I love these threads. Guys who have spent mega $$ modding their cars get defensive and claim people who don't want modded cars are waxers and ****.

That's not the point.

Those of us who actually know how to build an engine, install headers, swap cylinder heads, transmissions, and rear ends also know how often such things are done incorrectly.

If you spent a butt load of money paying someone to do the above things to your new Corvette, then more power to you. There is nothing wrong with modding the hell out of a Corvette. Late model Corvettes respond very well to such mods and you will no doubt get MUCH pleasure from it.

But that is not what this thread is about. The question is: if you spend a boatload of money modding your Corvette - will you get that money back.

The answer which is based on reality, and not on defensive "I hope I didn't waste my money" fantasyland belief, is:

NO

Be prepared to take it up the *** when you sell a late model car with heavy mods.

 

...our cars are no less reliable than a factory GS, as the data points on our 131,000 mile SC606 Grand Sport Corvette would prove.

If you are at the Corvette Funfest, please drop by and see us

 

Need For Speed What customers put on their cars, they will never get back in full. Anyone who loves their cars and puts aftermarket parts on it understands it. But will you get additional money for a Corvette with aftermarket engine parts, forged wheels, upgraded interior, tastefully done aero mods, nice exhaust system? I bet you will! What I am trying to say, place a modded Corvette next to a stock one, the modded will get you more money no doubt about it. But will you get the amount of money you spent on it? No way in hell that's going to happen.

 

Agree 100% (provided of course the car is done correctly by a knowledgeable installer/tuner )

Actually, I don't think the thread has anything to do with recouping 100% of mod money. I also don't think the fact that mod money takes a significant hit on resale is in dispute.

I think the question is "Will modifying the car actually REDUCE its value?" The OP's concern was "Losing money because of the mods".

While I suppose one could assume he would consider the impossibility of recouping 100% of the MOD MONEY as a loss, Most people construed it as asking whether someone could be expected to pay him LESS for the car because it had a rear widebody on it.

The answer to that is also, almost certainly NO. If, for some reason, someone looked at his car and decided they didn't like the flared fenders, they simply wouldn't buy the car. They wouldn't (reasonably) decide to buy it anyway but try to justify a lowball offer because of those fenders.

What ended up happening here is that the posters were split into two groups....

1) Users who have and/or are comfortable buying modified cars. These users are mostly of the opinion that a properly modified car is worth a percentage of the mod money spent more than its stock equivalent (of course this is heavy/expensive modification. You obviously can't ask for more money because you have a catback).

2) Users who want absolutely nothing to do with a modded car. These are the ones arguing that a car they'd never buy anyway is worth less than it was when it was stock.

 

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. You're saying that a Z06 is an upgrade from a base C6. That's not really in question is it?

I was simply stating there are plenty of reasons why someone might prefer to purchase a modified base car instead of a Z06.

That's kind of an odd statement. You think a built, Viper-spec T56 is apt to fail after fewer miles than a stock unit?

 

You will not get the money back and it will hurt the resale.

The first thing that comes to mind when looking at a sale ad and I see suspension mods like coil overs is : they tracked it.

Tubbed? They launched it.

Giant stereo? Younger person's mentality, possibly maltreated the car.

Paint mods? Original paint damaged.

Internal engine mods (cams/springs etc)? They ran the crap out of it and the warranty is now void.

I know these are general statements that jump to conclusions, but that is what I think when I see a lot of mods. I would pass over a modded car for a stock one 75% of the time or more.

Examples of mods that don't deter me from seriously considering a car:

mild stereo upgrades (small sub/better speakers/pioneer nav)
mild exhaust (nothing annoyingly loud)
tasteful interior upgrades (carbon fiber center console/mild stitching)
tasteful exterior upgrades (ZR1 spoiler/tail light blackouts)
non-warranty-voiding engine mods (CAI)
factory style wheels (ZO6/ZR1 replicas)

I am actually in the market for a new vette right now and several of the above listed factors have detered me from otherwise good cars.

 

Both of you make good points.

Install a good set of aftermarket wheels - and you haven't scared off hardly any buyers.

Have engine mods performed by a reputable tuner like Callaway, and you will get more for the car than the equivalent stock car. But my problem is you will still take a hit on the Callaway mods. If you plan to keep the car a long time - no worries.

However, if someonne is selling a low mileage 2 year old loaded Corette that just had the heads ported, CAI, aftermarket cam and headers (which also implies a tune and no warranty) and the work was done by the local mechanic or the owner - I am not so sure. That car will probably sell for less than an equivalent car that is 100% stock.

 

This is where the disconnect occurs. Nobody is arguing that you don't get your money back from your mods. However, an 08 3LT worth 35k stock is not worth 30k because it has mods on it, regardless of how much or how little the owner spent on those mods. 95% of modded car owners understand that those mods are sunk cost. They get their value from the experience that extra power or extra grip, or the way the car sounds.

If the car was built by some shade tree mechanic that doesn't know what he's doing, it'll obviously be worth less because nobody knows anything about the person who built the car. What some people are asserting is that all builders, from the guy next door doing his first turbo to Katech are all shade tree mechanics who don't know what they're doing. That is just ridiculous.

