Another one in the absolutely not category.
Aftermarket Mods - Increases Resale Value of Car?
- Thread starter threeputtpar
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Clean engine swaps are totally rare.
You hardly ever see one done really right, and then only if it's plug and play.
5.0L V8 in a 1997 Ranger...
Looks better than a lot of the plastic covered junk you find now. Granted, Ford made this swap relatively easy by making the 5.0 available in '96-'01 Explorers, but it's not totally plug & play either.
I am in the modifications decrease value camp for the most part, but I would buy a clean 5.0 swap Ranger.
Clean engine swaps are totally rare.
You hardly ever see one done really right, and then only if it's plug and play.
5.0L V8 in a 1997 Ranger...
Looks better than a lot of the plastic covered junk you find now. Granted, Ford made this swap relatively easy by making the 5.0 available in '96-'01 Explorers, but it's not totally plug & play either.
I am in the modifications decrease value camp for the most part, but I would buy a clean 5.0 swap Ranger.
That's a nicely done swap! I certainly appreciate the craftsmanship.
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
The problem is the cars are now 10+ years old and the children can now afford to pick them up and do what they want to them. When I first joined back in 2008, the cars were out of their price range, so it was much more adult orientated. I've really lost my taste for the sites now because of it, which is a shame as there is quite a bit of useful info archived there.
LOL I'm on the Chevy Cobalt SS forum, and over there, the majority of the cars were owned by kids when they were new (IE, 16th birthday or HS graduation gifts). Its been funny to read along over the years as the kids mod their cars, then eventually get bored with them or graduate and get a better job and a better car, and try to sell the Cobalts. Same situation. Its hilarious to see some of them try spinning a bunch of uselsss mods (performance mods as well as stupid stuff like painted "eyelids" and dashboards and the "Evo mod") into an inflated asking price.
The problem is the cars are now 10+ years old and the children can now afford to pick them up and do what they want to them. When I first joined back in 2008, the cars were out of their price range, so it was much more adult orientated. I've really lost my taste for the sites now because of it, which is a shame as there is quite a bit of useful info archived there.
LOL I'm on the Chevy Cobalt SS forum, and over there, the majority of the cars were owned by kids when they were new (IE, 16th birthday or HS graduation gifts). Its been funny to read along over the years as the kids mod their cars, then eventually get bored with them or graduate and get a better job and a better car, and try to sell the Cobalts. Same situation. Its hilarious to see some of them try spinning a bunch of uselsss mods (performance mods as well as stupid stuff like painted "eyelids" and dashboards and the "Evo mod") into an inflated asking price.
Last edited:
IMO I have the perfect perspective for this as I'm involved in the S2000 community. Other than track pads and high quality fluids, my car is bone stock. That's a very rare thing in the S2000 community. Most people 'mod' their cars just for the sake of doing it. Some know it doesn't add value, others are idiots and think they're making the car better. The ones that always make me cringe a little bit are the people who add turbo/SC kits and then return the car to stock in order to sell them essentially acknowledging that no value is added while leaving someone with an engine that has seen added stress.
To me, nothing is ever put together or fits like it does from the factory so that's what many buyers look for. In the case of German cars the ONLY thing that would even remotely make me consider added value are OE performance parts that could have been available on that particular model at the time of new car delivery.
Slightly off topic but somewhat related, one thing my buddies and I were discussing is cars that have been taken to the track. Before I started taking my car to the track I would've stayed away from them with a 10 foot pole, however they've now made me realize that cars which see track time are FAR better maintained (out of necessity) than the parking lot pimps are. This is a sentiment echoed by many in the Porsche community as well.
To me, nothing is ever put together or fits like it does from the factory so that's what many buyers look for. In the case of German cars the ONLY thing that would even remotely make me consider added value are OE performance parts that could have been available on that particular model at the time of new car delivery.
Slightly off topic but somewhat related, one thing my buddies and I were discussing is cars that have been taken to the track. Before I started taking my car to the track I would've stayed away from them with a 10 foot pole, however they've now made me realize that cars which see track time are FAR better maintained (out of necessity) than the parking lot pimps are. This is a sentiment echoed by many in the Porsche community as well.
