Mods - No return on sale?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 5
From: West Coast
Mods - No return on sale?
Those who have modded their C5's, if and when it comes to selling your car, can you get more $$ for the car because it has mods?
Or do mods NOT add any value to the car when selling?
Or do mods NOT add any value to the car when selling?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 52
From: Wentzville, MO.
IMHO.. at best mods will limit your number of interested buyers... apperance mods are a matter of individual taste... for some performance mods are associated with running the car hard....you certainly won't recover but a small percentage of mod cost when you find the right buyer....I'm keeping my C5 a long time... 
Resident moron
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,746
Likes: 20
From: Assachusetts
Yes, exactly. Some things may help, like some really nice wheels, but the rest will either detract, or simply 'not help'. Not many people want to buy a modified car, so you're also limiting your audience, while not improving price.
Dope
Dope
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,567
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
The main reason to MOD is to personalize the car to your taste and driving style. So ask your self, are there many more like me in the world. If the answer is yes, your car is stock, if the answer is no, your MODs are not going to up the price.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 5
From: West Coast
So PERFORMANCE MODS such as, air intake, exhaust, headers & tires will NOT bring back more $$$ when it comes to selling the car?
I can understand appearance mods can scare away some buyers BUT performance mods (as the above) STILL keep the factory warranty INTACT.
So a used low-mileage modded C5 with 1 year of factory warranty still in effect will not bring more $$?
I can understand appearance mods can scare away some buyers BUT performance mods (as the above) STILL keep the factory warranty INTACT.
So a used low-mileage modded C5 with 1 year of factory warranty still in effect will not bring more $$?
Last edited by LBear; Jul 12, 2004 at 05:12 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 1
From: Winter Park Fl
Ah the age old question.
Mods DO add value to a car on resale to that very scarce & elsuve buyer that is looking for a modded car and is WILLING to pay for it.
But. you will find thet the VAST MAJORITY of potential buyers DO NOT want a modded car and ARE NOT willing to pay for such mods.
Modding is a VERY personel thing and even if a potential buyer IS looking for a car to mod he wants to do it himself.
Mods DO add value to a car on resale to that very scarce & elsuve buyer that is looking for a modded car and is WILLING to pay for it.
But. you will find thet the VAST MAJORITY of potential buyers DO NOT want a modded car and ARE NOT willing to pay for such mods.
Modding is a VERY personel thing and even if a potential buyer IS looking for a car to mod he wants to do it himself.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,678
Likes: 34
From: Fayetteville GA
Originally Posted by CE2004
With few exceptions, cars aren't investments. Add mods and upgrades because you enjoy them.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 58,476
Likes: 1,802
From: Oklahoma City OK
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Originally Posted by JnJ
No, mod's really don't add to the resale value unless your lucky enough to find a buyer looking for the mods you have. I perfer buying a low milage stocker.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
Originally Posted by ROADAPPLE
Modding is a VERY personel thing and even if a potential buyer IS looking for a car to mod he wants to do it himself.
Now I always buy new, so that is not a problem for me, but, if I ever buy used I would walk away from a car with heavy modding, especially performance mods. No one puts performance mods on a car and then grannies it around
. I certainly wouldn't pay extra to get some mods because I would probably wind up removing/replacing most of them anyway.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,945
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Originally Posted by jojog
Mods are of questionable return value. I think upgrades, however, will get better returns. I am thinking specifically of VE interior products... and the like. JMHO
Well put. Upgrades are the way to go. Engine mods usually detract from resale price. For the simple fact that most don't do engine mods without using the power and that usually means a car that's been raced. That's why I leave that part of the car stock and my handle is Stock Man. Appearance mods and upgrades personalize and make the car nice to look at. Which can add to the resale value if done tastefully. As long as you keep the car clean and shinny you'll get a good dollar for it. Or keep the mods reversible 
. There are lots here that sell their mods before or after they sell the car.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,568
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From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Nobody wants a hot rodded Corvette, that in all probability has lost it's great factory drivability through modding. Corvette's are just about perfect right out of BG. I'd go with a CLB and CAGS defeat, but that's it!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 0
From: highland village texas
just sold/traded a modded ZO6...if willing to wait for the buyer that wants your car you may realize a few bucks, but even guys looking for a modded car also are looking for a good deal and they will argue forever...i have observed many modded vettes in the forum for sale section try to get value for their mods, and after several fustrating weeks on the forum they just start taking mods off and returning to stock or just take a "stock price" for the car. I traded car into a dealer who just took it to Ebay...like me the dealer was scared to death of letting Joe Blow off the street test drive a modded vette...to the average driver these things can get away from ya real quick...so short answer don't expect any extra money for mods unless willing to wait for perfect buyer...
Team Owner
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From: All that glitters is Gold - Hockey Is CANADA'S game
Cruise-In VI Veteran
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06
I have an air intake and exhaust mods for performance but I still have the stock parts so that I could replace the mod item and sell them and recuope some of the cost before selling the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Every mod I make I do with other new parts. I keep the stock parts for resale. If you go too crazy (heads/cam/etc.) it may be more difficult to sell, at least that has been my experience.
Lepus-temperamentalus
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,827
Likes: 5
From: Roswell Ga
There's more to it than that.
When YOU go to look at a used car and you see it's been modified, what's the first thing YOU think...after "It's been run to death!"
My thoughts are, "Oh $hit! Some clown has screwed this thing all up and now wants to dump it. I'll offer a lot LESS because I'm probably going to have to spend money figuring out what's wrong with the thing and then fixing the problem.'
So my answer is a resounding NO, you don't get more for a modified car (except for wheels) and if it's me trying to buy it, you'll get a LOT less for an offer.
The best thing you can do for resale is keep the miles down, keep the car immaculate and keep it as stock as possible. If you want to modify it, that's fine. It's YOUR car but don't expect to get any of the money back. I'd keep the stock parts too so you can put it back the was it was.
My thoughts are, "Oh $hit! Some clown has screwed this thing all up and now wants to dump it. I'll offer a lot LESS because I'm probably going to have to spend money figuring out what's wrong with the thing and then fixing the problem.'
So my answer is a resounding NO, you don't get more for a modified car (except for wheels) and if it's me trying to buy it, you'll get a LOT less for an offer.
The best thing you can do for resale is keep the miles down, keep the car immaculate and keep it as stock as possible. If you want to modify it, that's fine. It's YOUR car but don't expect to get any of the money back. I'd keep the stock parts too so you can put it back the was it was.