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I've seen some very poor condition used WC50's become available recently. No numbers, no stripes, not the original wheels, perhaps tracked. Mine will always remain original, maintained and garaged.
Last edited by mini coop; Jul 16, 2021 at 04:23 PM.
No, but I did exchange messages with the current owner.
I did too. I was concerned that the owner is a mechanic, I believe, but wasn't sure if the timing chain and guide service had been done. I might have this wrong, but that was my takeaway.
What did you find out?
Last edited by matthew-w; Mar 8, 2018 at 01:19 PM.
Didn't go that deep as I'm not currently in the market, but it is the best of the 3 WC50's currently for sale. Any N14 is going to need attention, I wouldn't let that stop you if shopping for a WC50. Maybe helpful as a negotiating point on price...
Many have been tracked, modified, not serviced, not maintained or simply treated as an everyday car. Good WC50's are now hard to find. As though it was easy to start with. Only 50 in the US to begin with and now down to 49, that we know of, as one has been totaled. At some point high mileage, repair, paint, and/or restoration will need to be accepted by a potential buyer so to own one of these rare MINI's. Mine - 100% oem. Garaged, no snow, no rain. I feel the rarity and value will continue to increase. I look forward to the car shows in 2018.
Last edited by mini coop; Jul 16, 2021 at 03:45 PM.
Yours was the rare exception. I knew about that one at Prestige, glad it found a good home. But these cars are approaching 8 years old, and the pool of cars is extremely small. A one-owner 50k Mile car is a good one.
Maybe in time another low mileage gem will appear, but that will require a lot of patience and a bit of luck.
Pulled the trigger and now proud owner of #407. The previous owner was older gentleman that did not want to budge. Not the lowest of miles at almost 58k, but the car was kept in good condition overall. Normal wear and tear in the usual places. I'll slowly bring the car back into better shape. No oil leaks, except the usual seeping at the valve cover which I'll try to fix with a new gasket. Tensioner was replaced, but still the original timing chain. The car could probably use a walnut shell blasting, feels slightly sluggish. Resisting the temptation to upgrade bits, however I feel the suspension really needs to be replaced. I'm debating whether to stay all OEM since the value and performance of KW and other suspensions seem tough to beat. I'm going to need new control arm bushings, brake job very soon. Overall, if the value of these cars is really going to go up then I feel like I managed to get in at a decent price.
That's great. Welcome to the group! Sounds like you have great plans ahead of you. Nice to see that others appreciate the significance of the car. Please keep us posted on your progress.
I can give some background info on #415 for anyone interested. I am not the current owner, but I traded it in with 81,700 miles in April of 2017.
I can't vouch for the current owner, the last 8,000 miles, or the current status of anything.
I can tell you that I purchased it with 3,000 miles on it at a Ford dealership in Memphis, TN in March of 2011 (it had been traded in on a Cobra R). It was always Mini dealer maintained (Cleveland and Wesley Chapel), and not modded under the hood while I had it. No accidents while I owned it.
- Cylinder head cover was leaking and replaced at 61,681
- Replaced clutch and flywheel under warranty at 71,987
- Battery replaced at 71,987
- Replaced front and rear struts at 72,907
- Replaced timing chain guide rails at 76,569
It was driven daily and around the country on many mini rallies. It was enjoyed and even spent a day with JackMac at an event.
It spent about 2 years in Ohio, and has spent about 4 years in Florida. When I traded it in, it was in a condition that you would expect for a daily driver with 80,000 miles. By that I mean it had some stone chips, some scratches, some rattles, and some squeaks. It was by no means perfect.
I'm a mini enthusiast and am sharing this information for anyone interested in the history of the car. I make no warranty or guarantee. I am just providing information.
I hope a mini enthusiast ends up with the car. It is a special car.
