Aftermarket Mods - Increases Resale Value of Car?

[SteveSRT8]

^^^It's an individuals choice. The buyer has to make the call.

I don't mean to diss Artem's mods but no way would I even consider it. It just waves a red flag for me.

NO aftermarket mfgr sweats the details like OEM. None.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Any aftermarket/non-oem manipulation drastically decreases a car's value.

 

[supton]

What about a clutch that is easier on the foot, holds more torque, and gets rid of a known problem? *cough* VW DMF *cough* Might not increase the value, but certainly doesn't hurt.

 

[NHHEMI]

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?


In my years of experience as a vehicle enthusiast as well as working in the field selling aftermarket parts, working dealer service and parts, and also as an auto body supply salesman I have found that for the most part OEM is the only way to go for body panels. However, for hard parts I am hard pressed to put any OEM parts over the available quality aftermarket parts I can get to replace them.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
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.


It is far, far, from a Jeep community thing( which I am relatively new to btw ). Been that way for as long as I have been involved with auto's.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

NO aftermarket mfgr sweats the details like OEM. None.


I would respectuflly disagree with that at least in regards to hard parts. Body panels you always go OEM IMO. OEM hard parts are made to a good enough standard. They are not bad as a rule but I would not rate them as top quality. From what I see they are medium quality and vastly over priced. Either that or they are nothing but repacked aftermarket parts with a price tag 2-3X's greater than the afetrmarket price.

Corners will be cut to save wherever they can with OEM parts. Such as not adding grease fittings to suspension parts whereas aftermarket generally come with them. The car mfg cuts the zerk and saves 5 cents a part( that adds up over millions purchased )which means it fails sooner because it can't be properly maintained. OEM brakes generally stink too as do shocks.

You certainly aren't getting junk when buying OEM ( usually ), and it wiill definitely fit right, but that doesn't mean it is a betetr quality part than an aftermarket part. I can almost always get betetr quality, with proper fit, for less money aftermarket. Again, body panels not included.

 

[Thermo1223]

Getting rid of the air suspension is really a negative as it is a selling point on the car.

You can get lifetime warranty bags & air shocks and with the right equipment and a little time diagnose any issue.

6 speed manuals are rare no doubt but the car isn't...I removed the ECU tune when I sold the XT purposely so I could give the buyer the opportunity to decide if they wanted it on.

I drove the car hard at times but kept up maintenance because of that.

I guess it's the person and obviously a person on an Audi forum speaking ebonics is not the buyer you want to deal with.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

NO aftermarket mfgr sweats the details like OEM. None.


I would respectuflly disagree with that at least in regards to hard parts. Body panels you always go OEM IMO. OEM hard parts are made to a good enough standard. They are not bad as a rule but I would not rate them as top quality. From what I see they are medium quality and vastly over priced. Either that or they are nothing but repacked aftermarket parts with a price tag 2-3X's greater than the afetrmarket price.

Corners will be cut to save wherever they can with OEM parts. Such as not adding grease fittings to suspension parts whereas aftermarket generally come with them. The car mfg cuts the zerk and saves 5 cents a part( that adds up over millions purchased )which means it fails sooner because it can't be properly maintained. OEM brakes generally stink too as do shocks.

You certainly aren't getting junk when buying OEM ( usually ), and it wiill definitely fit right, but that doesn't mean it is a betetr quality part than an aftermarket part. I can almost always get betetr quality, with proper fit, for less money aftermarket. Again, body panels not included.



It's okay to disagree, no apology necessary. Of course there are exceptions to be found.

But the point was that OEM receives outrageous dynamic testing and is heavily CAD/CAM developed, tested exhaustively, tortured under bad conditions, etc.

Few AM sources have the kind of pockets to do the extensive testing to truly validate the part like the OEM. I do agree they always look at the pennies and would save a nickel if they can, but I feel overall they are usually the best choice for most pieces.

Note that our OEM brakes go over 100k miles on 4.5 ton vans. Always. And the factory shocks on my truck were Bilstein! So there's exceptions to every "rule".

 

[threeputtpar]

Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Getting rid of the air suspension is really a negative as it is a selling point on the car.

You can get lifetime warranty bags & air shocks and with the right equipment and a little time diagnose any issue.

6 speed manuals are rare no doubt but the car isn't...I removed the ECU tune when I sold the XT purposely so I could give the buyer the opportunity to decide if they wanted it on.

