Why don't we really do modifiying in this country?

[300bhp/ton]

Meaning the UK...

I know there is a hard core kit car scene and quite a lot of styling mods. But for the main part modified cars are more the exception rather than the rule here in Blighty.

Just wondering why that is?


For example:

http://www.fordracingparts.com/




http://www.chevroletperformance.com/home.jsp



http://www.mopar.com/catalog/



__________________________________


And we're not just talking about car mats, chrome trim or some 19" alloys. Some of these upgrades and parts are proper serious mods. And more interestingly they seem to cover and cater past models not just new ones.

So if you want some hop-up parts for your 1989 Mustang 5.0, no problem. How about a 4.7 stroker motor for your 1993 Cherokee and a lift kit?


For example, Jeep don't make a pick up truck. But they do...

You can buy a Wrangler Unlimited and then via MOPAR buy this pick up conversion kit!!!!




How about a supercharger kit for your 2005 Mustang GT? No probs..



I believe many Japanese car makers offer similar things in the domestic market too. So why are we so boring in the UK?



EDIT:

Just to add, the point being that any car modifying that does happen in the UK is always via 3rd party companies and normally on a small scale, rather than the mainstream car makers.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 10th September 16:00

[Rawwr]

We aspire to white German diesels. End.

[james_gt3rs]

Dunno if it's just the UK, but it makes cars harder to sell.

[LukeR94]

james_gt3rs said:

Dunno if it's just the UK, but it makes cars harder to sell.

And to insure.

[C.A.R.]

For 9/10 people a car is an appliance. The interest isn't there, and for those who do share a mutual interest the percentage of them who are financially able to enjoy it is even less.

Oh and fuel prices. And the recession. Max Power etc has long-gone. Young lads would prefer a Seat Ibiza on finance with factory-fitted stickers over a 'modified car'. Which brings another potential reason; insurance. I'm struggling to insure my ropey old French hatchback for less than £500 this year.

[300bhp/ton]

LukeR94 said:

james_gt3rs said:

Dunno if it's just the UK, but it makes cars harder to sell.

And to insure.

Very true and good points. But I guess this gets right to the nub of it - why?

[KTF]

Plus we tend not to have 'yards' that allow such work to take place.

[HorneyMX5]

We're not as into it as the yanks and the japs but compared to our Euro friends we're far more modified crazy. It's why we're the centre of the motorsport engineering world.

[ikarl]

Insurance for the main I guess (as said by others)

Ins companies don't like the unknown and hammer the premiums accordingly when someone starts bolting on stuff that can make it go faster (because that definitely makes it riskier) or change the characteristics of the car from the *standard* car

[saaby93]

+ Insurance

[Snowboy]

For off road cars we lack the free and open wilderness.
For sports cars we lack the tracks.
For doing the work, we lack the big garages and driveways you get in the states.

Lastly, and perhaps more importantly.
We're a smaller population.
%wise we're probably the same in terms of modded cars.

[McFarnsworth]

In the case of Belgium, and many other European countries, modding isn't legal in many cases.
For example:
No engine swaps, turbos, superchargers, ...
A full rollcage isn't allowed due to safety concerns, only in the rear and only if it's bolted in.
Even upgrading your brakes is not allowed as it's deemed unsafe

Bodykits, wings, suspension and exhaust mods are allowed to a certain degree but are such a hassle to get approved and mot'd it's not really worth bothering with.

[Agrispeed]

loads of classics are modded, through necessity or, because, well you can!

Modern cars, less so, because they are under warranty, or because they are commuting boxes. lots of more intresting stuff is though, loads of lotuses (sic) are for example.
The UK does apparently have lots more kit cars than other places, so I suppose people who are engineering minded are more into that.

[anonymous-user]

What's the point of having more power when there is nowhere to use it?

I've had mine remapped, it's done wonders for the torque figures, but I can't ever use the full available power anywhere - I'm breaking laws halfway through third gear.

For example, I've wanted to see what my car's top speed is for a good 18 months. There is nowhere, literally nowhere I can go to legally try it. No tracks, circuits etc have a straight long enough. Runways are very very difficult to find, which are smooth enough and open enough, and not used. I've even tried tapping up my brother at RAF Marham (obviously they said no!). I ended up doing something I shouldn't have.

Over the last 8k miles, my average speed is 36mph. That's driving on 2 trunk roads every day, and a good 10 miles of relatively empty B roads. What benefit would I have in spending (for example) £5k on a supercharger for my daily if it only averages cycling speed?

[Bill]

Isn't it because American cars are crap as standard?






:runsandhides:

[300bhp/ton]

ikarl said:

Insurance for the main I guess (as said by others)

Ins companies don't like the unknown and hammer the premiums accordingly when someone starts bolting on stuff that can make it go faster (because that definitely makes it riskier) or change the characteristics of the car from the *standard* car

Don't they have car insurance in other countries?

[300bhp/ton]

Bill said:

Isn't it because American cars are crap as standard?






:runsandhides:

Maybe. But would you rather a crap car that is RWD with a stonking V8 and options to fit a supercharger, suspension and other handling upgrades. Or a 1.6 diesel FWD hatchback with the option of a dog guard and mud flaps???

[Riley Blue]

Modified cars are the exception....? I see catalogues for, read about, look at on the internet and go to shows about them - I must be living in a parallel universe.

[dave7692]

Probably because of the large costs involved and areas to test out heavily modified vehicles are limited.

[kambites]

I think the primary reason is the combination of high labour costs and our obsession with new cars... that keeps modification costs up whilst driving used car prices down so fast there it's almost always cheaper to buy a faster car rather than make a slow car fast.

There are a few exceptions in parts of the market where depreciation doesn't hit so hard and/or you can't get a "better" car simply by spending more money. You'll probably find less completely standard Elises than modified ones, for example.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 10th September 16:36