Most liked posts in thread: MINI’s for sale on BaT

I've got the paperwork from when owner #2 brought my current R53 JCW (Rufus) from Canada to the US. It does NOT look like a simple process and I was still cleaning things up when I got the car (changing units from KM to Mi in the digital displays, for example).

I do have, however, a non US option... a heated windshield. Very rare for a MINI in the US. The car is a garage queen with high performance summer tires mounted, so I haven't had the chance to test it to see if it's still working. If it's cold enough to need the windshield heater, it's too cold for the tires to provide proper traction (IMHO).

 

The 2006 RG Metallic is a nicely done MINI.

 

Holy CRAP! The 2006 JCW w/ 70k miles (lightly modded) just sold for $17.6k!

I never thought I'd say it, but I think that if Rufus sold for that price, I'd probably make a profit on what I bought the car for some 4-5 years ago + parts! Well... maybe not a "profit" but I'd be right on the line of breaking even. That is NOT something that I ever expected to say about my Rufus project. I did it because it made me happy to do. I expected every penny that I poured into that little car to evaporate.

I might even argue that my work on Rufus is a bit more in-depth as I did a bunch of preventative maintenance items and have upgraded brakes. To that car's credit, I've got 10k more miles than the one that sold and the seller seems to have a very good rep on BAT for turning well-sorted R53s.

 

I am constantly amazed at the prices R52/53s are fetching on BaT. Perhaps it's just the COVID/Chip-shortage mess driving up prices, but perhaps we are starting to see the inflection point where the Gen 1 cars are more than just basic transportation... an early collector's car.

I'm not counting my pennies, but it is a bit validating that there are enough like-minded people who appreciate the Gen 1 cars, like me, to drive the prices up.

 

The blue 38k '06 S sold for $16k.

That red '06 JCW will likely bring 25k. It does come with a selection of quality performance parts, plus a laundry list of worthless bling parts. Somebody ran out of ideas what else to buy for their Mini, it seems.

I am always amazed how many low miles nice R53s are out there, and especially how this dealer here in Wisconsin manages to locate these cars.

 

insane prices but not as much as I thought this JCW it would bring. I suppose the lack of R53 expertise had a lot stop bidding because they were afraid of CA smog or some other irrelevant factor. On the other hand, about 4 years ago I thought $13k was insane for a low mile JCW like this.

Other cars are going up in value in a similar fashion, though. I recall when a nice V8 Audi S4 wagon could have been had for peanuts because they all need engine out timing chain service sooner or later, but now those go for well over 20k as well. There goes that project

 

here's a 06 JCW convertible with just 23k miles. Loaded, clean, great color, and unmodified.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-mini-cooper-s-jcw-18/

I am guessing 25k, assuming there are less people interested in the ragtop, although I may be wrong. Few come up in this spec and condition.

 

This is true, rag top MINI's have never sold in big numbers. A MINI convertible would be a fine doddle on the back roads leaf peeper ride. My fav is a tin top with no sunroof.