How do mods affect resale value?
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: MA
How do mods affect resale value?
For those that have sold a modded car, what has been your experience in selling it? I am thinking of modding my '01 coupe with a supercharger. I probably will keep the car for another few years after modding. I am curious how this will affect resale value.
I can't tell much from the "for sale section" because prices seem all over the map. Assuming I add 8k of mods, how will this affect resale value? What % of mod investment should I expect to get above an unmodded car? Is it ~50%? Will this make the car more difficult to sell? Just curious.
I can't tell much from the "for sale section" because prices seem all over the map. Assuming I add 8k of mods, how will this affect resale value? What % of mod investment should I expect to get above an unmodded car? Is it ~50%? Will this make the car more difficult to sell? Just curious.
Former Vendor
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
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Lets be blunt here.
You will never get back all of the money you put into the car in regards to Mods!
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it
You will never get back all of the money you put into the car in regards to Mods!
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Denver Colorado
Lets be blunt here.
You will never get back all of the money you put into the car in regards to Mods!
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it
You will never get back all of the money you put into the car in regards to Mods!
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: The line waiting to see Santa Claus stretched all the way back to Terre Haute, and I was at the end, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18
If you want to trade the car, a dealer will probably not give you a penny more than the stock price of the car as a general rule. It is harder to find a buyer for a modded car, but you'll get more for selling it outright than for a trade. It just takes longer to find someone who wants the same mods as you. I live in a smaller city, and my car is so heavily modded that everyone around here knows it, and that I drive it. I planned on keeping my car for a long time when I modded it. I like it, and accept that when I sell it, I will never come close to recouping the true value of the mods, and someone else will probably get a pretty good deal.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Wellsboro Pa
I have had a lot of muscle cars in my day. I always figured that when I want to sell a car that I have modded I would expect no more than 50% return on the cost of the mods. Actually, it is probably less than that. I guess the lesson is: don't expect any return on your money for the mods.
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When I have sold off some of my previous mods, I found that they returned between 30 and 50 percent of what I paid for them, depending on the mod of course. I have never put something like a supercharger on any of my cars so I really don't know how something like that would affect the car's resale value.
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Le Mans Master
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St Jude Donor '07-'08-'09
In fact some would argue that performance mods make it sometimes more difficult to sell your car because buyers think you beat on it every chance you got.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: 15 miles south from the Raisin Capitol of the World Caifornia
When I sell my car it will be stock. Mod stuff will go on auctiun site. You will get a better return that way. Write off your labor as " fun working on the Vette"
Le Mans Master
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From: Saraland Alabama
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I now have my second Vette and am over 60 but I would not even consider buying a Vette with performance mods for the reason that the car was probably abused.
There are too many fine garage queen stock Vettes available to chance buying something that might blow up due to previous abuse.
There are too many fine garage queen stock Vettes available to chance buying something that might blow up due to previous abuse.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
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From: Philadelphia Burbs
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St. Jude Donor '06
You will never get back all of the money you put into the car in regards to Mods!
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it.
People that buy these cars like them stock as the taste of yourself will sometimes clash with the taste of others.
I think you will get around 20% back of what you put in the car when it comes time to sell it.
I have seen this many times - you might really lucky and get 50% back or you might end up in a position where it detracts from the pure stock value ...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Montreal ** Enjoy the ride !!
Personally I would only buy one that was not modified. If I would get one modified I would want to see who did the work,, especially if it was engine or suspension. I know a few people that have modified their cars, it's frighting what they did and how they did it 
You never usually get that money back, but might help sell the car faster though..
You never usually get that money back, but might help sell the car faster though..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Oceanside New York
The bottom line is that YOU are the one that is interested in the mods, not the next buyer (99% most likely). If anything, that next buyer may want to do those mods his/herself.
Now, as far as EBAY'ing the modifications and such, it's only a percentage that you get back anyway, I wouldn't at all expect to recover the full $800+ that you spent on that Tigershark Front Fascia or what you paid for those PIAA Fog Lights...capiche?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: State of Confusion.
If I went to sell mine (2001 M/Y Supercharged A4 Coupe with ALOT of extras on it and 10,600 miles), I'd sell the mods separately.
First, you'll get more for the mods. Second, I'd have a stock 10,600 mile car to sell.
Just because a car is built, doesn't mean it's beat!
Heck, mine is probably in better running condition/shape than most stock ones because it's built to take the abuse on those rare occasions that I do decide to step on the gas, which as you can tell by the mileage, isn't often enough!
My take on it is if you're planning on keeping the car, then mod it and enjoy it and worry about resale when you decide to sell it! I went through the same thing that you are, and Believe me it's ALOT more fun with the blower (Alot more expensive too, once you throw in a trans or a clutch, fuel system stuff and especially rear tires to plant that power)
First, you'll get more for the mods. Second, I'd have a stock 10,600 mile car to sell.
Just because a car is built, doesn't mean it's beat!
Heck, mine is probably in better running condition/shape than most stock ones because it's built to take the abuse on those rare occasions that I do decide to step on the gas, which as you can tell by the mileage, isn't often enough!
My take on it is if you're planning on keeping the car, then mod it and enjoy it and worry about resale when you decide to sell it! I went through the same thing that you are, and Believe me it's ALOT more fun with the blower (Alot more expensive too, once you throw in a trans or a clutch, fuel system stuff and especially rear tires to plant that power)
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,479
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From: Devil's Island CA
As already mentioned you will lose alot of money when modding, however if you want it modded, its your car so do it and have fun in the meantime worry about losing money later 
I know there are a lot of people that dont like buying modded cars, however in in that percentage that does. I would rather buy a car that is already modded so I dont have to start from scratch. However it would have had to have been built by a reputable shop etc. I've bought stock cars that Ive had problems with (never know what your getting when you buy used anyway)
I know there are a lot of people that dont like buying modded cars, however in in that percentage that does. I would rather buy a car that is already modded so I dont have to start from scratch. However it would have had to have been built by a reputable shop etc. I've bought stock cars that Ive had problems with (never know what your getting when you buy used anyway)