Last edited:
I'm usually on the gm truck forums, and its funny when guys will post that their truck is severely under powered, well no [censored] they have a lift and oversize tires on it, and then some guys will chime in say things like "a turner and a cai will surely fix that problem".
I hate trucks with lifts and oversized tires! Stupid! The gm dealerships have brand new trucks with all kinds of mods rims, oversized tires, lifts, etc…
And they sticker them for $5/10,000 more, what gives?
I hate trucks with lifts and oversized tires! Stupid! The gm dealerships have brand new trucks with all kinds of mods rims, oversized tires, lifts, etc…
And they sticker them for $5/10,000 more, what gives?
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Clean engine swaps are totally rare.
You hardly ever see one done really right, and then only if it's plug and play.
5.0L V8 in a 1997 Ranger...
Looks better than a lot of the plastic covered junk you find now. Granted, Ford made this swap relatively easy by making the 5.0 available in '96-'01 Explorers, but it's not totally plug & play either.
I am in the modifications decrease value camp for the most part, but I would buy a clean 5.0 swap Ranger.
My buddy and I did this swap in my youth except we put a carb'd 5.0 into it.
I've done a Mach 1 4v swap into my 2000 gt. I can honestly say never again. I had to exchange the dash harness and the 2 in the front fenders. I did read about modifying the stock 2v harness to work with the 4v however I'm not Ito doing things half @$$ed and modifying the stock harness means the knock sensors are eliminated from the circuit and an engine that's got 10-1 compression defeating the knock sensor is sheer stupidity in my eyes.
I've got the entire interior from a Mach too so the seats had to come out anyways.
I mod my vehicles because it personalzes them,makes them mine. I don't plan on ever selling my cars anyway. They will go from my hands to the wrecker,or into my garage for restoration.
No way would I pay extra for mods.
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Clean engine swaps are totally rare.
You hardly ever see one done really right, and then only if it's plug and play.
5.0L V8 in a 1997 Ranger...
Looks better than a lot of the plastic covered junk you find now. Granted, Ford made this swap relatively easy by making the 5.0 available in '96-'01 Explorers, but it's not totally plug & play either.
I am in the modifications decrease value camp for the most part, but I would buy a clean 5.0 swap Ranger.
My buddy and I did this swap in my youth except we put a carb'd 5.0 into it.
I've done a Mach 1 4v swap into my 2000 gt. I can honestly say never again. I had to exchange the dash harness and the 2 in the front fenders. I did read about modifying the stock 2v harness to work with the 4v however I'm not Ito doing things half @$$ed and modifying the stock harness means the knock sensors are eliminated from the circuit and an engine that's got 10-1 compression defeating the knock sensor is sheer stupidity in my eyes.
I've got the entire interior from a Mach too so the seats had to come out anyways.
I mod my vehicles because it personalzes them,makes them mine. I don't plan on ever selling my cars anyway. They will go from my hands to the wrecker,or into my garage for restoration.
No way would I pay extra for mods.
Don't buy someone else's project. Cars are not investments. Modifications do not increase the value, and in fact they usually lower it.
Many dealers won't even take them for a trade-in. The ones that do, the first thing they do is replace all that stuff with stock parts.
Also, modified cars are usually driven hard, raced and abused. Sometimes they try to unload bad cars right after doing the mods, particularly when engine swaps are involved. This usually means they couldn't quite get it to work right and the new motor has serious issues.
Jalopnik has a feature called "Nice Price or Crack Pipe" where car enthusiasts allover vote on whether the price of a car is fair.
Many dealers won't even take them for a trade-in. The ones that do, the first thing they do is replace all that stuff with stock parts.
Also, modified cars are usually driven hard, raced and abused. Sometimes they try to unload bad cars right after doing the mods, particularly when engine swaps are involved. This usually means they couldn't quite get it to work right and the new motor has serious issues.
Jalopnik has a feature called "Nice Price or Crack Pipe" where car enthusiasts allover vote on whether the price of a car is fair.
RE what some others are calling "mods". I don't consider upgrading stock/OEM parts to better quality aftermarket parts as a "mod" because the vehicle is still basically stock. Modifying a vehicle means altering it somehow. To me this actually does help the value some vs actually modifying the vehicle.
