Why are we afraid of 'modded' used cars?

It has always seemed like to me that modded cars get the cold shoulder over stock cars on the open market.

I know what everyone says about it. That it means they have been dogged out or ragged on or whatever other saying you like about how they haven't been well taken care of.

But in my experience, car people take much better care of their cars. Oil changes at regular intervals using quality oils and filters. Fixing problems instead of ignoring them. Replacing worn parts that most people don't.

While I see 'stock' cars all day long that people drive in with fluids of all kinds leaking and not even touching the stick. Oil blacker than Satan's outhouse. Every suspension part worn out and asking "what is that clunking noise?"

I know that some modded cars are as bad as all that too but you can spot those a mile away looking backwards through binoculars. But in general car people give a E36 M3 about their cars while I can't say that even 1 in 20 other people do.

I think the big question is how one assesses the quality of the modifications. I don't think every modded car is bad, but sometimes the levels of cluelessness when it comes to modding are frankly astounding.

Mainly because of the inherent uncertainty that comes along with those modifications. It can be hard to tell if parts were installed correctly, if the right combination of parts were installed together, and like you mentioned, if the car was driven harder than it should have been. As a buyer, you're also only seeing the final product and not any missteps that might have been encountered along the way. You see a nice adjustable cam sprocket. You don't see that it was installed wrong for a while and had valves banging around.

For me it's more about the quality of mods. Certain mods scream "I did this instead of maintenance." Anything with Raceland coilovers and zero offset wheels is suspect for me.

BoxheadTim wrote: I don't think every modded car is bad, but sometimes the levels of cluelessness when it comes to modding are frankly astounding.

hahahaha.... "sometimes"

When I see a modified car, it almost always indicates someone who is also cheap and cuts corners a lot. Like getting "Altezza" taillights because a pair of them is half the price of a single used taillight when one gets broken. Or having the body shop not put badges back on to save a few bucks after getting rearended. Or going with the cheap aftermarket wheels because OE wheels are so flippin' expensive (up to $2500 each nowadays!!!).

Half the DIY "mods" that people do are of no benefit or are actually a detriment. Like all of the Home Depot finagling people do to get rid of the factory airbox just so they can run a tiny little cone air filter and throw their MAF transfer table all out of whack. And then never clean the air filter, so that it ends up as a solid block of clay...

That's all true but the same can be said for stock cars.

Sure the oil is full now and looks clean but how long was it before then that they last changed it? What dollar store oil have they been using? Which cheap Chinese replacement parts did they buy off ebay? Did billy-bob down the street install that timing belt right?

Modding demands a comprehensive approach. Change A and B can also need to be done. A car with both isn't so scary and can be a fun and rewarding ride.

When B isn't done you can end up with a car that has drivability problems or lets itself down, like a 6-cyl mustang with a sweet V8 that regularly busts diffs and doesn't have enough brakes or cooling.

For this reason and others most dealers won't touch a (very) modded car as a trade or for service. They really have to be taken on a case-by-case basis.

By 'modded' I don't mean the riced out crapcan you can see is done wrong a mile away. I mean something along the lines of aftermarket rims with proper offset and a k&n intake kit and perhaps h&r springs and a decent cat back exhaust.

I understand that in Japan, modified cars are worth more than stock cars. I also understand that over there you aren't allowed to work on your own car, so if both of these are true then there is probably a good chance that modifications are well done.

Meanwhile, here in the US, I can't find a stock Evo IX for under $25k but I can easily find hacked up modified ones for $16-20k.

So are we saying that if someone has a modded car that they are much more likely to be incompetent at keeping a safe and reliable car than the average person?

Mostly because I don't care for many of the mods done and mods, to me, indicates a greater potential for abuse.

I think the problem is that they are the average person and got help from the Internet...

I think the issue with the Evo ix is precisely because everyone puts down modded cars. Everyone wants the stock version because culture dictates that mods makes it a bad car.

Daeldalus wrote: So are we saying that if someone has a modded car that they are much more likely to be incompetent at keeping a safe and reliable car than the average person?

From what I have seen, VERY YES.

Note that GRM is at the pointy end of the modification bell curve. We are the exception, not the rule.

One of my favorites was the guy who hung his Malibu's exhaust from the rear axle. No flex pipes, no nothin'. Yes, it broke the headers off at the collector when I put it on the frame lift. The collectors were probably cracked from all of the flexing, anyway...

The absolute best and worst used cars that I've ever owned were heavily modded, if the engine is modified, make damn sure it's got a good tune.

Maybe I just hang out with people that are on the higher end. Around me at least 50% of them come from mechanic background and the others still give a E36 M3 and research to do things right.

Daeldalus wrote: I think the issue with the Evo ix is precisely because everyone puts down modded cars. Everyone wants the stock version because culture dictates that mods makes it a bad car.

