I can currently sell my MCS (it is leased) for more than I owe on it, which has had me thinking about upgrading to a 2006. Though I am enticed by options like an LSD, the main reason I am thinking about it is because I know I want to purchase/lease a MY'08/09 MCS when they have worked the first year bugs out. Having owned and modded a turbo car, I know this is what I want to be driving.

My apprehension in trading up to an '06 is the possibility that the current car, with its ridiculous resale value, will have a steep decline when the '07 launches. If that happens, I am better off holding onto my '05 for the rest of my lease. Based on how other cars with high resale values have reacted when a newer series has launched, how can I figure out what will put me in the best financial position? Should I hold on to my '05, being that I currently have a good 2-3k in positive equity, or should I go for the '06 which will likely bring in a higher resale value when it comes time to sell/trade in '08? Is there a formula or some sort of historical KBB reference or something to figure this out?

 

I personally am betting on the Mk 1 MINI holding its value. I'm buying a 2006 with the lsd and some unique for 06 options. From what I've seen of the 07 MINI, it appears to be the equivalent of the new "Bangle" BMWs vs. the classic older versions.

It's a gamble of course but better the MINI I know than the MINI I don't.

 

lots of stuff going on besides bangle...

 

I haven't seen any Bangle-like additions to the car. The spy photos, as well as all the info on MotoringFile (http://www.motoringfile.com/2005/03/..._mini_revealed), etc. indicate that there will be changes, but that the new model will be "evolutionary", and that the aesthetic body changes have been forced by the new pedestrian crash standards more than a need to make the Mini shocking or different. Besides, BMW wouldn't have created a separate brand (which is a huge expense) if they were just going to have the Mini share the image and likeness of BMW. They know that visually what makes the Mini a Mini is its distinctive/retro look. I don't foresee any "flame surfaces" or awkward tail lights on the new car. With that said, my main concern is what is going on under body. The new, more powerful, lighter, and more efficent engine as well as the mysterious replacement to the BMW rear z-axle. I have also heard that iDrive is a possibility. With all these functional changes, the new Mini will be a very different car than the current model. The question is, will it be better and therefore worth more? Or will people hate it, and flock towards the classic (well new classic at least)?

 

I was speaking of "Bangleizing" in a generic way, not literal....adding I-Drive, change for change sake, weird steering....etc. Of course the previous gen of BMW's were close to perfect in my eyes...I'm glad I didn't have to try and "improve" them. At least they tried....what they didn't do was admit it was a mistake... even though they changed the 7 series as fast as possible.

The new MINI could be great...who knows for sure? What I do know is I think the current model is great....so I'm taking the safe route....

Cheers

 

People, like me, have a love affair with the MINI. People are drawn to it because it is different. If the '07 continues to be different--and fun!--people will flock to it as well. The MINI has the backing of BMW engineering. That alone adds a bit to the resale value.

I will drive my '03 until it dies.

dan

 

as far as bangling and everything... yes their has been mixed reviews of styling for the 7 seriesbut the numbers speak for themselves...


the bmw 7 series is the best selling car in its class... we hardly ever have them in stock...

the reviewers have spoken and so have the consumers...

 

I'm not a huge fan of the 7 Series, though the new face and tail lift do make it more pleasing to the eye. The 5 Series on the other hand, is the best looking car on the road in my opinion.

It's an odd line actually, the 1 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, Z4 (especially the new coupe), and the X5 are all really confident unique designs, while the 3 Series, 7 Series, and X3 all look awkward and unfinished to me...like they're still prototypes or something. In any case, BMW remains my favorite overall car brand. I think what they did with the line is genius.

With that said, any more opinions on the resale value of an MKI Mini when the new one starts hitting dealerships?

 

I see.

 

I think the first gen will take a hit in resale with the general population. BUT. . . if the rear suspension redesign impacts the handling of the car neagtively, or if the weight goes up significantly I think you'll see little change as far as enthusiasts go.

I'm not worried either way, I'll be driving my 06 for a long time.

 

Me, me, me! I've got an opinion!

First of all, the mini still sells for sticker (or sticker +) because demand continues to equal or slightly exceed supply. That's good for mini and BMW. Not so good for us. However, since the "value" of the car seems to be quite high, this has helped resale tremendously.

Now, if the new mini is much better than the old, such as when the C5 Corvette came out (I owned a C4 at the time and watched the value plummet) then we can expect prices to drop quite a bit. If it is just evolutionary rather than revolutionary, then it won't effect prices all that much. In my view, the body and styling changes are evolutionary but the engine (at least for the MCS) will undergo quite a radical change. This would affect the enthusiast market more, and therefore the MCS MKI may lose some of it's cachet.

Or not.

We'll never really know until it happens. Lots of stuff "depends". If we have a continued oil crisis and gas prices don't go down, or continue to go up, then practical yet fun cars like the mini could become even more desirable in the US.