I drove the car hard at times but kept up maintenance because of that.

I guess it's the person and obviously a person on an Audi forum speaking ebonics is not the buyer you want to deal with.


Thermo1223, all good points. The two vehicles in question did sell (to other forum members so that may have played a part in the deal), but obviously the owners aren't revealing the actual selling prices and I don't care to get an further into it with them or the other forum members on the allroad one that started to pile on me.

Their argument was that the allroad is a rare car, and with the manual option even more rare, so any of the pricing guides have no clue what the real value of the car is. One member, who I do still respect, used his highly modified allroad as an example to show that nobody would expect to pay something as low as book value for his car. He stated that the pricing guides don't attempt to put a value on a car such as a Ferrari because they are so rare that the market should dictate the value. I'm still struggling on whether or not I should respond to that claim. To compare an allroad to a Ferrari just destroys his credibility.

My dad had a '63 split window Corvette when I was growing up. Now that is a rare car, not some A6 iteration with an air suspension that was offered for 5 model years. Maybe I have a different expectation because the local German sales lot seems to have at least 1 allroad on the lot at all times, and very rarely does it sell fast. It usually sells for exactly what the book value says it should.

I guess you guys here should be commended. By being a member here and participating in some of the discussions, I've become a much better critical thinker. I question everything that just doesn't look right now, and I don't just take someone's word just becasue they have a high post count.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
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.


Funny that you bring that up! I purchased a slightly used, "race only" miata way back when. It was on slicks, with roll bar and so on, the "R" package with all the "factory" goodies. Never saw a day on the street.

Wonderful car. Plenty of fun to drive, lasted 175,000 miles before I sold it and was utterly reliable.

 

[supton]

What do you expect? It's a low milage car!

Only driven on Sundays!

 

[Thermo1223]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Getting rid of the air suspension is really a negative as it is a selling point on the car.

You can get lifetime warranty bags & air shocks and with the right equipment and a little time diagnose any issue.

6 speed manuals are rare no doubt but the car isn't...I removed the ECU tune when I sold the XT purposely so I could give the buyer the opportunity to decide if they wanted it on.

I drove the car hard at times but kept up maintenance because of that.

I guess it's the person and obviously a person on an Audi forum speaking ebonics is not the buyer you want to deal with.


Thermo1223, all good points. The two vehicles in question did sell (to other forum members so that may have played a part in the deal), but obviously the owners aren't revealing the actual selling prices and I don't care to get an further into it with them or the other forum members on the allroad one that started to pile on me.

Their argument was that the allroad is a rare car, and with the manual option even more rare, so any of the pricing guides have no clue what the real value of the car is. One member, who I do still respect, used his highly modified allroad as an example to show that nobody would expect to pay something as low as book value for his car. He stated that the pricing guides don't attempt to put a value on a car such as a Ferrari because they are so rare that the market should dictate the value. I'm still struggling on whether or not I should respond to that claim. To compare an allroad to a Ferrari just destroys his credibility.

My dad had a '63 split window Corvette when I was growing up. Now that is a rare car, not some A6 iteration with an air suspension that was offered for 5 model years. Maybe I have a different expectation because the local German sales lot seems to have at least 1 allroad on the lot at all times, and very rarely does it sell fast. It usually sells for exactly what the book value says it should.

I guess you guys here should be commended. By being a member here and participating in some of the discussions, I've become a much better critical thinker. I question everything that just doesn't look right now, and I don't just take someone's word just becasue they have a high post count.


Honestly...

There is a used lot here that has had an Allroad on sale for no less than 2 years. Price might have budged some but still inline with it's use & mileage. They are not that rare.

In fact the same lot apparently is buying all the ones up in my area as he now has 2 more 2.7t and one 4.2 V8. A manual in any car is a rarity now. I jumped on the my older Forester because the closest manual was 150 miles away. It is rare to find a manual close to you but not rare enough to ask dbl the value. People still try this with TDI's and it is laughable.

Now to compare a Ferrari to a upscale grocery getter is a stretch. People will believe what they want. They want to believe their car is worth more than it is unless it really is a POS.

Personally I'd call him out on that comparison but you can make that call. I agree rare to me is a Stingray Vette or Yenko Camaro or Chevelle or 302 Boss Mustang. Basically nothing made after '70 I think at this point I would consider rare. Sure supercars are nice but rare? Not to me at least.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

They chose...unwisely.

They will pay a price. They may/may not learn anything from it.