I am talking about upgrading say the stock shocks, brake pads and rotors, suspension parts( NOT lifted or lowered in the process!!!! ), etc... Many OEM parts are mediocre at best so if I see someone has upgraded these parts with better quality aftermarket parts to me it is a plus not a negative.
I am talking about upgrading say the stock shocks, brake pads and rotors, suspension parts( NOT lifted or lowered in the process!!!! ), etc... Many OEM parts are mediocre at best so if I see someone has upgraded these parts with better quality aftermarket parts to me it is a plus not a negative.
Kestas
Staff member
Considering all the threads I've read that talk about using OEM parts for a quality repair, I'm having a hard time envisioning which aftermarket parts are better than OEM (besides shocks and brakes). Isn't that more the exception and not the rule?
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
RE what some others are calling "mods". I don't consider upgrading stock/OEM parts to better quality aftermarket parts as a "mod" because the vehicle is still basically stock. Modifying a vehicle means altering it somehow. To me this actually does help the value some vs actually modifying the vehicle.
I am talking about upgrading say the stock shocks, brake pads and rotors, suspension parts( NOT lifted or lowered in the process!!!! ), etc... Many OEM parts are mediocre at best so if I see someone has upgraded these parts with better quality aftermarket parts to me it is a plus not a negative.
I can see where in the Jeep community you might think that but most other places see it as quite the opposite; both the definition of modding and what it does to the value of the vehicle. I've beaten many modified S2000's around a racetrack, it's set up well from the factory with high quality parts, performance BMW and Audi models are much the same way. Back to the S2000, I.H.E. changes barely get you any power on a car like this (although some make it sound really good) and some suspension mods mess up the at-the-limit geometry if the modifications aren't executed properly.
RE what some others are calling "mods". I don't consider upgrading stock/OEM parts to better quality aftermarket parts as a "mod" because the vehicle is still basically stock. Modifying a vehicle means altering it somehow. To me this actually does help the value some vs actually modifying the vehicle.
I am talking about upgrading say the stock shocks, brake pads and rotors, suspension parts( NOT lifted or lowered in the process!!!! ), etc... Many OEM parts are mediocre at best so if I see someone has upgraded these parts with better quality aftermarket parts to me it is a plus not a negative.
I can see where in the Jeep community you might think that but most other places see it as quite the opposite; both the definition of modding and what it does to the value of the vehicle. I've beaten many modified S2000's around a racetrack, it's set up well from the factory with high quality parts, performance BMW and Audi models are much the same way. Back to the S2000, I.H.E. changes barely get you any power on a car like this (although some make it sound really good) and some suspension mods mess up the at-the-limit geometry if the modifications aren't executed properly.
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Considering all the threads I've read that talk about using OEM parts for a quality repair, I'm having a hard time envisioning which aftermarket parts are better than OEM (besides shocks and brakes). Isn't that more the exception and not the rule?
Let's say for my '83 BMW R100RT there are a few American guys who invented things for it that BMW either did wrong or do not produce anymore. I tried battling with OEM charging, but that thing's junk. The parts counter tried suggesting I go aftermarket the first go-around, but I stayed OEM until I couldn't take it anymore. The aftermarket solution is about $575 but fixes what the factory did wrong. New rotor, stator, and regulator.
Same with other things on the bike.
Considering all the threads I've read that talk about using OEM parts for a quality repair, I'm having a hard time envisioning which aftermarket parts are better than OEM (besides shocks and brakes). Isn't that more the exception and not the rule?
Let's say for my '83 BMW R100RT there are a few American guys who invented things for it that BMW either did wrong or do not produce anymore. I tried battling with OEM charging, but that thing's junk. The parts counter tried suggesting I go aftermarket the first go-around, but I stayed OEM until I couldn't take it anymore. The aftermarket solution is about $575 but fixes what the factory did wrong. New rotor, stator, and regulator.
Same with other things on the bike.
The value of an object is what someone is willing to pay.
Most 'smart' used car purchasers will stay away from modified cars. Even 'adult owned' can't overcome the fact that 99% of the time, modified = beat on.
Unless the sellers find a sucker, I'd guess the cars won't sell above book value.
