mods in the for sale section

VegasSpeed

VegasSpeed

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I am still amazed at the number of people that quote how much money THEY spent on the aftermarket parts of their car. Do people still not get how little that helps a sale. It might say "$30,000 in modifications!" I wish people would understand that just because you alter the car a certain way does not mean it is worth more since you altered it from stock. The more mods you have done the more unique of a person it will take to buy the car that you have. Honestly, a stock NSX is the best car for holding value. For every mod you give a car it limits the number of buyers and doesn't raise the overall value that much.

I don't expect to get what I paid for my mods out of my car or even close. So I plan to enjoy what I did to it instead.
 
We bought our '92 to keep forever, but still the small mods I'm doing (wheels, mats, exhaust, etc.) will be 100% reversible.

Brian
 
I've kept my mods very subtile. Comtech carbon airbox just for example. I've done several more but it's mostly cosmetic and can all be removed and resold.
 
I get it... thats why I kept all my factory parts so I can put it back to stock if I ever need to sell. Then I would sell the aftermarket parts separately.
 
"But", if I found an NSX I wanted and it had say a 5.1 exhaust but the owner was removing it to sell, I would offer to purchase it at some price still on the car.:smile:
 
VegasSpeed said:
I am still amazed at the number of people that quote how much money THEY spent on the aftermarket parts of their car. Do people still not get how little that helps a sale. It might say "$30,000 in modifications!"
Click to expand...

? I think it's valuable information. If someone spent $30k on modifications, I'd like to know about it. You suggest they keep that secrete?
 
Your correct non-reversable mods narrow the potential clients. That being said, the mods that many enhtusiasts add to their cars is what makes them special and may add be deemed as added value by a potential buyer. In my case, buy a stock NSX and spend 30K adding a CTSC or buy one where someone has already expended those dollars. NO BRAINER for me comparing a stock car or the modified car - buy the car with the mods and pocket the savings.
 
There are those who want a bone stock car -> stare at their garage queen, and never drive it in fear of resell value or vandalism.

Then there are enthusiast-> modifying a car to personalize it, exploit its potentials, keeping it updated,etc. I love the NSX since its inception, but it's not perfect straight from the factory. Who wants to see 15" rims, a tape deck stereo system, and 250 whp???

As a seller, it makes sense to disclose everything. As a buyer, I am open to mods that make sense, and will pay if its a mod I plan to do anyways.

Life's too short to drive stock.
 
NSXAMG996TT said:
There are those who want a bone stock car -> stare at their garage queen, and never drive it in fear of resell value or vandalism.

Then there are enthusiast-> modifying a car to personalize it, exploit its potentials, keeping it updated,etc. I love the NSX since its inception, but it's not perfect straight from the factory. Who wants to see 15" rims, a tape deck stereo system, and 250 whp???

As a seller, it makes sense to disclose everything. As a buyer, I am open to mods that make sense, and will pay if its a mod I plan to do anyways.

Life's too short to drive stock.
Click to expand...


+100:biggrin:
 
I guess I should have never done the full championship white color change :redface:


baynsac said:
LOL:biggrin:
Mislead me for a second too. I was thinking oh no here we go again...
Click to expand...

thats what I was thinking too... lol
 
After spending $23k modding my first fast car in college, and then removing each mod by hand to revert the car to stock rather than get hosed on mod costs, I learned that it's far wiser to purchase a car that someone else has already dropped lots of cash into modifying, since the seller recovers little of the mod costs. Under these circumstances, why be the "losing" seller when you can be the "winning" buyer?

I've owned at least 8 sports cars since then and have bought each one with many tasteful mods in place. For me, the mods the seller has added to the car sweeten the deal, since I get a lot of upgrade bang for a fraction of the buck.
 
VegasSpeed said:
I wish people would understand that just because you alter the car a certain way does not mean it is worth more since you altered it from stock.
Click to expand...

During the course of my ownership of my NSX, once a few years ago and another a few weeks ago (both unsolicited), I've been offered more than what I paid for my NSX (32.5k in 2000). The one years ago was 35k and 42k a few weeks ago. Though a little shocked, I thanked them for their offer and said that I wasn't interested in selling. Subsequent offers from them were also denied.

But I know what you mean. Just b/c mods were added doesn't equate a massive increase in asking price.
 
I think in general mods on a car can increase its value to a buyer... IF that buyer is looking for the particular mods you have done. So while it may increase the value of the car to a smaller niche of people, it may lower the value to others (who may not want a particular mod you've done.)

That's the problem I'm running into now as I look for my future NSX... I would love to buy a car with the mods I want already in place, but often I find a car that has something I don't want... so of course I'm not going to pay more for something I'm just going to remove anyway...

I'd say, if the seller isn't looking for a quick sale, by all means let them try and recoup some of their cost on the mods by waiting for the right buyer to come along.
:cool:
 
What is really annoying, esp in the more youth dominated muscle car world was this one:

Car X (mustang) worth $12k stock with $15,000 worth of supre go-fast parts added!!! For sale, just $26,000! Don't let this steal getaway!

At least we don't see that here as much!
 
