Modified cars - would you buy one?
Discussion
My dad bought a Bora TDi that had been modified. The ad only mentioned lowered suspension, but when the car a seized front caliper became apparent it turned out that all the calipers were changed too - took 3 attempts to track down the correct part. Now one of the rears is playing up too.
Just my two pence, but may be worth bearing in mind when going to view. Try and see all the modifications that were carried out and make sure they are of a high quality.
Just my two pence, but may be worth bearing in mind when going to view. Try and see all the modifications that were carried out and make sure they are of a high quality.
Depends, if they parts are of a high quality and there are receipts to show the work, then yes.
I bought my Skyline modified (are there any out there that aren't?). The guy I bought it off had all the paperwork to show the modifications and took the time to show me round the car ticking them off the list as we went.
I bought my Skyline modified (are there any out there that aren't?). The guy I bought it off had all the paperwork to show the modifications and took the time to show me round the car ticking them off the list as we went.
PSBuckshot said:
I can't find the one I was looking at last night, must have expired but it was silver/grey with 225BHP. Looked tidy. Just you know a car that has been modded is going to have been driven even harder than a normal 197 usually would be driven.
But if the owners is capable of doing the mods himself, it will probably have been maintained at least as well, and probably better than one with a non-DIY owner.at least in my limited experience
PSBuckshot said:
I can't find the one I was looking at last night, must have expired but it was silver/grey with 225BHP. Looked tidy. Just you know a car that has been modded is going to have been driven even harder than a normal 197 usually would be driven.
But isn't that the reason you're buying it? To drive it hard..Plus, harder driven cars are nicer, in some cases.
I have previously and would again.
As said, depending on what modifications have been done, the quality of the parts used and a paper trail to back it up its not usually too much of an issue. You just need to research the type of car you are going for and what the respective view of the community is for the mods completed.
Its an eyes wide open situation, not always easy and can be a bit of a mine field
As said, depending on what modifications have been done, the quality of the parts used and a paper trail to back it up its not usually too much of an issue. You just need to research the type of car you are going for and what the respective view of the community is for the mods completed.
Its an eyes wide open situation, not always easy and can be a bit of a mine field
I've bought plain and modded, and sold plain and modded.
All comes down to 2 things:
1) what you want
2) how well they've been done
My 200SX was a f
k up, bodged to buggery.
Not all like that.
When selling, I'm slightly OCD and list EVERY SINGLE MODIFICATION complete with a dated receipt for part purchase with vehicle mileage noted on it for when fitted.
The ZR had a mish-mash of parts from other rovers on it when sold, but I included a full crib sheet with it stating model numbers, part codes etc
All comes down to 2 things:
1) what you want
2) how well they've been done
My 200SX was a f
k up, bodged to buggery.Not all like that.
When selling, I'm slightly OCD and list EVERY SINGLE MODIFICATION complete with a dated receipt for part purchase with vehicle mileage noted on it for when fitted.
The ZR had a mish-mash of parts from other rovers on it when sold, but I included a full crib sheet with it stating model numbers, part codes etc
If its the right mods on the right car then I'd see it as a positive
The two front runners for my next car are either an XKR or Gransport, ideally I want to find an XKR where someone has spent some money at Paragon on exhaust, cats, pulley, remap and for the Gransport I want one with a Larini/tubi exhaust and with sports cats
The two front runners for my next car are either an XKR or Gransport, ideally I want to find an XKR where someone has spent some money at Paragon on exhaust, cats, pulley, remap and for the Gransport I want one with a Larini/tubi exhaust and with sports cats
PSBuckshot said:
This is the sort of reason why I asked this question. My Mini was an extreme bodge, spent £1000s on it because the previous owner must have done everything blindfolded.
The 200sx was serviceable but rough. Stuff had been done with eBay special "one size fits all" tat.Ended up ditching the lot & spending £12,000+ on it haha
I'd only buy a modified car if the modifications were known to make the car demonstrably better (stainless steel sports exhaust, electronic ignition, sump guard etc). As far as racing modifications go, well it'd depend on whether I wanted to race it or not - probably not.
But as for cosmetic alterations - well, they generally lower the value of a car for a reason. They reflect one particular owner's taste, and unless you're Ed Roth, George Barris or Boyd Coddington, chances are that owner will be the only one it'll appeal to and the work may well be shoddy too.
But as for cosmetic alterations - well, they generally lower the value of a car for a reason. They reflect one particular owner's taste, and unless you're Ed Roth, George Barris or Boyd Coddington, chances are that owner will be the only one it'll appeal to and the work may well be shoddy too.
I bought my MX5 complete with a home hade hydraulic handbrake, coil-overs, welded diff, cage, wheel spacers, rolled arches, modified steering rack and it had just been converted back to NA after being turbocharged to 200bhp for a couple of years. Also it was painted three different colours and was covered in sticers.
It's still working 5 years later. I've done a lot more to it since and of the original mods only the diff, rear arches and steering rack are the same. There were a couple of mods that I removed because I didn't like how they had been done, but then I'm sure if I gave it back there are a few things I've done that the chap (a fellow PHer) would change. Certainly there were times in the past when I'd made it worse by mucking about with it.
The price was right for me to buy it. It would have been worth more as parts, or as a standard car.
I'd buy another modified car (in fact I did as my Elise wasn't standard either) but the mods would either be stuff I wanted, or be reversable and reduce the price. I wouldn't buy a car with a body kit.
It's still working 5 years later. I've done a lot more to it since and of the original mods only the diff, rear arches and steering rack are the same. There were a couple of mods that I removed because I didn't like how they had been done, but then I'm sure if I gave it back there are a few things I've done that the chap (a fellow PHer) would change. Certainly there were times in the past when I'd made it worse by mucking about with it.
The price was right for me to buy it. It would have been worth more as parts, or as a standard car.
I'd buy another modified car (in fact I did as my Elise wasn't standard either) but the mods would either be stuff I wanted, or be reversable and reduce the price. I wouldn't buy a car with a body kit.
I bought an R32 Skyline that was raced in Japan. Bought it from an importer in the UK who took it to Abbey Motorsport before putting it on their forecourt. I then used Abbey for any servicing and work as I did with another runaround Skyline (R33) I also had.
Just because someone doesn't do any work themselves, doesn't mean they don't have the best looking after the car.
Just because someone doesn't do any work themselves, doesn't mean they don't have the best looking after the car.
PSBuckshot said:
Clio 197
So that's what a 197 is.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff