[Touringman]

Hi folks

The delivery date for my new car moves closer and I was starting to think about preparing my existing E46 330 Ci sport for private sale.

I need to de-install the aftermarket ICE thats fitted and return to stock (I won't be doing this myself!)

Anyway I was discussing this with the wife and she surprised me by suggesting we may want to keep the coupe (for her to drive) and sell her existing car instead which is a Mini Cooper S (14 months old - 10,000 miles)

Thing is mine is a "51" plate with 53,000 miles. - What makes most financial sense to sell - I guess the market for the Mini would be better but would keeping the e46 be a financial nightmare?

Any thoughts to help me make a decision would be welcome.

Cheers

[MarkA]

I think that your wife is on to something... your BMW will probably not yield anything like the return your Mini will. At 14 months old and perhaps still with the aftercare pack... it's the correct time to sell the mini.

[rayb]

Keep the Mini. A 335i and a MCS sounds like a great combination. Don't know if you'll take a hit if you sell the MCS since the new model came out 3 weeks ago.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by Touringman

I need to de-install the aftermarket ICE thats fitted and return to stock (I won't be doing this myself!)

Here's what you need.

[Carnage]

Originally Posted by Touringman

Hi folks

The delivery date for my new car moves closer and I was starting to think about preparing my existing E46 330 Ci sport for private sale.

I need to de-install the aftermarket ICE thats fitted and return to stock (I won't be doing this myself!)

Anyway I was discussing this with the wife and she surprised me by suggesting we may want to keep the coupe (for her to drive) and sell her existing car instead which is a Mini Cooper S (14 months old - 10,000 miles)

Thing is mine is a "51" plate with 53,000 miles. - What makes most financial sense to sell - I guess the market for the Mini would be better but would keeping the e46 be a financial nightmare?

Any thoughts to help me make a decision would be welcome.

Cheers

It depends. What is the finanical situation of the cars? Do you owe on either of them? How many car payments do you want to have each month?

If the E46 is paid off and you still owe on the Mini then sell the E46 and use the money to make a principal reduction on the Mini. But if you only want one payment from now on (i.e. the new car), sell the Mini.

If you still owe on both then sell the Mini since you probably owe a smaller amount on the E46 and will pay it off faster.

[mjh93sa]

It depends on what you want and what you would do with each long term.

Given the mileage and age of the 330Ci it's time to think about getting rid before it's value and desirability start to nose dive with increasing age and mileage, or to keep it for a good number of years.

The Mini on the other hand has desirability is spades and should be the easier sell. Equally it's going to retain value better over the next couple of years than the 330Ci will.

Have a look at the costs of similar cars online... and look at those a couple of years older.

The Mini should sell quick, but will retain more value for the next few years.

But don't forget to enjoy the new car!

[Touringman]

Thanks for all the replies

Don't owe money on either car so thats not an issue - was thinking mainly around cost of running i.e. depreciation or big bills etc. The Mini still has a warranty etc but I didn't bother renewing the e46 warranty (touchwood never had a problem!)

Does anything start to go wrong /cost more when you get beyond 5 years (55,000 miles) in a 330?

Believe it or not I get better MPG in the 3 ltr BMW than my wifes MCS 1.6 (I have been known to point out to her that she sometimes drives that car like its been stolen!)

I suppose my real issue is that I don't want to feel like I have "given away" such a fine car (the E46 330 coupe). £10 to £12k just feels to cheap for such a great car that still drives like new.

Maybe I wil put the e46 back to stock and then advertise both and see what happens (which sells first!)

Cheers

[2GPP]

Having had a Mini Cooper S in our family you got to drive it like you stole it! good fun car.
Good luck with the sale - either way you will have a couple of nice motors!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Touringman

Hi folks

The delivery date for my new car moves closer and I was starting to think about preparing my existing E46 330 Ci sport for private sale.

I need to de-install the aftermarket ICE thats fitted and return to stock (I won't be doing this myself!)

Anyway I was discussing this with the wife and she surprised me by suggesting we may want to keep the coupe (for her to drive) and sell her existing car instead which is a Mini Cooper S (14 months old - 10,000 miles)

Thing is mine is a "51" plate with 53,000 miles. - What makes most financial sense to sell - I guess the market for the Mini would be better but would keeping the e46 be a financial nightmare?

Any thoughts to help me make a decision would be welcome.

Cheers

I'd look at it this way - you've had the best of the 330i - it's done most of it's depreciation and if it's a good one - it's probably worth quite a bit more to you than you could sell it for.

The cooper is 'nearly new' you'll lose some money on it - but from this point on it would depreciate much faster than the 330i.

the 330i ought to give you another 5 years and 50,000 miles without major problems.

I'd sell the cooper and keep the 330.

[528imsport]

no way don`t sell the mini itis a fun handbage car