Would you still mod
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 70
Many of us that pay are unwilling to sacrifice what we believe to be more important aspects in/of life to build the car we want on our own. With that said, it certainly does not imply those who do their own work are making sacrifices they shouldn’t.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
To be honest I’ve always been happy with the performance of my Z06. All the mods I’ve done were honestly more to enjoy the driving experience rather than to make it faster.
my car only has headers, vararam, intake, exhaust, and a B&M shifter, but I would happily pay the labor on all those installs I did myself to continue enjoying the car exactly how it is.
Other than the double din head unit install 3 years ago, I haven’t done anything to the car in almost 6 years. Even if I double the cost of my mods to account for labor, it would still be worth it to me.
my car only has headers, vararam, intake, exhaust, and a B&M shifter, but I would happily pay the labor on all those installs I did myself to continue enjoying the car exactly how it is.
Other than the double din head unit install 3 years ago, I haven’t done anything to the car in almost 6 years. Even if I double the cost of my mods to account for labor, it would still be worth it to me.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
I paid to have some work done on mine when I was living apartment life without a private garage to do the work myself. The job went well and I got the car back on time, in good shape, and at a price I could afford, and yet I still wouldn't do it again. Paying for the labor basically doubled the cost of doing the mods, and at the end of it, I didn't feel like the value was there for me. The car was faster and more fun, but it wasn't "this many dollars" more fun. That was a few years ago and the buyer's remorse has worn off, but I wouldn't do it again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
It's not quite that simple of a question.
First, there's always the question of the shop: are they truly capable and trustworthy? You've verified references for work done in the last 30-60 days that are similar to what you're looking for? BBB rating? It's far to easy to get screwed and end up in "mod jail" when a shop really isn't qualified to do the work.
Second, custom work is expensive work. Anyone that's wrenched has run into stuff that doesn't fit right, doesn't work right, or requires some level of modification. Even just finding that you have to change out some fasteners or make an AN line or hose can take time. A home, not a big deal unless it's your daily driver. In a shop...you're paying by the hour for what can be a fair bit of work. Honestly, this is where a lot of these things go wrong - a "straightforward" installation that simply ends up not being so straightforward.
So...yeah, if I have a clear scope of work and I feel like the job is too much to tackle at home I have no concerns going to a shop; I'm doing that right now for my driveline repair/upgrades. But I thoroughly vetted (no pun intended) the shop and we have a very clear scope of work and an estimate that reflects that scope.
First, there's always the question of the shop: are they truly capable and trustworthy? You've verified references for work done in the last 30-60 days that are similar to what you're looking for? BBB rating? It's far to easy to get screwed and end up in "mod jail" when a shop really isn't qualified to do the work.
Second, custom work is expensive work. Anyone that's wrenched has run into stuff that doesn't fit right, doesn't work right, or requires some level of modification. Even just finding that you have to change out some fasteners or make an AN line or hose can take time. A home, not a big deal unless it's your daily driver. In a shop...you're paying by the hour for what can be a fair bit of work. Honestly, this is where a lot of these things go wrong - a "straightforward" installation that simply ends up not being so straightforward.
So...yeah, if I have a clear scope of work and I feel like the job is too much to tackle at home I have no concerns going to a shop; I'm doing that right now for my driveline repair/upgrades. But I thoroughly vetted (no pun intended) the shop and we have a very clear scope of work and an estimate that reflects that scope.
