Used Cars Make A Comeback, MINI Dominates

Today Forbes.com discusses the increase in used car values for older, fuel-efficient vehicles. I about lost it when I read:

"...This year's Mini Cooper buyers expecting to find a lower-priced used 2007 Mini were in for a big surprise. They paid, on average, $2300 more for a used Mini in mid-June, a 12% increase over the average transaction price on Jan. 1 of this year..."

Twelve percent? Twelve percent?! Since January?! Well, you know how I am-- I immediately got distracted from the article and had to get an update on the ol' "Kelly Blue Book vs. Payoff" challenge for my own MINI. The results? Wait for it...


Kelly Blue Book, Private Party, Excellent Condition: $21,945*
Current payoff (after 3 years of payments): $15,662.73*

That's right folks by these numbers, not only have I only lost about $6,000 in value after three years of ownership- if I sold it today, I'd make it all back! Yeah, I know I probably missed something in the math there somewhere. Feel free to correct me. Meanwhile, excuse me while I laugh my a** off for a second and do a little dance...

Forbes continues:

"Dominating the list of 15 fuel-efficient used cars making a comeback is the Mini Cooper with four model years, including 2005 ($1,900 average transaction price increase, or 11%); 2006 ($1,600 average transaction price increase, or 10%); and 2004 ($1,050 average transaction price increase, or 7.4%)..."

Yeah, I had to include that part in there too. But in all fairness, its not all about the MINI. Check out the entire article for some jaw-dropping, cork-popping numbers! Well, I guess that depends on what you drive.

*(Figures are for comparison and commentary purposes only.)

Related Links:

• Forbes.com
• KBB.com
• MINIUSA.COM

MINIUSA.COM Visitor Traffic up 90%. Attributes Rising Fuel Prices

filed under "you could see it coming a mile away"...


Auto-blog site, Cars.com reports that 900,000 people went to miniusa.com in May 2008?!

"Maybe it was the recent introduction of the Clubman, but MINI is saying, nope, it’s high fuel prices that have driven traffic to its website to increase nearly 90%. Last month, more than 900,000 people went to miniusa.com to check out the Cooper lineup. Searches for new Mini Coopers were also up on Cars.com, nearly 40% in May compared to April 2008."

The article continues on to cite mileage estimates in comparison to other cars in the same class. Friends of "Bushfinger MINI" will recall more realistic, real-world mileage statistics conducted by yours truly!

Read the full article at cars.com

Related Links:

• Cars.com
• MINIUSA.com
• Bushfinger MINI - Mileage Log

MINI MILEAGE 2007: UPDATE/HOW-TO

Being the dork that I am, I like to keep a variety of statistics in both my work and personal life so I can then go around blurting out random numbers and factoids to anyone who will listen. (i kid!)

I bought my first MINI Cooper in 2003 straight off the lot. I fell in love with the car, the MINI "lifestyle", and coming from a 4-door Chevy sedan, I especially enjoyed the increase in gas mileage! But when folks would ask "What kind of mileage do you get in that thing?" while I had an answer, (being the dork that I am) I prefer proof (a.k.a. "statistics"!)

I have been diligently tracking my MPG since I picked up my second MINI- a 2006 MINI Cooper S in July of 2006. The process is quite simple actually:

1. I use the MINI's built-in Odometer/Trip Meter to track the distance traveled between each fill up...
2. At each fill up, I use the camera on my cellphone to take a photo of the resulting pump reading...
3. I then take another photo of my Odometer/Trip Meter before I reset it...
4. I upload these photos to my cellphone account, where each one is time/date stamped from when I took the photo. This is perfect for when I'm feeling less geeky since I can let them pile up for weeks until a day like today...
   
5. I review each photo and enter the data into a spreadsheet.

With a carefully prepped spreadsheet, now all I have to do is enter the data and the rest is done for me! It's a pretty basic set of formulas- namely averaging, and dividing. (If you really want a copy of my spreadsheet let me know. I'd be happy to send it.)

Here is a brief summary of travel data for my MINI Cooper S for 2007:

• The average fill-up in 2007 was $32 for 10.32 = 3.16/gal. (In the last 3-4 months the typical yield for $40 for is 12 gallons = ~$3.34/gal)
• The median mileage between fill-ups was 242.4 "per tank" (Only about 30% of my mileage comes from traveling farther than 20 miles of highway every few weekends. Gotta visit the fam' y'know!)
• + Overall, my MPG results in an average of 23.82 and a median of 22.68 a gallon.*
• + The highest MPG recorded in 2007: 41.9mpg baby! (Yes, that was a result of about 90% highway driving going to Las Vegas for AMVIV)

For better record keeping in 2008, I'm considering acquiring a gas card (credit card) so I can better track "Days between fill-ups" as well as maintain more consistency of where and how much I pay for each fill up (I also try to purchase the same dollar amount of fuel each time so I can use this as the "constant" in my formulas, which isn't always an option when you're relying on cash).

