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for the most part, i've grown to hate modded cars. too much wrench time, too much money, too many broken parts
they always wind up the same way too
buy car for xxxx dollars, invest 10-20 grand, sell car for barely more than you paid for it years later along with hundreds of hours of lost labor on the garage floor
I would almost make a bet that of those who have the most problems with their cars, they are the ones who start internally modding their engines and drive trains.
Some mods are an upgrade. But if you don't know what you're doing, or know how to care for a modded car.
buy car for xxxx dollars, invest 10-20 grand, sell car for barely more than you paid for it years later along with hundreds of hours of lost labor on the garage floor
As I have done this to my last 2 cars... but my latest 1999 Corvette just got a new set of Centennial Cup wheels, going to upgrade the stereo for my own enjoyment, and I'm done. Still pissing away about $2500 but oh well. Its a sickness...
Nothing wrong with keeping the car stock - it will perform just fine. But I prefer to customize mine to make it different than the many thousands of other C5s out there. And I have been completely happy with the mods.
I don't have a problem with there being thousands of other stock C5's like mine out there , especially if they are identical. That way I can enjoy looking at my car while I drive it , even though it is not really mine , if you know what I mean.
For the most part, the changes I've made are light performance and cosmetic. I plan on leaving the engine and the A4 tranny stock. In my opinion, the more you mess within the engine area components, the more likely you may develop problems later on. It's running great now with no problems.
I like to stay competitive with newer vehicles and a car that runs mid-low 13's does not cut it anymore( I actually track the car). On top of that I like add personal touches to my vehicle...... to each his own though... some people love the C5 stock, some like to mod it to no end ha
I will add my .02
At 51 years old I have had my share of car and never had any desire to " mod " one until I got my Vette three years ago. I dove right in, had some of the mods purchased before I even brought it home. And in the next few weeks I will be adding headers and some suspension work. I have a file almost three inches thick of stuff that I would like to do to it ( if money was no object) . I have done stuff and undone stuff. The great part about it is that is mine. I am free to do what I would like to. It is a choice that we all make. And that is what makes it great. Enjoy your car the way you want to enjoy it, after all it's yours, who give a flying rat's A *** what anyone thinks?
Corvette built the C5 the original way for a reason...Point being, leave it original. You'll be glad you did.
They did MANY of the things they did to save money. Exhaust manifolds vs LT headers? Headers cost a ton, of course they're going to put on regular manifolds. The interior is also cheap plastic crap, I plan to modify that until I'm happy with it. I swear the car companies didn't start learning how to make a decent looking and feeling interior until 2005 or so.
It's all a game of tradeoffs. Cheap vs reliable/quality vs fast, pick any two.
I'm a big fan of originality- especially in my C3s . . . but I added an air intake, Billy Boats, Bilsteins, console cushion and color matched fuel rail covers - - less about mods and performance -- more about just 'personalizing' the car.
I also wholeheartedly agree that GM engineered a lot of excellence into the brand- so there's not much benefit in over thinking it unless you're going to really ratchet up the game as Toque has clearly done.
All that said, I'm also a big fan of "do what makes you happy".
Happy weekend!
each to his own on what he bought the car for .. mine is basically stock also with just Corsa's to make it sound like a Vette should and I'm happy with the way it performs. Also feel a little more comfortable without mods and 'possible' headaches and problems from them.
buy car for xxxx dollars, invest 10-20 grand, sell car for barely more than you paid for it years later along with hundreds of hours of lost labor on the garage floor
Don't sell it...
I bought my car with intention of making a 750hp racecar.
Could not afford 100k ZR1 and they have less HP then mine.
Racing = Wrenching....
Even if I did not race I feel a base C5 is just to little power for me.
I have 675 hp now and I am saving the money to get it over
the 700 mark.
I would take my vette over a $60k brand new vette any day.
And I have less then $30k in mine.
I love all the guys who keep these cars perfectly stock and in pristine
condition. Makes it easier for me to find a nice clean car to start with.
So, Thanks to all you who never change a thing.