It is generally assumed that when you do modifications to a car, it loses value in the end. However, I am curious as to what modifications don't reduce value. I have a 2013 C6 GS with only 11.5k miles and I have done a few things, and this question crossed my mind. I never plan on selling the car at any point due to personal reasons, but I am curious! If there's anything that increases value, what would that be? Just trying to understand how this works. Here is what I have done so far if you're curious:
-Morimoto headlights
-Spoiler lip
-Side Skirts
-Sony stereo with Apple Carplay
-Basic tune for torque management removal and shift point adjustments
-JL audio subwoofer

Thank you guys!

 

A sure way to reduce value is anything that is not easily reversible to stock. Say like custom stripes or graphics, a bunch of emblems, stuff like that. To most people, audio updates and a tune maybe exhaust and intake would be considered to add value albeit you won't get back what you paid.

Of course there are some people that will say if its not 100% stock, it will lose value. IMHO that is true if you have a collector grade sub 100 mile car. If it's driven even just as a weekend toy, a few tasteful mods make it your own and nothing wrong with that.

 

All very good points. Thank you for the response! I think that is the right way to go about it too, just making it your own car and enjoying the experiece.

 

Well the first thing is you bought the best color, lol. Our cars are massed produced so I don't really think there's stuff that is going to increase the value. If you park it and don't drive it, it might not lose value.

I think the mods you've described are tasteful and wouldn't hurt the value.

Did you ever get black wheels? I know you had made a couple threads about it several years ago.

 

Yours is stunning! I love it. Ours look blisteringly similar. I forgot to add that I got the Morimoto side marker lights, so mine has an ever-so-slight difference. I am going for that same white and black look.

As far as my wheels, I plasti-dipped them originally, and that didn't work out super well. So I ended up powedercoating the aluminum wheels, and the job wasn't the best. There are some chips of powder coat coming off, but it is hard to notice. However, once I had to get the tires replaced, the separator (not sure what it's called) scraped off most of the powder coat on the edge of the wheel, so my wheels are botched right now. Not sure I want to pay for another powder coat or just leave it. I have some more updated pictures of the car for you.

 

It depends on the buyer. When I was looking, I would only consider 100% stock cars and that’s what I bought.

 

Pretty subjective honestly. I rarely see supercharged Grand Sports going for stock Grand Sport money, usually more (or z06s for that matter). So I would say to a degree some mods add value, but also decrease the pool of buyers. It really depends on the buyer and what they value though.

 

Same here, and if the engine had any mods that was a walk away for me.

 

I could feel my cars value plummet when I installed a EOS Extended ZR1 lip kit. It’s a permanent modification so I know it will deter a few potential buyers when it comes time.

 

I track modded cars on the forum. Heavily modded cars take much longer to sell and do not fetch a dollar more unless it was owned by Mario Andretti or Michael Jackson. I personally have light mods like CAI or X pipe that can be easily reversed.

 

IMO, the tune will bring up questions about who did it and how good a.job was done and will reduce value to many.

The morimotos may reduce value, if the car doesn't have the OEM lights in good condition (which it likely doesn't).

Side skirts could be an issue as those get riveted on. If a buyer doesn't like them, holes in the rocker could hurt value.

Then again, you might find a buyer that loves all those things and will pay for them. It's gonna also depend on if your car is a 100k mile driver car, or a 15k mile creampuff.

 

I really struggled a lot with my Grand Sport because I went down the path of over-modding my 2008 Z06. The entire driveline was overhauled except the transmission. I was into that car for ~$30K above what I paid for it, which at the end of the day would have put me into a ZR1 with the same power level and zero compromise to the drivability. Needless to say, I lost my a$$ on it when I finally threw in the towel and cut my losses.

So for the Grand Sport, the only things I've done so far was to bring it up to date and make it more relevant by adding modern headlights, taillights, and head unit with CarPlay and backup camera. Of course, the ZR1 aero did get me to put holes in the rocker panels, but there was already paint damage under the nose from steep driveways, so I knew it would never be a "collector' car. I've kept all stock components even though one fog light has the pins broken off and the tops of the stock headlights also have a couple of broken retainer pins that held the gasket, but they are perfectly salvageable. Why anyone would want to go back to the stock worthless nav unit is beyond me, but no harnesses were cut in the process with the MAX-DIN.

