Heavy Performance Modding...a bad investment but THAT BAD?

[maxtdi]

For instance, if you go look at Corvettes

Let me stop you right there...

Corvette guys always lose their ass on mods. Plenty of guys with 20k built motors asking for same amount as garage queen cars.

Probably worse over there than here.

Most of the money still goes to bone stock unmolested cars that are waxed by old men with bad knees.

 

[Modshack1]

To all the posters....I totally get the "modding as enjoyable hobby" thing....hey there are other hobbies out there that make car modding look cheap! (If any of you guys are "horse people," I'm talking to you, and the boat guys as well.)

I guess I'm somewhat curious to hear from guys who've owned a variety of typically heavily modded cars Modshack, GunKata, and others, as to whether the GTI is PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE to not getting even close to your money back.

For instance, if you go look at Corvettes or Porsche 911s on ebay, etc. and the guy has engine and exhaust mods (of a high caliber), he tends to leave those on AND seems to be able to charge accordingly.

For instance, an Akropovic exhaust on a BMW or Porsche is worth some $, LEFT ON THE CAR. On the GTI....not so much. My beef is that the vehicle at issue seems to be modded in PREMIUM (all APR) fashion, for almost negligible gain. I understand that all you guys are saying "that's life, brah" but it still sucketh for the seller.

Well...Been there and back. My 35' sailboat used to cost me $10K a year for mods, maintenance and slippage. Cars are cheap in comparison!

I've had 8 Porsche's... Hard and expensive to mod, so most don't, beyond the basic exhaust/suspension stuff. I've always gotten my money back on those cars because I did it right

Corvettes? Has a first Gen (2008) LS3 and did a fair amount of mods on that car. Got a good percentage back when I sold it, because the mods I did were carefully thought out, and the parts were state of the art for that car that improved it far beyond the stock specs.

With the GTi you're dealing with a different clientele....Dare I say it?..Cheap! The VW crowd has always been that way it seems. Not to say there aren't serious, quality modders here...There are, but your average 20 something doesn't always get that...With higher priced cars you're dealing with a different guy...Someone who can appreciate that $2K exhaust, etc.

I've usually sold my cars to forum folks for top $$ who respected my approach and understood the things I did to the cars. They know I don't beat my machinery and maintain them perfectly. Come in here and talk trash and no one is gonna give you fair market $$ for your car..

 

[Desert MVIGTI]

Most of the money still goes to bone stock unmolested cars that are waxed by old men with bad knees.

LOL, Yeah....I guess that's where my money would go....

 

[littleazn248]

I know several people that work in the car selling business. They always tell me that the car is worth more in stock form than with mods. The mods suggest that the car may have been driven hard plus stock components are tested more stringently than after market parts. So make sure the mods that you do are removable so you can sell them off on the forum as well as get a good trade in value. If you sell to a private individual and they know what the mods are they may be willing to pay you extra over KBB so just know your target audience.

Plus I agree with Modshack well thought out mods are worth more as well. Neon undercarriage lights not so much but, perhaps an APR TBE is worth something to the right buyer.

 

[Gunkata]

I guess I'm somewhat curious to hear from guys who've owned a variety of typically heavily modded cars Modshack, GunKata, and others, as to whether the GTI is PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE to not getting even close to your money back.

For instance, if you go look at Corvettes or Porsche 911s on ebay, etc. and the guy has engine and exhaust mods (of a high caliber), he tends to leave those on AND seems to be able to charge accordingly.

For instance, an Akropovic exhaust on a BMW or Porsche is worth some $, LEFT ON THE CAR. On the GTI....not so much. My beef is that the vehicle at issue seems to be modded in PREMIUM (all APR) fashion, for almost negligible gain. I understand that all you guys are saying "that's life, brah" but it still sucketh for the seller.

Car seem to have different personalities and strong points, and some do a few different things/jack of all trades, master of none, or some truly are a master at just one thing.

So, going off of that concept, a car like an M3, Corvette, or 911 may fetch a better price with some and/or certain mods left on the car, sure, but again, it really only matters to the perspective buyer and is not necessarily the norm, nor a "rule" for the market. The reason for those cars being like that is their main objective is performance/hard-on cars, so they carry that with them no matter what.