 

OP buy a used certified z06. 08's go for around 46k and you get 5 years powertrain warranty 1 year b2b. Penfed right now is offering 1.5% on used cars. Thats what I did. Grabbed a mint 11 carbon edition z with 1k miles on it. A stock z06 is better than a modded c6 99 times out of 100.

 

You can't put a $ value on a warranty until the warranty expires and you add up the expenses you would have paid without one.

You also can't put a $ value on the enjoyment that mods add to the owner during his/her ownership.

$ value is limited to the perception between buyer and seller. No one else matters.

BTW, ever wonder why the previous owner sold the Vette you just bought when it only had 1K miles? Think he found something better?

 

He traded it in for a ZL1 camaro. I'm sure he has plenty of cars since he kept it for 16 months and only put 1600 miles on it. As a previous c6 owner I can tell you the z06 does everything better besides the pop top of course.

A warranty is piece of mind and makes the car easier to sell if you have to. IMO it isn't wise to finance a car when you will be out of warranty. It's just asking for trouble.

 

Would that be a stock Z06 vs. a stock C6? You previously compared it to a modded C6. You also missed the automatic trans advantage in a base or GS C6.

 

Well i bought my c6 new and added quite a few mods. Modded or stock my c6 didnt match the stock z06. What auto advantage? As in you can buy an auto? The gs is just a slower base vette. Unless you plan on putting a lot of power mods into it and then you might as well have bought a Z to begin with.

 

I've just read most of the posts here there are a few things I agree with and a few things I disagree with:

Agree with:

1. It does seem like most buyers would want to buy a Stock or "almost stock" Corvette; honestly, even though I modified the two C6's I've owned.
2. And yes, the "journey" WAS fun but when it came time to trade or sell my 05 vert, I spent $1200 to return it to stock. That's the only way the dealer would accept it on a trade. I did get a very good price for it on trade but then again the mileage was very low-4600 miles at time of trade it in Nov. 2007 for my 2008 JSB Callaway-vert also.

3. I was lucky and as I took all the mods off, friends of mine locally snatched up about 98% of them for their C6 cars at about 40- 50% of the cost of the mods! I consider myself very lucky indeed!

Disagree with:

1. Like I said, I'd rather buy stock and if I can't resist, modify it. This time, however, I modified my C6 Callaway in such a way that not only it too can be changed back to stock, but that most of the $30,000 worth of mods are barely "seen" on the car; believe it or not! For example, the whole rear-end is either chrome or polished aluminum(rear cradle, for ex.) all the way up to the fuel tank covers(they polished up and look like chrome!!! But if you're just looking at the car from the front, side or back, it looks stock! That's how I modify my car now compared to the last one (05).
(wish I could post pics up; I've always had trouble with that-grrrrr)

2. Not sure if mods really hurt a car, so to speak, so I'd have to say, in conlusion, that it not only depends on the buyer but also on the car too! I think my theory will hold up whenever I decide to sell the car someday but unless I totally fall in love with the C7, that ISN'T likely to happen any time soon!

By the way, I too love the Z06 rear 1/4's and front bumper and front fenders; I constantly am fighting the urge NOT TO put them on so I can stay true to my theory-whew!

My .02 cents...

 

 

In my opinion wide body coversion done right and with good parts won't hurt your trade in or sell value....You won't re-coupe the money spent to do it though at all...not more that 10-20% at the most.

If I am looking I don't mind some mods that were done well and can be reversed easlily if needed...Widebody is that..

 

With your mention of the pop top on a C6 being an advantage over the Z06, I thought you missed that an automatic transmission also has an advantage over the Z06 too. At least it does for a really large number of Vette owners. That and the lack of the F55 suspension kept me from buying a Z06 in '08. The better suspension is available now, but not the transmission. So I ended up with a base + F55 and lightly modded it to keep up with stock Z06's.

 

If the car has engine power mods, I figure it has been driven hard and that is a negative. If it has appearance mods, I figure the owner cares about the card and that is a positive.

But there is the "GM Engineered" thing. I know all about the junk rear ends. But GM really does extensively test the car bodies. I've put plenty of pretty chrome badges on various cars only to have them crud up in a short time. I seen plenty of neat body mods fail in a year or two due to the stress of normal driving. This sort of stuff does not happen to stock.

When I was a kid, I put this fancy "ooh-gaah-beep" horn in my 55 Ford. Sort of loud, but rather neat for a 16 year old kid's first car mod. Problem is that is broke after six months.

 

Really! Really?
I've had my '05 since February '05; lots of power and cosmetic mods; it's been driven through 36 states; has just over 65k miles; nothing has ever failed; still looks brand new; and is displayed at car shows that are by invitation only.

 

I have had 4 Corvettes and 3 Street Rods and IMO an original stock Corvette will have much broader appeal than one that has mods for most buyers. No dis but it is a no brainer. Most buyers just drive and polish their cars and don't know the difference between a super charger and a blower. Think about it. Anyway, buyers do trust GM to build it right and they like being able to take the car to the Chevy dealer for service. A modded car raises plenty of questions from the quality of the parts, potential problems with the mod, a warranty and was work professionally done. If there is a problem with the mod you get no support from GM. Yes some people into mods may love the car true but they are going to be much fewer in number and some will not favor the particular mods you used or how the work was done. They would have done the mod different and used a different part or manufacturer etc. If you mod it you need to like it because you may have to keep it for a long time surely more so than you would have to keep a stock unmolested Corvette.