[TonyF1]

Hi,

Been a while but wanted to check on best course.

We’ve got an r53 Chilli Cooper S (grey / black roof, auto, xenon, sat nav i.e. fully loaded) that’s been in the household from new since September 2006. It’s done 91500 miles, visually in very good condition outside and in but MOT has raised some corrosion issues (it did pass August 2020) and it’s got a small leak in the rear hatch.

My wife drives it now and plan is part ex on a new Audi S3. Been offered £1300 part ex and it will go straight to auction although sad to see it go. Is an R53 of this vintage something specialists would be interested in?

Not trying for a stealth ad but have loved owning and driving it so much it seems a shame it might not go to a good home.

 

[ExclusiveWorkshops]

the trade on it is probably closer to £1k with an over allowance against the car you want, basically discounting the car you're after to make the p/ex look better on paper, it may well be lower than that. They'll make an adjustment in the deal file. You could get the same value taken off the car paying for it with no p/ex most likely when old cars are involved but they will hope to show a margin on it when sold at the block still, which takes you back to the deal file adjustment.

what are the corrosion issues? Just subframe observations?

I'd possibly buy it to recon at it's trade value fwiw but not getting into online bids, they're about cheap if one looks, and to do what I do there is no margin unless bought right. Or it'll end up in a breakers as some do, I save them though, and correct issues etc ;O)

 

[TonyF1]

Thanks.

Yes, subframe on the corrosion. The part ex they are doing as a favour as a good customer and they recon £2,300 privately but I don’t want the hassle of tyre kickers. The we buy any car types are offering £1,725 but always knock the price down.

Probably give it a punt with WBAC if not got the £1,300 as a backup.

 

[ExclusiveWorkshops]

by all means send me some pics of it and info etc in pm, the more detail the better, 'all faults' preferred as it saves time ime.

 

[mike1967]

Thanks.

Yes, subframe on the corrosion. The part ex they are doing as a favour as a good customer and they recon £2,300 privately but I don’t want the hassle of tyre kickers. The we buy any car types are offering £1,725 but always knock the price down.

Probably give it a punt with WBAC if not got the £1,300 as a backup.

westealanycar.com they are really a national auction site, and what happens is this you tell them you have a really nice car they say ho yes we will give you £2000 say you then agree to take car they then pick every mark and blemish etc that £2000 ends up at £1500 adjusted maybe, then admin fee on some cars.. makes me laugh when i sell a car and some muppet will write to me with a 3k offer on a nearly 5k car and tell me that they valued it online and say where,, then i go to that site and find its linked to car buying businesses ie they are try to convince people their cars are not worth much,, then those cars that get bought and put through their auctions sites all over the country,, i stopped going to car auctions as the prices of cars are over the book values most of the times funny that,,,
anyway subframe corrosion thats a couples of hours paint job, rust cure it surface rust those subframes are really thick metal and mot inspectors who advise on them being a rusty colour dont do car owners any favors,, i always rust cure them then hammerite smooth them and make point when selling them its been done with picks ,,
you could auction that car and would get more than that for it,, and as one owner car i would mot it get it cleaned and serviced and paint subframe etc that will fly out the door over £2k easy

 

[SurreyPete]

The earlier R53’s are developing a bit of a cult following so people do look out for good condition ones, you say you got an advisory for subframe corrosion but if it’s just surface rust it’s nothing to worry about and wouldn’t put me off a potential purchase.

Post a for sale advert on some MINI forums with some good pictures, the earlier R53 cars are becoming hard to find under 100,000 miles and been looked after, that way you’ll actually get people who are interested in the cars in the first place.

I prefer a privately owned, genuine car with history, you know it’s been looked after and that’s far better then a back street dealer who just bought it at an auction to make a quick buck by washing it and slapping some tyre dressing on the tyres.

I bought my MINI from Shpock, was privately owned by a girl who was getting rid because she wasn’t getting any work as a personal trainer due to Covid, I had been to see about 8 before hand, all dealers and all not as described, too be honest some utter junk, whenever I go to look at a car I never let on that I am also in the “trade” and just let the dealers dig themself a hole

Don’t be put off selling privately, a lot of us actively seek private sellers out

 

[TonyF1]

A couple of images. May look at a mini classified site as I’d hate to see the car scrapped as it’s a pretty unique beast.

 

[MiniLoverSinceBoyhood]

Have to agree with SurreyPete, I’d pay £2,500 easy for that if I was buying. An R53 under 100,000 in good nick, full service, only advisory is subframe corrosion...to me that would be a steal.

 

[mike1967]

its very tidy will get good money for that put it on ebay make a point its a auto gearbox as there wil be someone out there who only wants a auto, make point of good pics and make point one owner car put reserve on it would say £2500 possibly 3k for very good one and that one looks the part,, always sell a car with 12months mot and serviced and make point of that in the advert,, traders are there to make money , where a private buyer just wants a sorted car,,

 

[JTownPBX]

Those wheels are 250 dollars(U.S.) on the used market. I would part it out. Or hide it to a later date. As of 2021 there are R53 in the U.S. that are not in running condition going for 6500 (U.S.)

 

[SurreyPete]

Looks like a very tidy, looked after car, Sat Nav and auto box with paddle shift on the steering wheel, I take it those are the R112 John Cooper Works wheels and are the roof bars staying on the car as well as that would appeal if someone wanted to fit say a bike rack to the roof?

Would you mind actually putting up exactly what the advisory/advisories from the last MOT were?

 

[JonnyB]

Hi,

Been a while but wanted to check on best course.

We’ve got an r53 Chilli Cooper S (grey / black roof, auto, xenon, sat nav i.e. fully loaded) that’s been in the household from new since September 2006. It’s done 91500 miles, visually in very good condition outside and in but MOT has raised some corrosion issues (it did pass August 2020) and it’s got a small leak in the rear hatch.

My wife drives it now and plan is part ex on a new Audi S3. Been offered £1300 part ex and it will go straight to auction although sad to see it go. Is an R53 of this vintage something specialists would be interested in?

Not trying for a stealth ad but have loved owning and driving it so much it seems a shame it might not go to a good home.

Hi , did the car sell , i would be interested if not ?