Why do people ruin cars?

I don't understand. Every. Single. WRX, SRT-4, Focus SVT, Civic, or other enthusiast vehicle on Craigslist is ruined.

Black spray painted wheels, tinted tail lights, cheap coil overs, CELs for stupid simple fixes, Monster Energy drink cans in interiors that are trashed and probably smell like a butt hole and an ash tray.

Why? Why do all these cars get ruined the same way? Do they have d-bag meetings and decide how to "modify" their cars the same way?

Ya know, I've often wondered this. The car that seems to predominantly get ruined is Cobalt SSs. Seems like every one of those I have ever seen has mismatched tires on every corner, rust and/or dents on every panel, a trashed interior and every light on the dash on. I think a lot of it has to do with kids who have the money to get them but not the money or responsibility to properly modify them or take care of them.

NickD wrote: Ya know, I've often wondered this. The car that seems to predominantly get ruined is Cobalt SSs. Seems like every one of those I have ever seen has mismatched tires on every corner, rust and/or dents on every panel, a trashed interior and every light on the dash on. I think a lot of it has to do with kids who have the money to get them but not the money or responsibility to properly modify them or take care of them.

And in spite of all of that, insert key, it starts, and drives! Stupid engineers. Kill them all!!!!

Scottah wrote: I don't understand. Every. Single. WRX, SRT-4, Focus SVT, Civic, or other enthusiast vehicle on Craigslist is ruined. Black spray painted wheels, tinted tail lights, cheap coil overs, CELs for stupid simple fixes, Monster Energy drink cans in interiors that are trashed and probably smell like a butt hole and an ash tray. Why? Why do all these cars get ruined the same way? Do they have d-bag meetings and decide how to "modify" their cars the same way?

I'm really looking forward to putting my Miata on Craigslist eventually, just for grins. Phrases like "Good: the airbag didn't go off like CARFAX claims. Bad: it caught fire instead." and "DIY wiring and bodywork."

I'd say it's a price point thing. Enthusiast cars that kids saw newish at 12 or 13 and are now affordable at 18 or 20 years old. The problem is they're still in that poor decision (I'm gonna be just like Ken Block!) decision phase and end up not taking care of it. So the interior gets trashed, stickers are cool, and ebay parts are cheap and it just takes it's toll turning the car into a beater. Then it's all down hill because now it's a POS they could care less about.

Of course then I search for FD RX-7s and have trouble finding a complete one with paint that isn't $16K and wonder WTF is wrong with people.

Those cars you see featured on SpeedHunters aren't cheap to build but everyone think's they're the talented exception to the rule when you're that age.

Ah, customization.
There is a lot of marketing and Internet misdirection out there.
Add to that some real lack of skill (along with a real lack of cash) and you end up with poorly painted wheels and monster stickers.
This is just the new APC.

I have no clue man, I mean I made some questionable choices with my first car, but I never ever let it get trashed like the cars you are describing. If my car wasn't washed once a week I must have been sick that week.

I had a E36 M3ty job and lived by myself when I was 18, but I set aside money for maintenance, and care for the car. I guess my car money wasn't getting blown on tobacco, weed, and monster energy drinks.

Pic of first car before the transmission went.

It is a life style thing. It is also an age thing. I would like to say I never made any of these types of mods to cars when I was young but I would be lying. We just did it to cars from the 60's and 70's. We all thought we were George Barris.

Scottah wrote: Why do all these cars get ruined the same way?

Because people follow trends.

I never outright ruined a car.. only through tons of miles. While I am not too good about washing a car, I do try to keep the paint in one piece and the interior all together

Its just life, and young owners. You should have tried to find a decent 70's Camaro or Firebird in the 80's. Hinge pins and bushings for those super heavy doors cost about a buck. Instead, yank and slam until the handles come off the inside and the latch and striker are ruined.

Why do folks on car forums make the same threads over and over again to complain about it?

The mystery continues.

(Also from my experience the nice modified cars never make it to CL, they get sold on a forum, to someone the owner knows, etc.)

It's not just young owners. There are plenty of "car guys" out there with questionable taste, usually backed up by questionable talent. One example: a local "hot rodder" had a nice 1952 DeSoto I was interested in. Great original faded paint that showed years of use.

I go to check it out and the guy had done a terrible Rustoleum two-tone job to it, complete with runs and orange peel.

I imagine there are probably world records out there yet unknown for miles driven or years without an oil change, etc.

Hey hey hey now! I rock eBay coilovers on my Celica! It's the only (cheap) option out there!

I concur though- at my local gas station this week I watched in horror as a beat to crap NA Miata with dents everywhere and a gashed out rag top sat in the 5 degree snow (snow all up in that gash!) the massive sign on it said "THIS VeHICLE WILL BE TOWED IN 24HRS!"

72 hours later, they towed it. That was after being abandoned three days prior! I couldn't believe it. Here I am driving a beat down old Celica and relishing every moment because I'm happy to have a fun to drive vehicle, and here this douche bag has the funnest driving vehicle ever built, and is abusing it. It's like one of those relationships where some unworthy trailer trash guy has the hottest wife ever and he treats her like crap.

Because the world has two sorts of people. Renters who treat everything around them like crap because it's someones elses to maintain/fix/replace. And owners who take care of the items around them because they recognize that things need care to retain whatever usefulness and value they have.

I work maintenance at my facility and see it every day.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Its just life, and young owners. You should have tried to find a decent 70's Camaro or Firebird in the 80's. Hinge pins and bushings for those super heavy doors cost about a buck. Instead, yank and slam until the handles come off the inside and the latch and striker are ruined.

I think you're onto something there. I guess that's why we say survivor for pristine cars that were made by the 100s of thousands.

Black spray painted wheels are usually a sign of a poorly modified/ruined car.

Bro, I got a tuner car! (I hate that name) Time for black wheels and a bunch of LED lights! Sweet bruh.

KyAllroad wrote: Because the world has two sorts of people. Renters who treat everything around them like crap because it's someones elses to maintain/fix/replace. And owners who take care of the items around them because they recognize that things need care to retain whatever usefulness and value they have. I work maintenance at my facility and see it every day.

I see it at work too. We pay our people -very- well. Almost 40/hr to do what is really an easy job.. and they treat the equipment like E36 M3. Is it really that hard to put it down softly and maybe make sure you unplugged everything before picking it up like you are Conan the Barbarian removing somebody's head while they are still using it?

RICE = Really Immature Care Enthusiast, or Racing Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements. Take your pick, they basically mean the same thing.

People have been trashing cars with questionable modifications for over 100 years. This trend isn't new.

Not all who paint rims black are Bros. I did it to lessen the brake dust effect on my fit. The painted rims are in fact the only mod.

My kids have ruined the interior of every vehicle I have owned.

The cheap/stance coilovers are a real pet peeve of mine. Its nice to have a spring/shock combo that come made for each other, ready to bolt in. But these days, companies know that 80% of their market doesnt care how well valved the shocks are, or how well matched they are to the springs. They just throw something together and put adjustable collars on them, because they know all kids want to do is slam their cars. These cars will never see a track day. These guys dont care how they ride.

Reminds me of this:

All you cheapo coilover companies, you figured out you could make complete crap coilovers and sell to the masses, but maybe you never stopped to think whether you should. This goes for many aftermarket parts. Short ram intakes, cheapo exhaust systems, aftermarket headlights. Now we have idiots riding around with -200 degrees of camber and tire rubbing like mad down the highway. These things end up being a curse to those of us looking for an original car, or even something thats been tastefully modified.