I am really struggling with under the hood. The last thing I want is another money pit. Do I bite the bullet and drop another $10K into it for a blower with supporting mods, or do I just leave the rest of it alone and make fancy covers for the car shows? Honestly, I think I'm done. I'm already upside down in the value of the car compared to what I've put into it, so it doesn't make sense to continue to dump money into it knowing full well I'll never get it back. Besides, as soon as they work all the bugs out of the C8 and the prices continue to drop, I might be in one of those. My boss just bought a 2024 Red Mist Z06, and I am in love with it.

 

The general rule as I feel: A safe mod is anything that can be removed later without leaving holes, scars, or shadowing fade-marks from the sun.

 

You were all over the place with your post.... should I, shouldn't I. You know the answer is Don't Do it. You already said you lost your *** on the '08 Z06.

I think it helps to have a plan for what the car is mainly used for. They already come with more than enough HP to really use on the street.

If a person is really into racing, then upgrading key components for HP increase, or handling make sense.
If a person is really into entering their car into car shows, then spend the money on cosmetic stuff to catch people's eye and make sure the paint, etc. are all clean and perfect. Do some stuff cosmetically under the hood to dress it up.
You've already done some nice stuff w/ the lights, radio.

Best of luck,
Jason

 

+1 Post 2
"A sure way to reduce value is anything that is not easily reversible to stock." "There are some people that will say if its not 100% stock, it will lose value."
These quotes may be what you find ITRW (the reality).

Your thread offers a discussion.
IMO Any engine mod or body/ paint work reduces value.
Other mods like custom leather, wheels, and chrome add no value (or 10 cents on the dollars spent value)

What increases value?
There may be two aspects.
1) At a dealership trade-in, nothing, except perhaps maintenance records/ no scratches, but that is not a $1,000 value increase.
2) At a private party sale, you need to have a unique buyer who likes the mods, such as upgraded stereo, brakes, interior, and exhaust; then you may have an increase over "book" value.
Yet even with private parties, that leads to Post 2 quotes, "there are some people that will say if its not 100% stock, it will lose value".

In closing, I am unsure if there is any mod that will increase value. If I had to make a choice I would say stereo speakers.

FWIW I wish modifications did increase dealership trade-in value

 

I don't know what adds value, maybe different wheels, but tow hooks definitely drop value IMO!

 

Ditto.

The only exception for me, really, is if the infotainment system was upgrade to 21st century equipment, but even then I'd be wary of it and insist that I get the original parts. But even then, I wouldn't pay extra for it.

I had a very highly modified C4 track car that when the time came, I couldn't give away. Of course, as a track car, it is reasonable to assume that it had the p*** driven out of it. Which would have been accurate.

 

I struggled with where to stop on my current car. The temptation to throw a blower on it has always been there, but as I've gotten a bit older and wiser I've realized I can have more fun not having to constantly work on it. My C5 was a self made nightmare and even though it was stupid fast it was also constant tinkering and work. I decided a cam only build on the Grand Sport was the sweet spot for what I wanted to be able to do with the car and I gotta say I'm happy I quit where I did. That being said, if I came into a surplus of funding I would for sure buy a second car (probably a c7 GS) to leave stockish (cause I can't leave anything stock-stock) and would go stupid on this car. At the end of the day you never get your money out of them so rather your modding or leaving it stock just know your doing it for the love of doing it, not the investment. Cars are terrible investments, especially mass produced ones.

 

LOL! I know. I was mostly talking to myself out loud and sharing my personal experience while also illustrating the ongoing internal struggle not to mess with it. Of course, my wife is constantly pressuring me to save the money and put it towards her outdoor kitchen, something else that may or may not bring a return on investment.

Bottom line, mods don't really add value. And in some cases they can actually hurt value unless it's a Calloway or a Katech built street or track machine. And even then you'll never get the labor costs out of it. These cars are not an investment unless you picked up a ZR1 at the bottom of the market 4-5 years ago.