Most 'smart' used car purchasers will stay away from modified cars. Even 'adult owned' can't overcome the fact that 99% of the time, modified = beat on.
Unless the sellers find a sucker, I'd guess the cars won't sell above book value.
I modified my wife's 2006 Scion tC 5spd with adjustable coilovers to make it handle better as the factory suspension is WAY too soft, making the car unstable. Supporting mods included rear control arms to correct the negative camber. A proper alignment keeps her rolling straight. ~~ I feel I made the car a better handling car and the wife agrees.
I modified the brakes with slotted rotors and HAWK HPS performance pads and synthetic brake fluid. This insures that the car brakes better then with the stock setup and can handle more heat during spirited mountain runs or even daily driving duties during those "OH DARN" moments. ~~ I feel I made the car better by upgrading the brake system and the wife agrees.
I modified the shifter with a stage 2 short shifter to decrease the shifter throw by over 35% throw reduction and 2.5" height reduction. Shifting is now more precise and the reduced throw and quicker shifting make it much more enjoyable to drive. ~~ I feel I made the car better with this upgrade.
I modified the exhaust with a nice custom "quiet" catback for a little added growl. Wifey likes it and the neighbors don't complain. ~~ Personal preference mod. Wifey really likes this one.
My mods made the car better. I didn't use cheap springs with the original shocks, which will wear out quickly, causing the car to bounce. I didn't use cheap brake pads, I used quality pieces that are track proven. I didn't use a cheap short shifter adapter, I used a complete kit, replacing the entire shifter arm along with base and cable bushings to stiffen everything up.
My tC is now better handling then a stock tC. Of course your average father looking for a car for his daughter won't agree but many others will appreciate the mods I've done to improve the car.
When we decide to sell it, I will ask slightly more then it's estimated value due to the modifications and I have no doubt in my mind that it will sell in a heartbeat.
I have sold several modded cars in the past and the buyers paid a premium for the modifications that were done to improve the car...
Just my opinion. There are modifications which make a vehicle better and others which ruin it.
I modified the brakes with slotted rotors and HAWK HPS performance pads and synthetic brake fluid. This insures that the car brakes better then with the stock setup and can handle more heat during spirited mountain runs or even daily driving duties during those "OH DARN" moments. ~~ I feel I made the car better by upgrading the brake system and the wife agrees.
I modified the shifter with a stage 2 short shifter to decrease the shifter throw by over 35% throw reduction and 2.5" height reduction. Shifting is now more precise and the reduced throw and quicker shifting make it much more enjoyable to drive. ~~ I feel I made the car better with this upgrade.
I modified the exhaust with a nice custom "quiet" catback for a little added growl. Wifey likes it and the neighbors don't complain. ~~ Personal preference mod. Wifey really likes this one.
My mods made the car better. I didn't use cheap springs with the original shocks, which will wear out quickly, causing the car to bounce. I didn't use cheap brake pads, I used quality pieces that are track proven. I didn't use a cheap short shifter adapter, I used a complete kit, replacing the entire shifter arm along with base and cable bushings to stiffen everything up.
My tC is now better handling then a stock tC. Of course your average father looking for a car for his daughter won't agree but many others will appreciate the mods I've done to improve the car.
When we decide to sell it, I will ask slightly more then it's estimated value due to the modifications and I have no doubt in my mind that it will sell in a heartbeat.
I have sold several modded cars in the past and the buyers paid a premium for the modifications that were done to improve the car...
Just my opinion. There are modifications which make a vehicle better and others which ruin it.
Generally speaking, I keep my cars for a very long time and I do modify them. I don't care about resale value.
Modifications I make are not cold air intakes either - on my Grand Marquis, for instance, I've got a larger MAF with a bigger air box, ported plenum with larger throttle body, flow matched injectors, underdrive pulleys, custom built 10" torque converter with carbon fiber clutches, Bilstein shocks with bigger Addco sway bars, etc. Then I've got other stuff done, like blacking out the chrome, body color grille, courtesy lights on the doors, auto dim rearview mirror, power adjustable pedals, upgraded air vents behind the dashboard to accomodate a 2-DIN headunit, sound system with amps/sub, etc...the list goes on. All of these have made it a better car in my book and customized to my taste, but this is one car I'm never going to sell.
