Spec and Valuation

[jonlwright]

Hi,

I need to sell my wife's R53 Cooper S in the next few weeks and have been trying to get an idea of what to sell it for - but prices seem to vary massively. It is a 2006 '06' with a big spec and low mileage and was wondering if the spec will make a significant difference (the car was £21K new).

Spec includes Full Heated Leather Recaros, Panoramic Roof, Chili Pack, Xenons, Side Skirts, Visibility Pack, Harmon Kardon, CD Multi, PDC and some other odds and sods in Hyper Blue.

Was hoping to advertise for £13995 or thereabouts? Is that realistic?

Thanks,

Jon.

[prmoldoaks]

Jon,

I have herd "the better the spec the better the resale value" from many a new car sales man, but when I go back to trade it in for a new one the used car salesmen says "the spec does not make much difference"

I think if your selling the car privately it will help sell the car, but trading it in these days the garage just want to steal cars from you.

My Son gets his new Mini next week, they offerd hi £5k (trade in)its fully loaded with cooper works body kit etc, "the extras dont make much difference sir" the salesman told me!!!!

It books at £8,000 !!!

Looking at your Car John it books retail at £13,200.00 Pepper £13,700.00 chili(not considering an extra's), thats what the garage would put it on the forecourt for and based on good condition with 21k miles on the clock. max trade in would be £12,000.00 or £13,700.00 respectively, but dont hold your breath.

Edited by prmoldoaks on Thursday 6th March 15:20

[jonlwright]

Thanks for that. I know dealers never seem to pay for spec - but guessed it would help in a private sale.

Seems to be with Minis it just takes the person to want the specific spec and it will sell.

The car has 12K miles on it too, so hopefully that will help.

[T5GRF]

If it is any help I have just sold my wife's 54 plate Cooper S with a similar spec to yours plus Satnav, 17000 miles back to the Mini dealer we bought it from having had a go at advertising it on Pistonheads for £12995. The only calls we got were from Mini buyers offering around £10k, the garage made a very strong bid of £11500 so back it went.

[jonlwright]

Well, got round to advertising it. Put it in at £13495 to be on the safe side and ended up within a few days having 4 people after the car. In the end a nice lady was first to get there and brought the asking price in cash with her so she could take it there and then.

Nice and easy sale and I think it would have sold 3 times over if I had 3 of them!

Maybe it is just a better time of year?

[Silent1]

jonlwright said:

Well, got round to advertising it. Put it in at £13495 to be on the safe side and ended up within a few days having 4 people after the car. In the end a nice lady was first to get there and brought the asking price in cash with her so she could take it there and then.

Nice and easy sale and I think it would have sold 3 times over if I had 3 of them!

Maybe it is just a better time of year?

And people have realised the R53 looks 'right' when compared to an R56

[briSk]

so what do we reckon my low(ish) spec 2005 would go for?

hatch. hyper blue, chilli (17" bullets (2 currently kerbed)), cd and dsc (inc slippery diff).

£12k? prob more like £11k??

jonlwright - where did you advertise?

Edited by briSk on Tuesday 8th April 12:28

[jonlwright]

briSk said:

so what do we reckon my low(ish) spec 2005 would go for?

hatch. hyper blue, chilli (17" bullets (2 currently kerbed)), cd and dsc (inc slippery diff).

£12k? prob more like £11k??

jonlwright - where did you advertise?

Edited by briSk on Tuesday 8th April 12:28

Pistonheads and Autotrader.