A little more than two years on, I’m still enamored with my 2006 MINI Cooper S. I was lucky to stumble upon my Astro Black (dark metallic blue) R53 at a used car lot outside of Philadelphia with a scant 33,000 miles on the clock. I am just about to turn 45,000 miles, because I take public transport to work, using the car simply on weekends and road trips. Every time I get behind the wheel, this car puts a smile on my face in every gear.
Since 2006, the MINI lineup has grown a lot larger, much to some purists’ chagrin. Like the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne, I understand cars like the MINI Countryman and Paceman have their time and place, but for me, only a Cooper will do. We haven’t featured an R53 in a while here on GCFSB, but this Cooper S for sale in Florida has some nice Dinan upgrades and is making the right noises.
Year: 2006
Model: Cooper S Dinan
Engine: 1.6 liter supercharged inline four
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 72,000
Price: $14,900
2006 MINI Cooper S Dinan on BMW CCA Classifieds
Stunning example of the last year supercharged R53. Fully optioned: Cold weather pkg, Premium pkg, Sport pkg, limited slip differential, HK sound plus more. 206 HP Dinan S2/S3 upgrades, too numerous to list. Outstanding condition. Second owner, have owned for six years. CA car since new, no accidents or repaint. Never raced, tracked or abused. Complete documented maintenance records. Email for full fact sheet. See 36 photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24088817@N08/sets/72157632842957629/
When I bought my Cooper S in early 2011, I paid just a hair over $15,000. My car is a base Cooper S without the Sport Package or Premium Package, but it does have the Cold Weather Package. The mileage on my car is still much lower than this example, but in all honesty, this souped up Cooper S certainly looks just as mint as mine. I’d say this car’s extra features and power are evened out by the lower mileage on my car. So after two years then, we’re just about even when it comes to depreciation? Probably not. But at this asking price, we’re not that far off. I’m guessing this car would probably shift for somewhere between $13,500 to $14,500.
-Paul
Nice mini. Supercharged car would be fun.
Great colors, very well optioned, sharp looking, and most of all, the all-important power boost with the right equipment to manage it (LSD, etc.) I’m still hoping the newer MINI interiors will grow on me, but it hasn’t happened yet.