heh heh, I found a 1983 one-owner Porsche with 58k original miles, paid for it what some would pay for a new gussied-up Corolla. AND I purposely chose the MC instead of MCS..... go figure

 

I got my info from the specs at miniusa.com. Maybe they have it listed incorrectly but the spec says the non-S sport package does not add sport seats or zenons (which it does add on the S & for the exact same money which seems crazy)

 

Asking price & selling price are 2 different things. I do not believe an MC will sell for as much as an MCS. The MCS would garner 2-3000 more.

 

I think the main reason more MCS are selling now is that the MCS has added the automatic transmission.

 

Sport Pkg on my '06 MC added sport seats. I had to pay for the xenons separately

 

Well, the MCS is an option masquerading as a different model, because MINI can charge more and get more for the car that way. It is no different than the Mustang GT vs. the Mustang Cobra, or the Camaro Z28 vs. the SS etc.

All car makers have learned this. Used to be one could get the bigger engine for just a few hundred of the base price, but nowadays its another *model* with a price difference of thousands. (Factory installed options -- to make a "new" model -- are the less expensive options the factory has and deliver the most profit.)

The cars you named above were not sold in very large numbers and were not offered for long. Rarity/scarcity accounts for the some of the high resale values. (The other factor is lots of Boomers with too much money and willing to spend it on cars of their youth.)

In some cases, the cars were withdrawn from the market because the automaker couldn't give the cars away. I remember during the 1st gas crisis I could have picked up as many of those cars as I wanted for next to nothing.

Today, I think the money being paid for these cars is a game of musical chairs. I'd hate to be the one standing when the music stops. Somebody's going to be left with a $1M 35 or more year old used car...

One has to pay the premium to get the MCS.
The odds are he'll not recoup that money when he sells the car, unless he holds onto the car nearly half a century and today's boomers that can't afford the car now have the money to afford it then...

For the buyers of today, it is up to each buyer to decide if the cost of an MCS vs a MC (or some other competing car...) is worth it or not.

Barring the used car (collector car) shoppers of the distant future, the used car shoppers today's MCS owners will be selling to are more interested in price and condition and they are few in number that will pay a premium for a used car like the MCS.

Sincerely,

RockC.

 

I too believe C4 is off base here. MCS ... MC, same car, specced differently. If you went to a Mustang dealer in 1970, as I DID, and wanted a Mach I 428 Cobra Jet, you just checked the box ... Its NOT a different model, its just a Mustang with different parts hung on .... just like the MCS has different parts hung on.

In fact, an MA told me when he went on the factory car, ALL the cars, convertable included, started on the same line and based upon the options, different parts were stuck on. You could watch them morph into whatever as more parts got hung.

As to collectible, if anyone thinks MINIs will become collectible, I got a bridge up in NY ready for sale. Muscle Cars are collecting money now for ONE reason only ... Baby Boomers who couldn't afford a $5K car in 1968 CAN afford a $100K car now (well some baby boomers).... Once the baby boomers reach geratric age, who knows what will become collectible. My guess is back to truly exotic and desirable cars from Italy.

 

Bamatt, when I spec out an MC on miniusa.com, and I add the sport package, it most definitely adds the sport seats. Not the xenons though.

I still maintain it's a $2200 difference... see my earlier post, #39, for my "as close as possible" feature-by-feature comparison.

UPDATE: Starting March 1st, it will drop to a $2000 difference... see this MotoringFile story:

MINI USA Adjusts Base Pricing

 

Planeguy,

Another data point for your consideration. This JCW was listed on Craigslist (LA) for $24k, now is on Ebay. Pretty cheap for a JCW in good condition, I think. Strengthens your 'theory' that MC probably do better than MCS at resale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

 

Also notice that since the changes to the marketplace forum took place that 10 of the 12 cars posted for sale were MCS's

This guy is selling his for 14.5k .....Thats 2-3k less than the MC's for sale!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=60617

I out of the blue recalled a thread about women being more fickle than men when it came to long term car ownership.

SO....Are performance minded driving enthusiasts who buy the MCS more fickle than those who are buying a MC for styling and handling without the power?

Again, That doesnt make sense to me. Those who I know who are car guys get attached to thier cars. Those who just buy sweet looking car are always enticed by newer models

I think that the fact that it really is just an option that depreciates rapidly is the best explanation. BUT It still seems to me that there are many more MCS's for sale than the production ratios should indicate

 

If I had purchased an mc it would be for sale, does that count ?

 

If you had advertised on NAM, yes it would, since then planeguy would have counted that in his mini (no pun intended) market survey.

Since we're playing armchair profilers, here's my take:

More MCS for sale than MC - because MCS owners are attracted to performance, and can never get enough of it, they're selling to get the new models, which usually outperform old ones (or get another high perf car when they cannot squeeze any more hp out of their MCS). MC owners, OTOH, are more value oriented, are attracted to driving satisfaction (Tom & Ray articulates that better than I can, see link below) rather than pure speed, they're not selling because the MC is as good as it gets in that respect.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/testd...mini-2003.html

MCS asking price lower than what one would expect relative to MC - because MCS owners care only about performace, they are willing to take less on resale to sell it quick. MC owner's who decide to sell want to get as much as they can, even if it takes longer to sell.

Oh, and to those of you that say 'this thread is pointless', 'you're beating a dead horse', etc. Well, welcome to the internet . Now excuse me while I put on my flame suit.

 

Yes, but they also have 40-50K(!) fewer miles, as well as additional equipment. No way that's apples to apples. Pulled up autotrader for giggles, and they don't even HAVE any 2003s with more than 46K miles. Will be interesting to see if/when it moves.

 

And I suppose a high milage cooper is selling for 12k?.....You let me know if you find an MC for 12k (that isn't salvaged)....Because I will buy it! My wife wants to be a two MINI family.