The Envoy, on the other hand, is a daily driver but I got bored of certain things and decided to modify that as well. Got flow matched injectors, I'm ditching the clutch fan for a 4,200 cfm electric fan soon, getting a new PCM with a tune (old PCM will stay stock and put away), got an auto dim mirror (can never do without those) and I'll be upgrading to larger Eibach sway bars. I'm also going to replace the steering wheel/instrument cluster and clockspring to get the DIC in, upgrade the rear end to a 4.10, debadge/tint and get a pair of Isuzu Ascender taillights on the rear. Again, it's a matter of taste, but if I ever have to sell it, I'll revert back to stock.
Most of the time, the buyer hasn't a clue about cars in general and will never in their lifetime understand what you have done and what improvements came with it. I'll just save myself the headache, revert to stock and call it a day if I ever have to sell.
Modifications I make are not cold air intakes either - on my Grand Marquis, for instance, I've got a larger MAF with a bigger air box, ported plenum with larger throttle body, flow matched injectors, underdrive pulleys, custom built 10" torque converter with carbon fiber clutches, Bilstein shocks with bigger Addco sway bars, etc. Then I've got other stuff done, like blacking out the chrome, body color grille, courtesy lights on the doors, auto dim rearview mirror, power adjustable pedals, upgraded air vents behind the dashboard to accomodate a 2-DIN headunit, sound system with amps/sub, etc...the list goes on. All of these have made it a better car in my book and customized to my taste, but this is one car I'm never going to sell.
The Envoy, on the other hand, is a daily driver but I got bored of certain things and decided to modify that as well. Got flow matched injectors, I'm ditching the clutch fan for a 4,200 cfm electric fan soon, getting a new PCM with a tune (old PCM will stay stock and put away), got an auto dim mirror (can never do without those) and I'll be upgrading to larger Eibach sway bars. I'm also going to replace the steering wheel/instrument cluster and clockspring to get the DIC in, upgrade the rear end to a 4.10, debadge/tint and get a pair of Isuzu Ascender taillights on the rear. Again, it's a matter of taste, but if I ever have to sell it, I'll revert back to stock.
Most of the time, the buyer hasn't a clue about cars in general and will never in their lifetime understand what you have done and what improvements came with it. I'll just save myself the headache, revert to stock and call it a day if I ever have to sell.
Originally Posted By: surfstar
...the fact that 99% of the time, modified = beat on.
Something I'd like to point out - if the mods are done correctly/professionally and the owner has taken care of the car properly, I'd take it in a heartbeat over Average Joe who hasn't even kept up with oil changes, let alone keep up with regular maintenance.
...the fact that 99% of the time, modified = beat on.
Something I'd like to point out - if the mods are done correctly/professionally and the owner has taken care of the car properly, I'd take it in a heartbeat over Average Joe who hasn't even kept up with oil changes, let alone keep up with regular maintenance.
I won't even look at a German car with aftermarket wheels on it.
If you ever see chrome rims though the vehicle is almost 100% guaranteed to be not taken care of, that rule of thumb is almost never wrong when used Mercedes shopping.
I want stock, original, and with lots of service records.
If you ever see chrome rims though the vehicle is almost 100% guaranteed to be not taken care of, that rule of thumb is almost never wrong when used Mercedes shopping.
I want stock, original, and with lots of service records.
Last edited:
Aftermarket mods = garbage.
of course this is subjective but the only time I ever buy a car is if it's 100% stock.
I hate when people list some of the cheesy trash they do to their cars and then ask a lot.
PASS!!
Now if the person is selling a modded car and its priced the same as a stock model is pricing at, or close to, it might still be worth looking at.
of course this is subjective but the only time I ever buy a car is if it's 100% stock.
I hate when people list some of the cheesy trash they do to their cars and then ask a lot.
PASS!!
Now if the person is selling a modded car and its priced the same as a stock model is pricing at, or close to, it might still be worth looking at.