Yes, I know, I was no help at all. :smile:


Michael

 

I got my MCSa in March '05. I like the current model very much, so I decided to sell my 7 months old leased MINI and get a '06 MCS JCW. I configured the MINI of my dreams and asked a local dealer to place an order. They've been having problem with submitting the order because of the Checkmate package I chose with Hyper Blue.

The car was perfect for me and I was going to pay $46,000 and keep it for at least 7-10 years. However, as weeks passed with no production date, I thought over and over and canceled the pre-order last Saturday. Reasons:

1) I was loosing over $4000 if I traded in my '05 MCSa.
2) I couldn't sell mine for it's pay-off price.
3) In late Fall '06 the new '07 model will be introduced. I decided to wait and see if I'll like it, if not, I steel will be able to get a better deal for '06 models than now.

I will miss the MCS JCW I built and try not to think of it for one year.

 

The dire predictions of E46 3 series values plummeting once the the E90 came out have not happened. The very lastest versions lost some value because of all the trunk money that was offered, but overall a recent model 325 or 330 is doing just fine. I expect Mk I MINI's to do the same.

 

I uneducatedly predict that the value of our MINI's will decrease, because whether or not the 2007 is bettter, it will be marketed as being better and the uneduated buyer automatically thinks newer is always better.

 

honestly jeff...

you are definetly on to something their...

for some the gen1 cars might be the best overall value since rumour has it that the gen2 cars are going to be "cheaper"

but...

for 90% of the consumers out their... newer, shiner, faster, louder, cooler, insert adjective with -er attached... and that is what is going to motorvate the market...

One thing that just came to mind is that if we still have a huge waiting list for the next car, values of gen1 cars might stay high because they will still be GREAT cars that are available NOW vs. 12-18 months...

food for thought... guess we will just have to and see!

 

This thread has me worried now.

I'm afraid I'm gonna want to trade up to the new one in '07.

Hopefully the resale isn't hurt too much, just in case.

 

If resale value is your prime motivation to buy a Mini than I think your missing the boat......

 

I don't know, but there's something classic about the first gen. Maybe it's the lack of compromise both in styling and the need to increase the profit margins.

 

I'm not to worried about the resale. I sold my 03 and picking up my 06 tomorrow so it will be several years before I think about moving on. My wife recently bought a Z3. Why? Even though the Z4 is supposed to be superior, the Z3 has it's own style that will never age. Something I believe the original new MINI has and like the Z3, will keep the resale high for those wanting that particular style.

 

Not trying to hijack the thread here, but to those of you who have sold your MCS (particularly an 03), how much did you get for it. I'm trying to sell mine now and don't know what to ask.

Weigh in here if you don't mind.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=52785

thanks. JR

 

Untill now, the MINI has held its resale for several reasons:
-Good styling. MINI got it just right, by producing a car that recalled the classic Mini, but had its own personality and, I think, will be a moden classic on its own.
-Great handling, even though it cost more to produce, and cut into their margin.
-A surprisingly good engine. Quick, for its size, and relatively dependable.
-"Limited" supply. Since MINI limited the supply of the car (at least they didn't flood the market), people were willing to pay a premium for a used MINI now, vs. a new MINI later.

Now that they've established their market, I expect MINI will want to increase margins on the '07 model, and increase production to start making real money from the line. If they increase margins at the expense of handling (new suspension??), reliability (new engine??), performance (new engine, again??), or styling (will the new 'look' really catch on?), demand for the car may go down, or level off, just as production increases. All that would mean that resale on the new MINI would not hold up as well as it has on the current model.

To date, resale on the MINI has been amazing. I don't think that will continue forever. It may still hold up well on the '07 models, but I don't think it will be as strong as we've seen over these past few years.

 

As far as which one will be better has little to do with future values. When the new one comes out the old will be old and if its like everything else in this country if its new its gotta be better.

 

FWIW.. in my experience the acclaimed high resale value doesn't cause them to sell easily when used... people can opt for a new one for not much more, and around here they are so plentiful used that they end up being a hard sell or an ok-but-not-great trade in value. KBB and Edmunds et al don't provide buyers to buy at those prices!

I'm sure its different on the left coast..

 

You would expect demand to decline at the end of its product cycle, however this is not case. When the new 7s were launched the demand for the outgoing model increased. Same happened with the 5 and the 3 series. Why people didn't like the new design. Some people want the latest and greatest and others simply don't like change.

I personally think the 05 and 06's will retain thier values simply because they have the bugs worked out.

 

I hope you are right, though it should not matter since I usually drive my cars to the ground and end up donating them.

For the sake of discussion, my prediction is that resale on first generation cars will decrease slightly when the '07's come out. People on this board may recognize the true ('hidden') value of late first gen cars, but the public at large will pay more attention to the new. My 2 cents.