Value of a mustang(modded) goes down a lot?

[BackInBlack]

How much value is really taken away from a mustang thats modded if you decide to resale? Its a freakin mustang! its meant to be customized to the owners liking.

Please post your opinions, because I had no problem selling my last v6 mustang to a dealer for 11k when we thought we were getting 10k for it. I put black stripes, painted the wheels myself, blacked out tail lights, true dual exhaust, louvers(black), aftermarket HID's with GT halo fog lights, and CAI...and someone snatched it 2 weeks after we sold it to the dealer for 16k...the highest price you can get for that type of car. 07 v6 premium with 22k miles. sadly my dad doesnt think Ill be keeping my mustang. I love the cali specials too much to let it go. and its cheaper to fix it up then buy a new car with all of these aftermarket parts available and connections. and plus its modern with classic touches. nothin betta!

 

[abianchi]

How much value is really taken away from a mustang thats modded if you decide to resale? Its a freakin mustang! its meant to be customized to the owners liking.

Please post your opinions, because I had no problem selling my last v6 mustang to a dealer for 11k when we thought we were getting 10k for it. I put black stripes, painted the wheels myself, blacked out tail lights, true dual exhaust, louvers(black), aftermarket HID's with GT halo fog lights, and CAI...and someone snatched it 2 weeks after we sold it to the dealer for 16k...the highest price you can get for that type of car. 07 v6 premium with 22k miles. sadly my dad doesnt think Ill be keeping my mustang. I love the cali specials too much to let it go. and its cheaper to fix it up then buy a new car with all of these aftermarket parts available and connections. and plus its modern with classic touches. nothin betta!

The dealer will always claim that mods decrease the market price so they can give you less

 

[BackInBlack]

The dealer will always claim that mods decrease the market price so they can give you less

But in that case they didnt. but they were still scumbags. huntington beach ford are douchebags. but ya I plan on keeping my car. Im going to rebuild the engine when the time comes. and after sheriffs academy. Making cars custom but still looking stock from the factory is one of my passions...but my dad and I dont see eye to eye so I have to hold off for now.

 

[streethorse]

Dealers have to make a profit...... if you accepted thier offer why do you care how much profit they made.
Custom Mods dont really take away value, but they dont add value either. Like you said, "Mustangs are meant to be customized by the owner"
Thats why 90% of us buy bone stock stangs.

 

[Hoowasat]

It's my personal preference to acquire an unmolested vehicle (any make/model or motorcycle) when buying used. I'm not saying you're reducing the value of a car by modding it ... it's your car to do as you please. I just wanted to point out that many buyers do shy away from modified vehicles.

Conversely, I made an exception when I bought my '07 GT Premium (with CS bumpers) which had been modified with all FRP parts to spec it out the same as an '07 Shelby GT. When I found the original owner was an ASE certified mechanic, I wasn't as concerned about workmanship.

YMMV

 

[TJC]

^ Now there's an idea.

 

[BackInBlack]

Dealers have to make a profit...... if you accepted thier offer why do you care how much profit they made.
Custom Mods dont really take away value, but they dont add value either. Like you said, "Mustangs are meant to be customized by the owner"
Thats why 90% of us buy bone stock stangs.

thats true. They actually didnt make money on us which was funny. they broke even with it. because my dad and I got the cali special for 21k, I was seeing cali specials at the time for 2008 selling 25k at dealers and 28k sold privately. so we jumped on it. All I know is, once the engine gives me issues. time for a rebuild!!! btw I do miss my spec clutch from my v6. helped me womp on people. some small beamers, some poopy vtecs and a couple 2010 RS camaros...

 

[Coyote5.0]

How mods affect the resale value depends on a lot of factors: the specific mods, the market and region, and whether or not the right buyers is looking for that type of thing at the time.

I generally feel that a modded car's value is generally diminished in more cases than not, particularly if the mods are significant. If it is new enough, the mods void the warranty. A long list of mods also means the car is much more personalized, and the more personalized you make something, the more limited the market, as in order to sell a highly personalized vehicle, you need to have a very specific buyer.

In theory, if you could find a buyer who is looking for the exact mods you made, it could help the value a little, but never as much as the mods themselves cost. However, this is less often the case than not.

 

[Hoowasat]

If it is new enough, the mods void the warranty.

That depends entirely on what parts of the vehicle have been modified. For the most part, mods that effect any of the EPA-mandated components WILL void your warranty ... and that includes altering the fuel map in your PCM (doing a tune) which often is done with a CAI mod. Most everything else is fair game. Check out the Magnuson-Moss Act ...

