Does nitrous help or hurt resale value?
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Does nitrous help or hurt resale value?
Looking to sell my C5. Wondering if the nitrous system would help or hurt the sale? It's a Zex 75-125 system that is setup correctly with Nitrous express controller, lingenfelter timing controller, and a bottle heater. Car has only a few other mods like vararam full intake, ECS tune, Hinson shifter.
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Feb 25, 2026, 01:45 PM
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: San Jose CA
Let's put it this way: I'd never buy a car with a N20 system on it. Too likely to have engine damage
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I have said it before, but you get the best chance of getting much more money, Price, than a Modded car simple because anyone looking to buy a Corvette, any Corvette, they or whomever are looking to plan what they have in mind to be a fresh open canvas as a Corvette. But is is imperative that you be open and frank is asked. You can look at me unappreciative, but the numbers don't lie, look at recent auctions results, A stock car always sells for more than a modded car !
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2018
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From: Orange County, CA
You would absolutely be better off removing the system, which does 2 things: 1) improved sale price of the car as others noted; 2) you can sell the nitrous kit and make some money back.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2023
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From: North Coast
Mods are always a major risk if not well documented. The unknown can scare people off easily. Document what you put in, who did the work and show what was spent even broken parts.
The Reputation for NOS is not good. Too easy to add to many cars and too easy to abuse or miss use. It will scare off many.
I would never touch a NOS car unless it was owned by. Someone I know and saw how it was used. Even then it would need to be a damn good car.
With stock cars you generally just need to worry about service items. Much less risk with no documentation.
The Reputation for NOS is not good. Too easy to add to many cars and too easy to abuse or miss use. It will scare off many.
I would never touch a NOS car unless it was owned by. Someone I know and saw how it was used. Even then it would need to be a damn good car.
With stock cars you generally just need to worry about service items. Much less risk with no documentation.
Melting Slicks
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From: North Coast
Granted it is only some people but it is easier to trust an engine more without than one with unless you really know the car and owner.
The guys building engines tend to have less abuse since it is not as easy to add power and more know what they are doing if they do heads and a cam. But even then it needs documented to you know if the parts work together properly.
Even Supercharged engines can be difficult to sell. We had one here locally that appeared to be a good job on the install. But the car went nearly a year before it sold and it went for less than a stock convertible. Fair no but people just trust stock in many cases as if it breaks they may not be able to fix it. Not all Corvette people are wenches. Also many shops may not want to work on a modified car.
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I would have to agree - sell the car with the NOS system removed. Then sell the NOS system by itself.
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: CT
I am busting a gut laughing at whoever would show off a bottle at a coffee meet.
The only place I want to see a bottle is either to pre-stage a turbo or artfully hidden, port injected and scaled in with a controller on a mexico racer as a safety to ensure you bring home a paycheck.
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I would pass on a nitrous car as well. Now a supercharged car if done correctly is a different story.
Melting Slicks
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From: North Coast
Even then it can still be a tough sale.
Drifting
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From: Avon Lake OH
Even with only a 75-125 shot kit on a stock setup (short block with tightly gapped rings, hypereutectic pistons, powered metal rods, earlier non floating wrist pins, 5w-30 oil, stock oil pump, stock head bolts and the old non-MLS head gasket, along with stock heat range spark plugs and stock spark MAP) all add up to a ripe condition for drastically shortened engine life in the most dramatic way, not to mention the added cyclic harsh shock loading to the rest of the drivetrain components. I would not walk away, I would run away and not look back!
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When it comes to vehicles like Corvette , anything with a V8 RWD less than 4000lbs really, I always assume the engine is ruined as part of the cost of the vehicle
Generally I will only buy vehicle without any engine to keep in line with this thought process
It might seem strange at first but when I consider the OEM engine even without any mods in something like a Corvette is already stressed from the factory and stressed by potentially multiple owners habits (bad driving and bad maintenance, lack of attention to PCV and air filtering quality) and general mal-practices (e.g. short drives and frequent start-idle-shut down cycles for garage kept specimens is common) and on top of all that the OEM engines in a vette are more centered around lightweight rather than durability ( ex. compare a 5.3 to a 5.7 in the LS1/2 years in terms of capability rwhp:mileage you can get around twice the power from a 5.3 for 200k miles) .... it doesn't make sense to keep the original engine anyways there are superior & more affordable options for making two and three times the original output at reduced cost with increased lifespan.
Generally I will only buy vehicle without any engine to keep in line with this thought process
It might seem strange at first but when I consider the OEM engine even without any mods in something like a Corvette is already stressed from the factory and stressed by potentially multiple owners habits (bad driving and bad maintenance, lack of attention to PCV and air filtering quality) and general mal-practices (e.g. short drives and frequent start-idle-shut down cycles for garage kept specimens is common) and on top of all that the OEM engines in a vette are more centered around lightweight rather than durability ( ex. compare a 5.3 to a 5.7 in the LS1/2 years in terms of capability rwhp:mileage you can get around twice the power from a 5.3 for 200k miles) .... it doesn't make sense to keep the original engine anyways there are superior & more affordable options for making two and three times the original output at reduced cost with increased lifespan.