Recovering mod costs?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 2
From: Naples FL
St. Jude Donor '12
Recovering mod costs?
We all know you don't recover the costs of mods like cams, especially if they're not professionally done.
I was thinking that if the mods were done at a well known place like Hennessey or comparable that it may not only make the car more desirable, but you might be able to recover at least some of the cost when it comes time to sell.
Anyone agree or disagree? I was thinking of a new cam and heads btw.
I was thinking that if the mods were done at a well known place like Hennessey or comparable that it may not only make the car more desirable, but you might be able to recover at least some of the cost when it comes time to sell.
Anyone agree or disagree? I was thinking of a new cam and heads btw.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 7
From: Columbus Oh
Disagree. The best way to get any money back is to demod when you sell.
There may be some people that find the car more desirable and, maybe on a limb, more valuable, but not the masses. Most buyers are looking for stock. That's just the way it is. You would be able to find a buyer for your modded car and if you find just the right buyer you may get a minuscule amount more for the mods. Maybe like 1k. But more than likely not, no matter who does the work. Not to mention, you would be spending way more for the work to be done at a place like hennessey. So you'd lose even more on the sale.
There may be some people that find the car more desirable and, maybe on a limb, more valuable, but not the masses. Most buyers are looking for stock. That's just the way it is. You would be able to find a buyer for your modded car and if you find just the right buyer you may get a minuscule amount more for the mods. Maybe like 1k. But more than likely not, no matter who does the work. Not to mention, you would be spending way more for the work to be done at a place like hennessey. So you'd lose even more on the sale.
Last edited by 02z06dave; Jul 16, 2012 at 05:30 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
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From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Disagree. The best way to get any money back is to demod when you sell.
There may be some people that find the car more desirable and, maybe on a limb, more valuable, but not the masses. Most buyers are looking for stock. That's just the way it is. You would be able to find a buyer for your modded car and if you find just the right buyer you may get a minuscule amount more for the mods. Maybe like 1k. But more than likely not, no matter who does the work. Not to mention, you would be spending way more for the work to be done at a place like hennessey. So you'd lose even more on the sale.
There may be some people that find the car more desirable and, maybe on a limb, more valuable, but not the masses. Most buyers are looking for stock. That's just the way it is. You would be able to find a buyer for your modded car and if you find just the right buyer you may get a minuscule amount more for the mods. Maybe like 1k. But more than likely not, no matter who does the work. Not to mention, you would be spending way more for the work to be done at a place like hennessey. So you'd lose even more on the sale.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,119
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From: Huntington tx
I agree, most are too cheap to pay for mods, or too afraid of them. You either find another guy/gal who wants your modded ride for what you want, or they look for a stock ride then spend large amounts of money to get one like yours already is. I agree that it's better to destroy the car and wheel out the parts in a cart to sell.
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I think what you are saying has some merit - a car done by LPE, Mallet, etc. is usually regarded as top quality work and not done by some fly by night shop around the corner. The thing you are fighting is the perception by a prospective buyer that the car has been run hard and therefore may be more prone to problems down the road. I think that if the big name vendors have done the work, there may be a little bump in the value, but certainly not enough to make it a good return on your cost of doing the mod - other than the fact that you have had the enjoyment of getting behind the wheel and driving it for a period of time.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: This is not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues; Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
^^ "The thing you are fighting is the perception by a prospective buyer that the car has been run hard and therefore may be more prone to problems down the road."
That's it right there, some people have the perception the car has been run hard, unless the mods not only include power, but $10's of thousands in interior mods, making it more a powerful "show car," than a speed/race track car. 
That's it right there, some people have the perception the car has been run hard, unless the mods not only include power, but $10's of thousands in interior mods, making it more a powerful "show car," than a speed/race track car.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 15,866
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From: PA
If you don't want to lose money on the mods when you sell keep all the stock parts and return it to stock when you sell. When people buy they pay the blue book or whatever listed value for it. Doesn't matter if you have $10k in performance mods, most people aren't going to pay extra for them. I bought mine last fall bone stock, mainly because that told me the car most likely was not raced and abused. Plus I'd rather do the mod myself the way I want.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
De-mod it and pocket the inherent cash. Especially things like Corsa exhaust, headers, etc Here is my situation on the big ticket items:
Dynatech LT headers...paid $1350 plus $500 for the install....why give that away? They go for $800 used. LG coilovers...paid $1400, installed myself...if I don't remove them I won't get a dime for them. They go for up to a grand used. Corsa Pace Car exhaust...paid $1100...easily switched back to stock...and the X pipe too. They bring up to $800 easily. Baer 2-piece rotors front and rear...paid $900...easily sell for $800-900 (current list price is around $1200) 18/19 new tires and wheels...have $1800 in them...easily sell for $1200. These are just some of the major items...total up to around $4700 just these mods...I don't consider this pocket change. The key is to save all your stock parts for trade in. I have tons of spare parts too that could bring 1000s if I part them out later. It's all part of a plan to get into a C7.