*(NOTE: I prefer "Median" over "Average" whenever possible. It provides a more accurate look at the data! But then again, I'm a dork.)

So there's a peek into how I get my "numbers" for the on-going "MINI Mileage Update" thread on this blog. I know someone will blow my method of analysis to shreds, but that's how we learn, right?

Side-by-side Comparison: 2006 MINI, Honda, Scion, VW

Somehow I ended up on the Kelly Blue Book site again!! I don't know why- I'm not buying or selling anything... While there I ended up clicking the "compare" button. The results are as expected, MINI COOPERS KICK ASS in almost every area!

I'm not saying each of these cars are equally equipped, because frankly, I wouldn't know. But, with equal mileage:

cricka por photo mas grande

Used Car Blue Book, Private Party:

• '06 MINI COOPER S: $21,895.00 (mpg:25/32)
  
• '06 HONDA CIVIC DX: $13,510.00 (mpg:30/40)
  
• '06 SCION TC: $15,880.00 (mpg:22/29)
  
• '06 VW: GTI: $16,620.00 (mpg: 22/29)
  

Again, don't bash me for comparing cars that aren't in the same "league"- KBB.com seems to think they are!

Compare Old and New EPA MPG Estimates

Unless you've been living under rock then you've probably heard of the updated (and most importantly) more accurate MPG Estimates required by our wonderful federal government beginning in 2008. The conversation came up at work today and in doing a little research, I found a great website that allows consumers to compare the old numbers to the new ones. And since I drive a MINI, of course that's the first thing I checked!

source: fueleconomy.gov

Now here's the kicker-- In all of my ongoing MPG estimates (and I'm pretty consistent in keeping them), what's my average MPG? Yep- right about 24-26 MPG! I think this comparision chart will be invaluable to those considering a new vehicle for fuel effiency purposes. Of course it's always important to remember: your mileage may vary.

:bmp:

MINI Mileage Update

Like we tend to do 'round here, it's the next edition of the MINI MILEAGE CHART!

As posted previously, I track my mileage and gas usage diligently (If only I applied this to the rest of my life!). Like most people, the polar opposites of when/why/where/how I drive has a major effect on MPG (a whole 5 minutes to work, and 200+ freeway miles on the weekends? yeah- erratic, I know).

The numbers speak for themselves. well, assuming I know how to use Excel correctly...


On paper, the the 2006 MINI Cooper S gets 25 (city) to 32 (hwy). But we all know that's not true! However, it was pretty neat getting almost 350 miles on one tank! (This particular pump-to-pump experience included a nice 100+ mile"spirited" run.)

MINI MPG Update...

Since gas prices started to go down a few weeks ago*, it is now actually more difficult to track and log my miles per gallon! Before, I could wait til my tank got to E and consistently put in $40. My how the numbers change when varying the actual amount of gas per fill up....


*Right before an election... Imagine that!

MINI Mileage Update

So I thought I'd take a couple minutes to update my MINI Mileage Chart. It'sa getting a bit harder to track this since gas prices finally went down and it's not as simple as putting 2 $20's into the bill reader to fill er up...

MINI Mileage and Gas Chart (real vs estimate)*

As we all know, the MPG stated on car adverts and informational publications are "estimates"- quite liberal ones at that, and rarely reflect typical driving conditions. And while the folks over at whiteroofradio.com are having a contest for "Best MPG"-- I knew I wasn't even going to try to win this one!

But since I've been tracking my MPG since three cars ago (it's what I do), I thought I'd play along in a round-about way with this brief reality check:

The "estimated MPG" for the 2006 MINI Cooper S:

(source: minusa.com)
The MINI "official estimates- are about as accurate as the MSRP!

Now, compare this to the following spreadsheet of fill ups since I picked up "Mr. Bigglesworth" approx. one month ago...

(Odometer / gallons of previous fill-up = MPG)

As expected, the highest MPG (Row 6) represents a mostly-highway trip of about 300 miles. Other numbers shown are a result of either "4-minute commutes" or stop-and-go freeway traffic oh so typical to SoCal... And of course, I was within the break-in period until August 7 (Row 4)- and who knows what effect that may have had...

Rows 2-5 also reflect the addition a K&N Cold-Air-Intake- A mod which has never been confused with better gas mileage, but does not seem to have a significant bearing on fuel efficiency)...

Since I have the data, the second set of numbers (Row 11-15) are included for comparision- This is from my 2003 Cooper (non-S)...

(While I don't log it- simple math will show that we're paying ~$3.40-3.50 a gallon out here now! Ouchie!)


So while Wingnut, DB, and the WRR gang get their smack-talk on, I'll just enjoy my "rocket-car"... and see you at the pump!

*As they say, "your mileage may vary"