Under the Magnuson-Moss Act, a dealer must prove, not just vocalize, that aftermarket equipment caused the need for repairs before it can deny warranty coverage. If the dealer cannot prove such a claim — or it proffers a questionable explanation — it is your legal right to demand compliance with the warranty. The Federal Trade Commission administers the Magnuson-Moss Act and monitors compliance with warranty law.
That being said, if you choose to modify your car, and suddenly the fancy new electronic control boxes that you added to your car make it run rough, not start when cold, or buck like a bronco, the dealer can and will charge a diagnostic fee to find out what is wrong with your car. If it turns out that your modifications are the cause of the problem, the dealer has every right not only to charge you for the diagnosis and repair, but to also void the portion of the warranty that has been compromised by the use of those aftermarket parts. Likewise, a dealer may refuse to service your car if it is adorned with aftermarket parts to the extent that its technicians cannot reasonably be expected to diagnose what is wrong with your car. As an example, all cars manufactured after 1994 are equipped with OBDII (On Board Diagnostics II) ports that dealers use to read engine diagnostic codes for everything from an engine vacuum leak to a malfunctioning emissions system. If your chosen modification has compromised the dealer service center's ability to scan for these codes (aftermarket ECUs generally do not support OBDII), then there is a strong probability that the dealer service center will

• Deny warranty coverage

• Refuse to service the car

• Note with your factory field representative for your region/district that your car has been "modified"

More info here, or Google the Act ...
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/keeping-your-mods-warranty-intact.html

 

[Ford4me]

I plan on removing some of my MODs when I sell mine and sell them on ebay.

 

[StreetsideStig]

It really depends on the mod. In your case, it's simple stuff, aesthetics and a couple of bolt-on parts. That's fine. But when guys start messing with fuel maps, tuning their cars to within an inch of their lives, and hacking holes in the interior, it definitely lowers the resale value (for me, at least). When the car is yours, it can be a track or strip monster, a show piece, or whatever you want. But when you put it on the market, it has to be a reliable daily driver at least, because you don't know how your buyer's going to use it.

 

[jcgafford]

I looked for two years for a properly priced 90-93. Any add that had the word "mod" in it I skipped. Professional mods and backyard mods both have risks and you truthfully don't know who did what on a private sale. I just avoided them all to cut the risk of buying someone elses backyard race car gone wrong. When I finally bought mine it had a "mod" to it, but not a real/complete one. Guy tried to remove smog and bypass cooling lines. It was an easy no brain fix with nothing internal to be done. But I went and saw alot of other cars that during talking to the owners (who looked and sounded like they couldn't even tie their own shoes) admitted that they had been in the engine plenty. I walked away.

 

[BackInBlack]

I looked for two years for a properly priced 90-93. Any add that had the word "mod" in it I skipped. Professional mods and backyard mods both have risks and you truthfully don't know who did what on a private sale. I just avoided them all to cut the risk of buying someone elses backyard race car gone wrong. When I finally bought mine it had a "mod" to it, but not a real/complete one. Guy tried to remove smog and bypass cooling lines. It was an easy no brain fix with nothing internal to be done. But I went and saw alot of other cars that during talking to the owners (who looked and sounded like they couldn't even tie their own shoes) admitted that they had in the engine plenty. I walked away.

Im not going super racecar with it, mostly simple bolt on mods to help performance and gas mileage. my car is just about to hit 40k miles, and ive had it for about 9. didnt know how well the previous owner kept it up so i put fuel injector cleaner in. 1 to 2 mpg better. the mods Im talking about are parts that tend to cause problems down the line. flywheel, heads, tranny, not neccesarily super gains. maybe 400 horse max. some exterior upgrades. making it more retro with a heat extractor hood and ducktail spoiler. right now I have cai, pypes pype bombs, and x-pipe with stock cats. im getting 27-28 mpg all highway.

 

[Steve491]

thats true. They actually didnt make money on us which was funny. they broke even with it. because my dad and I got the cali special for 21k, I was seeing cali specials at the time for 2008 selling 25k at dealers and 28k sold privately. so we jumped on it. All I know is, once the engine gives me issues. time for a rebuild!!! btw I do miss my spec clutch from my v6. helped me womp on people. some small beamers, some poopy vtecs and a couple 2010 RS camaros...

