Which is better: Fixing or modding?

"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
11/26/2016 at 23:19 • Filed to: None

The question I beseech upon you fellow opponauts is. What do you find more satisfying, fixing a car or modifying it to improve/customize it?

Personally I’m on the fixing it side. I just thing bringing a car back into good health is much more rewarding. Like a doctor who helps sick people, except better because working on people can be really gross. Plus I like diagnosing/investigating car problems and going all Sherlock Holmes on that shit.

Anyway, which do you like more?

Modded Toyoburu for your time.

DISCUSSION (23)

Urambo Tauro > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:22

I like to combine the two when I can. Something breaks? Fix it with an upgrade!

Skylinegtr > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:22

It depends

interstate366, now In The Industry > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:25

Both.

Scary__goongala! > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:26

Modifying. My car doesn’t require much maintenance but on a college budget I’d rather spend money improving it than just keeping it on the road.

Birddog > Urambo Tauro
11/26/2016 at 23:26

Well, dangit!

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > interstate366, now In The Industry
11/26/2016 at 23:26

=Invalid operation

Kinja'd!!!

Tristan > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:32

Fixing. Nothing is more satisfying than breathing new life into an unloved machine, and usually when I modify things they end up being worse.

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > Tristan
11/26/2016 at 23:34

I know, sometimes I see a neglected car and wanna buy it so I can “give it a good home.” It’s a good thing I don’t have my own garage to actually do it lol.

My bird IS the word > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:37

I enjoy both, but I would much rather be dealing with all new parts. The struggle of not being able to take things apart due to rust and neglect kills alot of the fun I have wrenching.

Tristan > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:39

This is me. I see a neglected car and instantly the Sarah McLachlan music begins to play in my head. My wife would surely tell you of the many times I’ve looked at a car and said “ooohhhh... you poor thing. I would have given you a good, loving home!”

Land_Yacht_225 > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:41

I mean, depends on the car. But for me and the S600, I never really feel bad or angry or betrayed when I have to dump more money into it because it gives me the opportunity to be the owner that it deserves. 75% of old V12 Benzes aren’t owned by car enthusiasts, but by people who use them as casual status symbols and would sell it on Craigslist broken before throwing more than $1,000 into one at a single time. They’re disrespected and treated as disposable. But every time I repair the car, or elect for preventative or deferred maintenance which is even better, I feel beyond good. I feel like I’ve saved it so it can go on to 180,000 miles like all the high miler S600s on cars.com. The last three owners had the car for less than a year, and I’m going on 18 months and heading for 3 years at least.

404 - User No Longer Available > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:42

Of course fixing. Haven’t you been to Los Santos Customs? They won’t even let you mod before you repair your bullet holes.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:51

Fixing by modding. Something breaks, replace it with a better part!

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
11/26/2016 at 23:53

Whoooo! Carbon fiber A/C lines!!!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/26/2016 at 23:54

Hmm. I dunno. I fixed my first car, a ‘98 Honda Civic, by ripping out the broken manual transmission and D16Y7 and replacing it with a working salvage manual transmission and D16Y7.

Very satisfying

At the same time, I’ve also “fixed” a ‘91 Mazda Miata by turbocharging it using various fabricated/junkyard parts.

Not really sure which was more satisfying. Usually fixing requires far more effort. The fix itself may be easy but figuring out exactly what to fix can be days worth of research and crawling around with diagnostic equipment.

XJDano > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 00:05

Depends I guess. Most of the stuff I do now is replacement. I have so many modifications to the Jeep I can hardly keep track when asking a parts jockey which vehicle he needs to look up for what part I swapped in.

Actually if there is a better part I’d go for it. There isn’t much modifying a metro, equinox, or grand caravan though.

dropthatclutch > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
11/27/2016 at 00:07

Pretty much this. Replacing required parts with quality performance parts.

WRXasaurus > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 00:15

I like to do both. By replacing broken items with either equivalent oem or even better is just satisfying. Usually fixing is even better because the change in performance is greater. Replace the old ratty suspension and all of the sudden all the clunks are gone and the ride is much better.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 00:43

Depends on the car. Don’t mind dropping money improving the S2000, but every dollar spent on the Camry hurts.

JGrabowMSt > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 00:55

The HEMIWagon has always been repaired through upgrades but for a very specific and purposeful reason. When the suspension was just completely shot, it was upgraded to coilovers and poly bushings. The choice of KW V2s was made specifically for the lifetime warranty. I waited on the rear wheel bearings and axle boots to do a full rear carrier upgrade which included a Wavetrac LSD because, you guessed it, lifetime warranty. Also, the new axles are good for 600hp.

There are basic things that will see general replacement, like the front wheel bearings I did a few months back, but thats because theyre a service item. they have a far more limited lifespan compared to the rest of the drivetrain.

I think of it my process as selective upgrading. My brakes are pretty bad, but also extremely worn after 188k miles. I plan to upgrade to Baer calipers and a higher temp fluid (which after testing on another Magnum is a necessity, not necessarily a want). I could buy remanufactured calipers, but I wouldnt gain any braking improvements, and considering the direction of the build of the whole car, it only makes sense to improve as parts begin to fail. I want to do a motor swap, so if I am going to increase power, I want to also increase braking and ensure the rest of the car is prepared. At the rate I am going, the diff is already plenty broken in and ready for anything. The trans will be done at the same time as the motor, so certain upgrades will be done at that time, but I am limited by my budget, so I have to plan things carefully. Measure twice and cut once, as always.

Of course, if this discussion was about a car that I am not doing a full build on, of course the idea is to minimize cost and fix rather than upgrade, but within reason. I am not married to OEM parts. On a simple beater car, I will gladly look at Monroe Quick Struts over a costly OEM part, just like I would rather find a salvage or used body panel instead of going to a body shop for panel repairs that would cost much more than the value of the car. Even my build would see certain cost saving measures on the non-essentials, but in some cases it can just be worth the initial investment to upgrade. A high wear item may have an upgrade that costs more, up front, but is cheaper than repeating 2-3 times due to wear and lifespan.

I guess as with so many other things, the real answer at the end of the day is just “it depends.”

DutchieDC2R > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 01:42

Im actually in the process of fixing my engine AND making it run smoother/healthier by modifying it. I always try to combine those things.

Joe6pack > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time
11/27/2016 at 08:15

Fix it. My hats off to anyone who can mod a car and do it properly, but I suspect most mods just make things worse or certainly not better enough to justify the cost. To paraphrase Clarkson - That’s what I’m paying the engineers back at the factory to do.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Tristan
11/28/2016 at 20:02

I would have to go with modding by fixing. I try to replace broken parts with better parts when I can. Though I would happily do either if I had a FUCKING garage!!!