Minis For Sale on BAT

[Jims5543]

While not a classic (future classic maybe?) this jalopy ended up in my garage last month.  My first BAT purchase...although I've bid on a few (typically when I should have been keeping myself to the drunk thread):

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-mini-cooper-s-jcw-gp-37/

Item not as described!  I suppose as a 18 year old used car with 45k miles on it, it is very nice.  Just a couple little problems I didn't expect - loose inner balljoint had the car scarily all over the road, and looks like whoever put the tires on broke their tire machine in the bead of one of them - tire wouldn't hold air for more than a couple days.  In the future I might ask the seller - 'anything you think you should be telling us about this car or is it actually as nice as described'?   

LMAO!! BTDT!  I won a 1981 320i on BAT when I had no business being on there.

I would love to get my hands on a R53 GP,  I am pretty biased, I prefer the first gen Supercharged Mini's over the subsequent turbo models. I like they are still small (that just keep growing every generation Maxi Cooper is more fitting now) and the spuercharger whine is so damn addictive.

That is why I have owned on and off 3 R53's now.  I would love to add a GP to the collection, maybe one day if I get tired of the E30, which I doubt, I love that car.

Nice score and amazing price!  Even considering the flaws.

[MiniDave]

I've had both R53 and R56, I think they're both close enough in size, it was the F series that really grew.....I prefer the immediate response of the turbo models, and the better fuel mileage.

I'd like to find a 2013 GP, but right now there's a low mile MINI Cooper S Roadster BaT that's very tempting. But I just bought a car this summer (well 2 actually) so I have no bidness even looking at BaT!

[tmsmini]

Great purchase. My son's 2003 R53 is getting long in the tooth. I remember when they delivered the first batch of these at Laguna Seca. I have a picture somewhere of about 100 of them all lined up predelivery.

[tmsmini]

Found one of the pictures

[Mudhen]

 

Wicked cool!!!

[Mudhen]

One day left on this peach.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1967-morris-mini-3/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_2648450

[94touring]

Wonder what compression ratio he has.  As well as cam and redline. He didn't go past 6k rpms in his video.

[MiniDave]

Sure ran sweet, short gears and a weber for great sound!

[Mudhen]

Wow - BAT premium or fair price?

[94touring]

I was watching it. Strong price.

[MiniDave]

Wow - it was a very nicely done race car, but $53K?????

[BruceK]

This Mini on auction on BaT is being discussed as a re-VIN of 1999 Mini with a 1974 VIN plate and title. 

Might be interesting to watch to see how the market is treating it. And if BaT allows it. And if the authorities get involved.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2000-rover-mini/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_2648450

[94touring]

Yeah not good to publicly announce that!

[Willie_B]

There was 2 UK mokes listed at the same time, for a few days at least. One just ended at 46,500. It was restored by Nippycars. They do great work, worth what it bid to. A few more days to see how the other ends.

[MiniDave]

There are a bunch of classic Minis on Bat right now....

[Mudhen]

From the CBP article posted in the 1999 auction:

"Importers try to take advantage of these rules. Hence a Mini Cooper with a 2003 chassis and a 1999 engine may have a 1988 VIN plate under the hood. The older VIN gives the appearance the vehicle is more than 25 years old and legal for import."

Would love to see an r50/r53 with a A series in it and someone trying to sell it as a 1988!   

[MiniDave]

Yeah, I'll be surprised if that 1974/1999 Mini goes the distance on BaT, in the past they've always kicked those.....I'm unsure why they decided to list it at all given the potential legal issues.

Would they list a 2005 Mustang as a '65?

I don't have an issue with revins in general, as long as the buyer understands what he's buying, but it seems a little wrong to do it on a widely followed national format like BaT.

[BruceK]

Somehow the 1999/1974 Mini is still on BAT plenty of discussion about the VIN  swap.

Previously, BAT would shut down any auction like this. Have they become so big, so disjointed, that they're not really aware of what's going on with individual auctions? I mean at any single time they have over 1000 cars on live auction. 

[MiniDave]

Yeah, I think the fact that it's been registered in a couple different states they figure it must be "good".....surprised me for sure......and yes, in the past they immediately pulled an auction with any hint of impropriety.

[Mudhen]

I wouldn't worry about Uncle Sam taking it as much as the possibility that it was stolen and contributing to that whole issue.  I really worry about it for my rallycar (probably around a '75 which was brought here in the 90s) - I'd love to find any rally history on it but also worry about showing too many pics of it around in case that was how it made it here to begin with.

[MiniDave]

1990 was 35 years ago, I wouldn't worry about it!

[BruceK]

Well, several years ago it would not have been possible - BAT wouldn't have allowed it - but that reVIN'd Mini went all the way to the end of the auction and sold for good money, almost $23K!