A car like the GTI is a jack of all trades and to some people, it is simply a golf with a turbo motor and perhaps a 6spd, while to others - if it sat for 8 years and only had 200 miles on it, it would still sell for MSRP

It is truly subjective, but I think the main theme here is the buyer. What is the buyer looking for and what do they value. You will always get more for your car when you are selling to a specific audience FOR that particular car, plain and simple. So, if its some basic mods that cost the seller $3K for example, he can probably get away with charging another $1500 or so over what the car would normally retail for in a private sale, to another enthusiast. However, if he took the car to Carmax, or a dealership, or put it up on craigslist, the average joe is going to say - no way, its too much, I don't care what you've added to it.

To get back to the 911/m3/vette examples, that's like if I were looking at a 996 911 Turbo, and I found one that was chipped (lets say from the factory, X50 option or whatever it is), and has a beautiful and expensive Milltek TBE or Akrapovic, etc exhaust on it, AND a set of $4,000 BBS wheels on it, i would gladly pay $2K-$3K more for that specific car and those mods than a comparable all stock/unmolested car as it would save me probably about $8-$10K including labor, BUT again, that relies on ME and not the average buyer, as many have suggested, most DO NOT want to buy a car that has been modded heavily, if at all.

 

[Gunkata]

Corvettes? Has a first Gen (2008) LS3 and did a fair amount of mods on that car. Got a good percentage back when I sold it, because the mods I did were carefully thought out, and the parts were state of the art for that car that improved it far beyond the stock specs.

Steve, can you give some feedback/opinion on the LS3 shifter linkage in the 08? I hated the LS2 one in my '05 and hear the 08+ C6's were much better in that regard.

 

[chinqutie]

To all the posters....I totally get the "modding as enjoyable hobby" thing....hey there are other hobbies out there that make car modding look cheap! (If any of you guys are "horse people," I'm talking to you, and the boat guys as well.)

I guess I'm somewhat curious to hear from guys who've owned a variety of typically heavily modded cars Modshack, GunKata, and others, as to whether the GTI is PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE to not getting even close to your money back.

For instance, if you go look at Corvettes or Porsche 911s on ebay, etc. and the guy has engine and exhaust mods (of a high caliber), he tends to leave those on AND seems to be able to charge accordingly.

For instance, an Akropovic exhaust on a BMW or Porsche is worth some $, LEFT ON THE CAR. On the GTI....not so much. My beef is that the vehicle at issue seems to be modded in PREMIUM (all APR) fashion, for almost negligible gain. I understand that all you guys are saying "that's life, brah" but it still sucketh for the seller.

rryyyyttt..an akra isn't worth it on a GTI? have you owned one??? not to be a douche but i think you should at least drive one with it on and another thing it's not as if the linkpipe and the catback itself won't sell when taken out of the car. And of course any akra exhaust would be a well thought of mod, just saying. Whether it's worth it or not is entirely subjective.

 

[Desert MVIGTI]

A car like the GTI is a jack of all trades and to some people, it is simply a golf with a turbo motor and perhaps a 6spd, while to others - if it sat for 8 years and only had 200 miles on it, it would still sell for MSRP

Come on man, that R32 was bad ass!


In any event, somebody who likes very fast black GTIs with burnt currant wheels needs to stop the bleeding for this guy. Ha, need to go give him a bump!

 

[Modshack1]

Steve, can you give some feedback/opinion on the LS3 shifter linkage in the 08? I hated the LS2 one in my '05 and hear the 08+ C6's were much better in that regard.

Sure...The LS3 was different because they went to the heftier tr6060 trans... Better shifter too, but still a little vague. The state of the art shifter for the Late model vettes are made by these guys:
http://www.mgwltd.com/corvette_short_throw_shifter.shtml

They get rave reviews from the True Corvette guys. Shifts Like a rifle bolt!

