RipcordZ51

^^^^
Yep, we've all said that and then ..... One thing to keep in mind though is whatever you spend in mods, when it comes time to sell, you'll make at least double your money back Oh, that's in an alternative universe

mpuzach

YO-EL, where did you get your wheel? It looks great.

patentcad

When I was in the car biz back in the day, more often than not mods tended to REDUCE the resale value of a car vs. had the owner left it stock. It made the car worth less on trade, harder to sell to wholesalers, and sometimes harder to sell the used car @ retail later.

RipcordZ51

^^^^
My point exactly.

patentcad

That being said, anybody who looks at my red/black C7 and doesn't think the Z06 grill, black flash badges and CF dashboard aren't upgrades is skullfarked, and I doubt dealers will hurt the car on trade for that stuff. Keeping the stock grill and cameras just in case some dealer gives me grief c.2021 when I'm negotiating a deal on my C8.

Hey, at least I know what color I want.

OK, the last two mods are putting in the CF dash and painting the tailpipe tips black.

On the cf dash, there are two parts for this, one is called 'hyrdro formed' or something and it's like $450, the other is 'real' carbon fiber and it's like $600 or so from a couple of vendors. I want the matte finish. Am I correct in presuming I want the $600 part and that the $450 version looks cheesy? Anybody know of a cheaper source than $600? Best price I've seen is like $595 - 5% or about $567 or so. RPI gets like $595, that's where I got my Z06 grill.

Are those tailpipe tips chrome or polished aluminum on the stock car? I think it's the latter.

pkincy

I have been through this drill so many times, I finally gave up and bought a 3LZ Z06 at the start. And keeping it stock (well except for a couple of sets of $10k wheels) has likely saved me money in the long run.

patentcad

Leave the financial analysis to others and enjoy your car.

patentcad

Does anybody know if the C7 stock exhaust tips are chrome or polished aluminum. They appear to be aluminum to me, right??

Steve Garrett

^^^^ PC, I've said that I was "done" with my mods for 3-1/2 years. I've got another one sitting at my house when I return from being at a trade show on Friday.

All my friends laugh at me when I say "I'm done!"

patentcad

I guess I'll never get an answer. Sigh.

managerman

I tell people all the time..."The list of mods that I want to do to my car is always longer than the list of mods I have already done"

My wife always gives me that "what did you buy for the Corvette now" look as packages are continually showing up at the door....

Best hobby I could ever have. Great Car. Great People. Great Fun!

-M

Roadrogue

They are polished and I think stainless steel but not sure. I polish mine regularly and think painting them is a crime but I like the chrome badges and fish and chrome grill strip, too. I understand the appeal of the all black and red though.

patentcad

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah crime or not those big honkin exhaust tips make me gag, I love the rest of the car. Flat black will tone them down and go with the overall red/black scheme of the whole car.

It's only a misdemeanor by the way. Painting stripes or flames on a C7, that's a felony.

Splitter

Stainless steel from everywhere I've googled/searched.

Beautiful Z51! Love your mod choices. If I pick up a 2014 I'm going to do the exact same Z06/front camera and carbon flash/or black badge conversion. Looks amazing. +1 on not needing side skirts, etc

TheSouthernGentleman

My C7 was delivered yesterday. I had a stack of minor items ready to go. Now we start the real list. Yea, it's an acquisition illness

patentcad

By the time I'm done my total mod cost will be well under $2K, I don't think that's so crazy. I'm not one of these guys that's going to keep doing things to the car forever, I think once I do the dashboard and paint the tail pipe tips, I'm done.

TheSouthernGentleman

I understand stopping. I stopped on the C6 and when I added up everything (had to do it for an insurance claim) I was just shy of $3k. Never regretted any of them and I was surprised when the drivers insurance company adjusted everything in.

tcinla

I was debating new 19/20 wheels or the carbon fiber steering wheel in gloss with a blue stipe at the top with blue stitching. I've made my decision... Get both.

patentcad

There just really isn't anything else I'd do after I get the tailpipe tips blacked out and the carbon fiber dash insert installed. The car will be the way I want it.

I'm tired of obsessing about the stupid car. I just want to own it and drive it. Hard.

The C6 was just about perfect, this car is perfect-er.

SMT1004

5k was my budget, that will be gone as the wheel upgrade is going on next weekend. Once you start under the hood it adds up very quickly. But as a hobby it's very enjoyable, meet a lot of other good folks and would easily spend more on just one vacation.