Mods and resale value ?

[ekam]

Wouldn't touch a heavily modified car with a stick. There's usually a reason why they're selling it.

Mods add no value to the price of the car, in fact it takes away values in most cases.

I bought the car, I'll mod it to way I like it. It's MY car, not something I'm preserving for the next owner if that day comes.

But this is all a moot point as our cars are not worth much in today's market anyway.

[JFP in PA]

Depends upon the modifications, and often more importantly, who did them. We often do a “pre-purchase” inspection on cars coming from third parties, and some of the things we see are truly amazing. Often, the new owner ends up having to fix some of the problematic mods, so we dial those facts into our recommendations.

Things that potentially improve engine life (IMS, larger oil cooler and/or third radiator on a base, 160F stat, spin on filter, Accusump, etc.) would be a plus. “Brand X” exhaust systems (we have had to redo several that droned so bad they were actually shaking the car apart), systems that require defeating the O2 sensors, weird DME re-flashes, any wiring that looks like it was done by “Sydney the Wood Butcher”, most non-Porsche suspension mods and lowering (you would be amazed at how badly some of these cars ride), and any car that seems poorly maintained (oil/coolant leaks, MIL’s or codes, no service records, etc.) would be either “deducts” from the price, or “avoids”.

We have “green lighted” cars with significant mods done by shops or individuals known for the quality of their work, and the buyer’s have generally been very pleased. We have also had customers buy cars we suggested they pass on, and they have ultimately paid the price for their decision. It is always a good move to have an indie you know well look over a car beforehand, they will usually provide an accurate, and more importantly, a dispassionate review of the vehicle…..

[CenterIsl]

Nobody's mentioned stereo mods yet...as long as it didn't include obviously inappropriate door speakers or a space-robbing subwoofer, I'd have to say that almost any stereo mod would have to be a positive.

[JFP in PA]

See my “Sydney the Wood Butcher” comment above.............

[eightsandaces]

I thought headers would be too loud for years, now I find if anything a bit louder would be cool. On the other hand, it's nice though not to have the car "bark" unless you're really in it. Mine was already a used car, perhaps I'd have been less likely to mod one I bought right from the good folks in Germany. One thing is certain, many in my family and circle of friends know the car has been dawdled on, if I was going to give it away at give away prices, I'd rather see one of them grin. It's far more likely I'll be seen next near down in Florida near the beach, retired, driving my 1998 Boxster that people still ask about being a new car, it's comfortable, like a broken inpair of Chuck Taylors... As ekam correctly stated, a car as old as mine isn't worth to anyone what its worth to me anyway, modded or not...

[xamfed]

As someone who is currently looking for a 2001-2003 S. I can say that if it has mods, I am walking away. unless it is

Nice wheels and tires
decent aftermarket stereo
drop in replacement K&N filter
Glass window replacement in the older ones

I will never buy a car with suspension mods, short throw shift kit, headers and exhaust, supercharger added

[Perfectlap]

I've done a bunch of mods. But these all in the realm of factory options that weren't standard when the car was first sold.

1-GT3 front bumper $1400 painted
2-GT3 Seats $2000
3-Factory 18" Carrera wheels $1,000
4-Litronics $1400
5-painted center console and ashtray $400
6-Tequipment carbon shifter knob with horshoe ring $200
7-racing pedals $150
8-colored center caps for wheels
9-LNE IMS bearing upgrade $1,200
10- GT3 MKII side skirts (not available factory for 986) $1,000 painted

That's about $9K in mods that aren't available on a standard Boxster S for the model year. I'm inclined to think that I would be able to sell it for slightly more than an S model on 17" wheels, no aero, factory IMS, bare interior with halogen lights. Lesson being buy your car with the mods already on the car. But I have no plans of ever selling this car. What I could fetch the car for in this lousy lousy lousy economy would not come close to getting me into a car that would deliver the same experience. On summer and spring days there really is not a day that the car is driven without some sort of compliment. Which is nice but the point is that even down 50+% from what I paid it is still a huge value.