Dynatech LT headers...paid $1350 plus $500 for the install....why give that away? They go for $800 used. LG coilovers...paid $1400, installed myself...if I don't remove them I won't get a dime for them. They go for up to a grand used. Corsa Pace Car exhaust...paid $1100...easily switched back to stock...and the X pipe too. They bring up to $800 easily. Baer 2-piece rotors front and rear...paid $900...easily sell for $800-900 (current list price is around $1200) 18/19 new tires and wheels...have $1800 in them...easily sell for $1200. These are just some of the major items...total up to around $4700 just these mods...I don't consider this pocket change. The key is to save all your stock parts for trade in. I have tons of spare parts too that could bring 1000s if I part them out later. It's all part of a plan to get into a C7.
Last edited by $$$frumnuttin'; Jul 16, 2012 at 06:18 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 1
From: PA
Yes. The impression is that a car that has performance mods on it has been driven harder. And I think that for the most part....it is true. That does not take in account the engine maintenance though. It's my opinion that a guy with a performance minded outlook on the car likely cared for it more than a dude who just bought it and drove it. I suppose unmodded seems like a safer bet.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,239
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From: Naples FL
St. Jude Donor '12
I think a lot of the "driven hard" perception can be dealt with in the ad. Statements like "adult owned and driven" can somewhat abate that.
In my case for example, I looked for a car that already had the mods I wanted for the most part since I knew I was getting the mods almost for free.
To a certain degree, I can say that you're wrong if you say it has no effect if the shop is well known. Just look at the Black C4 ZR1 Rick has for sale. Those mods were done by a well known shop and Rick is asking a pretty premium for the car.
If you look at car ads everywhere you can see that Hennessey, Calloway, Lingenfelter, etc. cars do in fact go for a premium.
It's not really a question of IF they go for a premium, but how much of that investment do you recover.
In my case for example, I looked for a car that already had the mods I wanted for the most part since I knew I was getting the mods almost for free.
To a certain degree, I can say that you're wrong if you say it has no effect if the shop is well known. Just look at the Black C4 ZR1 Rick has for sale. Those mods were done by a well known shop and Rick is asking a pretty premium for the car.
If you look at car ads everywhere you can see that Hennessey, Calloway, Lingenfelter, etc. cars do in fact go for a premium.
It's not really a question of IF they go for a premium, but how much of that investment do you recover.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
I think a lot of the "driven hard" perception can be dealt with in the ad. Statements like "adult owned and driven" can somewhat abate that.
In my case for example, I looked for a car that already had the mods I wanted for the most part since I knew I was getting the mods almost for free.
To a certain degree, I can say that you're wrong if you say it has no effect if the shop is well known. Just look at the Black C4 ZR1 Rick has for sale. Those mods were done by a well known shop and Rick is asking a pretty premium for the car.
If you look at car ads everywhere you can see that Hennessey, Calloway, Lingenfelter, etc. cars do in fact go for a premium.
It's not really a question of IF they go for a premium, but how much of that investment do you recover.
In my case for example, I looked for a car that already had the mods I wanted for the most part since I knew I was getting the mods almost for free.
To a certain degree, I can say that you're wrong if you say it has no effect if the shop is well known. Just look at the Black C4 ZR1 Rick has for sale. Those mods were done by a well known shop and Rick is asking a pretty premium for the car.
If you look at car ads everywhere you can see that Hennessey, Calloway, Lingenfelter, etc. cars do in fact go for a premium.
It's not really a question of IF they go for a premium, but how much of that investment do you recover.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 2
From: Naples FL
St. Jude Donor '12
I know I tried to buy quite a few cars that were modded but lost the car as someone else bid higher. Well modded cars that were quality builds consistently went for more than backyard DIY's.
Cars that were done right, especially if done at a well known shop consistently went for more. I lost at least 5 or 6 cars that way by underestimating the amount that others were willing to pay for quality mods.
Look at it this way, why buy a car knowing I'm going to drop 10K in it if I can buy the car already modded for 3-4K more?
Corvette Cowboy
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,852
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From: Cen-Cal Broke A$$ Kalifornia
I bought my car bone stock I thought when I went to mod the Motor H/C/CAI I found out it had harden push rods Yello 916 springs so it was some what de-modded. I have everything needed to returm my car to stock except my radio bezel so I will lose my stereo no big deal. 1 thing I found out 4 yrs later that I had a level 4 RPM Trans and a beefed up 3.42 diff so very happy with that. I bought my car after 4 months of looking at modded vettes then decided I want to mod it my way and now after 5 yrs I will keep it forever it will go to my grave with me or at least I will have my last ride in it and my kids can sell it as is 
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