I want a stock Evo because I want to run it in Stock SCCA classes, where Stock means STOCK. Anything with a cone air filter or cat delete or whatever instantly makes it not-stock, and worthless. A stock car is worth more because it is more desirable to the kind of person who wants the car for a specific purpose, which is a sizable portion of the people who want a used enthusiast vehicle.

Also, WTF is it where you can't get stock Evo suspension from anyone? The only options seem to be used, and really expensive coilovers. I want stock Evo8 struts for my Volvo, which should be a bolt-on with some 1/8" shims. Not available except for highly used.

I agree that there's something very illogical about it IMO. I think the reason modded cars are less valuable is because the average Joe doesn't want anything unusual and undocumented on their complicated mystery machine. The car might as well be a flying saucer to these people and a modified car might as well have two different kinds of alien technology on it, and they have no interest in any potential performance improvements. Average Joes make up most of the potential buyers out there.

Why gearheads are afraid of modded cars, I have no idea. You just have to assess each one, there's no reason to be categorically averse to them. Oh well, more cheap modded cars for me!

I'm not afraid of moderately modded cars in general., but I won't get anywhere near a stanced or slammed car. Becuase if it's slammed it probably has broken its oilpan a few times and run the engine without oil, dragging control arms, and all that.

I have low level of concern for something mildly modded or using quality parts installed correctly.

I know there are really good reasons for wanting a stock car more than a modded one but I don't think that people that are reasonably informed about cars should shun them out on hand.

I mean if we as people who are likely to have at least some kind of mod on our cars also hate on modded used cars then we are driving down the value of our own vehicles.

Daeldalus wrote: By 'modded' I don't mean the riced out crapcan you can see is done wrong a mile away. I mean something along the lines of aftermarket rims with proper offset and a k&n intake kit and perhaps h&r springs and a decent cat back exhaust.

Two things: First, in and of itself, none of what you've mentioned in this post would scare me. Throw in a "shocker" sticker and I'm not the least bit interested. There's a certain part of the "car culture" that does things poorly then tries to pass on the results of their poor work to others, usually on Craigslist. I want no part of their cast offs. Likewise, I may talk with the owner of a bone stock car and decide I want no part of it. To me, the answer to the question "when was the last oil/coolant/brake service done?" often tells me whether I want to deal with them or not. Second, for some on here, starting out with a stock car reduces the likelihood that mods will need to be undone to meet motorsports classing rules.

kazoospec wrote: Two things: First, in an of itself, none of what you've mentioned in this post would scare me. Throw in a "shocker" sticker and I'm not the least bit interested. There's a certain part of the "car culture" that does things poorly then tries to pass on the results of their poor work to others, usually on Craigslist. I want no part of their cast offs. Likewise, I may talk with the owner of a bone stock car and decide I want no part of it. To me, the answer to the question "when was the last oil/coolant/brake service done?" often tells me whether I want to deal with them or not. Second, for some on here, starting out with a stock car reduces the likelihood that mods will need to be undone to meet motorsports classing rules.

You are absolutely right. I have never had a problem with the reliability of a modded car i have bought, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I walked away from a few that didn't meet my standards. Then again I have car knowledge that the Average Joe might not.

As for the motorsport community wanting stock cars I can see that as well, like with the Evo example earlier. It is easier to fit in a class when you know you don't have to deal with mods not meant for that class. Does that mean a stock car should be worth more than a car with 3k of tasteful(and probably resellable) mods in the same condition? I don't think it should

In reply to kazoospec:

I know someone who spent a large sum of money having an Integra GSR returned to stock because he couldn't find a stock one and had to settle for a modified one, but dang it he wanted to compete with a GSR in Stock class.

It's like that fantasy I get sometimes, of buying a well preserved yet modified Older Car, and gleefully taking the 17" wheels or whatever off and sawing them up so they can fit in my trailer in order to haul off to the recycling yard. (That is a lie. The fantasy involves running the car into a curb while the PO watches, destroying the wheels, then putting the car on a trailer for the drive home)

I think modded significantly raises the odds the car was used hard perhaps abused. On a newer car, depending on the mods may have voided the warranty which is a direct hit on value. There's the quality of the parts as well as quality of installation. Raise the risk, lower the value. When you see a car with a visible intercooler and big turbo noises, do you think the longevity of the car had taken a hit? Also choice of mods - maybe I want h&r race springs instead of sport, so the mods on it are useless to me. There's the issue for a daily driver that frankly most mods make cars less driveable/comfortable. There's also plenty of examples of cars that some well done mods will raise the value some.

My Civic would be a better car if it was stock. And it would work in stock class rally crossing. But I'm not going to go through the trouble of finding all the stock suspension pieces. In fact I'm going to Home Depot and fabricate me an intake I think.