealers (no private parties), and use tools like autocheck or carfax, it can be a great place to find a deal. I was a little apprehensive about this option at first, and obviously buying local is always preferred, but I looked for months around here and couldn't find the Mini I wanted. I ended up getting an incredible deal on a low mileage '05 Cooper S from a reputable dealer on the east coast. Even including shipping and CA registration it had half the miles and was $3000 less than ones locally.

Good luck with your hunt!

 

Seems a little too pricey. You could buy a new '06 for near that price. If she is firm on that price I'd look elsewhere.
I bought used and got a very good deal... be patient.

 

I just bought an absolutely beautiful 05 MCS with all four packages, Navigation, limited slip, R90 anthricite BBS two-piece wheels, sirus radio and a bunch of other stuff [in other words about every conceivable option] for $21,500. The car had 13,900 miles and it is as new. I bought it from a Lamborghini dealer of all places! I am in Central Ohio. Her price is ridiculous. In my search, I found that you can negotiate BIG TIME on Minis. People still want the prices they commanded when they were in limited supply - that is no longer the case. Be patient and negotiate agressively and do not let them know this IS the Mini of your dreams [like the one I bought!]. Have fun.

 

yep, find a dealer with a leftover 06 in stock and get it for much cheaper.

 

What part of the country are you in? Resale prices are high in Houston, IMO, and dealers here trade at MSRP for new cars (no premiums). The choice was simple for us--for a couple more thousand we bought an '07.

 

Hey, if that's the car you want, go for it, see if you can knock any off of the price. If not well, if you like it go for it, if you don't well keep looking .