I guarantee that dealer made money.! You don't know what they has invested in the 08, they might have bought it at auction for 16k. Plus they made money selling your trade. They always make money. If you financed the car there then they made money off of that too.
Also, I think your numbers are backwards. Dealer sale price is always more than private party sale price and both are more than trade in value. Think of it as wholesale/private/retail.

 

[BackInBlack]

I guarantee that dealer made money.! You don't know what they has invested in the 08, they might have bought it at auction for 16k. Plus they made money selling your trade. They always make money. If you financed the car there then they made money off of that too.
Also, I think your numbers are backwards. Dealer sale price is always more than private party sale price and both are more than trade in value. Think of it as wholesale/private/retail.

I dont think I have the prices backwards, you get more money selling it privately...and Im keeping my stang. My dad just doesnt believe it cus he is used to buying and selling cars.

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

The dealer will always claim that mods decrease the market price so they can give you less

The blanket statement that mods decrease the value of a car if false. It depends upon the what the mods are and how they were installed. Also just about every mod you add to your car is not going to have a value in Kelly Blue Book, just ask Roush owners who trade their cars in.

For example, if you decide to install smoked lenses, they will have to be removed. If you lower the car too much or just cut the springs, that will have to be fixed. Cold air systems without CARB stickers, same thing. Super loud exhausts, yep. In Cali dealers hold liability for mods on the cars they sell so most are really careful about modded cars they take in on trade when they haven't performed the work.

Now if you install an upgraded sound system or nice set of wheels/tires, you'll get value from those mods.

 

[BackInBlack]

The blanket statement that mods decrease the value of a car if false. It depends upon the what the mods are and how they were installed. Also just about every mod you add to your car is not going to have a value in Kelly Blue Book, just ask Roush owners who trade their cars in.

For example, if you decide to install smoked lenses, they will have to be removed. If you lower the car too much or just cut the springs, that will have to be fixed. Cold air systems without CARB stickers, same thing. Super loud exhausts, yep. In Cali dealers hold liability for mods on the cars they sell so most are really careful about modded cars they take in on trade when they haven't performed the work.

Now if you install an upgraded sound system or nice set of wheels/tires, you'll get value from those mods.

huh interesting. my v6 had true dual exahaust and it was pretty loud, and smoked tail lights. the value didnt go down. we got 1k more than we should of. the intake did not have a carb sticker. My intake now doesnt either but I will get one from the company my friend works for. S&B. as for the exahsut. x-pipe with pype bombs...looks like i cant sell it XDDDDDD

 

[abianchi]

The blanket statement that mods decrease the value of a car if false. It depends upon the what the mods are and how they were installed. Also just about every mod you add to your car is not going to have a value in Kelly Blue Book, just ask Roush owners who trade their cars in.

For example, if you decide to install smoked lenses, they will have to be removed. If you lower the car too much or just cut the springs, that will have to be fixed. Cold air systems without CARB stickers, same thing. Super loud exhausts, yep. In Cali dealers hold liability for mods on the cars they sell so most are really careful about modded cars they take in on trade when they haven't performed the work.

Now if you install an upgraded sound system or nice set of wheels/tires, you'll get value from those mods.

I never claimed it to be correct, I said that dealers will claim that any mods reduce value and will take money away from the car. Most mods are personal taste, so when you change ANYTHING on the outside or inside of the vehicle, you are reducing the market for the car. You will then need to find a buyer that also thinks those exact mods are "cool".

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

I never claimed it to be correct, I said that dealers will claim that any mods reduce value and will take money away from the car. Most mods are personal taste, so when you change ANYTHING on the outside or inside of the vehicle, you are reducing the market for the car. You will then need to find a buyer that also thinks those exact mods are "cool".

huh interesting. my v6 had true dual exahaust and it was pretty loud, and smoked tail lights. the value didnt go down. we got 1k more than we should of. the intake did not have a carb sticker. My intake now doesnt either but I will get one from the company my friend works for. S&B. as for the exahsut. x-pipe with pype bombs...looks like i cant sell it XDDDDDD

My correction; I should have been clearer when I said most dealers. There are dealers that specialize and/or sell performance cars and they'll value legal performance mods. But there are other, conservative dealers, that don't want to deal with the liability headaches of a modded trade in and will consequently hit you lower on the car because they will either put it back to stock or wholesale it.

 

[ummduh]

Eh, well my personal feelings, and many other peoples', "never buy someone else's project".

So yes, besides perhaps cosmetics, mods do most definitely reduce their value.