Mk1 interest check/discussion

More of a discussion than an outright For Sale post, but I'm thinking of selling our beloved and most treasured Mk1 as part of a "family car park" overhaul

The 3 of us are after enjoying convertible motoring together, which is a no-can-do in the '5, and I can't justify keeping it as a 2nd convert/'toy'.
The family car is an '06 hawkeye 'Prezza, and I'm after replacing that as well as it's a bit thirsty and getting a tad loud on the old tax + insurance front.
So, looking at a diesel convertible A4/Saab, and a cheap shopping trolley

(I really would love to keep it, but...)

Question is - how much can I realistically hope to get for the '5? Info:

it's a Mk1 model, 1998 R, 1.8i, UK car
54000 genuine/fully-documented miles on the clock
we are the 2nd owner from new, we have owned it 9 years and bought it at approx 14k from Hayselden in Doncaster when they were still a Mazda dealer (still got sticker on back windscreen!), and they had sold it new to the previous lady owner
It's a limited edition, ""Berkeley", no.259 of 400 (last 400 UK Mk1s before the facelift, which removed the pop-up headlights)
Ltd edition features: sparkle green metallic paint, chrome boot rack (the flush-type chrome one), original 15" mazda alloys (specific to that edition), black and grey leather seats and interior, walnut (imitation?) console & bits here and there, Momo steering wheel, chrome sill plates, chrome brace bar (behind seats), black leather tonneau cover
it was on Irish plates between 2004 and 2008 while we lived in Dublin (the first and only Berkeley ever registered there! Still in the "Irish DVLA" online database for import tax calculation, statistical code 40687417), and was totally unused/dry-garaged in France between 2006-2008
all belts incl. cambelt were changed in October 2008 at 43kmiles (might have been 48kmiles, can't remember but will check, have paperwork) by local Mazda main dealer in France, when I took it out of dry garage (I had the dealer flatbed-fetch it, to be safe)
new brake pads all-around and 2 new discs (or calipers? not sure, will check paperwork) in March 2008
new Firestones TZ300 all-around before its MOT 2 weeks ago, MOT all clear (same as it's been for the 7 years we've used it, never failed it once, incl. Irish MOT it had to pass for the IE registration)

It's standard throughout as-of-the-day-it-left-the-factory, save for the stereo/CD (the original Clarion crapped out, it's now got a Kenwood) and in superb condition. Never been track-day'd, raced, upgraded-then-downgraded or 'touched'/abused in any way.

Faults: there's a small horizontal dent (about 2" max) at the bottom of the driver's side wheel arch, which I'm having sorted soon (was a stone or something projected by oncoming traffic, did not tear/pierce paint) and the exhaust heat shield has a bit of rattle at about 3000 rpm (not below or above that, which is a bit odd).

Drives superbly, never missed a bit or thrown a spanner our way, feels solid and sturdy as the day we bought it, and we have looked after it as a "family member"/no expenses spared.

Pics to follow later tonight, now let's have your opinions as to value (I'd have said north of £3k?)

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1998 Mk1 1.8i 'Berkeley'
No.259 of the last 400 Mk1s made for the UK market.

Last edited by ambro25 on Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:04 pm; edited 2 times in total

this will be a hard 1 to value, its clearly a well looked after and maintained car, would fetch a lot more money for ya if sold nearer summer, there are 5's out there going for £1500 that are are tidy cars, but if it were mine i would be loathed to let it go for less than £2500 as a starting point, but im no expert, thats purely my opinion, if it were 'nt for the state of the economy ect and the price of motoring i would'nt hesitate at sayin £3000 +, as a trade sale at a dealers it would certainly be on a forecourt for that sort of money, but with a private sale dunno, people are fickle when it comes to partin with cash

good luck with the sale, hope ya get what she's worth

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That's just the thing: aside from the heartache of letting it go, there's the fact that we know where and how it's been driven/serviced/looked after in the past 9 years, and I imagine we'd have a really hard time finding as much motor and safety of mind for the kind of money which the market says we should let it go at.

One of the main reasons why I'm really not sure about selling it/why I keep having serious second thoughts

Just done a quick search on the Irish VRT system, says Open Market Selling Price is €5k

...at current exchange rates, I wish!

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1998 Mk1 1.8i 'Berkeley'
No.259 of the last 400 Mk1s made for the UK market.