What I was saying is that when you post, "I spent 40k on my car" that is more of a marketing approach than anything. I would mod a NSX if a I had it however, buying someone else's modded out NSX is another story. Any car that has been turboed or SC'd has a story behind as to why it was done. Just like you wouldn't feel good about buying a supra used since they are molested and blown up all the time. A stock NSX is a solid starting block. If you buy someone else's project than it is hard to know how hard it was beat up.

The main issue is that people are trying to recoup a lot for their mods in some cases. I just can't see the prices on these cars. Especially in this economy!
 
It depends on why type of mods you do. Unless it's a quick bolt on such as hood, wing, engine cover, or garnish, I reluctant to install most after market body parts such as side skirts, spats, or update 02+ parts. Anything that requires major work, drilling, double side tape, or just too much labor. I've experienced that 95% of after market stuff never fits right or over time hold up.
When the time comes to covert back, it's just not worth my time and labor. However, a MODE 4 / 02+ style bumper with flip ups has always looked tempting.

Basic instake, headers, and exhaust and steering wheel is a must.

Just my .02.
 
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Since I have one of the NSX's for sale with modifications, I thought I would throw in my .02. When I bought the car 6 1/2 years ago, all of the modifications were already made except for the two that I added - the supercharger and the front lip. What attracted me to the car was what many of you have mentioned, that I was paying pennies on the dollar for the mods. All the CompTech stuff was installed by an Acura dealer with receipts and the audio upgrades were done by a high end audio shop (I can only assume high end due to the amount of money the previous owner spent on the install and the quality result). The only obvious mods you could see on the exterior were the wheels and the exhaust. Other than that it looked stock. I tried to preserve the stock look as much as possible when adding the s/c by retaining the original engine lid. I even chose to use the NSX nav pod for the gauges instead of an A pillar mount or other obvious aftermarket set up. To those that don't know NSXs that well, the car looks stock except for possibly the rims. I would not have considered buying the car if the modifications weren't done by professionals. The s/c was installed by Mark Basch who has installed over 100 ComTechs. As for the reason I added the s/c, it was clearly the speed addition most of us have acquired.

Lastly, I didn't set my price thinking that I would recoup the cost of the s/c and other mods. I set the price considering the condition of the car and the miles as well. I think it has a very clean look and have received many many compliments.
 
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VegasSpeed said:
Honestly, a stock NSX is the best car for holding value. For every mod you give a car it limits the number of buyers and doesn't raise the overall value that much.
Click to expand...

This is why I still have all my OEM parts. :wink::biggrin: Except the ones that were accidentally thrown out when I moved. :eek::mad:
 
First let me say I agree in this economy everything's harder but certain items do not apply - luxury items such as our NSX or even cars in general are LUXURY items! thus any buyer looking to buy has disposable income so this should not be a real factor.

Example: Buyer is looking at a $60k NSX ~ he obviously has money to play with so nit-picking over a few grand shouldn't be an issue.


As for mods, clean simple bolt on mods are easily worth at least 50% maybe more of what the original owner paid. If you plan to low-ball me / him for those mods, I'll just remove it and put the car back to stock and sell the parts separately. Everyone knows this and it's up to the buyer/seller to agree to a "fair" price.

CRAZY MODS: Anything requiring new paint, drilling, removing fenders, FI of any sort, cutting wires or non-reversable mods are a totally different animal. At this point you just narrowed the buyer potential pool to a very small margin. I agree with the OP on this area in that extreme mods will kill the value in most cases as people can never trust the mods were done correctly, etc.

Anytime you do extreme mods, you severly limit your buyer pool since you would have to find the exact buyer who will appreciate the modifications you made.

General rule is to keep all stock parts when you mod so you can return it to stock if need be. If you sell those stock parts then you are SOL and at the mercy of the new buyer.

For my personal NSX, every modification is well documented with receipts and can be reversed. It's actually a bonus for me because the OEM seats are wrapped in plastic in like new status for the new owner if the need arises. Everything else I have on the car can be removed so it's a win/win for me :)


rick


P.S. I 'd like to add a bone stock virgin NSX is only valuable to collectors or a small majority of people on this board. Most of us enjoy some level of mods which is why we are on here in the first place! Thus for people like me and many of you, small mods increase the enjoyment of the car and are a big PLUS! :) Agree or disagree? hehe
 
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s4play said:
First let me say I agree in this economy everything's harder but certain items do not apply - luxury items such as our NSX or even cars in general are LUXURY items! thus any buyer looking to buy has disposable income so this should not be a real factor.
As for mods, clean simple bolt on mods are easily worth at least 50% maybe more of what the original owner paid. ...

CRAZY MODS: Anything requiring new paint, drilling, removing fenders, FI of any sort, cutting wires or non-reversable mods are a totally different animal. ...

Anytime you do extreme mods, ...
General rule is to keep all stock parts ...

rick


P.S. I 'd like to add a bone stock virgin NSX is only valuable to collectors ...
Click to expand...

I'm gonna have to pull out my "Ginger or MaryAnn" question...
Its a matter of taste, and I doubt you can quantify or value mods for anybody else but yourself.
Spectrum:
Original '60s Corvette ($$$$) Flared and modified ($)
Vs
Original Pantera ($) updated, flared, modified ($$$)

Since I already have a (relatively stock) NSX, I value a modified (SC, etc...) as a step up...
 

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