My Corvette mods here: http://public.fotki.com/ttschwing/corvette-stuff/

 

[ElectricEye]

To the buying public, mods suggest the car was driven harder than the next one. And driven harder can mean that parts will wear out quicker or need replacement sooner than they otherwise would have. That's why mods almost always reduce the car's value.

Best way is to part the stuff out and sell it on a forum like this one.

I never understood the "mod it to the gills" crowd. Where you spend $9k on performance parts on a $25k car. Because you could have just bought a much better $34k car. Especially if you're willing to buy used. Because you can get some hella nice used cars for $34k. That's Porsche Cayman S territory.

^^^^
This is the way I feel as well.
As a buyer, I would never go near a modded car.
I lease my car and haven't modded, but if I did I wouldn't go beyond a tune and a catback for this car - maybe springs if I lived in a place with smoother roads.
I understand modding until it gets to a degree that the buyer could have purchased a more upscalecar.

 

[Rotaryknight]

I understand modding until it gets to a degree that the buyer could have purchased a more upscalecar.

Obviously you don't. Someone that likes to tinker and work on their car will mod no matter the car. So lets say someone spends 10k on a 25k car. Some people will see it as why not get a 35k car.

While I see it as if I buy a 35k car I'll still put 10k in to that and probably more since the 35k car will probably be more expensive to mod.

Yes there comes a point like I posted before about an 11second Civic. But if people always said well I could should got a more expensive car then when does it stop? When are you happy?

Right now the GTi fits what I need. I could have bought a STi, BMW etc etc. But for what it is and especially for me, the DSG transmission, GTi was my choice.

If I had bought a S2000 or STi I would have been able to mod those cars way cheaper, most of the parts probably at cost, master distributor level or free....but I wanted the GTi for good/bad. The car is perfect for my lifestyle at the moment.

You buy a car, you like it, you make it your own. If I didn't care I'd buy a Prius and be done.

Some people like cars and doing things to them. Many can't even change their own oil and spark plugs and call themselves enthusiasts. To each their own.

 

[Gunkata]

Sure...The LS3 was different because they went to the heftier tr6060 trans... Better shifter too, but still a little vague. The state of the art shifter for the Late model vettes are made by these guys:
http://www.mgwltd.com/corvette_short_throw_shifter.shtml

They get rave reviews from the True Corvette guys. Shifts Like a rifle bolt!

My Corvette mods here: http://public.fotki.com/ttschwing/corvette-stuff/

very nice. I think I had a SS from those guys, but it still sucked as far as feel and effort. So, the LS3 was much improved then , even stock eh?

good lookin' car there!

I never understood the "mod it to the gills" crowd. Where you spend $9k on performance parts on a $25k car. Because you could have just bought a much better $34k car. Especially if you're willing to buy used. Because you can get some hella nice used cars for $34k. That's Porsche Cayman S territory.

agreed, however, think of it this way though...

Average dollar amount for every $1K on a car loan is $20/month, approximately. So, $9K breaks out to about an extra $180/mo or so, and if someone prefers not to have a car payment that is an additional $180 over what they could afford every month, they may end up spending $9K over the life of th car doing mods, etc, and who knows, credit cards can be part of the equation too.

But definitely agree on the Cayman S 1000% there.

 

[johnny_p]

Some people like cars and doing things to them. Many can't even change their own oil and spark plugs and call themselves enthusiasts. To each their own.

Spending money on car mods does not make you an enthusiast. Being an enthusiast makes you an enthusiast. Driving the same road or track 3-4 times back to back to make sure you hit each turn's apex correctly is driving enthusiasm. Buying R tails isn't.

 

[Rotaryknight]

Spending money on car mods does not make you an enthusiast. Being an enthusiast makes you an enthusiast. Driving the same road or track 3-4 times back to back to make sure you hit each turn's apex correctly is driving enthusiasm. Buying R tails isn't.

Did I say that spending money on your car makes you an enthusiast? My point being is some people like to be hands on with their cars while some can barely change a spare tire. But to each their own if they want to be called an enthusiast.

 

[Modshack1]

But definitely agree on the Cayman S 1000% there.

New one intro'd at the LA show this week!

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20121128/LOSANGELES/121129884