Tuning and resale value

[Mrhanky]

Guys need some idea's / opinions around resale with a tuned car.

Ive sold a few modified cars in the past, but that was back in the day when I was heavily involved in forum / club life. Everyone knew me and when it was time to sell I had people lining up to buy.

Things are different these days and I don't get involved much with clubs / forums any longer like I used to. So I'm thinking whilst I'm tempted to get a pulley and remap for my E55K will this hinder and future sale of said car.

So far Ive plugged a fair few pennies bringing it up to a mechanical standard I expect before looking at tuning options. But the next month or so I was planning to get it sorted.

I'm not the sort of guy that would sell a car that was modified as standard as I would want to know myself if I was buying. Also there is the whole invalidating of insurance issue.

So the question is does a pulley and remap effect resale in a positive or negative way.

Your thoughts please

Thanks

Mrh

 

[whitenemesis]

In general, I would say you will be restricting the appeal of the car to just enthusiasts. The general car buying public would be wary this is a thrashed motor/barry boy owner..

It may just take longer for the right buyer to come along.

One thing is always true, one never gets back what one has put into the car.

 

[jotter22]

I cant see it detracting value if the work carried out is by a reputable company....It would not put me off if i knew who and what was done.
It can be reversed easily enough.

Tony.

 

[merc85]

Agreed with most of the above, Although i got back everything that id put into modifying one of my Volvo t5's. Although i did the work myself so that saved any labour

If you do mod your E55 keep all the receipts and record all of the work done, this should help when selling it on.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

In tuning these cars just remember that if you do certain mods that can't be reversed, you might as well write that money off because besides a few 'light mods' you'll narrow your potential buyer pool a fair amount.

 

[Will]

Normal rule of thumb is every £££ spent modifying devalues by a similar amount.

A very small percentage of enthusiasts on here may value the modifications but in general most cosmetic/mechanical mods won't add any value - and certainly nowhere near their true cost. In reality, you're limiting your audience come resale.

Whilst black wheels or lowered suspension might be to one person's taste, or an extra fifty horsepower maybe what you crave - most other people prefer them how they came out of the factory.

Just think of all the older cars that people find for sale - always something attractive about the ones that look the same as the day they rolled out of the factory

And even those who like modified cars, many prefer to do the mods themselves - knowing what was done and that it's done 'properly'.

The other aspect is people will always assume a modified car has been driven hard/thrashed.

Full MB history and original dealer plates/mats/key rings/tax disc holders (etc!) will sell a car more easily than a remap or pulley change.

 

[Mrhanky]

Thanks chaps its pretty much what I thought.

When I sold the E39 M5 I made a big deal about it being unmolested and OEM. Its silly really as I have no plans to sell any time soon and guess when I do whether its remapped or not will not effect it much.

Thats unless I keep it until they become proper modern classic then OEM rules all the way.

 

[Mrhanky]

Hang on a minute 50 ponies is pretty tempting as well

 

[merc85]

Hang on a minute 50 ponies is pretty tempting as well

Once you start tweaking, the harder it becomes to stop

 

[Mrhanky]

Once you start tweaking, the harder it becomes to stop

Yes sir your right its an addiction for sure.

 

[bestinuk]

I planning on getting mine remapped and new exhaust hope it wouldn't devalue it too much its a bloody expensive car..

 

[noy91]

As long as its nothing visually startling you could probably just tailor the description to suit the buying audience - so if it was advertised on here say what's it had done and it may be perceived as a bonus, but if on Autotrader just don't list the mods and only reveal them once you're face to face with a buyer and they can see you're not a Subaru yob who knows his stuff and is mechanically sympathetic. It may put them off, but it may make them think at least someone put time and thought into the car.

EDIT: sorry, just realised nothing much had been said on this for a while...

 

[ChrisA]

Pulley and remap is simple enough to change back to stock when the time comes......if that time comes at all for when the bug starts......it doesn't want to stop

 

[John]

At last - a thread we all agree on (so far).

I was conscious of putting mine back to standard when I did it with regards to resale but I have no plans to sell it for a long time and I suspect the reality is I will sell it modded.

I have the old headers and old CATs at the moment but I will probably sell the CATs on eBay or for scrap and forget about it.

It is addictive though, and as the small RX8 (why?) in my mirror earlier today will testify, my car don't half shift.

 

[def90cars]

Just my view.

1. Standard/original cars are always more desirable in the long term
2. Tax disc holder??? forget them soon
3. Mods done "properly" - by who's standard?
4. Tastes vary massively
5. Modified cars and owners (in my view) are harder on wear and tear (ref- RX8 comment)

6..... this is just my view.

 

[noy91]

5. Modified cars and owners (in my view) are harder on wear and tear (ref- RX8 comment)

6..... this is just my view.

This is probably true of the drivetrain but there may be a case that they're more careful around potholes or kerbs, although this is perhaps more an issue of enthusiast vs. general public rather than modified vs. standard.

Having said that my first car remained completely standard with 12 VW franchise stamps, but I wouldn't buy it if I knew what it had done...