Does a full build on a car worth 2k add value?

"Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras" (jegoingout)
02/27/2016 at 11:54 • Filed to: None

I know around here people have the sense of knowing “mods do not add value”, but as someone last pointed out “is there a point where they do?”

Thoughts on this?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

DISCUSSION (11)

Berang > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:00

Only if the buyer is wanting exactly that thing.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:07

Depends on the car IMO.

A fully built Evo or Subie probably because everyone who buys them builds them anyway. A civic no sorry they are reliable as they are

My bird IS the word > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:08

Looks well done. Ususally the problem with mods is that you do not know how they were installed/ if they are quality parts. This one seems worth your time/money, just make sure you go over it with a fine tooth comb.

iSureWilll > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:13

I'm not really into the orange but if you could get that thing for a number starting with 5 then it's a NP.

McMike > Berang
02/27/2016 at 12:13

Agree - it’s only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

I have no idea if that price is crackpipe, but I hope he finds a buyer.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:14

Sometimes yes, but there are a lot of factors that go into this. Potentially if the mod fixes a major reliability concern for that particular car (i.e. Tom Woods front driveshaft for a Disco2 because the original one is very weak, or head studs on a N* Cadillac to prevent further head gasket failures), but the value added would still be minimal. Or perhaps a well done manual swap. Then again, diesel swapped Range Rovers and Defenders tend to command considerably higher prices than gas versions.

RedlineZ bought an SV (And is getting rid of the z) > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:16

depends. if it were your car would you put the same or similar mods on? then sure throw in some extra cash though certainly not retail for the parts. if its an entire reupholstering of the car with pink zebra print and an old eBay turbo installed in the parking lot of pep boys then id be deducting from my offer.

RedlineZ bought an SV (And is getting rid of the z) > RedlineZ bought an SV (And is getting rid of the z)
02/27/2016 at 12:17

and i just now saw its a post for a civic. come on man you can do better than that. you can't do any shoop-like drifting in FWD without lunch trays

GhostZ > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:35

Take the cost of the car you want unmodded + the cost (and time, either in your own wage or a mechanic’s wage) of doing the mods you want.

Then take the cost of the car for sale + the cost (and time) of fixing/undoing the mods you don’t want.

If the second cost is higher than the first, it’s not worth buying, it’s better to get a stock one and modify it yourself.

If the second cost is less than the first, subtract them. This is how much you save by getting the pre-modified one. Estimate the cost of having to re-do/fix mods that fail, and then reduce that by the chance you’ll have to fix them. ($2000 cost and 50% chance = 2000*.5 = $1000)

Now do your regular analysis of ownership for the cars (including resale, how long you plan on owning it, gas, insurance, all divided by the period you plan on owning the car), but include the cost/risk of the mods failing too. If it’s still cheaper, then go with the modified car.

Things like “The car looks like it was driven hard”, “it has really high mileage”, “the owner got an ebay turbo” etc. all factor into the cost of having to fix the mods and the price of fixing them.

The reason people say that mods don’t add value is because usually the asking price for the car is high enough and the buyer’s wants for mods are low enough that the risk differential is absurdly high. That, and if they don’t have exactly the mods you want (or close enough) then you’ll have to re-do them anyway.

This is also why you pay a premium for a factory-modified/warranty-covered modified car over a garage modified one: the cost of risk is lower, so they raise the price of the car itself to make up the difference.

Master Cylinder > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:47

Yes. Sometimes, anyway. I think the math really works in your favor on something like a track car, especially in a Spec-type series where all the cars are basically built the same. Buying pre-built (assuming you’re buying from an owner who did acceptable maintenance) can save you a ton of money, and it’s usually worth paying a bit more for a pre-built car vs. buying a clunker and building it up yourself.

Needmoargarage > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/27/2016 at 12:52

If the right person will buy it, then it does. Really, when you mod a car you decrease the size of the buying market. Decrease it too much, and you’re really at the mercy of the buyer when it comes to pricing.

That particular car? Probably not though you couldn’t do the same thing for any cheaper.