Modified cars, who hasn't owned one?

[300bhp/ton]

There's seems to be a polarity around modified cars, so who hasn't ever modified or owned a modified car?

Thinking modification should be a change to the vehicle not offered by the manufacturer or main dealer (so dealer fit parts are not really modifications).

[LiamM45]

every car i have owned has been modified in some way, and every car has been made better because of it.

[Dr Interceptor]

Put me in the modified camp...

2006 Cooper S (supercharged) with a 17% reduction pulley, GRS intercooler, plugs, leads, coil pack, plus a JCW air filter and exhaust. Was running around the 225hp mark, which was lovely.

[Dave Hedgehog]

i think my R32 was the only car i have owned that i didn't modify, well i rebadged it 2.0 TDi

[Munich]

I think it depends on the sort of modifications. With the exception of wheels, I have always left the look of my cars alone and concentrated on the engine and suspension.

[Captain Muppet]

The only cars I haven't modified have been to keep insurance simple on the daily driver while going nuts on something in a shed.

For example: my 535i was standard because I was too busy with the MX5 turbo and V8 RX7.

[angusc43]

I spent a lot of time and effort modding Mini's in the eighties. Basically because the stock engine/suspension/brakes/wheels tyres were 50's relics. After a lot of sweat I realised I could have just bought an Alfasud off the shelf. So I did

Having said that ended up doing the odd Alfasud engine and g/box transplant (after things had gone pop).

Got back into modding with a 200 SX. I got rid of the turbo lag which was good but ended up with slightly mis-matched springs and dampers which was annoying. I created a car that would have been great on a track (poly bushes all round) never went on one. I had a lot of fun but eventually decided that enough was enough.

Bar an upgrade to the sound system in my second Merc and the addition of some DVD headrests on the current one I haven't had to do a thing to my three Mercs as I like them the way they come.

[blearyeyedboy]

Only parking sensors...

[996 sps]

Nope I haven't but if I'd kept the M5 I would have upgraded the brakes as they were pants.

[mk1matt]

I've had 16 cars so far, and I don't think any of them have been completely standard. The first couple had mods limited to colour coding of parts and aftermarket stereos. One had an engine swap, one had a full interior swap, one was stripped with a roll cage. About half had suspension upgrades, and a few had brake upgrades too. A few had remaps. One of my favourite mods was fitting paddle shift to my 330ci Auto.

I've ruined a few too. I had a pretty much mint condition AX GT for about 18 month. By the end it was stripped out with a half roll cage, running on 16" wheels which caught the arches, and had more tyre flex than suspension travel. My once-comfortable Golf Mk3 cabriolet ended up not being able to go over speed bumps with anyone other than me in the car. I fitted Porsche boxster wheels to my Mk4 Golf TDI and absolutely ruined the handling (which admittedly wasn't great to start with).

The current one (Puma) is standard apart from an Alpine head unit. Hopefully this weekend the rear bushes will be replaced with a set of powerflex poly bushes, and that's only because the current ones are worn and powerflex are easier to fit! I'm not sure if I'll do anything else - I'm enjoying cheap motoring at the moment.

[kambites]

All of my cars have been modified, but none of the modifications have ever been visible from outside.

The Octavia will be the exception because I intend to fit some smaller (lighter) wheels to it.

[minky monkey]

I once put fluffy dice in a fiesta.

[B'stard Child]

I have a foot in both camps

Merc and BMW are std

Carlton is apart from OE equivilent parts (improvement where you can't get original parts for it anyway)

Track Monza - well that's so far from std it's silly

Rally Monza - going back to std for 1987 COI event.

Donor Monza - Std and parts for above only

Commodore - sort of std for a rolling shell

Mitsi FTO - Std and after 5 years and 18 miles leaves my care this week - hopefully

[Negative Creep]

Pretty much all of my cars have been modified, although it rarely extends beyond a better sound system and maybe some wheels

[BorkFactor]

Can't say I have modified any of my cars - my budget does not stretch that far

[Eighteeteewhy]

I think my BX16v was the only car I didn't mod. I usually do engine stuff, manifold, exhaust, air filter and I've updated the suspension on a few.

[mrmr96]

All my cars have been standard when I bought them, but modified by me to varying degrees.

[philmots]

Just a few remaps.

If something breaks, like the springs on my Saab... I've fitted uprated parts. But not full coilovers etc.

[Otter Smacker]

Nothing modified from me as yet. Although, if hanging a magic tree up counts as modified then I'm down with that - I did hang it on all by myself with no help, which I'm very proud of and I think I did a good job.

[timbo48]

Not sure what constitutes modified but in my day I've had...

Hillman Imp lowered, decambered, widened, twin carbs etc etc

Ford Anglia, 1650 Cortina GT engine, lowered etc

Mini Cooper 998, Richard Longman engine, lowered etc

and a few more as well.

Probably wouldn't bother now though. There's enough well sorted performance stuff about without spoiling them by taking some of the above actions.....(not that the above were spoilt, but you probably wouldn't do that to them now).