Originally Posted By: Artem
I modified my wife's 2006 Scion tC 5spd with adjustable coilovers to make it handle better as the factory suspension is WAY too soft, making the car unstable. Supporting mods included rear control arms to correct the negative camber. A proper alignment keeps her rolling straight. ~~ I feel I made the car a better handling car and the wife agrees.
I modified the brakes with slotted rotors and HAWK HPS performance pads and synthetic brake fluid. This insures that the car brakes better then with the stock setup and can handle more heat during spirited mountain runs or even daily driving duties during those "OH DARN" moments. ~~ I feel I made the car better by upgrading the brake system and the wife agrees.
I modified the shifter with a stage 2 short shifter to decrease the shifter throw by over 35% throw reduction and 2.5" height reduction. Shifting is now more precise and the reduced throw and quicker shifting make it much more enjoyable to drive. ~~ I feel I made the car better with this upgrade.
I modified the exhaust with a nice custom "quiet" catback for a little added growl. Wifey likes it and the neighbors don't complain. ~~ Personal preference mod. Wifey really likes this one.
My mods made the car better. I didn't use cheap springs with the original shocks, which will wear out quickly, causing the car to bounce. I didn't use cheap brake pads, I used quality pieces that are track proven. I didn't use a cheap short shifter adapter, I used a complete kit, replacing the entire shifter arm along with base and cable bushings to stiffen everything up.
My tC is now better handling then a stock tC. Of course your average father looking for a car for his daughter won't agree but many others will appreciate the mods I've done to improve the car.
When we decide to sell it, I will ask slightly more then it's estimated value due to the modifications and I have no doubt in my mind that it will sell in a heartbeat.
I have sold several modded cars in the past and the buyers paid a premium for the modifications that were done to improve the car...
Just my opinion. There are modifications which make a vehicle better and others which ruin it.
It might, but you're looking for a buyer who appreciates the enhanced performance who's also looking for a tC. Since the tC isn't highly regarded as a quality performance platform I'm not sure you're going to get what you'd like for it. You might, but it's likely going to be in the form of a high school kid who wants to brag about how awesome his car is more than somebody who really wants a better performing car over one that rides more comfortably.
I modified my wife's 2006 Scion tC 5spd with adjustable coilovers to make it handle better as the factory suspension is WAY too soft, making the car unstable. Supporting mods included rear control arms to correct the negative camber. A proper alignment keeps her rolling straight. ~~ I feel I made the car a better handling car and the wife agrees.
I modified the brakes with slotted rotors and HAWK HPS performance pads and synthetic brake fluid. This insures that the car brakes better then with the stock setup and can handle more heat during spirited mountain runs or even daily driving duties during those "OH DARN" moments. ~~ I feel I made the car better by upgrading the brake system and the wife agrees.
I modified the shifter with a stage 2 short shifter to decrease the shifter throw by over 35% throw reduction and 2.5" height reduction. Shifting is now more precise and the reduced throw and quicker shifting make it much more enjoyable to drive. ~~ I feel I made the car better with this upgrade.
I modified the exhaust with a nice custom "quiet" catback for a little added growl. Wifey likes it and the neighbors don't complain. ~~ Personal preference mod. Wifey really likes this one.
My mods made the car better. I didn't use cheap springs with the original shocks, which will wear out quickly, causing the car to bounce. I didn't use cheap brake pads, I used quality pieces that are track proven. I didn't use a cheap short shifter adapter, I used a complete kit, replacing the entire shifter arm along with base and cable bushings to stiffen everything up.
My tC is now better handling then a stock tC. Of course your average father looking for a car for his daughter won't agree but many others will appreciate the mods I've done to improve the car.
When we decide to sell it, I will ask slightly more then it's estimated value due to the modifications and I have no doubt in my mind that it will sell in a heartbeat.
I have sold several modded cars in the past and the buyers paid a premium for the modifications that were done to improve the car...
Just my opinion. There are modifications which make a vehicle better and others which ruin it.
It might, but you're looking for a buyer who appreciates the enhanced performance who's also looking for a tC. Since the tC isn't highly regarded as a quality performance platform I'm not sure you're going to get what you'd like for it. You might, but it's likely going to be in the form of a high school kid who wants to brag about how awesome his car is more than somebody who really wants a better performing car over one that rides more comfortably.
- Status
Similar threads
