Opinions Invited

[Houtman_imp]

Yestreday I was meeting up with my buddies on the BRP but as I had to pick up supplies for an upcoming party at our home I decided to take my wife's Mini Cooper S on the BRP . What a blast that was , excellent road holding and very comfortable in the very hot weather : it was as good as a bike ride. With me planning to give up riding in the next couple of years and buying my own Mini Country Man I might plan to sell my 2013 earlier than first thought . My question is : as my 2013 ABS has Vin # 00002 would that make the bike more collectable (valuable ?) It has many upgrades and the Moriwaki stainless steel 4 into 4 , Ohlins shock and many other upgrades .
What is your thought about the Vin Number being of some value ?

[Cormanus]

Interesting question, John. I's wonder whether the upgrades may make it less collectible. I'd have thought any value may lie in having a mint condition bike looking like it did when it rolled out as #2 off the assembly line. But it would certainly be worth a try when selling it.

[the Ferret]

I agree with Cormanus, upgrades are in the eye of the beholder.

Imo an 02 vin would only matter to a collector and not to a rider

[PowerDubs_imp]

Yup- what they said.

Value as #2 would mean bone stock and low miles.

A rider might like mods, and not care about the miles as much- but also won't care about the VIN or any potential value it adds.

I don't know that I've ever even looked at my VIN.

[Houtman_imp]

I should have mentioned that I have ALL the OEM parts I took of when I did an upgrade . (including the bleeders when I installed the st. st speed bleeders ) Over the years I learned to ALWAYS keep the original parts.

[misterprofessionality]

This may just be echoing what others have said, but a lot of times a bike with many expensive and unique mods sells better as a bone stock bike with the valuable parts sold separately. You tend to make more money that way.

Im reminded of a guy on here who had a one of a kind titanium exhaust, Magtan wheels, extremely unique Don Vesco faring, MIZ tail cowl, and other cool things. Had to be over $10000 worth of mods. He simply couldn't sell the bike. Nobody would even bite on it.

He ended up returning the bike to stock and selling it easily. Then selling the MIZ tail to me, his gorgeous Yoshimura titanium exhaust to another guy, and the awesome Don Vesco to yet another guy, ect ect. He made his money that way. It just took longer.

[max]

Dubs has the right idea, from a collectors perspective; "it's only original once".
And desirability goes up with rarity ( availability ) like wine, right Popgun?
A matching numbers carton box with an early colt python is worth $400 for the box alone....

If you have a closer look at J Leno's garage etc. that would be an overriding part of the deal, another is receipts that would
confirm originality, accessories are worth nothing to a collector unless its factory issued like a seat or something, so it all depends, you still have to find someone who is interested in the originality of the bike which is another level and usually requires time and contacts with the right crowd.
Even a nice example like this is only attractive to a small audience;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpEI-zL6gW8

Still worth considering though and good thinking John.

[misterprofessionality]

As for your desire to get your own Mini...let me tell you. This is the mini you want instead of a countryman:

[Lord Popgun]

Did somebody mention wine?

[GoldOxide_imp]

I think a restored bone stock VIN #002 using its original OEM parts (from storage) would garner high value at a time when many of us would be dug up from the ground for study in high school history projects. So what? - maybe by 2063 and later?


"Class, class! Your attention please. Be respectful. Yes, this specimen was a male, last meal was a steak, ... didn't seem to like onions, ... based on the grip pattern on the hands he was a motorcycle rider? ... and what the heck is this? ... a sort of black rubbery round thing? ... two of them! ... "